Desert Eagle Brewing Company became officially tapped out over the summer, but the brewpub’s closure isn’t a complete loss to downtown Mesa’s craft beer scene. Mouth by Southwest reports that the space will be taken over by Eric Cady and Trent Smith, who opened Chupacabra Taproom just around the corner back in 2019.
Chupacabra’s owners will expand upon the taproom’s theme, rebranding the former Desert Eagle space as Urban Legend Beer Company. ‘‘With the recent growth and expansion in downtown Mesa, it won’t be a deterrent,’’ Cady tells Mouth by Southwest. ‘‘The two will be complementary.’’
Urban Legend Beer Company will serve its own beers on tap, made with an in-house barrel brewing system that will also supply some beverages to Chupacabra. Goat and Ram pizza truck, which you might recognize from when it’s been posted outside Chupacabra, will oversee the kitchen at Urban Legend.
An opening is anticipated for the first half of 2023. Until then, they will fully gut and rebuild the space. In the meantime, they will also begin the search for a head brewer. Stay tuned.
