Strip to get new brewery

Alison Calkins

Thursday, June 20, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

Heads up, beer connoisseurs.

Imagine six styles of freshly brewed beer: a lite, an India pale ale, an American-style unfiltered wheat ale, traditional Irish Stout, a rich amber ale and a brewer's special.

As of Friday, they'll all be available at the Monte Carlo Pub & Brewery, produced under the supervision of a professional brewmaster named, no kidding, Erik Steiner.

The 21,000-square-foot brewpub and 450-seat restaurant will be one of the largest brewpubs in the nation, according to Steiner.

"Our pub staffers will be handling the entire beer-making process from start to finish. And we're very serious about the brewing. We'll be milling our own grain, using water purified by reverse osmosis and naturally fermenting everything right on the premises," he said.

Twenty barrels (620 gallons) of beer will be produced in each batch. The beers will be dispensed from eight 321-gallon copper-clad, stainless-steel serving tanks behind the bar directly into frosty glasses and mugs.

"We'll have a full range of tastes for all palates. The Las Vegas lite will be good for the heat and we'll have brewers' specials that change with the seasons. Our first special will be a raspberry-wheat ale. In the summer, we'll have a lot of fruit beers," Steiner said.

The brewmaster hails from New York City and studied brewery techniques at the American Brewers Guild, the University of California and Temple University in Pennsylvania.

He's also been a brewing and operations consultant for the Black Diamond Brewing Co. in California and handled operations at Atlantic Coast Brewing in Massachusetts.

Steiner described the new brewery as "a showcase" and "first-class."

"The people at Monte Carlo are committed to creating a top-quality microbrewery. Everyone's going to be impressed with this pub and its beers," he said.

The atmosphere is a circa 1910 urban East Coast warehouse. There are several copper vents and pipes, a huge antique bar and mirror, and Parisienne doors opening into the pub. Two metal gargoyles welcome visitors from above the entrance.

The pub's catwalk overlooks the entire inside brewing operation, and the resort's 21,000-square-foot outdoor pool and water park.

There's also outdoor seating.

"Even if you're not a beer drinker you'll enjoy visiting the Pub and Brewery. With our huge copper beer barrels and antique furnishings, it's an outstanding visual treat," Steiner said, adding that a pianist will be serving up live music throughout the day.

Eats include gourmet brick-oven pizzas, sausage platters, and a full line of sandwiches and salads "that complement our beers," according to Steiner.

Microbrewery logo merchandise such as hats, jackets and backpacks will be on sale in the Pub's retail shop.

"The microbrewery will be one of the centerpieces of the property," Steiner said. "It's one of the major draws into the Street of Dreams."

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