Great Basin Brewing Co., Nevada’s most award-winning brewery, is joining forces with the National Geographic Society, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, the University of Bonn in Germany and the German Research Foundation to kick off the highly anticipated Beers & Beasts series. They will be revealing their latest findings – rare discoveries of species previously unknown to science as well as challenging our understanding of the prehistoric world.
In recent years, students and professors from the Division of Paleontology of the Steinmann Institute of the University of Bonn, led by Dr. P. Martin Sander, professor of vertebrate paleontology, discovered 10 different species of Ichthyosaurs, some completely unknown in the fossil record. A new discovery of a rare Ophthalmosaurus lends an important clue to the evolution of other species of creatures found throughout the world.
Not to be confused with dinosaurs, Ichthyosaurs were marine reptiles and have been identified as the first large predator to emerge after a major extinction event over 250 million years ago. They also represent Nevada’s official state fossil, a species known as Shonosaurus that grew to over 60 feet in length
Founder and brewmaster of Great Basin Brewing Co. and former geologist, Tom Young, possesses a true passion for helping to uncover and preserve these incredible specimens. Paired with his curiosity for Nevada’s beasts is his unquenchable love of great beer. To honor and support the hunt to uncover and share these creatures with the rest of the world, Great Basin Brewing Co. has proudly brewed their award-winning Ichthyosaur “Icky” IPA® since 1993.
“To truly appreciate the present, we must understand the past,” explains Young. “As we further discover the incredible journey our planet has taken to become what we call home today.”
Great Basin Brewing Co. has supported paleontological expeditions in Nevada for over 12 years. To date the brewery has donated over $35,000 as well as labor and beer, including transporting a newly uncovered 50-foot fossil in their beer truck through the backroads of Nevada to the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles.
This year, Great Basin Brewing Co. and their partners are honored to host Beers & Beats: Finding Icky, a party and fundraiser to assist the continuing research of Nevada’s mysterious creatures, and some of the oldest and largest Ichthyosaurs ever found. The event will be held at the brewery’s production facility, Great Basin Taps & Tanks in Reno, NV. Doors open at 5pm. Dr. P. Martin Sander will present the latest findings and reveal the answers to many sought after questions, like why the biggest Ichthyosaurs in the world have been found in Nevada.
In preparation for the event, Dr. Martin explains, “I travel the world to study rare fossils and am also rewarded by sampling rare beers. I am excited about the new discovery of the strangest beast of all, Omphalosaurus Nevadanus. It makes this remote site in Nevada one of the most important places in the world to understand these awe-inspiring progressions in the fossil record.”
To commemorate the newest discovery, the brewery will also release a new beer, Hazyosaur, a beastly Hazy IPA. There will be food for purchase, as well as entertaining games, like 4-person team Pin-the-Tail on the Ichthyosaur, plenty of prizes and live music. This event is limited to the first 300 people. RSVP on Eventbrite to save your spot and receive a free Great Brewing Basin Co. pint glass. A suggested donation of $10 will be collected at the door to help support upcoming expeditions and the preservation of new fossils. Event details can be found at greatbasinbrewingco.com.
This event kicks-off a five part series of scientific presentations to the community about Nevada’s “beasts,” both big and small, as well as other important discoveries. The other presentations in this series are scheduled throughout the month of April and will be held at Great Basin Taps and Tanks production brewery.
Traveling from afar, highly acclaimed paleontologists, like Dr. Sander, will discuss research ranging from tiny beasts like diatoms, huge dinosaurs and the evolutionary evidence that birds may have developed from dinosaurs. More information on the Beers & Beasts series can be found at http://www.greatbasinbrewingco.com.
Along with Great Basin Brewing Co., sponsors of this expedition include; The University of Bonn, DFG German Research Foundation, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, the National Geographic Society, and the German Research Foundation.
Date: March 22, 2019
Location: Great Basin Taps & Tanks 1155 S. Rock Blvd. Reno, Nevada
Time: 5pm-10pm
RSVP Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ichthyosaur-expedition-party-tickets-57738772222
About Great Basin Brewing Co. :
Since 1993, Tom Young and his wife Bonda have run a successful restaurant and brewery, now the oldest and most award-winning brewery in Nevada. Great Basin Brewing Co. has become the local place to go for great beer, great food and a great time. To help with the rising demand of local craft beer, Great Basin Brewing Co. opened its second location in Reno in July 2010. Opportunities allowed Great Basin to open the Taps & Tanks location in 2012 as a production facility and taproom. Great Basin is distributing several of its beers in northern Nevada, southern Nevada and northern California, and looking to expand. The company has won numerous medals at the prestigious Great American Beer Festival® and the prestigious World Beer Cup®.
Terry Bunch
