In 2023, U.S. consumers bought more than 173 million barrels of beer, and 24.7% of that was craft beer, according to the Brewers Association, the national trade organization.
Down in the heart of Midtown Reno, Parlay 6 Brewing Co. is looking to capture part of that craft-beer market with an ambitious plan: to be the name-brand beer of Northern Nevada.
Parlay 6—founded by Ken Foster, Adam Kincaid, Mike Sotiriadis, Christopher Galli, Sam Straka and Zach Baughman—opened its doors on May 6. The partners have 30 years of combined experience in the beer industry. I sat down with Foster, the CEO, to discuss the team’s plans for the future and what it means to succeed in Northern Nevada.
It’s one thing to say you want to be the name-brand beer of a region; it’s very different to put that into action. Part of the reason I wanted to chat with the team at Parlay 6 was because, for a new brewery, I felt that I had seen their beer around Reno a lot. Since June 3, Parlay 6 has placed its beer in 96 bars, restaurants and retail stores around Reno, which is no small feat.
“If you’re in Nevada and drinking a beer, we want it to be a Parlay 6 beer,” Foster said. He attributes the team’s early success to a strong sales team, distribution partner New West, and retail partners like Raley’s.
“We want this to be a watering hole for our community, where industry people can come to get a bite … after their shift,” Foster said. “We want to take care of the community out of this flagship location. … We’re trying to break even and treat our people well.”
The distribution success takes some pressure off the brick-and-mortar location, so the partners can afford to lower certain consumer costs in the hope that they’ll keep butts in seats. During happy hour, all beers are 50% off, and a pound of wings is just $8. A late-night food menu features items $10 or less.
With all this talk of community, I had questions about the Parlay 6 managers’ relationship with their staff. In the service industry, it’s easier to train, retain and support staff if you show up for them in a tangible way as an employer. Parlay 6 incentivizes staff to stay by offering health benefits to those working full-time.
The beer world is fickle. With trends and new, hyped-up beer styles almost every season, it can be hard to know what people want. Most bartenders I know are haunted by the phrase, “What new beers do you have on tap?” In their first two weeks open, the brew team at Parlay 6 filled their 24 taps with all in-house beers.
“Our guys are constantly striving to brew new beers and experiment,” Foster told me. “So, if you come in here on a weekly basis, you’ll probably see a new beer every week.” Classic styles like Vienna Sky lager and 10:AM blonde are always available. A Bomb Pop hard seltzer and Well’s Coffee Cake pastry stout are there to satisfy the weirdos and dorks, too.
Going into the holiday season, Parlay 6 has a ton of events planned, like weekly karaoke nights and holiday party rentals. You can find the most up-to-date schedule on Instagram. Pete Barnato, who books events for the brewery—I like to call him the “Vibe Czar”—has no shortage of ideas to keep people coming in. At the Saturday, Oct. 26, Halloween party featuring local DJs, Barnato wants you to come in, get comfortable and stay all night.
“We are doing one big event a month, but the real deal to me is the after-10 p.m. dining,” Barnato said.
I love to see a new project thrive, and over at Parlay 6, the owners seem to have the recipe that will set them up for success. In particular, this sentiment from Foster gave me hope: “We take care of the people that take care of us, and that’s what community is to us.”
Parlay 6 Brewing Co. is located at 1041 S. Virginia St. For more information, visit www.parlay6brewing.com or www.instagram.com/parlay6brewing.