Do you ever visit a brewery spontaneously? Here at Great Beer Now, brewery visits are usually scheduled ahead of time, whenever we travel, but even such sticklers for organization as ourselves are open to the occasional experiment with spontaneity. This happened most recently on an excursion to the Las Vegas area when we headed east to visit Hoover Dam and, after leaving, felt the hunger pangs and thirst desires increase with each passing mile. I jokingly made a comment to the wife that we should “visit a brewery”, confident that there were none around. Accessing her smartphone, she discovered that Boulder City does, indeed, have a place of its own where beer is brewed and food is served. That establishment is Boulder Dam Brewing, located at 453 Nevada Highway in Boulder City, Nevada.
Food, Beverages, History
Stepping up to the entrance of Boulder Dam Brewing, guests will first notice a large beer garden. There was no one out here in the beer garden when I visited, but I later learned that the beer garden is a popular hangout for guests on weekends and it’s also a popular place to watch live music. Boulder Dam Brewing often schedules performers for this outdoor space and it’s one of the most popular places in the city for live tunes.
Walking inside Boulder Dam Brewing reveals a large room with tables and chairs positioned randomly and a long bar with brewing equipment in open view. Talking to one of the personnel, I learned something unique about this establishment: The interior and beer garden both feature actual equipment used in the construction of Hoover Dam. In this regard, a visit to Boulder Dam Brewing is more than just a means to a full stomach and quenched thirst. It is also like entering a museum and it has many stories to share.
With food, Boulder Dam Brewing serves American style pub fare, with salads, a large selection of appetizers (about 15 choices), burgers, wraps, and sandwiches. They have a kids menu, too, and even serve wine as well as beer from other breweries, if that is what customers want. My appetite seemed to wane once I got inside, but I was still hungry and opted for some wings and fries. They were good as far as pub fare goes and fairly priced.
The Beer is Served
I managed to sample six different beers when I visited Boulder Dam Brewing. Here is a summary of the beer I tried, in alphabetical order by name, followed by the beer style and my Untappd rating on a five point scale:
- Chocolate Reaper, Stout, 3.5
- Hell’s Hole, Hefeweizen, 3.75
- Mineshaft Black IPA, Cascadian Dark Ale, 3.25
- Powder Monkey, Pilsner, 3.25
- Rattlesnake Bite, Cider, 3.25
- Winter Warmer, Ale, 3.5
With the beer, I found it very much middle- of- the- road overall. I don’t mean that necessarily in a bad way. What I mean is that the beer was agreeable and good, but nothing was earth- shattering or over the top. I rated the yeasty hefeweizen the highest among the beers I tried, and I found this unusual, as hefeweizens are rarely the beer I like best when I visit a brewery.
A Break Along the Way
Boulder Dam Brewing is a good place for a post or pre- Hoover Dam visit pit stop. We didn’t know there was a brewing operation in Boulder City and my wife and I were both surprised when this establishment turned up. It’s one of the many reasons I am so grateful for modern technology. Without easy access to the internet, I would have never known that Boulder Dam Brewing existed.
With Boulder Dam Brewing, guests get the full- service restaurant/pub/brewery experience. I like how the menu sticks with pub style grub and I like that it isn’t so overloaded with choices that you cannot decide what to order. Other than the appetizers, the other sections of the menu are modest and that means it shouldn’t be difficult to make up your mind. The food served here is certainly good for a pub, but don’t come here expecting to be blown away. Like the beer, the food is good, but not over the top or mind- blowing in any sense.
Hoover Dam is easily the most popular tourist attraction close to Boulder Dam Brewing and I like how they incorporated the history and memory of the building of this massive structure in the brewpub’s design. Look around and you will notice individual items that, while they might seem out of place in a brewery, help tell the story of Hoover Dam and its significance.
Boulder Dam Brewing is a non- pretentious and nice place to chill over a beer and food. I’ve heard that the place rocks on weekends when the beer garden comes alive with the sounds of local music and if you enjoy live entertainment, then this is definitely the time to visit. For those who prefer a quieter arrangement, a visit during the week is best. There were very few people when we visited and this worked out well because it meant I could talk to the personnel and learn more about this brewery and its past.
Visiting breweries is a regular part of life for us at Great Beer Now. We will still plan for most of the breweries we visit, but I’m glad that my wife felt a streak of spontaneity when we visited Hoover Dam and took the initiative to check the internet for nearby brewing operations. Pay a visit here the next time you’re on your way to or from Hoover Dam or other local attraction. And tell them Great Beer Now sent you.
Leave a Reply