By Bob Barnes, Las Vegas Correspondent
Modest Brewing now open with a 100% local beer list
The Las Vegas Arts District has another new brewery. After years of planning, the dreams of co-owner/Brewer Casey Jacobson and co-owner/Operations Manager Scott Seales (pictured below) have come to fruition. Modest Brewing’s production facility is located at 918 S Main Street, right next to Cin-Cin Brewhouse, and is equipped with a taproom featuring 16 taps; wicker back chairs; a lounge/living room area with comfortable couches and padded chairs; board games; an epoxy floor; dark olive green, teal and orange walls; four large screen TVs; two garage doors which can be opened when weather permits; and an outdoor patio with picnic tables and cornhole games.
The Modest name came about because the two owners originally planned to open with a much smaller five-barrel system, but they soon realized such a small operation wouldn’t make enough money. They also discovered they could go with the 10-barrel Craftmaster Stainless system they wound up purchasing. The name also references that the duo are a small team and for the most part are planning on brewing beers coming in at or below a “modest” 6% ABV (alcohol-by-volume).
As they are currently awaiting one last government license hurdle before being allowed to brew, Modest qualifies as our Local Brewery Champion of the Month, with 100% of its 16 taps pouring Nevada-brewed beer. Four of them are collaboration beers, which Casey and Scott designed and helped brew: Circuit Breaker, a hoppy blonde brewed at North 5th Brewing; Intergalactica Hazy, a hazy IPA brewed at Evolve Brewing; Porter Partner, a porter brewed at Chicago Brewing; and Get Reddy, a red ale brewed at Neon Desert Brewing. Others currently pouring include Able Baker Honey Dip Imperial Stout, Big Dog’s Dirty Dog IPA, HUDL Vanilla Oak Cream Ale and Mojave To Be Pear Cider. Once Modest begins brewing, its founders plan to offer core beer styles of Kölsch, extra stout, Belgian witbier and a malty IPA.
In keeping with the Modest name, they’re keeping it simple with the food menu, offering five easygoing, delicious sandwiches and five hot dogs (all priced at $12). The menu is filling a void, as there aren’t any sandwich or hot-dog shops in the area, and certainly none serving beer. Examples are the Megastram with pastrami, Swiss cheese, housemade Thousand Island and sauerkraut; R-Two with roast beef, horseradish aioli, provolone, lettuce, tomato, onion, vinegar, oil and spices; Meat Not Included with all vegetarian ingredients; and Slaw Dog with coleslaw and Mike’s Not Honey. To add more deliciousness, the bread is lightly toasted with the sauces caramelized as they cook in the bread. In case you didn’t notice, most of the names are a play on names of robots from movies, TV and pop culture.
You might think being situated next door to another brewery would not be a good idea, but in this case it is. Both are a bit too far for most to walk from the south side of Main where all the other Arts District breweries and taprooms are, so having two breweries to hit in one stop should bring more bodies. Also, the area is blossoming and enjoying more foot traffic and a handful of housing projects are on the way. Modest Brewing’s current hours are noon to 10 p.m. daily.
Able Baker expanding north with taproom and restaurant
Able Baker Brewing, which opened its brewery and taproom in the Arts District in 2019, is expanding north with the launch of The Bomb Shelter. Set to open this spring, the 6,000-square-foot taproom and kitchen at 6371 Centennial Center Boulevard is in the space formerly occupied by Montana Meat Co.
The Bomb Shelter will be Able Baker Brewing’s first satellite location, and will feature 24 taps pouring Able Baker beers, a full bar, 17 TVs and a full kitchen focused on handcrafted pizza. The name is in keeping with Able Baker’s theme and backstory, as the brewery is named for the first two atomic tests conducted at the Nevada Test Site in the 1950s: “Able” and “Baker.”
Up until recently, the area was quite underserved in regards to craft beer, but last year saw the openings of Rebellion Pizza and Mission Control, and now this new taproom will add to the beer goodness of the northwest.
Beer Events
BJ’s Brewhouse, February 2: The five Southern Nevada BJ’s Brewhouse locations will host a five-course beer dinner featuring three unfiltered beer styles: witbier, hefeweizen and hazy IPA. The dinner will include a welcome beer: BJ’s Harvest Hefeweizen, spinach and artichoke dip paired with St. Bernardus Wit, EnLIGHTened Strawberry Fields salad matched with BJ’s Zany Zitrus Hazy IPA, pepperoni extreme deep dish pizza paired with Schneider Weisse Original, a palate cleanser of Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing, Parmesan-crusted chicken matched with Blue Moon and strawberry shortcake Pizookie paired with Voodoo Ranger Juice Force. The dinner will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the cost is $45 in advance and $50 (plus tax and tip) the day of the event. Click here to purchase tickets.
Bad Beat Brewing, February 6: For this month’s First Friday in Downtown Las Vegas, Bad Beat Brewing will be releasing its All the Kölsch Kids Are Doing it, complete with traditional Kölsch service. Available from 4 to 11:30 p.m., a package deal for $10 (plus fee) gets you a 12-ounce limited-edition glass, limited-edition coaster and your first fill of the 5.6% ABV Kölsch. Kölsch service comes from Cologne, Germany, and to keep your beer fresh and flowing instead of ordering round after round, Kölsch servers circulate the room and replace your empty beer automatically. When your glass is empty, a server brings you a new one (no ordering needed), each beer is tracked on a coaster, and when you’re done you place your coaster on top of your glass to stop the service. Here’s a chance to experience this classic communal tradition at the taproom for one night. Click here to purchase a Kölsch service package.
CraftHaus Comrade Day, February 7: CraftHaus Brewery, located within the Henderson Booze District, will host the 12th annual Comrade Day, its annual unveiling of its very potent Russian imperial stout. As always, the day before the Super Bowl is the day to enjoy stout paradise and also each year there is a theme, with this year’s being “Comrade goes to the circus.” There will be circus-inspired Comrade variants; vertical tasting flights showcasing rare barrel-aged vintages from years past; a special three-item plate with smoked ground-turkey slider with vinegar slaw, churro sweet potato skewers and a circus-themed dessert inspired by and cooked with Comrade. Adding to the event will be carnival-style fun and games. And returning this year is an opportunity to experience a “spiked” beer from a Bierstachelen—a traditional German hot fire-poker plunged into the beer to create caramelization and a creamy frothy head. The 2026 Comrade comes in at 11.2%, delivering overtones of roasted malt, plus a distinct aroma and warmth from extended aging on whiskey-soaked oak. Its circus-inspired variants include deep-fried Oreo, caramel apple and smoked turkey leg. There will be three two-hour seatings taking place from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., 3 to 5 p.m. and 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The cost is $45 per person, which includes a choice of a tasting flight of four four-ounce Comrade variants or a vertical flight of Comrades from previous years, one 10-ounce pour of the 2025 Comrade and a keeper logo glass. Click here to purchase tickets and food packages.
Bad Beat Brewing, February 21: An excellent opportunity to learn about the brewing process and meet Bad Beat Head Brewer Megan Hanley is the combination cellar tasting and meet-the-brewer event at the company’s Main Street brewery from 10 a.m. to noon. The event will begin with a welcome beer featuring one of Megan’s signature recipes, followed by a behind-the-scenes brewery tour where guests will get a sneak peek at a batch not yet on tap and taste beers at different stages of the brewing process from fermentation to finished pour. The tour will end with a hand-picked flight of Bad Beat’s signature beers, complete with tasting notes from Megan and a souvenir IPA glass to take home. Tickets are $30 (plus fee) and can be purchased here.
Great Vegas Festival of Beer, March 28: The Great Vegas Festival of Beer is celebrating its 14th installment as it returns to its earlier roots, moving to its former home, the 200,000-square-foot block at 6th Street and Carson Avenue downtown, with entrance at 601 E. Fremont Street. The general admission session runs from 3 to 7 p.m., while early-entry and VIP ticket holders will get in at 2 p.m. Ticket-holders are entitled to unlimited sampling of 300 craft brews from more than 60 breweries, including several of our local breweries and numerous regional breweries; cider and other liquid treats; karaoke; silent disco; and food for purchase from several of the city’s most popular food trucks. In addition to early entry, VIP includes admittance to the Get Motley VIP Lounge inside of the Fremont Country Club, offering a large hangout with private bathrooms, rare beers and food from chefs Lili Barajas (Tacotarian), Stephen Hopcraft (STK) and John Smollen (Crab Corner Maryland Seafood House). Although it’s a ways off, prices go up as the date draws nearer. Click here for more info and to purchase tickets.
Local Brewer Spotlight
David Castro, Nevada Brew Works
36-year-old David Castro was born and raised in San Diego but has been coming to Las Vegas his whole life. While at Sonoma State he helped his roommate and best friend Grant Weckerly homebrew to get free beer, and the creative process grew on him. After he graduated in 2013 with a Liberal Arts/Education degree, Weckerly got hired at a brewery in Austin and invited David to move out there with him. He proceeded to get a beertender job in the tasting room at the new Twisted X Brewing, and after repeatedly bugging the owner/brewer, transitioned into washing kegs and cleaning filters, eventually working his way up to the position of Lead Brewer.
After being at Twisted X for three years, Castro wanted to work at a production brewery, so he and his wife Kelsie moved to Tampa, where he brewed at Cigar City Brewing, a large brewery operating 24/7. After a couple years, when his dad and grandma were sick, they moved to the L.A. area to be closer to family and David brewed at Phantom Carriage Brewery, a wild ale and sour brewery (that has since closed) and then Noble Ale Works, another large brewery where he and his team won two gold medals for their imperial IPAs, one at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) and one at the World Beer Cup.
In 2021, after COVID and wanting a change, they moved to Las Vegas, where David got a job at Hop Nuts Brewing, and was also traveling back and forth to Anaheim to help a buddy open Villains Brewing (at which he helped earn a GABF bronze medal in the American Light Lager category). After a year and a half, the traveling got to be a lot, so at that point David decided to plant roots and stay in Las Vegas. He had moved over to Able Baker until June 2025 when Tom Harwood left Nevada Brew Works to return to Triple 7 Restaurant & Microbrewery and recommended him as his replacement. David now splits his time brewing at Nevada Brew Works’ two brewery locations, both of which have similar brewing systems, but with the one on Main Street being steam-fired and Boca Park’s being direct-fire.
David’s favorite beers to drink and make are the same, because: “I like to make what I like to drink”. That means West Coast IPAs as well as light lagers and ales, because: “You can only drink so much and they’re refreshing after a long day.” Next on his brewing agenda are a 5% session IPA with old-school hops, including Columbus, Centennial and a bit of Cascade and Citra; an English-style porter with traditional English yeast and East Kent Golding hops; and, of course, more West Coast IPAs.
What’s Pouring
Mojave Brewing is turning six years old on February 2, and to commemorate the occasion they will be doing six days of celebration, releasing a new or returning beer each day leading up to their six-year party on February 7. No reservations are required. Just show up on the 7th at the brewery/cidery on Water Street in Henderson to see the Mojave crew and enjoy the special beers. The tapping schedule is as follows:
- February 2: Kiwi Herman, 5.5% Kiwi Cider (returning)
- February 3: Tyler’s Morning High, 5.7% Coffee Blonde (returning)
- February 4: Blitzkrieg Hop, 4.8% Italian Pilsner 4.8% (new)
- February 5: Panic! At The Sour, 4.8% American Sour & Taking Back Saison, 4.5% Sour Saison (both new)
- February 6: Henderson Gold, 5.2% Blonde Ale (new)
- February 7: 2025 World Beer Cup Silver Medal Winner, 10% Barrel Aged Cider (returning)
CraftHaus Brewery is now making its Sumo Stomp Tangerine Japanese Rice Lager a year-round offering after seeing a great response from their guests and accounts in 2025. It’s perfect timing with the Brewers Association now recognizing it as an official beer style. This 4.7% beer is a light-bodied, refreshing lager with a twist of Sumo tangerine peel. Look for it wherever you buy beer, or head over to CraftHaus’ brewery in the Henderson Booze District or taproom in the Arts District.
Nevadan Brewing has again brewed and kegged its 5% HAZY NV, which Brewer Adam Cegavske describes as a chromatic kaleidoscope hazy IPA that is a journey through the entire spectrum of hop expression with a collection of 10 hop varieties: Nectaron, Mosaic, Citra, Azacca, Superdelic, Adeena, El Dorado, Cashmere, Columbus and Centennial. Nevadan is situated inside Sagos Tavern at 4790 South Fort Apache Road just north of Tropicana Avenue and the 215 Beltway.
Triple 7 Restaurant & Microbrewery has its Double Down Hefeweizen, a 5% traditional Bavarian wheat ale; and 9.6% Bad Guys Wear Black imperial stout pouring at the brewpub on Main Street, just north of Fremont.
Lovelady Brewing‘s Henderson Water Street brewery is currently pouring Porn Star Sour, a passionfruit and vanilla golden kettle-sour ale, and Steamin Nites, a brown lager with Anaheim, jalapeño and habanero peppers. Releasing in late February/early March will be a barleywine, a blackberry cream ale and Transfusion, a sour with cranberry, lemon and lime. And, mark your calendar for April 11, when Lovelady will hold a 10th Anniversary Party, featuring the Green Valley High School Jazz Combo and the return of the company’s original opening beer, OutBock, a helles bock hopped with Citra and Galaxy.
As always, great beer happens in Vegas!