Must See Breweries in Reno

While my recent trip to Reno, Nevada was primarily to attend CanFest 2013 (which you can read about here), I made sure, as I always do, to get in a couple of local brewery visits.  Below are the places you can't miss the next time you are in The Biggest Little City in the World.

The Brew Brothers at the Eldorado Casino

I know what you are thinking.  What kind of brewery would be legit if it was inside a casino, right?  I thought the same thing at first.  But once I stepped foot inside and escaped the constant dinging of the casino floor, I was pretty impressed.  I enjoyed the Saison, an emerging style favorite of mine, and their Rye beer.  If the beertender hadn't mentioned that it contained rye, I wouldn't have known.  This lager had a unique depth and complexity that I wasn't expecting.  Once the sample was gone, I promptly ordered a full size thirst quencher.  Insider tip: feel free to order as many pints as you want.  No need to guzzle them prior to leaving.  Just ask for a to go cup and walk around the casino enjoying your craft beer.

 

The Brewer's Cabinet

A short walk from downtown led me straight to The Brewer's Cabinet.  After perusing their taplist online, the thought of their IPA on Nitro is what kept me trekking through the desert heat.  When I got to the bar, I realized that they only had three of their own beers on tap, none of which were the Nitro IPA.  Initially disappointed, I quickly built a bridge and got over it when the first few sips of their current offerings met my palate.  Their Phantasm IPA and even their Hopy Monk, a Belgian pale, were superb.  The offering of guest handles was also top notch, ranging from the tasty Enjoy By 9-13-13 from Stone Brewing and the intriguing Citra Hop from The Brewing Lair.  Hours passed and we soon forgot about what other breweries we wanted to go to.  Insider tip: order the fork and knife appetizer of tater tots.  Unlike anything you've ever tried, they are generously smothered with crispy bacon, fried egg, ketchup, and cheese sauce.  It was plenty for a shared meal.