edible notables
TANKS A LOT
Silver State Stainless helps grow local drinks culture.
WRITTEN BY STINA FAUSONE
PHOTOS BY CANDICE NYANDO
As the day comes to its eagerly awaited close and you’re leaving work, you may begin daydreaming of your favorite spirit. Maybe it’s the crisp, clean taste of a gin cocktail, the velvety warmth of a full-bodied red wine, or that signature hoppy goodness of a freshly poured cold brew from Great Basin Brewing Co. Whatever your go-to libation is, you might be surprised to find that some of your favorite and beloved local beverages are created, stored, and shipped in custom stainless steel containment systems produced by Silver State Stainless in Northern Nevada.
Humble beginnings
Silver State Stainless is a small company in Mound House, Nev., that builds high-quality, stainless steel tanks on site for the wine, beer, and food service industries. The tanks not only fill a need for storage, but also aid in the fermentation process of a variety of local beers and wines.
Upon opening with a crew of four in August 2005 in an 8,000-square-foot facility, Richard Sharke, president and founder, set a goal of creating jobs in the small community in which the company started. Now 25 employees strong and operating in a building three times the original size, Sharke and his team members haven’t lost sight of that goal.
“This isn’t something I did all by myself,” Sharke says. “I came to the table with how things could and should be done and an idea of how to start this business. People trusted me and believed in me, and I have some great, really hardworking Americans here. At the end of the day, these people work with me, not for me, and they’re the most important thing to me, as well as the community I live in.”
Sharke moved to Dayton to work for a stainless tank company in town. After purchasing his new home, he began to settle in with his wife, but the enterprise went bankrupt soon after.
“I saw the opportunity to begin my own [business], rather than work for someone else,” he says. “I gathered the crew that I could and we set to work.”
Big growth
Reno-Tahoe companies — such as Frey Ranch Distillery, FiftyFifty Brewing Co., Pigeon Head Brewery, and Great Basin Brewing Co. — all use Silver State Stainless tanks for storing their products, as well as businesses owners outside the area, including Turley Wine Cellars in Amador County.
With the help of customers such as Tom and Bonda Young of Great Basin Brewing Co. and Colby and Ashley Frey of Frey Ranch Distillery, Silver State Stainless quickly is becoming a household name.
“All of the opportunities we’ve had with local winemakers, distilleries, and breweries started in our backyard. They gave Silver State Stainless an opportunity to showcase, locally, our pride in craftsmanship and customer service,” Sharke says. “Word spread and here we are.”
Sharke says that the company is about to hit an impressive milestone — adding its 1,000th tank.
“I’m lucky to employ some incredibly talented stainless steel workers without having to outsource out of state,” he says. “We’re trying to impact Lyon County in the most positive way we can. I’m from Sonoma County, but after 13 years here, this is my new home.”
Stina Fausone is a Reno-based writer who loves a variety of spirits and the local drink culture in The Biggest Little City. She is so happy to see that Silver State Stainless has provided a service to grow that culture. Alla tua salute!
Silver State Stainless
12 Industrial Pkwy., Ste. E1, Mound House • 775-246-1180 Info@silverstatestainless.com • Find Silver State Stainless on Facebook
