December Beer Events
Mission Control — December 5
The craft beer haven and craft cocktail lounge Mission Control will host a partial tap takeover featuring The Bruery from 5-10 p.m. There will be several taps devoted to The Bruery and the whole line of the exclusive 12 Days of Christmas bottles pouring.
In addition, The Bruery Owner Barry Holmes will be present, and they will be cracking open rare beers from both his and Mission Control’s cellars, and there will be a raffle for select cellar bottles and grand prize of a 2026 membership to The Bruery’s Reserve Society.
Mission Control is in Northwest Las Vegas in a center at the NE corner of Tenaya and Craig Rd.
Brew Festivus Beer Fest — December 6
The Nevada Craft Brewers Association (NCBA) will provide an opportunity to taste more than 30 beers from more than 20 Nevada breweries at its annual Brew Festivus Beer Fest. Held from noon-4 p.m. at Big Dog’s Brewing at Rancho and Craig, the unlimited sampling will include rare, collaborations, specialties, one-offs and holiday-inspired beers and hard cider. Bring your four-legged beer buddy in festive gear to enjoy the fun photo opportunity provided by Michael’s Angel Paws.
The pet- and family-friendly event will also include a live DJ and several vendors selling crafts such as custom metal signs, craft beer candles, custom animal treats and animal apparel.
General admission tickets are $43.27 (includes fee) for admission at 1 p.m. and unlimited beer sampling; and VIP are $64 (includes fee) for early admission at noon, a custom logo tasting glass, a food ticket and exclusive seating on Big Dog’s patio.
Proceeds benefit the Nevada Craft Brewers Association and Michael’s Angel Paws, a local non-profit that provides dog training programs for service and therapy dogs.
For a list of breweries pouring beer and to purchase tickets, click here.
Crab Corner Boots & Brews Beer & Spirits Festival — December 6
The Crab Corner Boots & Brews Beer & Spirits Festival will be held at AREA15’s tented A-Lot event space from noon to 3:30 p.m.
Held while the National Finals Rodeo is in town, the event will combine rodeo and the holiday spirit of Santa and features unlimited beer sampling of beers and spirits from HUDL, Long Drink, Lagunitas, Boston Beer, New Belgium, Stone, Sapporo, Firestone Walker, Monster Brewing, Cigar City, Oskar Blues, Squatters, Wasatch, Tequila Partida, Blue Valor Whiskey, El Cristiano Tequila, Old Man Liver Whiskey and more.
There will also be music and entertaining activities. Western wear and holiday gear encouraged.
There’s a presale two for one deal for $46.36 (includes fee) or single tickets are $28.52 (includes fee). For more info and to purchase tickets, click here.
BJ’s Brewhouse — December 8
The five Southern Nevada BJ’s Brewhouse locations will host a four-course Prime Rib Beer Dinner featuring winter warmers and holiday beers, including BJ’s 26th Annual Grand Cru, a holiday tradition brewed with the finest malts and spiced with orange peel and coriander.
The dinner will include BJ’s Grand Cru paired with Garlic Shrimp with Parmesan Toast, BRLO Winter Cider matched with Sweet & Spicy Asian Glazed Bone-In Wings, palate cleanser of Sierra Nevada Celebration IPA, Delirium Noël paired with Slow-Roasted Prime Rib with White Cheddar Mashed Potatoes & Roasted Asparagus, palate cleanser of St. Bernardus Christmas Ale, and BJ’s Sweet Sin Chocolate Porter matched with Mini Cookies ‘n’ Cream Pizookie.
The dinner will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the cost is $45 in advance and $50 (plus tax and tip) the day of the event. To purchase tickets click here.
Big Dog’s Brewing — December 10
Big Dog’s Brewing Company and Happy Ending Chocolates are partnering to present the Hoppy Holidays Beer, Chocolate & Cheese Pairing. Held at the Draft House/Big Dog’s Brewing from 6-8 p.m., the event will include four 5 oz pours of Big Dog’s specialty beers, four Happy Ending Chocolates, four artisanal cheeses, and special presentations from executive chef Sergio Meza and Big Dog’s head brewer Dave Pascual, and Xenon from Happy Ending Chocolates.
The cost is $48.71 (includes tax and fee) per person. To purchase tickets, click here.
North 5th Fourth Anniversary — December 12
In celebration of its 4th anniversary North 5th Brewing will be open during its normal hours from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. with all beer prices discounted. There will also be seven releases from Head Brewer Patrick Tofte: Yippee Pi Yay #5—5.4% Pie Sour with strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, vanilla and cinnamon; “Willie” Nelson—7.1% double dry-hopped West Coast IPA with Nelson Sauvin and Citra Hops; Viva Pivo—4.8% Czech-style Pilsner collaboration with 595 Craft and Kitchen; 4 Degrees North—10.8% Anniversary Imperial Stout; 4 Degrees South—10.8% Mexican Hot Chocolate Imperial Stout with ancho chiles, cacao nibs and cinnamon; 3 Degrees North—11.8% 2024 Anniversary Imperial Stout; and Barrel-Aged 3 Degrees North—12.8% Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout.
For anyone not able to make the party, there will also be a tap takeover on Dec. 16 at 595 Craft and Kitchen with beers on tap that will not be distributed anywhere else besides North 5th’s taproom, including nearly all of the new releases except for 3 Degrees North and Barrel-aged 3 Degrees North.
HUDL Closing
I’m very sorry to report that HUDL Brewing will be closing later this month. The Arts District brewery, which opened five years ago, was named as a place to gather with friends, and it certainly was one of my favorite places to do exactly that. HUDL Sales Director Tanner Norfolk announced on Facebook that low sales and a stalled kitchen expansion had taken a financial toll, and the last day of business is tentatively set for Dec. 13. During its five years of operation Head Brewer Joe Cuozzo made some outstanding beer and won two GABF medals and one World Beer Cup award. Best wishes to all the HUDL team.
Local Brewer Spotlight: Megan Hanley
In this monthly feature, we spotlight one of our local head brewers. This month we learn all about Megan Hanley, Head Brewer at Bad Beat Brewing. She has the distinction of being the only female head brewer in Southern Nevada, and possibly in the entire state.
35-year-old Megan Hanley was born and raised in Morgan Hill, California, a town situated between Gilroy and San Jose. Around the time she was 24 she began to appreciate flavors in beers, their complexity, beer styles, and after dabbling in homebrewing, the work that goes into it. Her first job in the industry was cleaning draft lines at various bars and restaurants in Morgan Hill. She used her draft technician skill to get her foot in the door of a brewery and worked for Kelly Brewing Co. cleaning lines and kegs and while learning a lot about brewing and open fermentation from Brewer/Owner Ross Kelly, after six months was promoted to assistant brewer and later brewer. Wanting a change in scenery, in 2023 Megan moved to Las Vegas after having applied to several breweries. None responded except for HUDL Head Brewer Joe Cuozzo, who invited her to come in to have a beer with him. On her second day in Las Vegas she did so, and brought some of the beer she’d made at Kelly Brewing. Joe said they didn’t have any openings, but if they ever did, he’d let her know. After first working as a beertender at the Beer Zombies Dean Martin taproom, a couple months later something did open up, and Joe Cuozzo brought her on as a cellarman and half a year later Megan was promoted to assistant brewer. She had gotten to know Bad Beat Owner Nathan Hall through the beer community and when the Head Brewer job opened up a few months ago, he hired Megan.
Megan’s favorite beer styles to drink are easy drinking light ABV beers like Blonde Ale, Mexican Lagers, Cream Ale and Rice Lagers. To brew she enjoys Cream Ale because, “I like the physicality of dumping in the corn and rice instead of running (grain) through a mill, and it’s fun as long as they don’t get stuck.” She also likes to experiment with different hops and try different flavors when brewing IPAs. Congrats to Megan on being the Vegas Valley’s only woman head brewer. Make your way to Bad Beat on Main Street to tell her the same.
Local Brewery Champion of the Month: Juan’s Flaming Fajitas
In this recurring feature we spotlight establishments that appreciate our local breweries enough to devote the majority of their beer selection to beer made in Nevada.
Juan’s Flaming Fajitas is one of Southern Nevada’s biggest supporters of local beer, with most of the beer lists at its three locations devoted to our local breweries. Owner Juan Vasquez says, “I love supporting our local brewing community. They do a great job, and each has its own unique style.” The location at Centennial has the largest number of taps, with 20, of which 16 are local and currently pour beers from Able Baker, Big Dog’s, CraftHaus, Las Vegas Brewing, Lovelady, Mojave and North 5th. Further support includes having local breweries supply Juan’s with a beer to complement the Mexican fare, such as Pancho Fajita Brew, an Amber Ale by Lovelady Brewing; and Hefe de Jefes, a German-style Hefeweizen by Mojave Brewing.
You can score a pint of local beer for $5 with a rotating special that changes every few months, on Thursdays all local beers are $5 and during the daily happy hour from 3-6 p.m. draft pints are $6 and 22 oz pours are $7.50.
As the name implies, fajitas are the featured dish here and are as good as any on the planet, and are indeed flaming, for when your plate is delivered to your table it comes to life after your server ignites a shot of vodka and oregano into the hot pot containing the meats and vegetables. Besides fajitas, the extensive menu has just about any Tex-Mex favorite you can think of, with tacos, burritos, enchiladas, huevos rancheros, carne asada, tostadas, chile relleno, tamales, and flautas. There are three Juan’s Flaming Fajitas locations, the original in the southwest at 9640 W Tropicana, in Henderson at 16 S Water St. and in the northwest at 2660 W Centennial Pkwy. For more info and to view the complete menus, visit juansflamingfajitasandcantina.com.
What’s Pouring
Neon Desert Brewery Manager/GM Glenn Nelson tells me Owner/Brewer Jimmy Doyle has been brewing up a storm, and they’ll have a slew of releases this month. They include an easy drinking Irish Red Ale that is a collaboration with the soon-to-open Modest Brewing; a Cranberry Pumpkin Ale; a 10% Belgian Tripel; a triple-smoked Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout, a Mango Lime Mexican Lager, an Imperial Hazy collaboration with Atomic Hops (AKA Abel Pina), who won the 2025 Nevada State Homebrew Competition Gold Medal for IPA and Best Of Show. They also will be releasing four Barrel Aged Stouts that were all filled on Christmas Day last year, including one in an 18-year Heaven Hill barrel soaked in Michigan maple sauce.
Beer Zombies Founder/Owner Chris Jacobs shared with me that they brewed a collaboration with 595 Craft and Kitchen. It’s a 7.1% Winter Warmer conditioned on barrel aged maple syrup and gingerbread cookies with vanilla and cinnamon that will be available in package and draft and released on the Beer Zombies Anniversary on Dec. 13. There’s also a collaboration with Bottle Logic called 10X Multiplier, an 11% Oatmeal Stout conditioned on cookies and creme.
Able Baker has some rich barrel aged high ABV beers just in time for winter. There’s the 15% SIX Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout, 12% The Autumn Wind Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Porter with marshmallow fluff and maple syrup, 15% Midnight Ritual Bourbon Barrel Aged Mole Porter with dark cocoa and cinnamon, 12.1% Coconut Kiloton Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Dark Ale with toasted coconut and cocoa nibs and 14.4% Double Barrel Impale’d Imperial Brown Ale aged for several months in a combination of bourbon and rye barrels.
As always, Great Beer Happens in Vegas!
- Hero image © Adobe Stock – licensed for editorial and edited by A.D. Cook
- HUDL Head Brewer Joe Cuozzo pic supplied by Joe Cuozzo
- Juan’s Flaming Fajitas local beer list pic by Joe Urcioli
- Megan Hanley-pic by David Canela
- Patrick Tofte pic courtesy of Patrick Tofte
- Juan Vasquez pic by Joe Urcioli
- All other graphics copyright of their respective owners. Used by permission for editorial.
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
- More info
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 now writes the weekly Las Vegas Dining and Entertainment News column for FoodAndLoathing.Vegas; a monthly dining news column for The Vegas Voice; and continues to contribute to Gayot, writing the Gayot Las Vegas Restaurant News and beer and spirit reviews.
