STEPHEN PAUL OF HAMILTON DISTILLERS One evening in 2006, Stephen Paul and his wife Elaine were barbecuing over mesquite wood scraps from the couples’ custom furniture company, Arroyo Design, and drinking their bev-erage of choice—Scotch. Then Elaine asked a question: “What if you could malt barley over a mesquite fire instead of a peat fire like they do in Scotland?” Stephen Paul got to thinking. What if you could? Little did they know, this single question laid the foundation for what would become Hamilton Distillers, a boutique whiskey distillery in Tucson named one of the best whis-key distilleries in America by Esquire magazine. Today, Hamilton Distillers is beloved for its three regional whiskeys—Dorado, Clear and Classic— each under the label Whiskey Del Bac. Drinkers can expect to taste notes of caramel, vanilla and occasionally butterscotch in the mesquite-smoked varieties and black cherry in the aged whiskeys. Sample all three on a 1.5-hour tour of the distillery, followed by a guided tasting experience. Stephen Paul at Hamilton Distillers, Tucson Don Guerra at Barrio Bread, Tucson DON GUERRA OF BARRIO BREAD On any given day, devoted locals fill the tiny space of Barrio Bread, eager to buy fresh artisanal loaves known for their signature, multi-textured feel and taste: crispy on the outside and chewy and airy on the inside. To create his beloved bread, owner and Arizona native Don Guerra employs a French-style technique that relies on the starter levain , or French sourdough, as the foundation of the bread. Guerra also sources organic, mostly locally grown heritage grains in all of the 3,700 loaves he makes weekly. And his oven, like the grains in the bread, is rooted in artisanal tradition—a gigantic Italian deck oven imported from Verona, Italy. On the Barrio menu, you’ll see a loaf called Desert Durum—nutty in flavor, crunchy in texture. And stenciled on the top of the dough? The signature saguaro—an image now synonymous with not only the Barrio brand but Arizona itself. Buy a loaf of your own at Barrio Bread’s storefront in Tucson at Broadway Village. ENRIQUE NORIEGA (ALL PHOTOS) 29
Arizona Official State Travel Guide Arizona 2021-22: Page 29
