Beer in South Lake Tahoe
Over this past week for Spring Break we did a big family trip to Lake Tahoe—specifically, South Lake Tahoe, right next door to Stateline, Nevada (and about an hour from Reno). Most of the “Tahoe action” takes place on the California side of the border (except for the casinos, naturally), and that’s also where you’ll find the craft beer.
There are two brewpubs and (possibly) one production brewery there: The Brewery at Lake Tahoe, Stateline Brewery, and Mt. Tallac Brewing. Mt. Tallac is the wildcard: while not listed on RateBeer, they do have a MySpace page with their details. Mt. Tallac is the production brewery and while they have a tasting room open from 5-7pm daily, it was the one place we didn’t get a chance to visit.
The Brewery at Lake Tahoe
Of the two places we visited, The Brewery is the favorite. (In fact, our condo was literally across the street!) Located on the main east-west street through town (Lake Tahoe Boulevard), The Brewery was established in 1992 in a former house and garage; inside it still retains the homey converted-house atmosphere in the restaurant portion. The bar is smallish and has a feature unique to the various brewpubs I’ve yet visited: the brewing equipment is located right behind the bar, out in the open: the combo mash tun/kettle and two fermenters.
They have a 5 bbl. capacity and do a mixed style of brewing: bags of grain are steeped in the mash tun and then hauled out (since they don’t have a mash tun separate from the kettle), and they then supplement the wort with malt extract. Makes sense for the size and setup that they have.
Overall I found the beers to be decent: the Bad Ass Ale is their signature beer, a 9% strong ale that is moderately hoppy and if I were to sum it up in one short description, it would be “Imperial Brown Ale.” I also found the Needle Peak Ale to be quite drinkable and the seasonal White-Out Wit was enjoyable as well.
The real stand-out at The Brewery is the food, and particularly the pizza. They have some of the tastiest pub food I’ve had in a while: the Chicken Ranchero wrap was perfect, the chicken curry soup was flavorful and not too spicy, and the Philly Cheesesteak Pizza was simply amazing. Prices are well worth it, too, both with food and beer (and not the resort-town pricing I was dreading).
The Brewery at Lake Tahoe
3542 South Lake Tahoe Blvd
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
(530) 544-BREW
Stateline Brewery & Restaurant
Photo courtesy of Stateline Brewery
The Stateline Brewery is also variously known online and in travel guides as “Cecil’s Steak and Brews”—which I found confusing considering all the signage simply says “Stateline Brewery.” Located one block away from the Nevada state line (and the casinos), you’ll find the Stateline Brewery in the Heavenly shopping center (Heavenly is the name of the big ski resort in South Lake Tahoe), downstairs from Cecil’s Market.
We arrived early in the day for lunch: they were almost completely empty, yet have a big restaurant space that looks like it’s a popular night spot. It’s a bit industrial: concrete floors and walls, open beamed ceiling, and the brewing equipment in the back completes the look.
They have five beers on their menu, but only had two on tap during our visit: Avalanche Ale and Double Time Strong Ale. (From researching online it seems only having one or two of their own beer available at any given time seems par for the course, oddly—especially considering they have a fair amount of brewing equipment present, more than The Brewery.) After tasting both I chose the Double Time, which was drinkable and malt-forward. Both beers were decent if unremarkable.
The food was much the same: decent but nothing spectacular. I had the J.D.’s BBQ Pork sandwich, which started out sweet and then turned spicy about halfway through: weird sauce distribution? My wife had a chicken quesadilla with a very generous portion of chicken breast.
This would be a popular place après ski, as people come down off the mountain, and as spill-over from the casinos and shopping. In general, though, if you’re looking for more variety in beer and great food, The Brewery is only one and a half miles away.
Stateline Brewery & Restaurant
4118 Lake Tahoe Blvd
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
(530) 542-9000
5 Comments to “Beer in South Lake Tahoe”
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Was just up there and agree with you on all counts. Stateline’s beer gets a big fat “meh” from me. The Brewery at Lake Tahoe had some decent contenders however. You’re not going to find the next Westy 12 there, but their beer for the most part isn’t half bad. My top picks were the Porter, Needle Peak Ale, and Wit. Hoping to hit FiftyFifty in Truckee my next time up. Their Imperial Eclipse Stout is one of the best RISes California produces IMO.
Oddly, I’ve been to both these places but never had anything of theirs. I was driving through last summer and both gave me such weird vibes that I walked out without getting served. It’s too bad, but the only standout beer spot in the Tahoe area seems to be Fifty Fifty all the way up in Truckee. They deserve a separate article all to themselves.
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Go to Mt. Tallac Brew Co., or if you are looking for food, order them at one of the local restaurants. Its the best beer at the Lake.