After being tested by Mother Nature, South Lake Tahoe and its hospitality venues are back and raring to show tourists a good time. The area has long been known for top-rate skiing, snowboarding, hiking, aquatic activities and lakeside leisure. Ditto a healthy, spirited après culture. Adult beverages have never been hard to come by in this vacation destination, but the same couldn’t always be said for local beer. For decades a pair of brewpubs was all the community had to its craft-beer credit, but over the past several years local entrepreneurs and artisans have stepped up, building new breweries and beer-centric venues that have given rise to a legitimate beer culture and the formation of an official South Tahoe Beer Trail that’s worth exploring the next time you find yourself in “Tahoe South”.
BREWERIES
South Lake Brewing
1920 Lake Tahoe Blvd
Located on the west end of town and accessible via numerous mountain-bike trails, South Lake Brewing is its namesake city’s only production brewery and undisputed homebase for hops. The team here understands current craft-beer tastes and excels at sating them with styles driving the modern-day brewing industry.
Step into this four-year-old op’s spacious tasting room and you’ll find a list packed with numerous IPAs and pale ales, both clear and hazy, augmented by brew-crew shifter fare like an English mild and New Zealand-hopped pilsner. The latter is dispensed from Tahoe’s only side-pull and features a delightful bouquet of kiwi and mint. Similarly vibrant aromas accompany all of South Lake’s hoppy fare. Expedition Mosaic, the latest in a line of single-hop West Coast IPAs (that has a “Questing” sister series of New England-style IPAs) has a bright pineapple nose, while luscious scents of orange signal the mimosa character of flagship hazy Fog Nozzle.
South Lake’s year-round beers include an unfiltered oat pale ale dubbed Pillowline, a summer-ready blood-orange blonde called Marlette Sunrise, and Angora, an unfiltered IPA brewed with Mosaic, Centennial, Simcoe and a dash of Citra. Lesser-seen but mightily impressive is Kook Joose IPA, a “juicy” hop-bomb with huge mango, pineapple and citrus presence. The company’s beers can be found in cans from South Lake Tahoe to Santa Cruz, and soon, visitors will be able to order them over the bar at a second tasting room that’s currently in the works.
Pro Tip: South Lake celebrates its anniversary on Memorial Day weekend with live music and beer releases, including numerous collaboration offerings.
Standout Suds: Expedition Mosaic, Single-hop West Coast IPA with Mosaic Hops
Sidellis
3350 Sandy Way
If barrel-aged stouts and sours are your passion, you’ll be in good company at Sidellis. The owners’ love of those styles and their previous absence in South Lake Tahoe led them to open this five-year-old business, which has the respect of its contemporaries for marching to its own beat. That cadence is directed by the city’s longest-tenured brewer, Steve Canali, whose batch sizes are precisely calculated so he can fill two wine barrels at a time.
Standouts from Sidellis’ barrel program include Saison d’Automne, a sour farmhouse ale with grape-must funk from a whopping three years spent in Cabernet-tinged oak, and Oak-a-lee Doak-a-lee, a balanced Flanders-style red ale aged on cherries. The latter is the latest in a series of beers that may or may not be based on a cartoon sitcom and includes a whiskey barrel-aged Flanders cleverly titled Neighbor-Reno. But the best of the barrel-matured stock is Old Mashioned, a bourbon-, cherrywood- and orange bitters-laced sour aged on cherries and orange peel that tastes just like the cocktail it’s inspired by.
But not everything at Sidellis is of the alternative ilk. Belgian beers like Clockwork White (a witbier that’s yielded a mango-habanero one-off), the bubble-gummy Saints and Sinners pale ale and lemony once-a-year offering, The Tipsy Tripel, are rich and flavorful. Brewocracy, a “C”-hopped West Coast IPA with restrained grapefruit bitterness and a rotating series of kettle sours infused with different fruits and adjuncts to mimic everything from milkshakes to lemon bars, also make for tasty reasons to seek out this unique brewery.
Pro Tip: As a nod to its Aussie co-owner, each year Sidellis celebrates Australia Day, serving up special-edition beers with a side of authentic Down-Under cuisine.
Standout Suds: Saints & Sinners, Belgian-style Pale Ale
South of North Brewing
932 Stateline Ave., Ste B (inside Basecamp Tahoe South)
This operation is sited within the state-line-adjacent Basecamp Tahoe South hotel, with its brewery and cellar residing in a renovated suite feeding ales and lagers to a cozy tasting room looking out on the property’s courtyard. Inviting, hip—and maybe even a bit camp—it’s a hot spot for locals and tourists looking for nightly live music and beers both traditional and avant-garde. Lamenting the lack of authentic “craft” offerings for tourists visiting from beer-centric regions, a longtime homebrewer established this inventive liquid-from-lodging concept in 2018.
Brewing on a five-barrel system makes for a rapidly changing beer menu, though there are two fan-favorites that are always available, the crowd-pleasing First Light Blonde and Motorcycle Mama, a 100% Mosaic-hopped West Coast IPA with notes of guava, rosemary and lemongrass giving way to citrus-pith bitterness. South of North crowd-pleasers from the darker end of the spectrum include the milk-chocolaty Black Dog Porter and a warming, delicious cinnamon-spiced Horchata Stout. Other oft-available beers include a vanilla-infused cream ale called Explorer and the nutty, toasty Buried Hatchet Amber.
Further variety comes from a single barrel-aged creation being on tap at all times and the release of new hazy IPAs every two weeks or so. Though South of North isn’t set up to do a great deal of lagering, a house pilsner and kölsch show up from time to time. Adding to South of North’s allure is a hearty menu of hot and cold “sandos”, grain bowls, fun apps (BBQ-sauced “pig wings”, pretzels, lemon Brussels sprouts) and s’mores for heating at the firepits mere steps away.
Pro Tip: Stop into South of North from 4 to 6 p.m. any day of the week to receive $3 off house beers as well as discounted and delectable $6 meatball sandwiches.
Standout Suds: Horchata Stout, Spiced Stout with Vanilla & Cinnamon
Stateline Brewery & Restaurant
4118 Lake Tahoe Blvd
South Lake Tahoe’s longest-operating brewpub, this spot opened in 2003 as a sister biz to now defunct The Brewery at Lake Tahoe. Under the original regime, Stateline Brewery offered just four beers, but since being sold, its new owners have put a creative brewer in place who keeps between 8 and 12 constantly rotating house creations on draft. He has also instituted a barrel program and strives to have at least one oak-aged beer on at all times.
With a light sweetness and finish reminiscent of Kix cereal, house blonde ale, Bear Paw, is the top-seller among a core line-up that includes an amber ale, hazy and West Coast IPA. A recent visit turned up Pronghorn, a pineapple IPA that’s low in tartness with hop-borne nuances of peach, and Redtail, a triple red IPA tasting of apple brandy, caramel and heavily toasted English muffin that’s devoid of the alcohol bite so common with this imperial style. Lower in ABV and an ample dessert stand-in is a light-bodied “chocolate milkshake porter” called Powder Hound.
All of the above are available—along with a menu of steaks, seafood, sandwiches and more—at this expansive subterranean bar and restaurant, which spans nearly an entire block beneath a two-story retail complex. Even with all that space, the venue is regularly packed on Fridays and Saturdays. Those looking to go through the beers with staffers who are more than happy to talk about their intricacies would do best to swing by on an off day.
Pro Tip: Stateline is a brewpub but whiskey is its true focus. Fans of the brown spirit will enjoy a wall stocked with bottles and a barrel-aged Old Fashioned cocktail.
Standout Suds: Pronghorn, Passionfruit IPA
Cold Water Brewery & Grill
2544 Lake Tahoe Blvd
Though just eight-years-young, this popular brewpub is the longest-operating of South Lake Tahoe’s new wave of craft brewers. Not only did its owner—who worked for one of the area’s original brewpubs—provide proof-of-concept for local beer from her lodge-like brewery-restaurant, she also founded the city’s largest annual beer festival, Tahoe Brewfest (see below), while supporting numerous area charity organizations and initiatives.
Cold Water’s 14-tap beer list is reliable in that there isn’t a great deal of changeover. The roster ranges from light refreshers to dark ales, and its top taps are situated at each end of that spectrum. A light German-style lager dubbed Just So You Know is a crisp, clean lawnmower beer for the lake crowd, while Stillwater Stout offers roastiness in tandem with notes of licorice, chocolate and blueberry. Knock ‘Em Dead is a throwback to the classic Killian’s Irish Red, while an Old World bastion of beer, Belgium, is celebrated care of the fruity yeast esters flavoring a blonde ale called Lucky 7.
The food at Cold Water is every bit as key to its success as its house beers. Described as “California comfort” and “boutique pub grub”, it’s won awards, spanning—and sometimes combining—multiple culinary cultures while incorporating fresh, seasonal ingredients. Stick-to-your-ribs dishes like a loaded pretzel with beer cheese and giardiniera, “best part of French onion soup” dip, fish and chips, and a fried chicken sandwich with bacon and cayenne honey share the bill of fare with artfully plated beets with goat cheese fondant, vindaloo curry, and king salmon in an almond-coconut broth.
Pro Tip: If you’re a cross-drinker in the mood for cocktails, Cold Water’s bar includes barrel-aged tipples and from-scratch items like house-made shrub.
Standout Suds: Stillwater Stout
Tahoe Mountain Brews
963 3rd St.
After ceasing production of the Tahoe Mountain News, its owner converted the publication’s HQ into a nanobrewery producing a wide array of styles every bit as unpredictable as the business’ hours of operation. Be sure to call ahead before dropping by for a pint.
BEER BARS
The Hangar
2401 Lake Tahoe Blvd, Ste B
Opened in 2018 by a couple with roots in Tahoe and Santa Cruz, The Hangar is the place for beerophiles seeking a mix of local liquids and hard-to-get gems from further flung locales (Humble Sea, Great Notion, Alvarado Street). In addition to 30 taps worth of carefully cultivated ales and lagers running the stylistic gamut from crispy-boi lagers to sours to IPAs and stouts of every type, plus a fridge full of cans and bottles, there’s something for everyone here, including fans of al fresco imbibing. The Hangar is built on a green, grassy acre that was previously part of an amusement park and has since been transformed into a kid- and pet-friendly, picnic-ready expanse with a bocce-ball course, cornhole boards and other games. This sprawling open-air option—a rarity for in-town hospitality venues—has led to The Hangar becoming the communal hub for locals and tourists alike that its owners had envisioned when conceiving of their craft-beer haven.
Pro Tip: The Hangar’s tap list is jam-packed with limited-edition, hard-to-find and collaboration beers during its annual Independence Day weekend anniversary festivities.
Lake Tahoe AleWorX
2050 Lake Tahoe Blvd, Ste 2050 (at The Crossing at Tahoe Valley)
When a twenty-something UCLA grad who originally set out to start a brewery pivoted to build a self-serve taproom with wood-fired pizza and a chill atmosphere, he did more than stumble on a successful idea. His Lake Tahoe AleWorX breathed new life into a declining retail center in a part of town known as “They Y”, simultaneously invigorating it and the west end. It also opened locals’ eyes to the glories of well-done craft beer, and launched a fast-growing hospitality empire. The aforementioned wunderkind has since expanded, opening a craft-cocktail venue next-door, a second AleWorX across the state line, a “Backyard” burger-and-brat spot, and acquiring yet another space to install a gourmet concept at what is now a full-blown campus back at The Y. Throw in a large outdoor patio with a stage for live music and there’s a lot to enjoy here, but a thoughtful, everchanging variety of beer remains at the heart of it all.
Pro Tip: AleWorX’s owner went the self-serve route so customers could sample numerous beers without having to commit to a pint and advises crafting your own sampler flight.
BEER-CENTRIC EVENTS
Heavenly Village Brewfest (June 18)
The Shops at Heavenly Village, 1001 Heavenly Village Way
The fifth edition of this annual fermented-beverage fete will feature beers from 15 breweries, plus spirits, kombucha and soda, and benefit the non-profit Christmas Cheer food-and-essentials pantry.
Tahoe Brewfest (August 27)
Lake Tahoe Community College
South Lake Tahoe’s largest craft-beer event includes beer from local breweries and beermakers visiting from nearby spots like Reno and Mammoth, plus live music, food trucks and a variety vendors. NOTE: Details for this year’s event have not yet been finalized.
Sample the Sierra (early-autumn)
Location TBD
This annual food-and-beverage free-for-all brings South Lake Tahoe eateries and breweries together to create beer-and-food pairings using ingredients from local producers and purveyors. NOTE: Details for this year’s event have not yet been finalized.
SUGGESTED LODGING
PlayPark Lodge
1184 Emerald Bay Rd.
A previously cookie-cutter motor lodge has been revamped into a compound of large, homey suites centered around a courtyard that’s great for lounging and enjoying cans and crowlers from the west end’s breweries and beer bars.
Basecamp Tahoe South
4143 Cedar Ave.
Who wouldn’t want to stay at a camping-themed lodge with its very own brewery and a courtyard outfitted with games galore. Throw in the fact it’s pet-friendly and it makes for a delightful place to hang one’s hat (or leash).
Coachman Hotel
4100 Pine Blvd
Forest Suites Resort at Heavenly Village
1 Lake Pkwy
Hotel Azure Tahoe
3300 Lake Tahoe Blvd
Hotel Becket
4003 Lake Tahoe Blvd
Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel
4130 Lake Tahoe Blvd
The Landing Resort & Spa
4104 Lakeshore Blvd
Tahoe Lakeshore Lodge & Spa
930 Balbijou Rd
