As we begin a new year, I want to first give a heartfelt thank you to A.D. Cook for not only giving this column a home on his website, but also for making it look good through his expert professional website design skills.
I’m also happy to begin my first column of 2026 with some positive news.
HUDL Continuing to Brew
Last month I sadly reported the bad news that HUDL Brewing’s taproom was closing. Now I have some good news to share. While the taproom and brewery on Main Street in the Arts District did close last month, the HUDL brand will live on, and plans are in the works to hopefully reopen the taproom and brewery. Now, thanks to a partnership with Neon Desert, HUDL beers will be brewed at the Henderson Booze District brewery. The following is a release shared with me from HUDL Co-Owner Skip Norfolk.
HUDL Brewing Announces Strategic Partnership with Neon Desert Brewing
HUDL Brewing and Neon Desert Brewing Forge New Partnership
HUDL Brewing is excited to announce a new partnership with Neon Desert Brewing, marking a significant new chapter for both companies and the Las Vegas craft beer scene. This collaboration enables HUDL Brewing to immediately begin brewing our six core beers, ensuring our beloved brews are available to even more fans throughout the Las Vegas area.
Expanded Availability of HUDL Core Beers
Effective immediately, HUDL Brewing’s six core beers will be brewed in partnership with Neon Desert Brewing, so you can continue to find them at your favorite local establishments, including bars, restaurants, and retailers across Las Vegas. We’re thrilled to continue serving our community and to make our beers more accessible to all.
Main Street Taproom Update
As part of this transition, our taproom on Main Street will be temporarily closed. We are taking this opportunity to reimagine the Main Street location, and we are working to unveil exciting updates in the near future.
Thank You for Your Ongoing Support
We want to thank our customers, partners, and supporters for their continued enthusiasm and commitment to HUDL Brewing. This partnership with Neon Desert Brewing represents our shared vision for quality, innovation, and community. We can’t wait for you to enjoy HUDL’s core beers at your favorite local spots!
“HUDL Brewing is an important part of the Las Vegas craft beer community, and we’re excited to work together to keep their beers available and thriving.” said Jimmy Doyle, Head Brewer for Neon Desert Brewing.
For more information and updates, please follow HUDL Brewing and Neon Desert Brewing on social media and visit our website.
Beer Events
Neon Desert Mac and Cheese Competition — January 3
Neon Desert will host a Mac and Cheese competition. It begins at 2 p.m. and is a free event, including free entry, so head on down to enjoy and vote for your favorite.
Able Baker Tap Takeover at 595 — January 20
595 Craft and Kitchen will devote all 24 of its taps to Able Baker Brewing. The drafts will include the release of Quack in Black, a Black IPA with a donation to the ALS foundation being made for every pint sold of this beer. The “official” start time of the tap takeover is 5 p.m.
Crab Corner Food Truck Beer Pairing Dinner at Neon Desert Brewery — January 31
Crab Corner Maryland Seafood House will fire up its food truck and make its way to the Henderson Booze District for a four-course beer pairing dinner at the Neon Desert brewery and taproom.
The courses are Famous Annapolis Crab Dip over Bavarian Pretzel Bites; Maryland Red Crab Soup; Linguini with Shrimp, Mussels, Clams & Garlic Bread; and Homemade Key Lime Pie. At press time the beer pairings are still being worked out, but Neon Desert GM Glenn Nelson says they will be pouring five beers, which will most likely be Heaven in Helles, Vice City Hefeweizen, their signature Coconillican Stout (with coconut, vanilla and pecan) and a hazy red ale collab with Modest Brewing.
The dinner will begin at 4:30 p.m. and the early bird ticket price is $45 (plus fee). For more info and to purchase tickets, click here.
CraftHaus Comrade Day — February 7
CraftHaus Brewery, located within the Henderson Booze District, will host the 12th annual Comrade Day, its annual unveiling of its very potent Russian Imperial Stout. As always, the day before the Super Bowl is the day to enjoy stout paradise and also each year there is a theme, with this year’s being “Comrade Goes to the Circus.”
There will be circus-inspired Comrade variants; vertical tasting flights showcasing rare barrel-aged vintages from years past; a three-item plate specially created by Chef Darnell with Smoked Ground Turkey Slider with Vinegar Slaw, Churro Sweet Potato Skewers and a Circus themed dessert inspired by and cooked with Comrade; games; and carnival-style fun. Returning this year is an opportunity to experience a “spiked” beer from a Bierstachelen—traditional German hot fire poker plunged into the beer creating caramelization and a creamy frothy head.
The 2026 Comrade 11.2% Russian Imperial Stout delivers overtones of roasted malt imparting a comforting, savory embrace and a distinct aroma and warmth from extended aging on whiskey-soaked oak. The circus-inspired variants include Deep Fried Oreo, Caramel Apple and a savory wild card, to be announced soon.
There will be three two-hour seatings: 12:30-2:30, 3:00-5:00 and 5:30-7:30. The cost is $45 per person, which includes your choice of a tasting flight of four 4 oz Comrade Imperial Stout variants or vertical flight of Comrades from previous years, one 10 oz pour of the 2025 Comrade Russian Imperial Stout and a keeper logo glass.
For more info and to purchase tickets and food packages, visit comradeDay2026.eventbrite.com.
Local Brewer Spotlight: Matt Marino
In this monthly feature, we spotlight one of our local head brewers. This month we learn all about Matt Marino, Director of Brewing at Able Baker Brewing.
Matt Marino moved with his family from a small town in Northeast Ohio to Las Vegas in 1989 where he began high school at Chaparral and eventually graduated from Basic High School. After graduating he moved to Salt Lake City where he got deep into the art of homebrewing. After a fellow homebrewer friend landed a job at Squatters Brewing Co, he decided to go for it and began applying at all the local breweries. He got lucky and landed a job at Uinta Brewing kegging and working on the bottling line. After a few months he began helping out with brewing and eventually was promoted to Shift Brewer where he stayed for 2 years until he decided it was time to move back to Las Vegas.
He quickly got hired at the Triple Seven Brewpub in Main Street Station as the Assistant Brewer and took over the Head Brewer role a year later. He manned the Brewhouse for almost 10 years while completing his Business Degree and in 2011 was hired on when Big Dog’s Brewing Co was expanding production and adding fermentation capacity and a bottling line. He then moved on to become Head Brewer at Joseph James, a position he would hold for five years. While at JJ he met Randy Rohde who was in the process of starting Able Baker Brewing Company. They began contract brewing Able Baker beers for the draft market while they looked for a permanent location to brew their own beer. In 2019, Able Baker Brewing Company opened up in their current location on Main Street in the Arts District and Matt came aboard as Head Brewer where he and the Able Baker team have grown to be the largest craft brewery in Las Vegas.
Matt’s favorite beers to drink are Pilsners, West Coast IPAs, and barrel-aged Stouts. His favorite non-Able Baker beer is Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale. His favorite beers to brew are Barleywines and Doppelbocks because, “The mash smells Heavenly.”
Beers to look for in the coming weeks and months are the Quack in Black, a Black IPA that is Assistant Brewer Nathan Eitrheim’s ramped up homebrew recipe. They’re also brewing Double Dead Duck, a higher ABV (8.5%) WCIPA that is Able Baker’s hoppiest beer and brewed once a year. Both will be pouring during the tap takeover at 595 Craft and Kitchen on January 20.
Local Brewery Champion of the Month: ReBAR
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.
Since ReBAR opened at 1225 S Main St in 2016, it has held a vital role in advancing the desirability and growth of the Arts District. It also established itself as an institution known for being a huge supporter of local beer. The proof is in the beer list and stock, with one entire cooler in the bar filled with all local cans from pretty much every brewery that produces enough for outside accounts. During my recent visit I found Nevada-brewed beers including Able Baker Atomic Duck IPA, Battle Born Lager, Beer Zombies Boomstick Blonde Ale and Duck Hunter IPA, Big Dog’s Las Vegas Lager and Peace Love & Hoppiness, HUDL Vanilla Oak Cream Ale, Las Vegas Brewing Light, Lead Dog Peanut Butter Stout, Lovelady 9th Island Pineapple Sour and Paleo Porter, North 5th Fierro Mexican Lager and Revision IPA and Vegas as Fuck IPA. They also have a rotating $3 Mystery Beer, which currently is CraftHaus Silver State Blonde Ale (but it’s a mystery, so don’t tell anyone). Buck, ReBAR’s GM, explained the reasons for supporting local: “It’s important to the community and local economy and better to support local. Some of the beers we serve here are literally brewed on the same street.”
While there, check out the museum-like décor with every quirky knickknack in the place available for purchase. There’s also an excellent and quite reasonably priced food menu with a Beeria section. It’s misspelled on purpose as the seasoned beef is slow cooked in a local beer. Highlights are the Giant Beeriadilla, symbolic name for the birria in the quesadilla ($15) and Beeria Tacos ($14), both of which are served with dipping sauce of the delectable broth along with cilantro and diced onions.
What’s Pouring
Las Vegas Brewing will be releasing “Run to the Mills,” a Barleywine aged for a year in Minden Mill bourbon barrels. Head over to Khoury’s on January 28 for the release of this beer, which will kick off at 5 p.m. followed by trivia at 6.
Neon Desert is going all in with Dry January and to help you get through it has its Neon Mirage series with several non-alcoholic craft beers. They include Wheat Beer with Orange and Guava, American IPA with Mango, American Lager, American Lager with Pineapple and American Lager with OG Kush cannabis terpenes (this one will not be on until later in the month). If you don’t want to go completely dry you can blend the NA brews with your favorite brew if you would rather cut back than completely cut off.
Big Dog’s will be releasing its multi-award-winning 9.8% Tripel Dog Dare in late January. This Belgian-Style Tripel was brewed with specialty imported hops and barley to replicate the iconic Belgian beer style. It pours golden with a white head and brings a collection of aromas including citrus, banana, bubble gum, pear and spice. On the palate you’ll notice a clean and floral hop character, an assertive bitterness, a medium-light mouthfeel with a juicy bouquet that leads to a perception of sweetness and a crisp and dry finish.
Congrats to Beer Zombies for winning a Bronze medal for its Zombie Duck Hunter in the West Coast IPA category at the Ultimate IPA Awards in Colorado last month. New releases pouring this month are the They Die 8% West Coast IPA hopped with Chinook, Strata CGX, Eureka Salvo and Abstrax Krush; and Zombie Hwhip 4.3% a thick, tangy and sweet Fruited Sour Ale with strawberry, birthday cake and ice cream.
As always, Great Beer Happens in Vegas!
- Hero image © Adobe Stock – licensed for editorial and edited by A.D. Cook
- ReBar pics by David Canela
- Matt Marino pic courtesy of Matt Marino
- All other graphics are the 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.
