Pile of new Oskar Blues Brewery cans in the middle of the Craft Reno beer fridge on the first night of Oskar Blues release into Nevada.
Craft Wine & Beer hosted the first release party for craft brewery Oskar Blues Brews and its new distribution in Nevada on Feb. 24. With the ruckus audible from a few blocks away, the release party packed the front of Craft and spilled out onto the sidewalk. Two food trucks served vegan delights and barbecue in the parking lot across Martin Street, and patrons meandered between the trucks and Craft, cups in hand.
By 7:30 p.m. (the event started at 6 p.m.) only one Oskar Blues tap remained and very few cans were available to fill customer’s plastic cups, making this one of the largest craft beer release parties in the state, according to a Wirtz Beverage representative.
Oskar Blues, from Longmont, Colo., started the craft-beer-in-a-can revolution 10 years ago. The arrival of Dale’s Pale Ale and Old Chub Scotch Ale in Nevada will quench the thirst of Renoites longing for a local distribution for years, according to an interview with RGJ Food & Drink Editor Johnathan L. Wright.
“Our partnership with Wirtz Beverage is an incredible opportunity for us to build our brand in a really fun market,” said Chris Russell, Oskar Blues’ Director of Business Operations, according to a press release. “We’re new to Nevada, so it was important for us to find a partner with a long-standing reputation and a statewide reach. Our distributor, Wirtz Beverage has both. They touch every corner of the state from the Vegas strip to the mountains of Lake Tahoe, and even the world’s ‘Biggest Little City’ Reno. They’re held in high-regard by customers in each area.”
Use Oskar Blues’ beer finder to find the beers available in Reno like:
- Dale’s Pale Ale
- Mama’s Little Yella Pils
- Old Chub Scotch Ale
- Deviant Dales IPA
- G’Knight Imperial Red IPA
- Gubna (seasonal)
Don’t forget to stop by for another chance at a release party tomorrow
Drink Local Launch Party – Reno
Wednesday, Feb. 26 from 6-9 p.m.
Ole Bridge Pub, 5 N. Sierra St., Reno
Featuring Oskar Blues Pint Night & draft and package beer specials