If you believe that nothing washes down a day on the slopes like a frosty, cold beer, but you’re not about to settle for a watered down glass of swill, you’re in luck. The craft beer movement has hit ski nation with the fury of a blizzard in January and, unlike the winter of 2014-15, it hasn’t skipped over Tahoe. With new brew pubs popping up across the lake, we put in long hours exploring the evolving microbrew offerings around Big Blue.
“The craft beer scene in Reno-Tahoe has really come to life in the past five or so years. Reno is frankly exploding with new breweries right now, and I think that has helped spur some new start-up breweries in the Tahoe area,” said Kevin Drake, founder of one of the newest breweries on the scene, Alibi Ale Works in Incline Village.
“The craft beer movement has hit ski nation with the fury of a blizzard in January.”
Après-microbrews aren’t new to the Lake Tahoe scene. The Brewery at Lake Tahoe has been pouring pints in South Lake Tahoe since 1992. While the original focus was on handcrafted ales the Brewery at Lake Tahoe quickly became known for its pizzas made with dough featuring its signature Bad Ass Ale, and they continued to expand their menu.
As the area’s thirst for craft beer strengthened, breweries such as FiftyFifty Brewing in Truckee came onto the scene offering special releases including the Eclipse Series, which begins with the Totality Imperial Stout aged in oak barrels and released only once a year in December.
Likewise, Tahoe Mountain Brewery in Tahoe City began introducing beers that border on culinary creations including a rotation of seasonal saisons that incorporate fresh, fruity flavors and a farmhouse ale that uses Szechuan peppercorns.
Alibi Ale Works is the first brewery in the Tahoe Basin to turn its focus away from the restaurant angle all together.
“Tahoe has had a long history of brewery-restaurants, but we’re the first brewery focused on large-scale production and distribution in the Basin,” said Drake. The crew plans to offer its beers in cans soon, but they won’t be the only ones to do so. Lake Tahoe Brewing Company, which currently operates in Carson City and Fernley, Nev., offers its beers in a 32-oz. can called the Crowler, as well as the familiar 12-oz. can. They also plan to open two new locations in Truckee and Reno this winter.
So, next time you find yourself reaching for a cold beer after a long day on the hill, don’t grab the usual domestic. In the words of The Brewery at Lake Tahoe, “Drink Tahoe Brew.”
