Why Brew Beer in the Desert?

  • We are three hours from Reno, three hours from Las Vegas. There’s not much in between except the high desert. After that kind of driving, who isn’t ready for cold craft beer and slow-smoked barbecue, in a clean, friendly atmosphere?
  • The first business in Tonopah was a brewery and tap house. We see our business as an homage to men and women of vision, courage, and a touch of crazy, who came to Tonopah in search of fortune.
  • The owners, Fred and Nancy Cline, have deep familial roots in Tonopah. They are excited about being a part of this great community, and to play a role in the ongoing growth of the town. They also own the Mizpah Hotel, and 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
Dave Otto

​Originally From Southern New Jersey just outside Philadelphia, Dave was an avid home brewer before moving to Las Vegas and landing a job at Holy Cow! Casino, Cafe, Brewery in 1997. Dave soon became the Head Brewer and continued with the company for nearly 20 years as the brewery transformed into Big Dog's Brewing Company and moved operations to the Northwest valley. He moved over to the new PT's Brewing Company in 2015 then Dave joined Tonopah Brewing in March 2020. 

"I first became interested in brewing after I bought a home brewing kit for my parents. Quickly realizing they had no interest in making their own beer, I decided to try it out myself and made a 5 gallon batch and became instantly intrigued by the process and the good results I had achieved. I made beer!"
Favorite TBC beers are Frail Sister Pilsner, .999 IPA, and Mucker Irish Red

Favorite non TBC beers are Anchor Steam Beer, Pizza Port Kook IPA, and several of the Belgian inspired, barrel-aged beers of Russian River Brewing.

Dave was most excited to brew the .999 IPA here in Tonopah bringing a classic West Coast style IPA to this thirsty mining community!

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. 

The Smoker

People are constantly asking how we get that particular flavor in our barbecue. First, we make sure to cook our brisket and pork very slowly, the way it's done down south. Second, we use staves from red wine barrels, which imparts a special flavor to the meat you don't get any other way. More than a few customers tell us they don't even need to sauce the meat. But our house-made sauces are definitely a great addition!