A&E

Dive into beer! Vegas crafts, taps, seasonals, upcoming fests and more

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Lamaii’s beer selection is as impressive as its food menu.
Photo: Wade Vandervort

Tap in: Draft beer lovers unite—and meet up at these favorite local spots

Aces & Ales Hit the Tenaya location for 50 craft taps and more than 150 bottles on offer. And stay tuned for a new Southwest location at the Bend, which will be home to its first-ever brewery. 2801 N. Tenaya Way; 3740 S. Nellis Blvd., 702-638-2337.

Atomic Liquors Quality beer offerings, hip vibes and a great patio have kept this historic Downtown venue a perennial favorite. The draft list is always changing, so check the chalkboard behind the bar—or the new video screen—for the latest. 917 Fremont St., 702-982-3000.

b.B.d’s The initials of this Palace Station spot stand for “beers, burgers and desserts.” It offers draft beers, along with bottles and cans, plus “warm room” brews, nitro, sours, cider and more. Check out the daily happy hour for half-off draft specials. 2411 W. Sahara Ave., 702-221-6513.

Beer Zombies Bottle Shop The Beer Zombies lifestyle brand has become associated with many things: beer reviews, brewery collabs, a festival and merchandise. This July, the Zombies opened a draft room and bottle shop in the Southwest featuring 15 zombie-themed tap handles with a constantly rotating selection of brews and 150-200 different package beers. 8680 W. Warm Springs Road #170, 702-596-5167.

Cheba Hut toasted subs Go for the weed-themed sandwiches, stay for the “cottonmouth cures.” In addition to whimsical Kool-Aid fountains, there’s a great selection of local beers (Joseph James, Tenaya Creek and Hop Nuts). Multiple locations, 702-685-0692.

595 craft and kitchen This Spring Valley pub is a comfy spot that focuses on local favorites and exotic out-of-towners like Raspberry French Toast by Decadent Ales out of Mamaroneck, New York. 4950 S. Rainbow Blvd., #100, 702-586-1050.

Hardway 8 This sports bar in Henderson’s Historic Water Street district offers 20 rotating drafts. In addition to local breweries, there’s Pizza Port, Bell’s, Left Hand and United Kingdom import Blackthorn. 46 S. Water St., 702-410-5124.

Khoury’s Fine Wine & Spirits Think of this locally owned shop as a clubhouse for craft beer lovers. There are 11 rotating taps, special-release tapping events and packaged beer to take home. 9915 S. Eastern Ave. #110, 702-435-9463.

Office Bar Weekly food and drink writer Jim Begley called Office Bar “a must-visit for any serious beer drinker.” Its 14 taps offer brews from around Nevada in a “smoky, dimly lit gaming bar.” 4608 Paradise Road, 702-737-7756.

Pub 365 There are as many different beers as there are days in the year at this bar in Tuscany Suites & Casino. Food, happy hour, Sunday brunch and late-night specials round out the experience. 255 E. Flamingo Road, 702-944-5084.

Three Sheets Craft Beer Bar This Arts District spot boasts 30 taps, two patios and a “beergarten courtyard.” Go for the events, game nights and cornhole tournaments. And bring your pooch—it’s dog-friendly. 1115 S. Casino Center Blvd., 702-912-0590.

World of Beer True to the name, this Galleria at Sunset spot features an extensive and internationally sourced beer list, organized by type. No wonder the chain has 56 locations nationally. 1300 W. Sunset Road #2940, 702-202-3323. –C. Moon Reed

Hidden gems: Did you know these restaurants also have wild beer lists?

Bardot Brasserie Their drafts, including Chimay Cinq Cents, are always good, but their Bière Artisanale list is even better. Bonus tip: Their J.W. Lees options are a steal! Aria, 877-230-2742.

Fries N’ Pies This casual pizza and poutine joint offers an impressive can list, including numerous selections from Mason Ale Works, some Evil Twin brews and the always reliable Montucky Cold Snacks. 4503 Paradise Road #350, 702-749-7030.

Mott 32 GM Nathan Grates, who doubles as the Sand Dollar Lounge’s co-owner, has gathered a fun group of beers, Asian and otherwise. Get whichever IMBIB Custom Brew’s NV Weiss is on tap when you visit. Venetian, 702-607-3232.

Sage This Strip stalwart has maintained one of the Strip’s best beer selections with a stable of classics. Pair an Orval Trappist Ale with Sage’s infamous Foie Gras Brulée for a divine experience. Aria, 702-590-8690.

Tacotarian Carlos Corral has curated a concise collection of fun beers at this vegan Mexican hot spot, ranging from Mexican-style micros (Belching Beaver Buenos Tiempos lager) to hoppy options from Connecticut’s Fat Orange Cat Brew Co. 6135 S. Fort Apache Road #402, 702-979-9329.

Lamaii Bank Atchawaran is known for his German Riesling prowess, but his beer game is equally adept. Start with the fun Taiwanese Sweet Touch Lychee or any of his impressive large-format options. 4480 Spring Mountain Road #700, 702-238-0567. –Jim Begley

Drink ’em while you can: Six seasonal recommendations

While we all have our favorite local mainline beers—I’m looking at you, Lovelady Paleo Porter—rotating options are the spice of life. Here are a few of our favorites of the moment.

Able Baker Brewing Company - Chocolate Chip Honey Dip Stout A delicious blend of chocolate, honey and vanilla, it’s a cookie in a glass—and one of my very favorite locals.

Astronomy Aleworks - Moons of Uranus Mothership coffee, vanilla and coconut intermingle in this gem of a porter. Besides, any beer with Uranus in its name is worth trying.

Bad Beat Brewing - Garbage Idea to Put a Team in the Desert This seasonal hazy IPA was released to coincide with the beginning of the Golden Knights’ season—and it’s possibly the best name for a local beer ever.

CraftHaus Brewery - Scorpion This malt liquor—released for CraftHaus’ ’80s-themed five-year anniversary party—is not the stuff we remember from college. As in, you’ll actually enjoy drinking it.

Lovelady Brewing - Company Raspberry Fields Forever When the well-coifed Jeff Lovelady praises the progression of this sweet stout’s raspberry profile, who am I to disagree? It’s a fun desert dessert beer.

Scenic Brewing - Company Tequila-Barrel Barleywine The alcohol-driven sweetness of this collaboration with Able Baker is steadied by the oaky and agave undertones. It’s as easy drinking as 11% ABV can get. –Jim Begley

Award tour: Local breweries scored well at the 2019 GABF

Earlier this month, the 2019 edition of Denver’s prestigious Great American Beer Festival (GABF) saw Nevada breweries take home a sextet of awards, including four for the state’s southern half—all of which should be available around town in some form.

Big Dog’s Brewing Company’s Knotty Dog Another GABF adds more hardware to Big Dog’s Dave Pascual’s collection with a gold in the Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer category. This silky smooth barleywine aged in Heaven Hill whiskey barrels was tapped at Big Dog’s just after the award announcement and is well-worth a trip to the northwest Valley.

Big Dog’s Brewing Company’s And the Award Gose to … Drinkers might have unknowingly tried this beer at Big Dog’s Summer Fest, where the ever-modest Pascual was unwilling to unveil its prophetic name. But after it took a silver in the German-Style Sour Ale category, you can look for it on tap, along with its easy-drinking fruitier variants, at Big Dog’s Draft House.

Chicago Brewing Company’s Quad Damn It! This intense-yet-balanced Belgian strong dark ale won GABF silver in 2013 under Pascual’s watch, then came home with the 2019 gold in the Belgian-Style Dark Strong Ale or Belgian-Style Quadrupel category. It’s on tap at CBC right now.

Public Coast Brewing Company’s Willie Big Dog Oregon’s Public Coast Brewing took bronze in the Collaboration Competition for its team-up with Big Dog’s. Flock to Big Dog’s Dogtoberfest on October 26 to drink what Pascual describes as a “robust porter aged in bourbon barrels.” Can’t wait! –Jim Begley

Beer blotter: Mark your calendar for this upcoming beer events

Oktoberfest - Throughout October, Hofbrauhaus Oktoberfest actually starts in September, but the celebration goes through the of this month, with daily events and celebs doing the keg-tapping honors, including Chippendales (October 18) and magician Murray Sawchuck (October 25).

Downtown Brew Festival - October 19, Clark County Amphitheater It's the mother of all local beer festivals, bringing together the holy trinity of brews, bites and perfect fall weather.

Dogtoberfest - October 26, Big Dog's Brewing Company Enjoy the dog days of fall with 50-plus craft beers, live music and more brats than you can shake a bun at.

Pour in the Alley - October 27, Fergusons Downtown The event takes on a different beverage each month. For October it's craft beer, featuring more than 40 styles to add to your brew repertoire.

Day of the Dead Beerfest - November 1, Artisan Hotel More than 25 craft beers, alcoholic seltzers, ciders and liquor samples will be on hand at this celebration, where DJs will be spinning loud enough to wake the dead.

Sunset Park'd Food Truck & Micro Brew Festival - November 2, Sunset Park Food trucks and microbrews abound at the Clark County Parks & Recreation event, now in its fifth year.

Las Vegas Sangria, Craft Beer and Food Truck Festival - November 9, Clark County Amphitheatre There will be more than 40 sangria, craft beer and wine tasting stations to go with all the food truck fare.

Sour Saturday - November 9, Atomic Liquors Test your tongue at this annual Downtown event featuring more than 50 hard-to-find pours of the sour variety.

New Vista Brew's Best Beer Fest - November 16, MonteLago Village Resort Featuring local and national breweries, this beer fest claims the title of longest-running open-air beer festival in Southern Nevada.

Tenaya Creek 20th Anniversary Party - November 16, Tenaya Creek Brewery It’s been a locals favorite for two decades and with good reason. Celebrate the heart of the Valley’s craft beer movement as it hits this milestone.

Coming in 2020: Beer Zombies Festival (February 29, SkinnyFats, 6261 Dean Martin Drive); Boulder City Beerfest (March 28, Boulder City); Great Festival of Beer (April, Downtown Las Vegas).

Tags: Featured, Beer
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