If you were to list the skills required to run a brewery, you might not consider engineering. But for Jason Taylor, the owner and president of the Arts District’s new Nevada Brew Works, his unlikely background in developing wastewater treatment plants comes in handy.
“For a very small brewery, we’re definitely very advanced,” Taylor says. “With [my] engineering background, we took the [brewery] design pretty seriously.” Taylor says that their “10-barrel system that brews with steam” uses a “step mash” method of brewing, in which precise temperatures allow for beers to achieve depth and complexity of flavor.
So far, NBW has released three beers—the NBW Hefeweizen, the NBW Irish Red and the flagship Ariana Rye PA. The rye pale ale is named after Taylor’s daughter, who has cerebral palsy.
“She’s the basis for why we decided to open the brewery in the first place and to try to kind of give her a better future,” Taylor says. A portion of that beer’s proceeds will go to charity. NBW also plans to brew a series of beers that will benefit children in need of medical equipment.
Nevada Brew Works is a family affair. Taylor’s father-in-law, Ken Hallyburton, is the brewmaster; he studied at the Siebel Institute of Technology World Brewing Academy in Chicago.
The 2,000-square-foot patio is a major draw. But don’t overlook the menu, which features Neapolitan-style pizzas cooked in a Marra Forni Brick Oven. Try the Pep & Pine ($13), a variation on a Hawaiian pizza with pepperoni and pineapple, or the signature NV Brew Works Pizza ($14), with a variety of meats and veggies. Angus beef burgers ($10-$13), a surprisingly robust house salad ($6) and some pub-centric appetizers (cheese curds, wings and a large pretzel) round out the food offerings.
“We have a fairly concise menu, but we focus a lot on the food,” Taylor says.
“We wanted to be a full brewpub, and that makes us family-friendly and keeps people here for the beer.”
NEVADA BREW WORKS 1327 S. Main St. #160, 702-466-6637. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-midnight (NFL Sundays, open 10 a.m.); Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-1 a.m.
