The Kraus family came to Sedona in 1993 with all their worldly goods and a dream, to brew great fresh beer the way Fred learned at the Gasthausbrauerei Hufeisen, or Horseshoe Brewery, in the picturesque village of Pottenstein, Germany. The dream became reality when they opened the doors of Oak Creek Brewing Co. in west Sedona.

Since February 1995 Sedona’s only Microbrewery has been known to locals and tourists alike as the place to enjoy delicious handcrafted brews in a relaxed, unique setting.

In 2000 Fred Kraus, our brewmaster, decided to combine his brewing skills with his partners food industry skills, to open Sedona’s only brew pub. Our premium beers are brewed on site in the copper brewing tanks behind the beautiful oak bar. Our display kitchen houses the rotisserie and wood fired oven used to prepare the house specialties, 'Rotisserie Chicken and Pork Ribs', and 'Fire Kissed Pizzas'. Our beer and food are offered to you in a setting intended to make your experience fun with just a dash of old world charm.

Recent Awards
The success of Oak Creek beers is well known to beer enthusiasts.

In 2001 the Oak Creek Amber Ale was awarded the Silver Medal by the North American Brewers’ Association, a recognition that sets Oak Creek apart from hundreds of micro beers.

In 2002 the Forty-Niner Gold Lager was a Gold medal winner, North American Brewers' Association. This is a rich gold-colored lager with a crisp hop note. it maintains its zest and balance of hops and malt from start to finish. It is a cold lagered and naturally carbonated all-malt beer that is very versatile and can be enjoyed alone or with nearly any type of food.

Also in 2002 the Village Nut Brown Alewas a Bronze Medal Winner, North American Brewers' Association. This northern Arizona favorite has a consistent nutty flavor with just a hint of spice in its depths. A slowly emerging bitterness crops up along the way and is unobtrusively incorporated into the smooth flow. It finishes with a gentle nuttiness and spiciness. Excellent with steaks, chops and ribs!

In 2003 the Horseshoe Hefeweizen received two prestigious gold medals. It was the Gold medal winner at both the North American Brewers' Association and the 22nd annual Great American Beer Festival. A traditional unfiltered Bavarian wheat beer with aromatic hints of banana and clove. This beer is made with up to 50% wheat malt instead of all malted barley, which lends a lighter note. It is deep gold in color with a very low hop bitterness level and a dense head of white foam. It is traditionally enjoyed as the summer beer of choice in Bavaria and pairs well with appetizers, pizza, chicken, fish and pork.

Spunding: A Reason for their Success
Fred says, "What really makes our beer better is our use of spunding. Less than fifteen percent of brewers use this natural carbonation process that produces finer bubbles that impart a smother taste. This focus on quality has assured the Oak Creek Brewing Co. of wide distribution of its keg beer.

Retail Distribution
In 1999 a bottling line was added to enable distribution of packaged product through grocery and liquor store outlets. Today more that 324 stores throughout Arizona carry Oak Creek Beers. Click here to find a store near you.

Oak Creek Brewery and Grill's Beginning
In 2000 Fred decided to combine his brewing skills with local food industry professionals to open Sedona’s only brew pub. The premium beers, brewed on site, are stored in the burnished copper serving tanks behind the beautiful oak bar. The display kitchen houses the rotisserie and wood fired oven used to prepare the house specialties, fire-kissed pizzas and BBQ pork ribs. The beer and food are offered in a setting intended to make the experience fun with a little old world charm thrown in for good measure.