Four Peaks Brewing Celebrates 30 Years of Craft Beer and the Legacy of Kilt Lifter

Arizona-founded brewery marks three decades of brewing with its flagship beer that shaped craft beer in the Southwest

TEMPE, Arizona., March 31, 2026  Four Peaks Brewing is celebrating 30 years of brewing in Arizona by raising a pint to the beer that helped put the brewery on the map: Kilt Lifter.

First brewed in the early days of the company, Kilt Lifter has grown from a small-batch experiment into one of the most recognizable beers in the Southwest. Over the past three decades, Four Peaks has sold more than 800,000 barrels of Kilt Lifter, equal to more than 200 million 16-ounce pints poured across bars, patios and ballparks.

For many drinkers across Arizona and neighboring states, Kilt Lifter was their first introduction to craft beer. Today, it remains one of the most successful amber ales in the United States and was the #1 local craft beer sold in Arizona in 2025.

“This milestone is about more than beer. It’s about the people who’ve supported us since the beginning,” said Trevor Needle, marketing director at Four Peaks Brewing. “From our earliest days at the 8th Street Pub to today, we’re grateful to craft beer lovers everywhere for making Four Peaks part of their story.”

Four Peaks Brewing was founded in 1995 by Andy Ingram, Jim Scussel and Randy Schultz and opened to the public in 1996 inside a late 1800’s creamery and ice factory building in Tempe, Arizona.

At the time, Arizona had only seven breweries. Today, the state has more than 120, with Four Peaks widely recognized as one of the pioneers that helped shape the region’s craft beer culture.

While the brewery now produces a wide range of beers, including Hop Knot IPA and Wow Wheat, Kilt Lifter remains its defining beer. At 6% ABV, the amber ale features rich malt character with notes of caramel and toast and has earned medals at international and domestic beer competitions. In an industry dominated by IPAs, Kilt Lifter has remained the brewery’s flagship for most of its history.

Thirty years after opening its doors, Four Peaks continues to brew in Tempe while its beers reach drinkers across the Southwest and beyond. From the historic 8th Street Pub to bars and tap handles throughout the region, Kilt Lifter remains a favorite with new generations of craft beer drinkers.

For more information, go to FourPeaks.com.

About Four Peaks

Based in Tempe, Arizona, Four Peaks Brewing has defined craft beer in the Southwest since its founding in 1996. Anchored by flagships Kilt Lifter and WOW Wheat, Four Peaks is the largest brewery in Arizona and a Top 50 craft brewery nationally with distribution across Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, California, Utah and Texas.

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