The Vegas Strip and Beer, Not a Match?

A few months ago I remember reading someone's post in the photo forum about their beer find(s) in Vegas.

This got me pumped for my trip, which happened this weekend.

All I can say is, wow am I disappointed. Mind you, I didn't make it off the strip except to go to a liquor store aptly named "Liquor" near a BW3, but I expected a decent selection while in the casinos and some of the restaurants. Honestly, tho, there wasn't much to choose from.

Even on Saturday night, when we went to the SW steakhouse in the Wynn their beer selection left a lot to be desired.

Most of the time I found that it was the same at most places: Bud, Miller and a few german imported lagers...

Anyone else experience this?

Yea, you have to seek out good beer while you are there. When I'm on the strip, I usually stick to the best booze the casino will give me. You'd be suprised what you can get sometimes if you just ask and tip decently.

Ya, I had some Johnny Walker Black for the cost of a tip, that's where I made my money back...

Also, O'Shea's (next to Flamingo) has beer pong in the casino, that made my day, to be honest. It was a great time.

I completely agree, the strip's beer selection left a LOT to be desired. I expected there to be a much larger selection everywhere we went seeing that its supposed to be Disneyland for adults.

You need to get off the strip and seek out the places recommended in the other thread. The strip is just an over-glamourized zoo, IMHO.

I was there recently, saw everyone walk around with those giant plastic cups of frozen drink. Of course, those things are always a giant rip off, one's born every minute I guess.

Very beautiful though, with all the mountains and desert. My first time in the south west and I was loved that.

Eh...no problems finding 22oz bottles of SNPA. It did me well for the short weekend I was there last year. Toss in an occasional Newcastle. I wasn't there for beer though, so I was happy.

Ya, I had been once before for only about 36 hours. Got almost no sleep and tried to pack the whole experience all into that small window.

This time around I got just about as much sleep as last time... but stretched out over 3 and a half days so I got to see a whole lot more.

Absolutely amazing how much goes down in that city everyday...

People don't go to LV for the beer culture. They go to gamble, check out strippers, and get drunk. There are bars in places like NY, NY that have a decent selection, but that's not really a money maker there.

Yuri_Rage said:

You need to get off the strip and seek out the places recommended in the other thread. The strip is just an over-glamourized zoo, IMHO.

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That's pretty much true for any tourist trap IMO. I got that sense when I was visiting New Orleans....one of my buddies was a beer geek that went there regularly...so he would take us to real beer places (one of the few times I've had an oyster stout). But in Burbon St....it's either BMC, a grenade, or a hurricane

I think when it comes to quality beers.....locals know that tourists that are trying to relax or get drunk are just going to stick with cheap *crap*. The best places are undiscovered hideaways (at least for tourists....for locals, that's where the true connoisseurs are).

Vegas is excellent for beer, if beer is the codeword for whiskey, blackjack and ***** lines off of a *****'s ***.

There used to be a pizza brewpub in the Monte Carlo that had some decent beers, but it's been several years since I've been there; they may be gone.

If where we go is up to me, but we have to stay on the strip, it's 9 Fine Irishmen in NYNY. Some decent brews and not a bad selection of single malt/aged whiskeys.
Off the strip, I've heard The 4 Kegs is good. Didn't get a chance to check it out last time, but I'm thinking of heading up soon.

about 1 block over from the Flamingo, there is a crappy little 'irish' casino. every morning at 10 am, they roll out a cart that sells a pint of guinness and a shot of rot-gut whiskey for 4 dollars. great way to start the day in Vegas.

blackwaterbrewer said:

about 1 block over from the Flamingo, there is a crappy little 'irish' casino. every morning at 10 am, they roll out a cart that sells a pint of guinness and a shot of rot-gut whiskey for 4 dollars. great way to start the day in Vegas.

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What!? I need to find this place next time I'm there.

+1 for the brewery in the Monte Carlo.
+1 for Nine Fine Irish Men

That's about it for good beer on the Strip. That's all I can think of

blackwaterbrewer said:

about 1 block over from the Flamingo, there is a crappy little 'irish' casino. every morning at 10 am, they roll out a cart that sells a pint of guinness and a shot of rot-gut whiskey for 4 dollars. great way to start the day in Vegas.

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Ya, that was O'sheas, the place with the beer pong. Priceless.

Rick500 said:

There used to be a pizza brewpub in the Monte Carlo that had some decent beers, but it's been several years since I've been there; they may be gone.

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Still there, didn't know about it till the last night. Just got back from vegas last monday. Had a wedding at Caeser's. That town is like being in a foreign place. Absolutely a trip

Was in Vegas not too long ago. Wasn't worth trying to find a decent beer while in the casinos so I stuck to the top shelf whiskey/whisky. It's amazing what a $2-$5 tip can get you.

It also helps if you do your gambling during the morning hours when the waitresses aren't making dick so your few bucks for a tip are all the more appreciated and they are more than happy to get you whatever you want. Of course, that can also lead to some evenings that you have no recollection of

Ellis Island Casino (on Koval behind Ballys) has fresh-brewed beer but I haven't tried it.

I'm going out there on Saturday for my annual WSOP trip and hope to check out Ellis and Freakin' Frog. I'll have to try to hit Monte Carlo and NYNY too.

One time!

SpanishCastleAle said:

Ellis Island Casino (on Koval behind Ballys) has fresh-brewed beer but I haven't tried it.

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+1 for Ellis Island... It's right behind Bally's. We ate there (GREAT cheap food!) and I asked for the sampler (5 beers on tap). They gave me 4 oz samples of everything for free. Imperial pints were either $1 or $2 each (I forget, but it was CHEAP) ALL the time. I thought the beers were really good, and definitely the right price.

In Bally's, the mini bars on the floor had Alaskan Amber and Pyramid Hefe... We lived on those. They were $5/pint, so we would sit down at the bar and fire up the video poker embedded in the bar with a $5 bill. As soon as we did that, they would comp us a beer. Then, we either lost our $5 at poker and had the beer, or possibly won money and got a free beer. Great system!

...sit down at the bar and fire up the video poker embedded in the bar with a $5 bill. As soon as we did that, they would comp us a beer. Then, we either lost our $5 at poker and had the beer, or possibly won money and got a free beer. Great system!

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That's what I do. Might help to either download basic video poker strategy or to buy one of those little video poker strat cards sold in the gift shop (right next to the BJ basic strat cards).

Some plays are not as intuitive as others; like a 4-card royal flush draw in Jacks-or-better but you have a made flush (say; AKQJ2 all spades), what do you do? In Jacks or better, you always break a pair, straight, or flush to draw 1 card to a royal.