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A Saga of Suds: Microbrewing in
Northern Nevada
By Dave Preston – Guru of the Good
Life
The Mayflower abandoned its search for further destinations and
landed in Plymouth because they had run out of beer. Women in
ancient Sumeria dominated the art of brewing and tavern keeping,
operating under the protection of Siduri, goddess of the
brewery. Twenty people literally “drowned in beer” in 1814 when
a vat in a London brewery exploded, creating a tidal wave of
beer. Ale-wives in Colonial America brewed a special high-test
“groaning ale” for a mother-to-be to swig while she was in
labor.
The word beer comes from the
Latin word bibere,
meaning "to drink",
and the Spanish word
cerveza
originates from the Greek goddess of agriculture - Ceres. Beer
has inspired, influenced, and excited human beings for thousands
of years. Beer brewing still plays an important role in our
daily lives. Beer was clearly so desired that it led nomadic
groups into village life. Beer was considered a valuable
(potable) foodstuff and
workers were often paid with jugs of beer.
Microbreweries are small producers of beer that serve local or
regional markets. To qualify as a microbrewery, the
establishment must produce less than 15,000 barrels (178,841
decaliters) annually. In this part of Nevada, we have three
very productive microbreweries with unique and
 stylistic flavors
of beer. The oldest, Great Basin Brewing Company in Victorian
Square in Sparks; Silver Peak Brewery at 125 Wonder St., and the
Brew Brothers inside the Eldorado Hotel Casino in downtown
Reno. If you enjoy beer, this story will definitely quench your
thirst.
The History of Suds
The oldest proven records of
brewing are about 6,000 years old and refer to the Sumerians.
It is said that the Sumerians discovered the fermentation
process by chance. No one knows today exactly how this
occurred, but it could be that a piece of bread or grain became
wet and a short time later it began to ferment and
an
inebriating pulp resulted. A seal, around 4,000 years old, is a
Sumerian "Hymn to Ninkasi"
the goddess of brewing. This "hymn" is also a recipe for
making beer. A description of the making of beer on this ancient
engraving in the Sumerian language is the earliest account of
what is easily recognized as barley.
The Babylonians became the
rulers of Mesopotamia after the Sumerian empire collapsed during
the second millennium B.C.
Their culture was derived from that of the Sumerians and, as a
consequence of this, they also mastered the art of brewing beer.
Today we know that the Babylonians knew how to brew 20 different
types of beer.
The Egyptians continued to carry on the tradition of beer
brewing. They used unbaked bread dough for making beer and added
dates to the brew to improve the taste. The importance of beer
brewing in ancient Egypt can be seen from the fact that the
scribes created an extra hieroglyph for "brewer".
After Egypt was succeeded by
the Greeks and Romans, beer continued to be brewed. Beer was
only brewed in the outer areas of the Roman Empire where wine
was difficult to obtain. For the Romans, beer was considered a
barbarian drink. Early civilizations found the mood-altering
properties of beer supernatural, and intoxication was considered
divine. Beer, it was thought, must contain a spirit or god,
since drinking the liquid possessed the spirit of the drinker.
 The ancient Germans regarded beer not only as a sacrifice to the
gods but they,
as in Egypt, also brewed beer for their own enjoyment.
Today "ale" and "beer" are used as
interchangeable terms. However, ale which consisted of malt
(usually made from barley although other grains were used),
water and yeast, was replaced at the start of the 15th century
by beer. Introduced from Flanders, beer was bittered with hops
and kept better than English ale because of the preservative
quality of the hops.
By the end of the century, beer
had almost completely replaced the old English sweet ale, and
was being exported to Europe. Records dating back to the 15th
century show that almost half of the ships' cargoes taken across
the North Sea and Baltic Sea were barrels of beer.
Until the middle of the 16th
century, beer making was mainly a family operation and had
little commercial application. However, it was certainly an
integral part of everyday diet. The Dean of St. Pauls, in the
16th century, is credited with the invention of bottled ale. Dr
Alexander Norwell put ale in a bottle when he went fishing and
left the bottle in the grass. By the end of the 17th century,
the weekly allowance for pupils of all ages at one English
school was two bottles a day. Beer was a good deal safer and
more palatable than the available drinking water which was often
drawn from polluted rivers. And beer was also common in the
workplace.
From St. Louis to Milwaukee, from
New Orleans to Seattle and everywhere in between, breweries have
come and gone and names like Old Dutch, POC, Fallstaff, Jax and
many others have left their mark and helped the industry grow in
America. This tradition continues today and who’s to say what
the next great brand name will be but you can be pretty sure it
started out small.
The Micro Brewery and
Brewpubs.
 Small local
breweries are not a new idea. Before the days of
refrigeration, most towns and villages had a brewery, as beer
could not be transported before it went bad. After refrigerated
transport became possible, most local breweries were closed down
in favor of the larger, more consistent brewers such as Miller
and Anheiser Busch. Home brewers continued to brew their own
beer, mostly for reasons of taste.
The first to actually use the term
microbrewery was a small operation that opened in 1976
in Sonoma, California. The oldest still in operation today is
Boulder Brewery in Colorado, which opened in 1979. The Boulder
Brewery began its operations in a converted goat shed but has
since expanded into a modern building. (Author’s Note: Having a
daughter at the University of Colorado in Boulder, I have done
numerous hours of research in this microbrewery.)
Rob Bates is the owner of Reno
Homebrewer and a respected Judge of these Suds. He says the
popularity of microbreweries can be attributed to demand for
more flavor; “Microbreweries became popular because people were
tired of the fizzy, watery beers from the mega breweries and
wanted something more traditional. Something that has some
flavor, some character, maybe some extra strength.” Tom Young,
co-owner of Great Basin Brewing Company, points out the customer
can drive the product, “People can have an influence in
microbrews. But the issue of the big breweries and why they are
so dominate is quite simple; they produce a simple, lighter
flavored beer that is so incredibly consistent and have huge
marketing budgets. I think the beer is made not necessarily to
please someone, rather not to offend anyone.”
 However, microbreweries only
account for 3% of beer sales in the U.S. Greg Hinge, the brewer
at Brews Brothers in the Eldorado, the first casino to boast a
brewery and brewpub, has seen the swing towards microbrews but
also knows the challenge to hold those folks; “By the mid 90s,
craft beers really took off. Consistency and quality in flavors
are what you have to achieve. In the casino, people sometimes
only come back once or twice a year and if they enjoyed their
last experience, they’ll come back because they remember how
good the beer was, so we have to be absolutely consistent
because if they are disappointed, chance are they won’t come
back again.”
Brewpubs are a natural
progression of microbreweries. Selling only their own brewed
beer, the first to open was in an opera house in Yakima,
Washington in 1982. At the Silver Peak Brewery, one of the
brewers, Mike Cronin, knows who likes his beer, “People who
enjoy microbrewers are really an eclectic group and they are
looking for something unique. With the ‘McDonaldization’ of
society, the people who come in to our brewery are looking for
something different and they’re always eager to see how good our
Scotch Ale compares with last year’s batch. You can make your
flagship beers, but it’s our specialty beers that bring people
in. And as a brewer, you get a special glow on your face when
you see how much people enjoy your special effort for yet
another unique flavor.”
Great Basin’s Young says the old
ways may be the best ways, “I
 think what the micro brewery
industry is doing is taking the European traditions and the
approach that was in this country before prohibition; where
every brewery had a passion and an ability to produce a beer
that tasted different from the other breweries.” Speaking of
the passion, Brandon Wright, a brewer at Silver Peak Brewing
Company, who started brewing at home, says with a smile, “The
most enjoyable part of this job, for me, is when I have just
finished brewing 350 gallons of beer and I can kick off my
boots, sit down with a bunch of my friends and enjoy the fruits
of my labor. Sharing my effort, it’s an interesting comradely
and there is a lot of pride and satisfaction for me
personally…it may not show but you can sure taste it!”
Currently there are more than
1,600 microbreweries in operation in the United States alone.
The number of home brewers is unknown, but brewers of both home
brew and microbreweries cite the same reasons for their
existence. Taste, body and overall flavor of microbrewed beer
exceeds the major brands. The majority of microbreweries produce
ales and lagers, generally more robust than regular beer. So
put your palate to the test. Explore the microbreweries and see
for yourself, it’s all in the glass and well worth it.
Here’s what to look for on tap and
don’t forget to try the seasonals:
Red Roadster
- The deep red color gives you a hint of this ale's full flavor.
Its rich maltiness comes from Crystal and Vienna malts, Golding
and Cascade hops give it a subtle bitter finish.
XXX Blonde
- Our lightest beer in both color and body, this golden ale is
the perfect microbrew for macrobrew enthusiasts.
Silver Peak I.P.A
- Indian Pale Ales are the hoppiest style of beer, and this one
won't disappoint. We use generous amounts of Cascade and Mt.
Hood hops, with a final dry hopping in the serving vessel that
gives this beer its signature bitterness.
Peavine Porter
- This rich and complex black beer has a smooth, deep, roasted
flavor. The chocolaty-coffee finish in this brew comes from a
mix of crystal, black, and chocolate malts.
Bailey Wheat Hefeweizen
- Made in the tradition of German style wheat beers, which are
famous for their distinct clove, vanilla, and banana aromas. Our
Bavarian yeast strain contributes these signature
characteristics to a beer that is light, tangy, and refreshing.
Enjoy it with a slice of lemon as is customary in southern
Germany.
Sierra Amber Ale
- A medium-bodied, copper-colored ale with a touch of malty
sweetness balanced by mild Yakima hops.
Ichthyosaur
IPA
- Named after Nevada's official state fossil, this beer is made
in the India Pale Ale style. In strict adherence to this classic
"export" style, Ichthyosaur is of ample strength and is accented
by a blast of Cascade hops.
Jackpot Porter
-The nutty, roasted flavors and creamy palate of this dark
English classic makes it one of the most sought after of all of
our brews.
Wild Horse Ale
- This award winning amber ale is guaranteed to tame your wild
thirst. Wild Horse is brewed in the German "Alt" tradition. It
gets its malty, rich and complex flavor from a blend of five
malts. A two time Bronze medal winner at the Great American Beer
Festival.
Lucky Lady
Lager –
Brewed using traditional cold fermentation and
our Swiss lager year resulting in a clean, smooth,
domestic-style beer.
RedHead Amber
Ale
– A rich, red, smooth and satisfying ale.
Wild Card
Wheat
– A Bavarian-style unfiltered wheat beer. A unique brew with a
light color, body and flavor, good with a slice of lemon.
Gold Dollar
Pale Ale
– An American-style ale dry and crisp with distinct hop flavors
with citrus and tropical overtones.
Double Down
Brown
– A dry, strong, black beer: a rich and velvety
stout that is pleasantly crisp.
Big Dog IPA
– Intense hop bitterness with high alcohol content. Copper in
color with a dry, crisp finish.
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