About us
We make gold medal winning beers for all palates. A lot of our beers have been lovingly referred to as so finely crafted that they seem to be made for a serious wine drinkers palate. A saying goes in wine making, "it takes a lot of good beer to make good wine...". The point being, we make complex, delicate, nuanced beers, not just the same typical west coast hop bombs or dark extremely high alcohol brews (though we make quality versions of those too). Our goal is to show the whole spectrum of beer, its history, and its evolution. To show beer its proper reverence, as not only "The people's beverage", but one that pairs as well with food as wine, and when it's skillfully crafted and not over hopped to hide the flaws in production, it does. The truth is, it takes more skill to make a delicate lager, than a double IPA. You would be hard pressed to find anyone more passionate and knowledgeable about beer than myself or my brewer Josh Watterson.
Our beer Ingredients
Grain: We are one of the only breweries in the country who uses Pilsner Malt as our base malt. We do not use a base 2-row or pale malt. It is more expensive but delivers a more delicate flavor profile.
Hops: In our opinion the best hops in the country. Tried multiple hops from several suppliers before deciding we had to go with a small family hop farm in Sonoma valley that only produces certified organic hops. Again much more expensive ingredient but we are unwilling to compromise on quality.
Water: Sierra Mountain Spring water, from our own artisan lake located 285 feet below our historic icehouse.
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Our Brewer
Formally trained at the World Brewing Academy. Holds a diploma in International Brewing Technology. Learning from the best in the Industry at both the oldest brewing school in America ( Seibel Institute of Technology) and Doemens Academy ( Private Brewing School in Munich, Germany).
Was a Production Brewer at one of the most well-respected Breweries in the Country in Bridgeport Brewing Co. out... show more
of Portland OR.
Expanded knowledge in Fermentation Sciences by working at 2 highly regarded wineries in the Willamette Valley ( Owen Roe and Fausse Piste Wineries)
Member of the Master Brewers Association, Member of the BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program)
Certificate in Professional Tasting and Styles from Seibel Institute of Technology
During time at Doemens academy in Munich he toured Europe tasting and learning from brewers from Belgium, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Germany, and Austria.
Owner/brewer/designer/builder:
I work closely with my kitchen, who I am lucky to have found. I write the menus before meeting with the cooks, and it has been my distinct pleasure to see them breath their own life into it. I'm also lucky and grateful to work hand in hand with our head brewer (Josh Watterson) and assistant brewer Matt Watterson, on recipe formulation and beer selections. We both share a love for the great lagers of Europe, the lambics, Saisons, and trappist ales of Belgium, as well as the dark ales of the United Kingdom. Though we are decade apart we share the same views on craft brewing, and we have a lot of fun discussing and planning our brews. I have also worked in food and beverage since childhood (mother's restaurant), and later running restaurants and bars in Los Angeles, Portland, and Dallas. I've been an avid food lover (foodie)/food tourist long before there was a term for it, or television shows dedicated to it. I've traveled all over in search of the best foods, beers, and wines, spending all of my disposable income on such endeavors. In Reno, I've been proud to play a very large part in changing the craft beer scene (and the bar scene along with it), with the opening of St. James Infirmary in 2008. We brought dozens of beers to the public that had been neglected or mostly didn't even exist in this market. St. James Infirmary opened with a bottle selection that at first consisted of only large format beers (mostly cork and cage) from all over the world. At the time of our opening, our 21 craft tap handles were by far the most in town, and since have become almost expected. We have never underestimated the people of Reno and their desire to experience new and better things (beer, cocktails, movies, music, and now FOOD!). With Brasserie Saint James we get to take it even further giving old world European comfort dishes and American classics new life and the perfect pairings in all of our of skillfully crafted ales and lagers, using the best hand selected ingredients. We run our business very much like a family labor of love, meeting, greeting, serving, and generally making people feel special and at home, at both places. My other managers most of you probably know Jordan 'The Kid' Moore, Don Duncan, and Jordan Nugent, are some of the most beloved and well know people in Reno, and I am honored by their friendship and loyalty. We hope to see you soon and our eager to chat with you about all of things we love! Thank you Reno for all your love and support.
Arthur Farley show more