Mudshark Brewing at Lake Havasu
The Real London Bridge and Real Beer
by Bob Barnes

      People flock to Lake Havasu, Arizona., to see the famed London Bridge. The city has a population of 44,000, but the bridge and lake attract over a million visitors a year. The recreation area that includes a 72-mile stretch of the Colorado River draws in boaters and skiers from March through October and snowbirds during the winter months. It's Arizona's second highest tourist destination next to the Grand Canyon, and while most come to see the London Bridge, many are finding some excellent choices for fresh-brewed beer as well.

      The new kid on the block is Mudshark Brewing Company, which opened in September of 1998. Intrigued by the origin of the name, I asked owner Scott Stocking if there were some freshwater sharks lurking in their lake. The brew pub is named after a popular locals' beach of the same name. The beach got its unofficial name in the '70s from the locals who hung out there and dubbed it Mudshark after a Frank Zappa tune that was hitting the airwaves at the time.

      Like most brew masters, Mudshark's previous brew master Ron Chieffo started out as a home brewer. Chieffo, a resident of Lake Havasu for over 20 years, has a degree in forestry but was working as an information systems manager (managing computers) for the city of Needles when Scott Stocking, his mountain biking and homebrewing buddy, lured him away to work as an apprentice brewer at his new brew pub. Chieffo received on-the-job training as he apprenticed for six months with Mudshark's original brew master, Wayne Wannanan, before stepping into his brew master boots. The frosting on the cake of his training came from Roberto Santos from Brewski's/Bohemian Breweries, who walked him through brewing techniques on the 15-bbl. Bohemian brewing system.

      Chieffo considers himself a hop-monster, preferring IPA, steam-style and pale ale as the styles he would most likely choose to quaff. However, most of his Arizona customers prefer milder styles, since most have not been exposed to micro brews or are not accustomed to them. He has to hold himself back when adding hops to his brew-pot. Mudshark's current brew master, Drew, not only has a wealth of brewing experience, but he's always experimenting with new recipes that are based on the old traditional beer styles.

      While Mudshark's beers are not what most would consider assertively hopped, they are quite varied and extremely smooth. And with eight beers on tap, it would be difficult not to find something to your liking. The names of the beers reflect aspects of life on the Colorado River, including landmarks on the river. Mudshark's six standard beers are the Upriver Lager (geared toward the domestic beer drinker, but with more flavor and body), Pilot Rock Pilsner (a step up from the lager with a dry, slightly hoppy finish), Dry Heat Hefe (light American-style wheat, clean and smooth), Underground Pale Ale (light amber, an all-Cascade brew, moderately hoppy), Scorpion Red Ale (toasted malt flavor) and Full Moon Belgian Wit (a delicious wheat beer with Munich malt and a beautiful blend of coriander and orange peel). Although Mudshark serves no fruit beers, the Full Moon comes close. It's served with an orange slice skewered on a toothpick resting above the beer, so one has the choice to add it to the beer or not. [Extra points from the Celebrator! -- Ed.]

      At Mudshark pints cost $3.50, and a five-beer sampler is $4.95. If you want a deal, there's happy hour from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. monday - friday. The deal is $2.50 pints and half off appetizers. Prices subject to change. Since Mudshark is right next door to a movie complex, a good plan would be to take advantage of these deals before seeing a flick. After the movie you can pop back into Mudshark for some live music. Charles Buie, who sings backup for Patti LaBelle, plays wednesdays nights during our wine and jazz night. Be sure to ask him to play his original song, "The Mudshark Blues."

      Mudshark's food menu, which changes every season, includes the usual sandwiches and appetizers but goes well beyond ordinary brew pub fare. The selections include gourmet pizzas (such as White Spinach Chicken with feta cheese and Scorpion Thai Pai with a tangy peanut sauce), pastas and signature dishes (Pacific Yellowfin, K.C. New York steak, prime rib and grilled salmon).

      If you're into art, you could be amused by your surroundings at Mudshark. Local artist Joe Randa has painted colorful and stimulating murals on several of the walls. Of note is the skyscraper behind the fermenters; another mural depicts an early '30s Packard modified as a sports car (creative license!) with a shark as the hood ornament. I also found stacks of Celebrator Beer News to accommodate those who do their best reading in the can.

      Mudshark is the only nonsmoking restaurant in town, but if you want to light up, you can head to the outdoor beer garden. It's a true garden with a variety of tropical plants, rosemary, chili plants (anaheim and jalape–o) and Cascade hops thriving in the warm Arizona climate. The rosemary and chilies are harvested for use in the kitchen, and the hops will be used for a hop-back in a batch of brew in the near future.

      You may be lucky, as I was, to catch a glimpse of the brew pub's pet roadrunner. It's actually not anyone's pet, but it does reside somewhere in the beer garden. Unlike Wiley Coyote's nemesis, this roadrunner will not run from you, particularly if you have a gift of food in your hand.

      Mudshark Brewing Company appears to have the whole package: smooth, flavorful beer; an interesting and varied food menu; a bright, cheerful environment; live entertainment; and good deals if you plan it right. Mudshark is located a stone's throw from the London Bridge on Swanson Avenue, which is right off of Arizona Highway 95, the road that brings you into town.

Mudshark Brewing Co.
210 Swanson Ave.
Lake Havasu, AZ 86403
928-453-2981
Brew master: Drew
www.mudsharkbrewingco.com

Bob Barnes is a regional correspondent for the Celebrator Beer News and has been brewing beer at home for the past 15 years.

Copyright 2000, Celebrator No material herein may be reprinted without permission of the Celebrator Distributed On the W3 For personal, non-commercial enjoyment and use only. Cheers!

Celebrator August/Sept, 2000
Hot Time and Cold Beer at Las Vegas Beer Fest
by Bob Barnes    

 "A total of 22 breweries were represented, with several out-of-state brew pubs making the trek to the Vegas oasis (all with brew masters in tow). Mudshark Brewing Company from Lake Havasu, Arizona., was a real crowd pleaser with its Mudsberry Ale, Pale Ale (very hoppy) and Full Moon Belgian wit (try it with an orange slice). The Mudsberry is as authentic as a fruit beer can get, containing over 450 pounds of fresh raspberries (300 pounds added after the boil and another 150 during fermentation). Mudshark's beers went over so well that its kegs were sucked dry after the first day."

Complete Article... http://celebrator.com/200008/lasvegas.html