A variety of new breweries opens in Reno-Tahoe.
Beer is the ultimate affordable luxury, the field leveler. No matter who you are, if you like beer, you’re a beer drinker. And it’s a great time to be one in the Reno-Tahoe area. Whether you’re in the Tahoe forest, the Great Basin, or somewhere in the outskirts, a brewery is likely nearby.
Maybe it’s because beer pairs perfectly with the wide array of outdoor activities available in our backyard (I admit that I sometimes look forward to the post-ride social hour more than the bike ride itself). Or maybe the area’s abundant nature and scenery that changes with the seasons beckon creative risk-takers and entrepreneurs.
Whatever the reason, it makes sense that our landscape of breweries would be just as diverse as our Reno-Tahoe population. Here’s a sampling of new area breweries to be excited about.
Mountains of Success
For Philip Mountain, owner and brewer of Slieve Brewing Co. in Reno, the region’s natural colors were a draw.
“You truly get all four seasons in Reno, which, as a brewery, provides us with so many seasonal beer choices to brew,” Mountain says.
Philip and his wife, Saundra Mountain, who moved to Reno from Las Vegas, fell more in love with the existing local brewery scene each time they visited their sons, who attended University of Nevada, Reno. This relationship has grown and evolved as the Mountains went from consumers to producers in the area.
“The local beer community in Reno is welcoming and supportive,” Philip says.
After homebrewing for more than a decade and winning regional awards, Mountain decided to pursue his dream of sharing his beer on a commercial level with a much bigger audience. However, “being a small business owner is so much more than just providing great beer,” he says he has discovered.
A brewery also is a brand.
“It’s your ‘baby’ that you mold and grow, and sometimes you pivot in order to see it blossom,” Philip says.
The couple is happy to see their brewery “baby” blossom in Reno, stating that “there is no better place to brew beer than The Biggest Little City!”
Reviving Rich History
Pivoting is exactly what Ethan Lennox and Alex Westerberg did when they both struck out on finding locations to open separate beer establishments in Quincy. So they joined forces to launch taproom/brewery Rich Bar, which opened in December.
Bringing together Westerberg’s experience as a winemaker and Lennox’s experience as a brewer and beer sales rep, the two are determined to help “develop Plumas County into a world-class outdoor destination.”
“We have seen a growing number of mountain bikers and other recreationalists visiting the area,” Lennox says. “Plumas County needs more eating, drinking, and lodging establishments to keep these folks in town for more than just a quick day trip.”
That’s what Rich Bar is intended to do: provide a community gathering space that pays homage to the county’s rich history. Rich Bar was a profitable mining site during the Gold Rush and is about 25 miles away from Quincy.
“Many of the establishments and communities around Quincy that are still here today sprung up due to the vast number of people and supplies traveling through to Rich Bar,” Lennox says.
Lennox is taking advantage of his deep roots in the local brewing industry by private-labeling beers from FiftyFifty Brewing in Truckee and Ronin Fermentation Project in Graeagle — a win-win strategy for both sides.
“They keep tanks filled and we avoid taking on the debt of opening a full facility,” Lennox says.
He explains that purchasing beer from established breweries to serve as its own allows Rich Bar to test branding and determine volume demand. Private labeling and contract brewing sometimes happen behind the scenes, but Lennox and Westerberg plan to be as transparent as possible about it.
“We want to give credit where credit is due,” Lennox says.
Stone’s Throw from Lake Tahoe
Tahoe City’s newest brewery, Tahoe National Brewing Co., also is all about location, location, location.
Owner/operator David Renkert says that even though he’s lived in the area for more than 10 years, “I still stare out of these windows like it’s the first time.”
He knew he’d be spending a lot of time at the brewery, so he chose a space that wouldn’t get old.
The brewery sits a stone’s throw away from (and with magnificent views of) Lake Tahoe, divided by a stand of aspen trees in front of the twinkle-light-covered patio. Inside, clean, white walls are speckled with live greenery. Tahoe National enhances the classic brewery experience with its modern space and innovative menu of dishes.
Renkert wanted to build a place “where food is good and clean but not [treated as] precious the way so many places force on people, and not tourist trappy either” — a fine line to occupy in the Tahoe area, but Tahoe National fills that role by keeping food fun with what Renkert calls a “globally inspired” menu that rotates by culinary region. Past menus have been German, French, and Szechuan, and each is executed with respect to the cuisine’s authentic dishes.
When Renkert was posed the question at a marketing seminar, “What do you want from your life?” he thought “drinking beer and doing good things is pretty much all I can ask for.” So he launched the Do Good Things (DGT) Fund that supports community organizations in Tahoe City.
“I feel lucky to be here and doing things that make Tahoe City just a little bit better,” Renkert says.
Craft Beer and Propane Refills
Schüssboom Brewing Co. in South Reno is “the only brewery in the world that offers propane and freshly brewed craft beer on site,” according to Schüssboom president Briana Wagner.
The brewery adopted the propane part of the business from the Shop ’N’ Go that previously occupied the property; it even offers 20 percent off any to-go beer with a five-gallon propane fill!
While Briana and her husband, Jason, may not have dreamed of being propane providers, Jason was a passionate and awarded homebrewer who always dreamed of becoming a professional brewer full-time and wanted to expose Reno to all the infinite complexities and variations of what true craft beer is, Briana says.
Briana was born and raised in Reno, and the couple met while attending UNR, so The Biggest Little City was the obvious destination when they decided to open a brewery together. The brewery they’ve built is a large, bright, modern place with elevated pub food and pizza, a children’s menu, and room for the whole family to hang out.
“We wanted to create a communal space for friends and family to gather that exemplified Reno’s tight-knit community,” Briana says, adding that, so far, “the reception from [the] community has been nothing short of astonishing.”
