NEVADA BEER

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Table of Contents: 
NEW BEER.
NEVADA BREWERIES
SUMMARY

Wines of Nevada,                                                             Nevada Spirits.

Very Old Nevada Beer.

When did beer come to Nevada? The facts are about as clear as a whiskey glass from the mining days.

The local tribes probably had some drinks they would use for spiritual occasions. Evidence points to a beer-like liquid from boiling persimmon.

Closer to What We Know as Beer

The first beers in America are ales coming from England circa 1600. Although colonists brew corn to make a beverage for imbibing.

Circa 1840, German immigrant brewers introduce lagers to the U.S. Commercial breweries begin sprouting along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers.

At about the same time, word comes back that there is gold in California. Prospectors head west. So do those who make a living off miners, mining supply companies, pretty women, and saloon owners. Many of these saloon owners are German immigrants with beer recipes in their back pocket.

Some never make it to California and set up shops, saloons, and brothels along the California Trail. They do a brisk business off those passing through.

The California gold rush is over by 1855. Three years later, someone discovers silver near Virginia City.

Miners start heading east from California, while more continue west from America’s Mid-west.

New towns begin popping up, and those already established begin to grow.

Saloons can barely keep up with the demand for beer from their guests. Nevada needs more beer.

Beginning of a Brewery

Circa 1860, John Wagner opens the first Brewery in the Nevada Territory in Carson City.  He calls it, the Carson City Brewery.

He makes steam beer using the pure mountain water coming down through King’s Canyon Creek. Steam beer is an effervescent beer where they ferment lager yeasts at temperatures used for ale yeast. While cooling, it lets off a cloud (steam).

The Brewery makes the beer on the ground floor. On the upper level, they have a saloon and boarding rooms.

In nearby Virginia City, closer to the mines, several taphouses are opening. These include the Virginia City Brewery, Bavaria, Californian, Pacific, Union, and more.

Cheers to the New State

1864, Nevada becomes a state. More silver mines continue to bring in more people.

Circa 1869, the first inter-continental train route opens connecting the west to points back east. The flood gates open as new people (and supplies) stream west.

A New Century

Irish, Slavic, Italian, and Basque continue to arrive, most looking for work in the mines. Unfortunately, some of the mines start playing out. Small towns and their local breweries begin to disappear. The Comstock near Virginia City is still going strong, supporting that town and nearby Carson City.

Circa 1903, the Reno Brewing Company opens. Reno is the closest trans-continental railroad station for Virginia City and Carson City.

In 1910, the Carson City Brewery starts bottling the local mineral water, producing soda and ice to go with it.

Unfortunately, the Comstock starts dropping in production about the same time. In a one-industry town, this is not good news.

Miners begin moving on and taking their beer money with them. Soon the smaller brewers follow them. The Union Brewery is one of the last breweries still in business.

What else can go wrong?

At the end of 1918, Nevada passes Prohibition a year before many of the states. It will last until 1933.

In the United States, only 160 breweries survive Prohibition. The Carson City and Reno Breweries are the only two in Nevada. Their decision to make non-alcoholic drinks and that implementation before prohibition hits saves them.

But it is not all sunshine for brewers. During Prohibition, train lines have increased. National breweries in St Louis and Milwaukee can get their cheaper product to more places. The local breweries start to close.

The Carson City Brewery lasts until 1948. Then in 1957, the last Brewery in the state, The Reno Brewery, closes.

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A New Generation

In 1976, something happens that will change the beer world. In California, something opens called a brewpub. It is the beginning of the microbrewery craze in the U.S.

Nevada is not first to the trough on this new concept. It will not be until 1985 that the state will pass a new law to allow brewing microbeers.

It will be another five years before they allow the first brewpub in Nevada.

In a history somewhat repeating itself moment, the first is the Union Brewery Saloon in Virginia City. It resides in the same building as the original Union Brewery.

The Union will close in 1995, but not before lighting a fire under many wanna-be brewers.

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Nevada Beer Breweries

Nevada beer suffers the same fate of just about everything else in Nevada, or for that matter, Las Vegas.

People think they know Las Vegas and Nevada after three nights on the strip. It’s only casinos and flashy hotels.

Or worse, having never been to Nevada letting movies and TV cop shows distort their impression. It’s only con men, prostitutes, and gunmen.

It creates a double-edged sword. For the sake of the brewery owners, you want as many people to learn of the magnificent Nevada brews. On the other hand, you want to keep them secret for yourself and a few friends.

Since 1986, more than forty artisanal/craft breweries have begun brewing. As of 2020, more than 20 of them are still in business, many of them growing. Many of their beers are seasonal, depending on ingredients, and most of them keep adding new beers.

A list of all the beers they offer would be out of date before I hit “return.”

Here is a list of the breweries (at the time of publishing) by region then town. Each one offering between 2-8 year-round brews in addition to seasonal flavors.  (You can click on the orange links for current offerings).

You have a lot of beer to try.

Northern Nevada Beer

Reno / Sparks breweries

• Great Basin Brewing Company (1993) – is currently the oldest Brewery in the state. Famous for its I.P.A., blond and amber ales, and milk stout. (Two locations)
• 10 Torr Distilling and Brewing (2017) – is a distilling and brewing facility. Famous for its I.P.A., blond ale, and Mexican-style.
• IMBIB (2015) – specializes in German, Belgium, and barrel-aged beers. (Two locations).
• Pigeon Head (2014) – began with the idea of brewing German lagers. It has grown from that. Famous for their ales, stouts, pilsner, and lager.
• Revision Brewing (2015) – is an adult-only space in an industrial area in Sparks. Famous for its I.P.A., (filtered and unfiltered) ales, and lager.

Carson City

• Shoe Tree Brewing (2015) – is run by two brothers. Famous for their ales, stouts, porter, and lager.

Tahoe

• Sidellis Lake Tahoe Brewery (2016) – is a brewery and restaurant. Famous for its I.P.A., amber and farmhouse ales, and porter.
• South Lake Brewing Company (2017) – has quickly grown into a formidable brewery. Famous for its I.P.A., blond ales, and pilsner.
• South of North Brewery (2018) – is located inside a hotel. Famous for its I.P.A., ales, and stout.
• Lake Tahoe Aleworx (2017) – is a brewery, pizza joint, and dance club after dark. (2 locations).

Almost in Nevada

• FiftyFifty Brewery (2007) – is actually in Truckee, California, but close. Famous for their ales, stouts, pilsner, and lager. (Second location in Reno summer of 2020).
• Coldwater Brewery and Grill (2014) – is an all-grain brewery and gastropub. Famous for wheat, rye beers plus I.P.A., ales, and stout.
• The Brewery at Lake Tahoe (2007) – is one of the first gastropubs in the area. Famous for its ale, I.P.A., and pilsner.
• Stateline Brewery and Restaurant (2007) – is a family restaurant with a brewery. Famous for its I.P.A., and ale. They also carry beers from other breweries.

Southern Nevada Beer

Downtown Las Vegas

• Triple 7 Restaurant and Microbrewery(2006) – is a gastropub inside a casino. Famous for its I.P.A., porter, and ale.
• Banger Brewing (2013) – likes to push the envelope on flavors. Famous for the I.P.A.s Ales and stouts.
• Hop Nuts Brewing (2015) – likes their hops, but they also have less hoppy choices. Popular for the I.P.A.s Ales, and pilsner.
• Able Baker Brewing (2016) – celebrates Nevada’s atomic age with fun names. Famous for its I.P.A., ales, and stout.

The Strip

• Trustworthy Brewery (2019) – is a gastropub in the Grand Canal shopping center. Popular for the I.P.A.s Ales, and stouts
• Ellis Island Casino & Brewery (1998) – is one of the city’s oldest breweries. Famous for the I.P.A.s Ales, porter, and root beer.
• Sin City (2006) – is a local chain of microbreweries. Popular for the I.P.A.s Ales, and stouts

Spring Valley

• Chicago Brewing Co (2007) – a casino brewpub open 24/hrs with breakfast anytime. Famous for its I.P.A., ales, and stout.
• Tenaya Creek Brewing (1999) – One of the older breweries, You will find 10+ of their brews plus beers from other craft breweries.

North Vegas

• Big Dog’s Brewing Co (2003) – formally Holy Cow Brewery, it has a small casino. Famous for its I.P.A., ales, and stout.
• P.T.s Brewing Company (2016) – is more restaurant than a brewery, but they do make their beers. Famous for its I.P.A., and ales.

Summerlin

• Scenic Brewing (2019) – is more a restaurant sports bar with a brewery. Famous for the I.P.A.s Ales and stouts.

Henderson

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Nevada Beer Round-up.

ONCE AGAIN, this is ONLY a handful of the craft beers in Nevada.

New breweries and new flavors keep popping up every day. Therefore, there is no way to keep up with them. Also, some of the beers above may be seasonal, and therefore not in production.

Nevada beers that are favorites today may not be next season. Artesian beers, like wines, have good years and bad years. Just because it was great last year does not guarantee it will be as exceptional this year. In contrast, it may be even better.

And finally, all people do not like the same beer. Or wine or…

For this reason, a good bartender or server is probably necessary to point you in the right direction.

Then, YOU need to decide on YOUR OWN if it’s your Nevada beer.

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WINES OF NEVADA

NEVADA SPIRITS

TASTE NEVADA