Beer and Mead Events
Flight Club — August 2
Darts enthusiasts take note. Flight Club, the social darts hub at The Venetian Grand Canal Shoppes named for its main activity featured there, is hosting Meet the Owners from 1-3 p.m. The free event will feature a meet and greet with CraftHaus Brewery Owners Dave and Wyndee Forrest, 90 minutes of Flight Club’s signature Social Darts, light bites, special giveaways and free tastes of the new partnership with the local brewery: The Bullseye Blonde Ale, a 4.8% crisp, golden beer.
While tickets are not required, reservations are encouraged, so to RSVP, click here. The Venetian offers three hours of free self-parking.
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Deadwood Meadery — August 23
Deadwood Meadery will celebrate its 3rd anniversary from noon to 10 p.m. with a party featuring new still and session meads, returning favorites, and food trucks.
New meads will include a Banana Mead with Mothership Coffee aged in a barrel formerly holding CraftHaus Abide White Russian Imperial Stout. Participating food trucks are Stubborn Brat from 1 to 5 p.m. and Somethin’ to Taco Bout from 5 to 9 p.m.
Two tasting packages are being offered. The VIP, priced at $65.87 (including fees), is all-you-can drink with early access at noon and a 13 oz Belgium-style mead glass for the first 150 ticket purchasers. General Admission, priced at $39.19 (including fees), includes a Deadwood logo souvenir glass and four drink tickets. To purchase tickets, click here.
Deadwood Meadery is in the Henderson Booze District, across the street from and on the same side of the street as the Toyota dealership.
Local Brewer Spotlight: Richard Lovelady
In this monthly feature, we spotlight one of our local head brewers. This month we learn all about Richard Lovelady, Co-Owner/Head Brewer at Lovelady Brewing Company.
Richard was born in Reno, grew up in the San Francisco Bay area and lived in Southern Nevada for a few years in the 1970s, but always has had roots here as his grandmother had a house just up the street from where his Henderson brewery now sits on Water Street. He relates that he was “introduced” to brewing when he was 16. After his parents divorced and his dad left behind his homebrewing equipment, Richard and his twin brother Robert began “experimenting” with it on the sly. He says they enjoyed it, but it wasn’t great. They even went so far as to have t-shirts made saying “Suck Up Our Suds,” one of which you can see hanging on the wall of the Lovelady Brewery. Richard attended UC Berkley and earned an Environmental Economics degree and also a Masters degree from the United International Business School in Antwerp, Belgium.
After graduating, Robert wanted to open a brewery together, but the twin brothers didn’t have the financing. Richard went on to work as an import manager and was making lots of money, but decided to quit and follow his dream and attended the UC Davis Brewers Guild 12-week program. He apprenticed as a part time assistant brewer at Barley and Hopps in San Mateo, during which time he met Michael Ferguson, who was recruiting a brewer to work at the new Gordon Biersch brewery opening in Las Vegas. Richard was hired in 1996 and wound up working there for 20 years. In 2015 after GB had been sold for the second time, he saw the writing on the wall and decided to move on. His wife Linda gave him an ultimatum to either move back to the Bay area or open a brewery here. Fortunately for us, he opened Lovelady Brewing in 2016 with a high school friend and two of his brothers. Now nine years later the brewery has even more of a family connection, as his son Max is brewing and Linda helps in managing the business.
When asked what his favorite beers are to drink and brew, he said, “I like to brew anything, but my favorites to drink are Czech-style Pilsners and West Coast IPAs.” As for what he has on the horizon, he shared that they have several new seasonal releases. Summertime refreshers, all weighing in at 5%, include the Raspberry Rose kettle sour with raspberry and rose water, Summer Slice Cream Ale with watermelon puree and Hot Love Pickle Mexican Lager with pickle brine and habaneros. Also coming out this month are the 5.7% Curbside Party Oktoberfest Lager (a featured beer at the 3rd anniversary of their Green Valley taproom on August 30) and 7% Desert Inn Double IPA with pink guava, and next month the 7% Hendertucky Horror Show Hazy Double IPA with coffee and pumpkin spice.
Tenaya Creek Rebrand
After building his extremely successful and popular Beer Zombies brand, Chris Jacobs purchased Tenaya Creek Brewing in late 2023, allowing him to brew his beers locally. He’s also been transforming and expanding the brewing operations, and now is bringing even more innovation with new branding for the Tenaya Creek line.
25 years in the making, the all new Tenaya Creek line is rolling out new logos and new beer names of its core beers. It includes six beers, some of which have names and logo graphics reflecting our region’s natural beauty.
- El Charro Mexican Lager—4.9%, brewed with flaked corn and a whisper of noble hops, crisp and clean with a light body and smooth finish
- Trailhead Canyon Pilsner—5.4%, brewed true to tradition with noble hops, pours golden and crisp with a rounded malt body and a clean, floral finish
- Valley Of Fire Hefeweizen—5%, bright citrus, full-bodied base, traditional wheat notes
- Charleston Hop Run West Coast IPA—7.2%, brewed with classic American hops, bold pine, dank aromatics, a touch of wildflower finesse, finishes clean and balanced
- Desert Howler Hazy IPA—6%, soft, juicy tropical fruit and citrus with hints of dank resin
- Big Dam Brown—5.6% brown ale malt-forward powerhouse with rich chocolate, roasted malt, and nutty undertones with a mellow, medium body
The Tenaya beers are also now moving into 16 oz cans for the first time.
Local Brewery Champion of the Month: Barter Beer + Mall
In this recurring feature we spotlight establishments that appreciate our local breweries enough to devote the majority of their beer lists to beer made in Nevada.
Barter Beer + Mall is a unique establishment in the Arts District that I would describe as a combination beer bar, art gallery and vintage store offering an incredible selection of collectible treasures at affordable prices. A big plus is since Barter has a retail liquor license, customers are allowed to peruse the wares while sipping on a brew. As for the local beer collection, during my recent visit I discovered Able Baker Atomic Duck IPA, HUDL Vanilla Oak, Lovelady 9th Island Pineapple Sour and Paleo Porter, and Neon Desert Vice City Hefe.
Barter Beer + Mall is located at 110 W Wyoming Ave near Commerce St. and is open Sunday, Monday, and Thursday from 2-8 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. A great time to show up is Thursday nights when they have Punk Rock Bingo. Check them out at barterlv.com.
- Hero image © Adobe Stock – licensed for editorial and edited by A.D. Cook
- Richard Lovelady with beer pic by David Canela
- Richard Lovelady with a t-shirt made when homebrewing pic by David-Canela
- Barter Beer Entrance pic by David Canela
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Bob Barnes began his food and beverage writing career in 1998 as Regional Correspondent for Celebrator Beer News and wrote the Nevada Beer Nuggets column from 1998 to 2019. He was Editorial Director of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional from 2012-2021 and has covered Las Vegas for Gayot since 2010. He continues to contribute to Gayot, writing the Gayot Las Vegas Restaurant News, features on new restaurants, and beer and spirit reviews. He also writes regularly for Off The Strip, The Vegas Voice, Neon Feast, and Las Vegas Magazine.
