Thursday, December 08, 2011

Beer in Vegas

I had a great weekend in Vegas. The tables weren't too kind but I did make up for it at the bars. I was able to sample a nice variety of beers across a number of locations.

When heading into a different city, my goal is to try either the local brews or something I can't get back in Milwaukee. A little research told me that I would have plenty of opportunity to enjoy beers I can't find back home. Its a nice trend in Sin City. Burger joints are the rage. And all of these burger joints have really good beer lists.

When I got into town, my first stop was the closest. I walked over to the Flamingo to check out Sin City Brewing. I read they had an outlet somewhere in the back of the casino. After much walking I did find it way in the back. I was scared at first when I saw the slushy machines behind the bar. They had 4 beers on tap. Their stout, amber, light and an Oktoberfest. I went with the stout. It was pretty good. I followed it up with the Oktoberfest and was surprised by how good it was. Well done Sin City. I'll come back next time I am in town.

I would try more beers at the Aria, the Pub in the Monte Carlo, Holsteins at the Cosmopolitan, and the Pour 24 bar at New York New York. I'd have more than 20 different beers over my weekend. It would have been more had I not drank a lot of bourbon on Thursday. Plus, some events called for Miller Lite instead of something heavier and stronger. As I explained to someone, every beer has its place in life.

So, what was the best beer I had all weekend? That is a somewhat tough question but a rather easy answer. It was the Kona Longboard. There was something about this lager that was smooth, flavorful, and satisfying. It really hit the spot.

Next may have been the Firestone Walker Pale 31. Not too hoppy with a nice body. I was hoping to try their Velvet Merlin but the Pub was out of it.

I drank a good amount of Widmer Hefeweizen at the Aria. It was the best beer they had on tap, IMO. Funny thing I noticed at the Aria. A bottle of Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA was a buck cheaper than a draft of Samuel Adams Boston Lager. Sure you got 4 more ounces of the Sam Adams but I'd take the Dogfish every day of the week.

Other good beers I enjoyed included the Wasatch Devestator, Rogue Hazlenut (a favorite), and the Pyramind Unfiltered Haywire Hefeweizen. I even liked the Asahi Super Dry I had late on Sunday.

I may begin to plan a vacation to the Northwest in 2012. There are a good number of breweries in the region including Rogue. A week of sampling could be just the thing for me.

1 comment:

TripJax said...

Talked about the Longboard tonight. I rather like it as well; right now though, I'm knee deep in the Stout and Porter styles. Glad it was a good trip for ya, save for the tough tables...