Happy New Beer! Oops. We mean Year!
Beer seemed as good a subject as any to kick off '08 with, so after a cursory inquiry into how your New Year's was (how was it?), we'll get right back to business.
We last tackled this subject in August 2006 and since then, there have been a few losses (R.I.P. Monte Carlo Brew Pub) and some gains, in terms both of new venues (welcome Pour 24) and menu additions (Las Vegas' own Sin City Brewing Company has doubled the number of house brews and opened its own bar/retail outlet in the Miracle Mile Shops).
As far as your specific quest is concerned, we have good news and mediocre news. The good news is that we have tracked down both the Flying Dog and Rogue brands here in town, although only in one instance did we find the specific flavor you seek. Plus, a new bar called Yard House that's due to open at Town Center sometime early this year promises to sell the "world's largest selection of draft beer" (they list 110 on their Web site), including Rogue Dead Guy Ale.
For now, your only option for Flying Dog is, appropriately enough, the Freakin' Frog, which sells 700 different beers (among the largest menus in the U.S.) including four offerings each from the brewers of Rogue (Dead Guy among them) and Flying Dog (which has a very interesting Web site where, among other things, you can purchase Flying Dog underpants and read the story of how the company got its name -- it involves a camping accident in the Himalayas, a lost mule, and an encounter with Hunter S. Thompson). Pour 24, the new hi-tech bar at New York-New York, also sells Rogue Brutal Bitter.
What follows is a list of the microbreweries in Las Vegas, followed by a list of the bars that sell multiple brands of bottled and draft beer.
Barley's Casino & Brew Pub 4500 E. Sunset Rd. #30 Henderson, NV 89014 702/458-2739 Offers 4 different house-brewed beers and 2 special brews, including:
- Irish Red - Black Mountain Beer - Brew Master Select - Blue Diamond Beer - Boulder Gold Hefeweizen - Red Rock
Big Dog's Brewing Company Draft House Barn and Casino 4543 Rancho Road Las Vegas, NV 89130 702/645-1404 Offers 10 different house brews, several special brews throughout the year, and 14 on tap, including:
- Holy Cow! Original Pale Ale - Big Dog’s Real Draft - Red Hydrant Ale - Tailwagger Wheat - Black Lab Stout - Dirty Dog I.P.A - Leglifter Light - Brewmaster’s Special - Big Dog’s 38 Special - K9 Kolsch
BJ's Restaurant and Brew House 10840 W. Charleston Summerlin, NV 89135 702/853-2310 Offers 12 beers on tap and 7 different house brews:
- Tatonka Stout - Nutty Brunette - Harvest Hefeweizen - Jeremiah Red - Piranha - PM Porter - Blonde
Chicago Brewing Company* 2201 S. Fort Apache Road Las Vegas, NV 89117 702/254-3333 Offers 7 different house brews and specialty brews every so often, depending on the season:
- All-Nighter Light Ale - Black Star Irish Style Dry Stout - Hardway IPA (India Pale Ale) - Old Town Brown (German-Style Brown Ale) - Ramblin-Reck Amber (North American Amber Ale) - Weizenheimer Wheat (Bavarian-Style Hefeweizen)
*Also located inside the Four Queens Casino, 202 Fremont Street
Ellis Island Casino & Brewery* 4178 Koval Lane Las Vegas, NV 89109 702/733-8901 Ext. 224 Offers 7 different house brews and specialty-brewed hard lemonade:
- Root Beer (non-alcoholic) - Light Brew - Amber Brew - Dark - Weiss - Hard Lemonade
*Also has a number of Village Pub properties around town.
Gordon Biersch Brewing Company 3987 Paradise Road Las Vegas, NV 89109 702/312-5247 Offers 5 different house brews and 7 on tap:
- Blonde bock - Marzen - Pilsner - Hefeweizen - Light - Winter Bock
Hofbräuhaus 4510 Paradise Road Las Vegas, NV 89109 702/853-2337 Offers three beers, brewed in Munich a
