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Great Basin Brewing Company

Coordinates: 39°32′06″N 119°45′15″W / 39.535009°N 119.754151°W / 39.535009; -119.754151
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Great Basin Brewing Co.
Company typePrivate
Industry
Founded1993
Founder
  • Tom Young
  • Eric McClary
Headquarters,
United States
Number of locations
Area served
Key people
Cameron Kelly[1]
ProductsBeer
Production output
7,932 barrels (2013)[2]
OwnerTom Young
Websitegreatbasinbrewingco.com

Great Basin Brewing Co. is a brewery headquartered in Sparks, Nevada. It is Nevada's largest[2] and oldest currently operating brewery[3]—though not the state's longest operated.[4] Great Basin beers are available as bottled draught beer at over 400 locations in Northern Nevada and the surrounding regions, including Aces Ballpark. It also serves beer at special events, such as the Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off and The Great Reno Balloon Race. Growlers and kegs may be purchased or filled at any of the company's tap rooms.

History

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The company was established in 1993 after Nevada brewers, including company founders Tom Young and Eric McClary, successfully lobbied the Nevada Legislature to allow for brewpubs in the state.[5] The original brewery and restaurant is on Victorian Square in Sparks. Its beers were winning national awards as soon as the next year.[5] The Reno location was opened in 2010 with the expectation that its added capacity would satisfy demand for the next five years.[6] Great Basin began regular bottling operations in 2011 (holiday releases had previously been available for several years, but on the scale of a few hundred bottles a year) and currently bottles three of their flagship brews.[7][8] As demand increased further, a third facility was established when Great Basin moved into the warehouse formerly occupied by the defunct Buckbean Brewery.[9] Along with the facility, it also acquired Buckbean's equipment, which was modified to meet Great Basin's needs. Taps & Tanks opened to the public at this location in 2012, and a high speed bottling line was installed there the next year - providing capacity to bottle seasonal beers. In 2014, just one year later, Great Basin bottled its millionth beer.[10] Great Basin saw increases in business every year during its first 20 years in operation.[11] Taps & Tanks no longer serves the public due to new regulations on bars, but beer is still brewed and bottled there. In September of 2021, Great Basin merged with Local Food Group and expanded into Carson, Nevada. [12]In December of 2023, Great Basin celebrated 30 years of operations.[13] In 2024, Great Basin has expanded to Minden, Nevada.[14]

Beers

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Great Basin brews several different beer styles and maintains ten to fourteen beers on tap.[15] Many of its brews are seasonal or available for a limited time. Cask conditioned, barrel aged and nitrogenated beers are available by the glass on location.

Use in food

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Great Basin also integrates its beers into its food menu.[16] It reuses spent barley left over from mashing along with brewer's yeast in artisan bread. As a result of these and similar initiatives, 95% of Great Basin's waste output is reduced.[17]

Awards and recognitions

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Great Basin's brews have garnered several awards at many national and international beer competitions.[5][18][19]

Name Style Honors
Bitchin' Berry Fruit wheat beer Great American Beer Festival- 2013-Silver, 2019- Gold. World Beer Cup 2018 - Bronze
Black Rock ESB Extra Special Bitter 2001 World Beer Cup Silver
Blood Orange Wit Fruited Belgian 2018 Great American Beer Festival Silver
Cerveza ChileBeso Jalapeño-spiced pilsner 1999 Great American Beer Festival Gold, 1997 Great American Beer Festival Gold, 1994 Great American Beer Festival Gold
Death by Chocolate Stout Chocolate-flavored stout 2002 World Beer Cup Gold
Firelit Haze Hazy IPA 2021 USA Beer Ratings SIlver
Ichthyosaur IPA India Pale Ale 2006 World Beer Championships Silver, 2020 Best of Craft Gold, 2021 USA Beer Ratings Silver
Jackpot Porter Porter 2012 Beverage Testing Institute 86
Leave No Trace Lager Munich Style Helles Lager 2021 USA Beer Ratings Gold
Nevada Gold Kölsch 2001 Beverage Testing Institute Silver
Outlaw Milk Stout[i] Sweet oatmeal stout 2014 World Beer Cup Silver, 2014 Great American Beer Festival Bronze, 2012 World Beer Cup Silver,[20] 2011 Great American Beer Festival Bronze,[21] 2008 World Beer Cup Silver,[20] 2002 World Beer Championship Silver, 2012 Beverage Testing Institute 86, 2019 Best of Craft Gold, 2021 USA Beer Ratings Silver
Red Nose Holiday Wassail Christmas beer 2012 Beverage Testing Institute 86
Rosemary Rye Patch Rosemary-spiced rye beer 1998 Great American Beer Festival Gold
Slam Dunkel Dunkel 2008 World Beer Cup Silver, 2001 World Beer Cup Bronze, 2000 Great American Beer Festival Silver
Smokecreek Rauchbier Rauchbier 2006 Great American Beer Festival Gold
Stone Mother Märzen Märzen 2006 World Beer Championships Bronze
Tectonic Event DIPA Double India Pale Ale 2018 New York International Beer Competition Gold, 2021 USA Beer Ratings SIlver
Truckee River Red Ale Red/Amber Ale 2018 World Beer Cup Bronze
Whoop-Ass Witbier Witbier 2010 World Beer Cup Bronze,[22] 2013 Beverage Testing Institute 87
Wild Horse Ale Altbier-style amber ale 1995 Great American Beer Festival Bronze, 1994 Great American Beer Festival Bronze, 2018 Best of Craft Gold
Wild Lemon Wheat Wheat ale 2010 Great American Beer Festival Bronze[23]
  1. ^ Outlaw Oatmeal Stout and Outlaw Milk Stout are the same product

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Robison, Mark (7 April 2014). "Reno Rebirth: Beer, liquor makers grow in Nevada". Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  2. ^ a b Corey, Alex (9 June 2014). "Tapped in: Las Vegas brewer plans to snag blighted building to boost production". Stephens Media LLC. Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  3. ^ White, Standley. "Reno Breweries, Microbreweries, and Brewpubs". about.com. Archived from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  4. ^ "Carson Brewing Company". United States National Park Service. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  5. ^ a b c "Great Basin Brewing". Nevada Brewers Guild. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  6. ^ Long, Yun (29 June 2012). "Great Basin Brewing Co. moves into Buckbean space, buys equipment". Reno Gazette-Journal. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
  7. ^ "in bottles". Great Basin Brewing. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  8. ^ "Great Basin Brewing Company debuts full-bodied brew". KRNV News 4. 6 November 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  9. ^ Nason, Adam (26 June 2012). "Great Basin Brewing acquires Buckbean facility". BeerPulse.com. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  10. ^ Breen, Erin (13 February 2014). "Great Basin Brews Up Success". KTVN. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
  11. ^ Breen, Erin (25 April 2013). "Great Basin Brews Up New Success With Bottles". KTVN. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
  12. ^ Drinkwine, Sarah. "Great Basin Brewing opens Minden location". www.recordcourier.com. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  13. ^ "Great Basin Brewing Co. Celebrates 30 Years". 2 News KTVN. 2023-12-07. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  14. ^ Drinkwine, Sarah. "Great Basin Brewing opens Minden location". www.recordcourier.com. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  15. ^ on tap
  16. ^ Greenspan, Catherine (2 January 2003). "Beyond the brews". News & Review. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  17. ^ "Great Basin Brewing Company Creates Brewmaster's Artisan "Icky" Bread". Brewers Association. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  18. ^ "World Beer Cup Past Winners". Brewers Association. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  19. ^ "Great American Beer Festival Winners". Brewers Association. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  20. ^ a b "Welcome to the Dark Side – Great Basin Brewery Hosts Stout Week in Nevada". Brewers Association. 15 March 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  21. ^ "Outlaw Oatmeal Stout wins bronze at beer festival". Sparks Daily Tribune. 12 October 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  22. ^ Maddock, Cortney (14 May 2010). "Local breweries see award-winning boost". Sparks Daily Tribune. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  23. ^ "GABF Winners 2010". Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 9 April 2013.

39°32′06″N 119°45′15″W / 39.535009°N 119.754151°W / 39.535009; -119.754151