I visited Kitsune Brewing Company in Phoenix, Arizona, and I’m still thinking about it. This one hit different, and I want you to understand exactly why before you scroll past. I filmed the whole visit for the LookForBOB YouTube channel — watch the video right below this article — because some places deserve more than just a mention. They deserve a witness. Kitsune Brewing Company is one of those places.
Lookforbob pulled up to Suite B-5 on East Bell Road in North Phoenix, and right away I could feel that this wasn’t just another craft beer spot. There’s something intentional about this place. From the gear on the walls — trucker-style hats, t-shirts, branded merchandise — to the carefully curated tap list, everything here tells you that somebody put real love and real thought into building this. That somebody is Tyler Smith, the founder and owner of Kitsune Brewing Company, and brother, he deserves his flowers.
Let me set the plate for you before we go any further, because context matters here. According to the Black Brewers Association, there are only about 100 Black-owned breweries in the entire United States. That’s roughly 1% of the 10,000 craft breweries operating across the country. And of those 100, many don’t even have a tap room. Kitsune is one of the rare few that does. Not only that — it is the only Black-owned brewery in the entire state of Arizona. Let that sink in. One state, one Black-owned brewery. And Tyler Smith is holding it down.
I also want to give a quick shout-out to some others in the space, because representation matters everywhere. Atlanta Brewing — opened by Nappy Roots, yes the rap group, yes you’re old if you know them, and yes that’s a good thing — is out there in Atlanta doing their thing. California has 10 Black-owned breweries. Virginia has three, though none of them have a tap room. The landscape is growing, but it’s still incredibly small. That’s exactly why finding Kitsune felt like such a moment.
The Story Behind the Brewery
Tyler Smith’s journey into brewing didn’t start with a tap room. It started with a cause. In 2020, in the wake of George Floyd’s death, the National Black Brewers Association put out a call for brewers to create a “Black is Beautiful” beer — a collaborative effort to raise awareness and funds for social justice causes. Tyler partnered with a local Phoenix brewery to gypsy brew his version of that beer. If you’re not familiar with gypsy brewing, it means you’re using another brewery’s equipment and space to produce your beer — you bring the recipe and the vision, they provide the facility. Tyler brought both, and apparently the response was strong enough to fuel a bigger dream.
That dream became Kitsune Brewing Company. And the name? I love this part. Kitsune in Japanese folklore is a multi-tailed fox — a creature known as a protector of the community. I can’t think of a more fitting name for a Black-owned neighborhood brewery with a tap room that’s become a gathering place for the people of North Phoenix. This isn’t just a business. It’s a community institution in the making.
What I Tasted
Now let’s talk about the beer, because that’s the whole point, right? I sat down and worked through a few pours, and I want to be honest with you: the quality here is serious. We’re not talking about novelty brews riding on a good story. We’re talking about craft that can stand on its own anywhere.
I started with their amber lager — and I’ll be real, it surprised me. It was smooth, well-balanced, and honestly just hit the spot. Next up was the Dark Sky Sacred, which is their triple coming in at a bold 9.7% ABV. That’s not a beer you sip carelessly. Then there was the Foxy Brown, a brown ale — and I always appreciate a good brown ale done right. Finally, the one that turned some heads at the table: an orange creamsicle sour. That’s the kind of creative flavor profile that tells you a brewer is having fun and paying attention at the same time.
The beer that stood out most to me during the visit was actually the New England IPA. I noted in the video that it had almost none of the harsh astringency you get with a lot of IPAs. It was smooth, flavorful, and approachable — exactly the kind of IPA that can convert someone who thinks they don’t like IPAs. At 9.7%, it also means business. Tyler clearly knows what he’s doing behind the brew kettle.
And yes — I walked out with some gear. They had trucker-style hats that I couldn’t leave behind, and honestly, everybody out there in Arizona seemed to be rocking that style. The merchandise wall is worth a look when you visit. Good quality, clean branding.
Why This Business Matters
I say this a lot on LookForBOB, but I mean it every single time: representation in industry is not a small thing. When Tyler Smith opened Kitsune Brewing Company, he didn’t just open a business — he planted a flag. He said, Black people belong in craft brewing. Black entrepreneurs can build something from the ground up, with a tap room, with a brand, with a community following, and do it at the highest level of quality.
Kitsune has already been recognized as the 2025 Best Place to Take a Geek Who Loves Beer and the 2023 Best New Brewery in Phoenix. A 4.9-star rating across 183 Google reviews doesn’t happen by accident. That’s earned, one pour at a time, one guest at a time.
Beyond the awards and the ratings, think about what a Black-owned brewery with a tap room does for a community. It creates a space. It creates jobs. It creates a reason for people to gather, to celebrate, to feel seen. The name Kitsune — protector of the community — isn’t just mythology. It’s a mission statement. Tyler is actively building something that serves the people around him, and that matters in a way that goes way beyond the pint glass.
We are at 1% representation in craft brewing. One percent. Every time you walk into Kitsune and order a beer, you’re helping change that number. You’re investing in a future where Black brewers have a seat at the bar — and not just as a guest, but as the owner.
If you want to discover more Black-owned businesses at lookforbob.com, we’ve got you covered — but today, this one deserves your full attention.
Visit & Support
Kitsune Brewing Company
Address: 3321 E Bell Rd Suite B-5, Phoenix, AZ 85032
Phone: (602) 245-8593
Website: kitsunebrewingco.com
Hours:
Monday: Closed
Tuesday – Thursday: 3:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Friday: 2:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Saturday: 12:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Sunday: 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Leave Them a Google Review: Kitsune Brewing Company is sitting at a 4.9-star rating on Google with 183 reviews — and they’ve earned every single one. If you’ve visited, or if you visit after reading this, please leave them a Google review. It takes two minutes and it means everything to a small business. Let the world know what Tyler is building out here in Phoenix.
Tyler Smith — way to go, my brother. What you’ve built at Kitsune is real, it’s quality, and it matters. To everyone reading this: get out there, support, and drink good beer with purpose.
Verified by personal visit — lookforbob.com, February 21, 2026.
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