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We have a trivia question in order to register to prevent bots. If you have any issues with answering, contact us at cass@bartowel.com for help.
Introducing Light Mode! If you would like a Bar Towel social experience that isn't the traditional blue, you can now select Light Mode. Go to the User Control Panel and then Board Preferences, and select "Day Drinking" (Light Mode) from the My Board Style drop-down menu. You can always switch back to "Night Drinking" (Dark Mode). Enjoy!
Lake Tahoe / Reno / Truckee
Lake Tahoe / Reno / Truckee
Anyone ever been to Reno/Lake Tahoe/Truckee area? Going in a week for a ski trip. Although from the looks of the snow conditions I might be spending more time in the pubs
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TheSevenDuffs
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I was there in August (stayed in Carson City). I didn't see much online and didn't have a lot of time to explore, so I loaded up on bottles in Oregon on the way down.
FiftyFifty seemed to be the only place that got recommendations.
I think Nevada consumes more alcohol per capita than any other state... but unfortunately, that's probably tourists drinking macros.
FiftyFifty seemed to be the only place that got recommendations.
I think Nevada consumes more alcohol per capita than any other state... but unfortunately, that's probably tourists drinking macros.
I'll post my own update before having arrived yet! Here's a chain of local liquor stores, with quite a good selection of kegs available. In fact, I ordered a keg of Deschutes for our house while we're there!
http://www.tahoebluestar.com/index.html
http://www.tahoebluestar.com/index.html
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TheSevenDuffs
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- Joined: Fri Sep 17, 2010 3:40 pm
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Nice! Which Deschutes beer will be flowing at your house?Cass wrote:I'll post my own update before having arrived yet! Here's a chain of local liquor stores, with quite a good selection of kegs available. In fact, I ordered a keg of Deschutes for our house while we're there!
http://www.tahoebluestar.com/index.html
Definitely go to 50-50, worth the drive to Truckee. Was based out of Tahoe City for a conference I used to go every 2 years. The Safeway had a decent selection. The Bridgetender was a cool little place, where they had a few good taps.
Reno has a pretty decent scene (Great Basin and Silver Peak), a few newer additions (Buckbean and Knee Deep) and a good beer store (Craft Wine-n-Beer) and must be a gorgeous drive in the winter (going from snowy climes to the desert).
Reno has a pretty decent scene (Great Basin and Silver Peak), a few newer additions (Buckbean and Knee Deep) and a good beer store (Craft Wine-n-Beer) and must be a gorgeous drive in the winter (going from snowy climes to the desert).
Hello from the mountains! A couple of updates from out here:
The beer store that I mentioned earlier - King's Beverage - is the real deal in South Lake Tahoe. I arrived and they had a keg of Deschutes Black Butte Porter waiting for me. Great stuff. I'm going to go back and check out the bottle selection later in the week. They also have another store called Dart Beverage on the Nevada side.
Fifty Fifty was a great spot. About 9-10 house beers on tap, everything from IPA to barrel-aged stout. $11 gets you a complete sampler which is a great deal. They also do growlers to go. I could see myself staying there quite a bit.
In South Lake Tahoe itself, there are two brewpubs. One is called Stateline Brewery and it is right at the gondola base of Heavenly mountain. It's a downstairs pub but quite nice, with three house beers and a micro lineup of about 6-8 more. There's another brewpub called The Brewery but tried to go but it was closed by 10pm
If you're a skier or boarder, it's pretty easy to find various Sierra Nevada, Deschutes & Lagunitas on-mountain. Obviously being in the Sierra mountains provides a fair amount of affinity towards SN, which is OK by me
The beer store that I mentioned earlier - King's Beverage - is the real deal in South Lake Tahoe. I arrived and they had a keg of Deschutes Black Butte Porter waiting for me. Great stuff. I'm going to go back and check out the bottle selection later in the week. They also have another store called Dart Beverage on the Nevada side.
Fifty Fifty was a great spot. About 9-10 house beers on tap, everything from IPA to barrel-aged stout. $11 gets you a complete sampler which is a great deal. They also do growlers to go. I could see myself staying there quite a bit.
In South Lake Tahoe itself, there are two brewpubs. One is called Stateline Brewery and it is right at the gondola base of Heavenly mountain. It's a downstairs pub but quite nice, with three house beers and a micro lineup of about 6-8 more. There's another brewpub called The Brewery but tried to go but it was closed by 10pm
If you're a skier or boarder, it's pretty easy to find various Sierra Nevada, Deschutes & Lagunitas on-mountain. Obviously being in the Sierra mountains provides a fair amount of affinity towards SN, which is OK by me
After the trip to Mammoth we continued up the Sierras for a couple of days in Truckee. And WOW how the beer scene has changed from just a couple of years ago!
There's been a small brewery explosion around the Lake Tahoe area in the past couple of years, mirroring the trend from all around North America.
New since last time I visited include Tahoe Mountain brewing (Tahoe City), Brewing Lair (Blairsden), Lake Tahoe Brewing (Carson City, but with a taproom opening up in a cool old gas station right in Truckee) and Alibi Ale Works in Incline Village. And that's just what I found - I'm sure there's more around and in planning.
The absolute highlight of the short stay there was a pub called Mellow Fellow, located in the old historic strip of Truckee. This place was just fantastic - 40+ taps including all kinds of unique and rare beers from the likes of Grand Teton, 21st Amendment, North Coast, Deschutes, St Archer, Bruery, Telegraph, Alibi Ale, Firestone, Ninkasi, Left Coast, New Belgium, Bear, Great Basin, Brewing Lair, Heretic, Lagunitas, Anderson Valley and more. And not just regular stuff - everything from sours, imperials, tripel, stouts, IPA - tons of styles were covered.
The bartender was extremely friendly and accommodating and was more than happy to pour tasters for anything to make sure you got a beer you liked. And the prices were great too, with $1 all beers during happy hour. They even sell bottles of rare stuff to go to boot, at cheaper rates than the regular menu prices. It was a great, casual place where many patrons brought in their dogs which kept the atmosphere fun and relaxed. One of the best mountain town bars I've been to anywhere.
And that's not all - there's a top tier bottle shop in the New Moon Natural Foods, with all kinds of stuff. Picked up some sours from Prairie (OK) and Almanac (CA) while I was there.
If you're skiing, there's a renovated on-mountain place at Alpine Meadows called The Chalet, with 6 New Belgiums on tap. Pretty great to see at a mountain resort.
To summarize, the Tahoe scene has transformed in a big way from years past. A great destination for skiing and beer, one of the best in N.A., I'd confidently say. Now if they can only get some more snow
There's been a small brewery explosion around the Lake Tahoe area in the past couple of years, mirroring the trend from all around North America.
New since last time I visited include Tahoe Mountain brewing (Tahoe City), Brewing Lair (Blairsden), Lake Tahoe Brewing (Carson City, but with a taproom opening up in a cool old gas station right in Truckee) and Alibi Ale Works in Incline Village. And that's just what I found - I'm sure there's more around and in planning.
The absolute highlight of the short stay there was a pub called Mellow Fellow, located in the old historic strip of Truckee. This place was just fantastic - 40+ taps including all kinds of unique and rare beers from the likes of Grand Teton, 21st Amendment, North Coast, Deschutes, St Archer, Bruery, Telegraph, Alibi Ale, Firestone, Ninkasi, Left Coast, New Belgium, Bear, Great Basin, Brewing Lair, Heretic, Lagunitas, Anderson Valley and more. And not just regular stuff - everything from sours, imperials, tripel, stouts, IPA - tons of styles were covered.
The bartender was extremely friendly and accommodating and was more than happy to pour tasters for anything to make sure you got a beer you liked. And the prices were great too, with $1 all beers during happy hour. They even sell bottles of rare stuff to go to boot, at cheaper rates than the regular menu prices. It was a great, casual place where many patrons brought in their dogs which kept the atmosphere fun and relaxed. One of the best mountain town bars I've been to anywhere.
And that's not all - there's a top tier bottle shop in the New Moon Natural Foods, with all kinds of stuff. Picked up some sours from Prairie (OK) and Almanac (CA) while I was there.
If you're skiing, there's a renovated on-mountain place at Alpine Meadows called The Chalet, with 6 New Belgiums on tap. Pretty great to see at a mountain resort.
To summarize, the Tahoe scene has transformed in a big way from years past. A great destination for skiing and beer, one of the best in N.A., I'd confidently say. Now if they can only get some more snow