“Passing the Torch”

Great Basin Brewing & Local Food Group Merge

After 28 years in business, Nevada's oldest operating brewery, Great Basin Brewery Co., is "passing the torch" Wednesday by announcing a merger with Local Food Group.

Owners Tom and Bonda Young opened Great Basin Brewing Co. in Sparks in 1993 and will still be involved in operations, but will hand the reins of the business over to Local Food Group.

"When we started this business, we pretty much just  needed a job and this is what we wanted to do for our livelihood and living, so we did it for a long, long time," Tom Young said.  "You get to a certain age and decide it's probably a good time to pass the torch."

Led by restaurateur and CEO Mark Estee, Local Food Group  has restaurants in Lake Tahoe, Reno, Carson City and Gardnerville.

Estee has experience in craft brewing, opening The Union in Carson City in 2017 and working closely with Tom Young in recent years.

Young gave Estee brewing knowledge, while Estee offered advice for the brewery on new dishes. As their relationship grew, the Youngs decided to choose Estee and Local Food Group as the successor to their award-winning brewing company.

“Tom and Bonda’s heart and soul are evident in every drop of beer that Great Basin brews today,” Estee said in a press release. “We couldn’t be more honored to carry on their tradition of brewing the most award-winning craft beer in Nevada.”