Why Brew Beer in the Desert?

We are located at a three-hour drive from Reno and Las Vegas, with nothing but the high desert in between. After such a long drive, who wouldn't be ready for some cold craft beer and delicious bites in our Tap Room, which offers a clean and friendly atmosphere? 

Interestingly, the first business to open in Tonopah was a brewery and tap house. Our business is a tribute to the brave and visionary men and women who came to Tonopah in search of fortune, with a touch of craziness.

Our owners, Fred and Nancy Cline, have deep familial roots in Tonopah. They are thrilled to be a part of this great community and play a role in its ongoing growth. In addition to our brewery, they also own the Mizpah Hotel, while their son Ramsey owns the Mizpah Club Casino.​

Owners
​Fred and Nancy Cline

Nancy Cline (with husband Fred) honors her great-uncle and grandmother through the creation of the Tonopah Brewing Company, and the restoration of the Mizpah and Belavda Hotels. Their son Ramsey (named after Nancy's great-uncle) opened the Mizpah Club Casino in Tonopah. The Clines have more plans in store and invite everyone to visit this living monument of the Wild West. Fred and Nancy also own Cline Cellars and Jacuzzi Family Vineyards in Sonoma. 

Brewmaster
Edward Nash

Edward, originally from Southwest Michigan, discovered his interest in brewing in the 1970s when his father introduced him to the hobby. Eleven years ago, he came across a brand-new brewing kit at a garage sale and decided to give it a try. After his first successful brew, he became passionate about brewing and fermentation science. To gain more experience, he started staging at local breweries and eventually landed a job at Arclight, a new brewery in Southwest Michigan, in 2013.

While working at Arclight, Edward developed a sour beer production and became well-known for his Black Raspberry fruited sour, which was top-listed in the fruited American Sours category on Untappd. He also won a Gold award at GABF for his Cherry fruited Sour. Edward has brewed many styles of beer, including Lagers, Pilsners, Saison, and West Coast IPAs, which are some of his favorites. In addition to brewing, he has experience in distilling, winemaking, hard seltzers, hard coffee, hard smoothies, and hand-crafted sodas, which he brings to Tonopah Brewing.
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The Brewhouse


Our brewhouse was custom-made in Bavaria, Germany. It features four 310-gallon fermentation tanks, four 310-gallon lagering tanks, and two 310-gallon storage tanks. The steam heated system is run by pneumatic controls. Because our system allows decoction and step infusion, we can create beers in a traditional fashion that remain true to the original processes. 

This system was originally designed for a member of the Blatz family, who was in line to take over the family brewing business. However, when those plans changed, Fred and Nancy Cline were able to obtain this special Brew House and bring it to Tonopah.