Spring Training, Cheap Beers, and the Battle for the Last Shrimp Taco

 Episode 2 - In this episode of The Adam and Dedra Show, we crack open Nightmare Juice from Mason Ale Works and recap a fun Arizona adventure that started with a spring training game in Goodyear and ended with great beer and food at Saddle Mountain Brewing Company. We talk about the beers we tried, including Hop Snob, a black IPA collaboration with Phantom Fox, and a hazy that did not disappoint.

***The Black IPA from TCBC I couldn't think of the name of was called "Booze Hound"  There was also one with toasted coconut.

We also get into Saddle Mountain’s Baja shrimp tacos, chips and salsa, and the mini donuts that absolutely deserve their own spotlight. Along the way, there is the usual back-and-forth, local beer love, and a few side tangents that make this show what it is.

If you enjoy craft beer, brewery visits, local food, and fun couple banter, this episode is for you.

In this episode:

Spring training in Goodyear
Saddle Mountain Brewing Company
Nightmare Juice from Mason Ale Works
Hop Snob and other beer reviews
Baja shrimp tacos and mini donuts 

Transcript

Adam 0:01

Hello and welcome to the Adam and Dedra show. Uh today we're having some nightmare juice. Mason Aleworks out of San Diego, California. Haven't had a set yet, so cheers, everybody. Cheers. And uh this week's adventures was always a lot of fun. Um we're sitting here in March in uh Phoenix, Arizona, and there's the Cactus League baseball. So pre or preseason, what do you call it? Spring training.

Dedra 0:33

Spring training, yes. Um, and in Phoenix, it's amazing whenever this time of year kicks off because we always are so fortunate to have just amazing weather. Um, so I always look forward to spring training every single year. So this year, it was definitely a great opportunity. We decided to go to um a Monday game, so which was even better because we both, instead of being at work, um, it was a one o'clock game, so we both just took a half day, showed up, went to the game, had some delicious beers, um, lost terribly.

Adam 1:08

Well, they started to come back, you know, with their uh, you know.

Dedra 1:13

It's spring training, it's not that big of a deal.

Adam 1:15

Triple A and double A players started flying, I think, at that point and kind of caught up a little bit, but no, it was bad.

Dedra 1:20

Yeah, it was it was pretty rough.

Adam 1:23

Yeah. We went to Saddle Mountain Brewing Company at a good year Arizona. It was uh right down the street from the park, and actually it was really nice because um they have a deal. So you go to that ballpark, you show them your tickets, and you get two dollar beers for the first ones. And uh anytime that we can get a cheaper beer, hey, we're gonna take it.

Dedra 1:40

Well, and then on top of that, we're supporting a local place as well. So that's even better.

Adam 1:44

Support local, that's always good. And uh the first beer that I had um was the hop snob. That hop snob for West Coast style IPAs is it's it's amazing. I actually really enjoy it a lot. And I, you know, I'll sit there for you know, have three or four in a row just enjoying it. Um, and uh not only that, it is a uh a restaurant also. And uh I feel like they have a great menu. Um it's never let us down. I mean, our kids, even while they were growing up, our daughters graduate when she did her graduation. Where do we have it?

Dedra 2:17

Saddle Mountain. Saddle Mountain Brewing Company. Right. She graduated high school, and that was the place that she chose for you know for everybody to meet up for lunch afterwards. Um, great place, amazing food, delicious food. Um, I don't think there's anything there that we have had that we did not enjoy. Their burgers, delicious. Um I really fell in love with the place once I had their um their little donuts, their mini donuts. And I love donuts. I'm not like a huge like dessert or a sweets person, but the donuts that they have there, which is great because they're small, little mini ones like this, and they're made fresh. So and they're plain. And so when they come out, you don't have to fuss with a glaze or anything like that. They're just plain donuts that come out.

Adam 3:04

Well, they have cinnamon and sugar on the outside, right? I don't know if cinnamon, I think it is cinnamon sugar.

Dedra 3:09

But it does come with some dipping sauces, a chocolate and vanilla dipping sauce. But I that's just the no pun intended, but that's the icing on the cake because like you you get the donut and sometimes it's so fresh and you um it it's hot and you kind of have to take a second and let it cool off a little. Um, but that's also when it's at its best because then when you dip the sauce, it kind of heats the sauce up too, so that way it kind of like drips and you know, just so it's so good. Watch out, Krispy Kreme. I think you are right. I think it does have, I think it comes out with a little bit of powdered sugar on it.

Adam 3:45

Yeah.

Dedra 3:45

Um, but it is so good, and our kids love it. And I think they give you maybe seven or eight little mini ones per serving.

Adam 3:54

Um we've taken a to go, just stop there for a couple beers and donuts to go.

Dedra 3:59

Yes, absolutely.

Adam 4:00

So if you're a I'm not the biggest sweet person, but it, you know, I'll I'll have one of those donuts.

Dedra 4:05

Um, although the time before last when we did go there, unfortunately, they had told us that they had sold out, so we didn't get our donut fixed.

Adam 4:13

How do they still sell out of donuts? I guess they're that good.

Dedra 4:16

Yes, yes. It's it's very good.

Adam 4:19

Anyways, we didn't even eat it that time. We we just went there and uh we didn't have donuts, believe it or not. As much as she's talking them up.

Dedra 4:25

I wanted to. I really wanted to.

Adam 4:27

What did we eat?

Dedra 4:28

I yeah, oh my gosh. So um I love I like their chips and salsa. I I love chips and salsa. Um, but this time I ended up getting, or we ended up getting um some Baja shrimp tacos, which were delicious, and it was on their happy hour menu, even better.

Adam 4:46

Yeah, three to six I think daily, right?

Dedra 4:49

I I think it's three to six, yes. And I could easily find myself stopping by there on if I worked in that area. I'd just stop by there and pick up some some shrimp tacos or even for lunch.

Adam 5:02

That'd be a lot of willpower though, to have to go there and not have a beer.

Dedra 5:06

True, true.

Adam 5:08

Um the Baja uh shrimp tacos, well, it came with three though, and we shared it. So that means I had a taco, you had a taco, and then we fought over the last one.

Dedra 5:18

Yes. But and I don't know what I mean, like it was just the the insides, the feelings were, you know, the usual, what is it, just coleslaw? But for some reason, like the shrimp that they like however they seasoned it and cooked it, it was so good.

Adam 5:34

So like fried really well.

Dedra 5:36

Yeah. So when I got it, or when I was eating the last part of mine, I was just like picking just the straight shrimp out and kind of almost wished that we got a second order just to eat just a shrimp, or if we could have just ordered just a shrimp in itself. Shrimps. It was delicious. I couldn't help myself. I know.

Adam 5:56

We were watching like a David Spade thing one time and and he was talking about it. He likes to go to like fancy places and use words wrong like shrimp. Shrimp, you know, it's it's plural. Um, but he would go in there. Yeah, how many shrimps does that come with? Comes with three shrimps.

Dedra 6:13

Love David Spade. Oh man, by the way, also an Arizona native. Um, but oh my gosh, it was it was a hilarious skit. So now if you ever hear us talking about shrimps, that's coming from that's where it comes from.

Adam 6:26

But that wasn't the only beer I had. Um, I had another one. It was a black IPA. Well, hold on.

Dedra 6:32

I too also because I Oh, you drank? Yeah. I too had the hop snob. I don't always just drink hazy's, but I I also had that one as well. And I I like it. I like it a lot. It's very just clean and it's very, would you would you say classic?

Adam 6:49

I would say it's a classic West Coast style, but it it is a tasty one. I I really enjoy it. I mean, I'll just, you know, I'd I'd carry that at home if they had it in regular stores. I mean, they could I think you can buy four packs to go, but you know, I don't think they sell it at at uh regular stores.

Dedra 7:04

And I say, you know, would you call it a classic? Because I just feel like putting that type of label on it almost just like doesn't do it justice and almost kind of like brings it down a notch. But it is, it's a very good, very clean, very easy to drink um beer.

Adam 7:22

I think they have a double IPA also, and it's called Hoppier and Snobbier. I don't, you know, most of the time I'll lean towards the doubles and triples and stuff just because I I I love the flavor uh profile that you get with those. But I actually think that the regular hop snob that they have is better than their double, which is it's saying something for me. You know how much I like my doubles.

Dedra 7:43

Right. And they and I don't drink this particular beer because it's it's called strawberry bitch. But I was just thinking, like, if they did the same thing with the hopier and snobier, it would be like what strawberrier and bitch eater. You're welcome to sign on that. I mean, I'm I'm sure they already have that name locked in somewhere, but oh yeah. But yeah, I mean is that even a word? Strawberry or ear? Strawberrier.

Adam 8:15

Strawberrier? Yeah, we're gonna make it a word. Webster's, uh, we're sending in our our vote right now.

Dedra 8:23

So okay, go ahead and back to your black IPA.

Adam 8:26

Oh, yeah, it was a black IPA. So what I didn't actually even figure this out out till uh after we left, but um they actually did a collaboration with another brewery in town. And I I don't remember them ever doing another uh collaboration, um, but it was with uh it's called Phantom Fox, which is out of uh Mace, Arizona, and uh they did a collaboration and it was a black IPA. Now, black IPAs, in my opinion, can be hit or miss. And uh I thought that this one was really good. It kind of reminds me of the old TCBC one, the uh oh, what was it called? That something uh these warrior hops in it. I can't even think of the name of it. It's something with a dog. Oh gosh, I hate when I can't remember the names of things like that, right in right on the spot, but it doesn't matter. It was um actually a really good uh black IPA. And let me guess, you had a hazy.

Dedra 9:16

Of course.

Adam 9:18

What was it called? Oh see, you're not you're not gonna remember just like I can't. It was called intergalactic fog, is what yours was called.

Dedra 9:28

That's right. I liked it. Um, but then again, that's not saying much. There's not a ton of beer out there that I don't like or that I dislike. So with that one, it was a really good hazy. Um, we do I didn't have too many beers there just because we were already at the um spring training game, so we didn't want to drink too much heading home. So we just had the couple beers and then Do you know what I just realized?

Adam 9:52

We were there at the stadium and they also had Saddle Mountain Brewing Company. Uh they had like a little tent where they were pouring and and you remember what we had there?

Dedra 10:02

Uh Hoppier and Snobier?

Adam 10:04

Just Top Snob.

Dedra 10:05

Oh, really?

Adam 10:06

Yeah.

Dedra 10:06

Oh.

Adam 10:08

You know, I don't think I put two and two together.

Dedra 10:11

Oh, until just like literally right now, yeah. Okay. No, they're always there.

Adam 10:16

Yeah. And then we had Hazy Little Thing by Sierra Nevada, also, which is always a solid beer.

Dedra 10:21

Yes.

Adam 10:22

Yeah, but I think that's funny.

Dedra 10:24

What I love is that those great beers are available at the ballpark. And that is such an amazing feature of the Goodyear ballpark is that they have um just beers from Seattle Mountain. Yeah. And you're not stuck, you know, just having the all the light lagers and things like that. Um there's anything wrong with it, I guess. But but to have that quality at a baseball stadium, I love it. I absolutely love it.

Adam 10:54

Yeah. And you know, while we were there at the brewery too, they had another one. I've had it before. It was called um I don't know, but it was an experimental sour. It was like a partial cider and sour kind of combined into one. Did you see that on the menu?

Dedra 11:13

No.

Adam 11:13

Oh, it was. I mean, it's it's interesting. I I think I've had it before. It's a little bit sweeter than a typical sour, not like the fruity sweet, but like almost like a tart sweetness. And uh just, you know, it goes to say that. They do try some some interesting things there at the brewery, also. Oh man, that looked good.

Dedra 11:31

It was very good, very refreshing.

Adam 11:33

Yeah, we've had quite a few uh Mason Lwork beers, and this one right here, it kind of has like the design of uh um beetle juice, you know. Only say that once, you know, can't say it three times. 7.9% alcohol, nightmare juice hazy double IPA. That is solid. I like it.

Dedra 11:52

Definitely recommend it if you've never had it before or if you see it and you want to try something. Um, definitely recommend it.

Adam 11:59

It does say the juice is loose, so careful when you drink it. Anywho, I just I saw you take a drink of that. I'm like, man, that looks so so good.

Dedra 12:10

It was very refreshing. Yeah. And like we both just worked out before, you know, um shooting this. And I tell you, it there is nothing better than a post drink than a beer. Like, water's fun and all, it's you know, hydrating and whatever.

Adam 12:27

Healthy. I mean it helps you live, you know. So does beer. Oh, yeah, it does.

Dedra 12:32

There's been studies where people who drink beer, they've I've read they live up to 90 years old.

Adam 12:38

Yeah, they're happier people, I think.

Dedra 12:40

True. I've I've met some pretty crinky, bitchy people out there that don't drink beer or just don't drink in general. Maybe they're drinking that strawberrier and bitchier. No, they can't because that's not out yet. Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah. So there's no reason for that.

Adam 12:58

That would be interesting, like a double blonde. So it's like 8% alcohol blonde ale with uh with strawberries. Hey, I'd try it.

Dedra 13:07

Yeah, I mean, why not? With a name like that.

Adam 13:10

Mm-hmm. You gotta try it.

Dedra 13:13

And then wait for like a personality check.

Adam 13:16

Oh man. Or is that just what the waitress does when she slams it, slams it down and walks away all ignoring you? Spills it all over the counter.

Dedra 13:26

That is true. So that is one thing about me is for some reason when I go out um to restaurants or just bars in general, if I'm ever like by myself, which is very rare, I always get the worst service. And I always try to be as polite and as kind as possible. And I don't know, maybe somebody out there can tell me what I'm doing wrong, but I'm just always like, Can I? Whoa, nope, it's all right.

Adam 13:53

Beer's empty, water's empty.

Dedra 13:55

Yes. But that's all right.

Adam 13:56

I took care of you, I was there.

Dedra 13:58

Yes. So I'm just like, oh, nope, just solve, just be here. When you have a moment and it's not too inconvenient for you, can you partially do your job and at least get me water? I mean, that's easy, right? Yeah.

Adam 14:13

Um But no, that was uh good stuff. I think everything that we had there was pretty amazing. Those Baja shrimp tacos. It came with chips and salsa. That's what you started saying at the beginning, though, too, on the side, right?

Dedra 14:24

Oh, yes.

Adam 14:25

Yeah, and that was good. I mean, having chips and salsa with tacos.

Dedra 14:30

Yeah, it's you can't go wrong with chips and salsa ever.

Adam 14:33

Um I gotta say, you your your uh shrimp tacos are probably they rival that. I like your shrimp tacos.

Dedra 14:40

Nice, thank you. Um, they also actually, and I didn't have this the last time we were there, it's been a while, but they actually have margaritas there at Saddle Mountain. I have had one and it's actually pretty good. It's not bad. Um, a little bit sweet for my liking. Uh I usually Adam makes my margaritas and they're very, very simple, very fresh. It's just limes, simple syrup, and tequila. So when I go out and have margaritas, you know, every now and then, it's difficult because I'm just not sure if I'm gonna get like the overly sweet, syrupy, thick like the mixed margarita. Yeah, the kind that you know automatically, like I'm gonna have a headache before I even finish this.

Adam 15:27

Instant hangover.

Dedra 15:28

Yeah. So very few places I go to and get margaritas. Um, the other place that I I know I'm gonna get a good one at is Caramba's.

Adam 15:37

Oh, yeah.

Dedra 15:38

My God. And like during COVID, they were selling like the jugs of like margaritas like this to go. Oh my gosh.

Adam 15:47

Great idea, huh?

Dedra 15:48

That was yes, and they I believe they still do that. I they need to put one out here on the west side. Or on the counter.

Adam 15:58

One of those machines that just pumps it out. Oh yeah.

Dedra 16:04

Um, but no, like I think a carambas definitely needs to come out here. Maybe not just, you know, Virato, but come a little bit more west to Watson or Miller. Um, we would definitely just they have such good food. Yeah. Um really good. But we went to Saddle Mountain. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. So we're at Saddle Mountain.

Adam 16:25

They had those Irish egg rolls too, and I haven't had that in a long time, but I but I want to get back to that. There were egg rolls uh with pastrami inside there with like a drizzle of like the Russian dressing on it, and uh, I think sauerkraut mixed in there with it also. And uh I feel like you can almost put anything in a uh uh egg roll wrapper and and just call it a day. I mean, I I feel like you can make spaghetti and put that inside of the the egg roll wrapper and you got something there. Oh, forget it.

Dedra 16:53

I'd throw a hot dog in there and done.

Adam 16:55

Hey, all right.

Dedra 16:57

Ketchup and yeah, ketchup and mustard for dipping, done.

Adam 17:01

Throw some onion.

Dedra 17:03

See, you got the onion, but you cut it into slivers and you put the hot dog and then you roll it in there and then fry it that way.

Adam 17:09

I like it.

Dedra 17:10

That way you don't have to mess with it. You know what? That's gonna be dinner next week.

Adam 17:13

Oh man.

Dedra 17:14

Hey, but we went to Saddle Mountain, remember.

Adam 17:17

And I was talking about the egg rolls.

Dedra 17:21

Talk about something else on the menu. Actually, they're onion rings. Um, their onion rings look amazing. They looked so good.

Adam 17:31

Did somebody have it at the bar? I didn't even notice.

Dedra 17:33

I was uh just in general, just like when you go in, because it's a really neat setup. I love that place, like just love the ambience of it. And just they they've got a nice big uh they have two patios. They have one that faces east, but the building provides a lot of the shade for it. And it's nice because and they also have like a lot of misters out there and just trees, so it actually stays pretty cool out there. Yeah. Um, and then on the north side of the restaurant is another patio, and they have some roll-up doors that go out there, so it's definitely around this time of year, you always get that nice airflow that comes through.

Adam 18:11

But we started March at like 90 degrees, so that's uh that that sucks. I should say we ended February in 90 degree weather.

Dedra 18:20

Yeah. Um way too soon for this. March is 92, 93, but it's it'll take a dip this week. It'll I I'm not too worried about it.

Adam 18:29

I left the house at like five o'clock this morning and I didn't even need a sweater, it was fine.

Dedra 18:34

Oh, that's awful.

Adam 18:35

I know.

Dedra 18:36

I I live for the days where just driving to work, you just have you step out and it's like a crisp, fresh just that air hits you in the face, and it's just you can all you can do is just inhale it, and then you have to be happy. I mean, there's no reason why you should be cranky or you know, like in a bad mood during fall and winter, because like the the weather is just beautiful.

Adam 18:59

Or would you can actually see your breath when you walk outside? Uh yeah. I don't even know what that's like anymore.

Dedra 19:05

Yeah, we either one of these days. We we gotta go out of town for that, I think.

Adam 19:10

Well, I think we're going out of town next weekend, or two weeks from now, I should say.

Dedra 19:14

Yeah.

Adam 19:14

So we'll try some new places and of course share it with you guys.

Dedra 19:18

And as always, cheers.

Adam 19:20

Look at how we didn't even finish our cup.

Dedra 19:23

Oh, yeah.

Adam 19:24

Well, cheers, everybody. That's what I'm talking about. Not as gangster. Mason L works again, nightmare juice, hazy double IPA. Um, great beer from Mason L works. I recommend it. Very, very tasty, hazy. I um I know we've had a few things in the similar line of Mason L works. This one I think uh is my favorite. That that one I liked a lot.

Dedra 19:54

We actually have um I'm pretty excited for the next few recordings actually that we have coming up.

Adam 19:59

We got some fun stuff coming, that's for sure.

Dedra 20:02

For sure. And it's not just IPAs are hazy. This time we got some uh some sours in there, the the thick sours, but that'll we'll we'll save that for the next episode.

Adam 20:14

Well, thank you for joining us all. Um, please give us your suggestions down down uh in the comments. Love to hear from everybody and uh thank you for listening. We really appreciate it.

Dedra 20:25

Thank you. Until next time.