HENDERSON (KTNV) — Many of us head to the east side of town in Henderson to maybe look for a new car at the Valley Auto Mall, but there's a hidden gem that shouldn't be overlooked and that's the nearby Booze District.
The Booze District in Henderson is about a 20-minute drive from the Las Vegas Strip and located on Eastgate Road between Autoshow Drive and Warm Springs Road.
Local business owners have brought their own flare and community vibe to the industrial area, where you'll find unique breweries, a distillery and a winery.
"Crafthaus is located in Henderson and we love Henderson. So, we wanted to make delicious craft beer for our community," said Wyndee Forrest, co-owner and founder of CraftHaus.
Forrest says the Las Vegas Distillery was the first to start making booze in the district.
"George started everything with the Las Vegas Distillery. He has passed but his wife continues their work. He had a dream where local alcohol makers could be located in one central location," Forrest said.
Forrest lobbied the city of Henderson to change its laws, that pricey taverns had to have gaming and wanted a different feel for the district.
"We planted down roots here, and it took a little while for us to get licensing and changing the zoning, but we worked with the city for about 18 months and wrote licensing that was more craft-beer friendly and the Booze District came along," Forrest said.
Crafthaus has been open for nearly seven years and offers a variety of brews and also a community connection that can be felt even before the first pour.
"We build comradery with our visitors and we quickly become friends and we do all of that around quality-driven beer," Forrest said
And those beer options range from a seasonal Czech pilsner to their year-round favorites, such as Resinate IPA and the Silver State blonde ale.
"The Silver State is always one of best sellers with the Sunrise Mountain on the can and if you are a first-time guest, I would recommend trying a taster flight. So, you can taste the full portfolio of beers and then order a pint of your favorite," Forrest said.
And just across the way, you'll find Bad Beat Brewing with its new head brewer Amanda Koeller.
"I've had the great opportunity to take over their operation here and it has been a dream of mine to help run a brewery and we are making great beer here," Koeller said.
Bad Beat was the first brewery to call the Booze District home and has continued to serve as a local favorite for brews such as The Ringer, a German pilsner, to Hoppy Times, a West Coast IPA.
"One of my favorites is the Ringer, it's a German-style pilsner, and one of my other favorites is Hoppy Times. It has my favorite hop in it, and it has some pine characteristics. I love it," Koeller said.
And the newest brewery to call the district home is Astronomy Aleworks -- all in walking distance from one another.
"We are the third brewery to open up in the Booze District. We have just expanded our fermentation, so now we can ferment 80 barrels of beer at a time," said Matt Brady, brewer and founder of Astronomy Aleworks.
Brady says he is always up for cooking up something different, but beer fans can enjoy a solid variety of brews from a golden ale, to a Hawking pale ale, to the return of the Citra Amber pale ale.
"Our two biggest sellers right now are the golden ale and the return of the Citra rye IPA. Very strong, very good," Brady said.
Guests can enjoy all of Brady's beers while taking a trip to outer space in the alehouse tasting room.
The Booze District in Henderson is less than a decade old, but its influence is felt throughout the valley, with several new breweries opening up - including Crafthaus expanding to the Arts District.
Henderson's Booze District may be a little hard to find, but once you do, you'll definitely return for a second round.
