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
Edward Nash

Originally from Southwest Michigan Edward was exposed to brewing in the 70’s when his father took up the hobby.  Fast forward to 11 years ago he was looking for a hobby and came across a brand-new brew kit at a garage sale.  After my first brew I was hooked and developed a passion for brewing and fermentation science.  I began staging at local brewers to gain experience and had an opportunity to relocate back to Southwest Michigan in 2013 and be a part of new brewery named Arclight.
While there he went on to develop sour beer production from which his Black Raspberry fruited sour was top listed fruited American Sours category on untapped.  He additionally took Gold at GABF for his Cherry fruited Sour.
Edward has brewed many styles of beer of which Lagers, Pilsners, Saison, and West Coast IPAs are some of his favorites.   He also has experience in distilling, winemaking, hard seltzers, hard coffee, hard smoothies, and hand crafted sodas which he will bringing 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. 

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!