LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Something is brewing in Southern Nevada. Over the past decade, Henderson and Las Vegas have become home to craft breweries, many of which have opened in just the last few years.
This recent surge is catching the eyes of locals, tourists and now, the City of Las Vegas. The city is committed to making itself the next beer capital.
We took our own brewery tour across the valley to see how these businesses are pouring new life into Southern Nevada, one pint at a time.
“We’re getting a lot more locals coming down to visit, and we’re getting a lot more people feeling that it’s safer down here to enjoy breweries and enjoy the new businesses,” shared Scott Seales, assistant general manager of Able Baker Brewing.
Able Baker opened nearly two years ago and is known for its Atomic Duck logo and the widely distributed IPA of the same name.
“We were kind of the beginning of this boom that was down here,” Seales said.
He says craft breweries are bringing a different feel and crowd to the Downtown Las Vegas area.
“Every generation has its likes,” Seales explained, “we’re seeing a lot more people look towards breweries, as opposed to the nightclub scene now, which I absolutely love.”
While new breweries are opening left and right, Nevada is still behind, ranking 39th in the nation.
“We’re working really hard, quadruple time, to bring it up to the national trend,” said Wyndee Forrest, co-owner of CraftHaus Brewery and president of the Nevada Craft Brewers Association.
She says beer tourism is on the rise and hopes Las Vegas can be a top beer destination.
“Those tourists who are coming back to Las Vegas are probably going to be looking for something a little bit different, as well,” Forrest said. “A little something more unique and personal. And that’s what craft breweries can offer.”
This momentum is now being pushed further by the City of Las Vegas, with an incentive package to bring more breweries to the recently established Brewery Row.
The brewery boom is wide-reaching and bringing new opportunities to North Las Vegas.
“Construction is really underway,” shared Amanda Payan, president and co-owner of North 5th Brewing, which is in the process of opening. “…I feel like our location is great because we do have all the businesses. A lot of these workers have come to us as soon as they saw the sign and were like, ‘Oh my gosh, I get to have craft beer after work’ or even just to take it home, to have that option close by.”
Payan hopes to open shop by the end of the year.
“It’s not just beer. It’s not just something you can drink to have a good time, but you get so many different flavors,” she said. “That’s one great thing that, even though the industry is growing so much, everyone can do their own thing, and you get a little bit of everything from everybody.”
