Wyndee & Dave Forrest

Wyndee and Dave Forrest didn’t have any entrepreneurial experience when they decided to turn their passion for craft beer into a small business. But that doesn’t mean the couple neglected to do their homework.

On the contrary, the Forrests knew all about a blueprint that some small business owners believe must be followed to achieve success — you know, quantity over quality and profits over people. 

They simply chose to ignore it, instead adopting a philosophy that places community and customers above the bottom line. This approach has informed every decision the Forrests have made since opening their flagship CraftHaus Brewery in Henderson a decade ago.

That includes their philanthropic decisions.

“Our mission when we started CraftHaus was to build a diverse community around quality-driven beer,” Wyndee Forrest says. “With this in mind, we always start with people first. And, if our goal is to build a community, which requires asking our community to support us, then we need to lead by example and hold our business to the same standard.”

That mindset explains why the 2004 graduates of UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hospitality connected with their alma mater soon after CraftHaus opened its doors in 2014. It started with inviting Hospitality College and other Rebel alumni to tour the brewery and even host events there. Another kind gesture: The Forrests began welcoming food and beverage students to the brewery to gain hands-on learning opportunities. 

Along the way, the success of CraftHaus spawned the exact type of local craft-beer culture that the Forrests first encountered during a post-graduation trip to Europe — a culture they were eager to replicate in Southern Nevada.

With CraftHaus serving as the model, craft breweries began popping up all over town, including one cluster in the same small industrial complex in Henderson where CraftHaus stands and another in the Arts District, where the Forrests opened a taproom-only spinoff in 2019.

The community building was going just as Wyndee and Dave envisioned. Still, they wanted to do more — specifically with regard to UNLV. The only thing lacking? An inspiring idea.

That changed when the Forrests traveled to Reno three years ago and walked into The Brewer’s Cabinet, a craft beer establishment not far from the UNR campus.

“We noticed they were brewing ‘The official beer of UNR,’” Wyndee Forrest says. “And the light bulb went on: We need to create something like that for UNLV!”

The two returned home and bounced the concept off Stowe Shoemaker, the then-dean of the Hospitality College who now works in the Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement as special assistant to the UNLV Foundation president. Shoemaker enthusiastically offered two thumbs up, and brought Hospitality College assistant dean Maggie Hausbeck into the fold.

For the next several months, the Forrests, Shoemaker, and Hausbeck collaborated on the beer’s profile, brainstormed design and packaging concepts, and navigated numerous legal hurdles.

Finally, in early 2022, CraftHaus released Rebel Spirit, the official beer of UNLV. In addition to the two CraftHaus locations, Rebel Spirit has since been distributed across the Las Vegas Valley, including at Allegiant Stadium, home of the Rebels football team (and the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders).

It also has been served at various UNLV-led functions.

A crisp, refreshing golden ale, Rebel Spirit is packaged in a stylishly branded aluminum can whose design is a nod to the university. Perhaps most importantly, it’s a beer that brings great cheer to future UNLV students in need of financial assistance.

“For us, the beer had to have meaning beyond what was in the can,” Wyndee Forrest says. “This is where we got the idea to donate a portion of the proceeds to the UNLV Foundation. It was our full-circle opportunity to give back to the university that gave so much to us.”

Now as a show of reciprocal appreciation, the Forrests are being honored as co-recipients of the 2024 College of Hospitality Alumni of the Year award.

The fact they’re being honored on the 20th anniversary of their graduation is only fitting. After all, it was that post-graduation jaunt to Europe that sparked the Forrests’ initial interest in craft beer. That led Dave to start home-brewing as a hobby … which eventually led to CraftHaus … which now brews and distributes the official beer of UNLV.

That beverage exemplifies the Forrests’ steadfast commitment to community. In turn, that commitment exemplifies what the beverage’s name means. 

“The phrase Rebel Spirit personifies a profound sense of determination and innovation, two qualities that resonate deeply with us,” says Wyndee Forrest, who along with her husband, occasionally returns to Hospitality College classrooms as a guest speaker. “As proud Hospitality College alumni, we carry with us the skills and ethos instilled during our time as students — because those things truly shaped our journey as entrepreneurs in Las Vegas.

“Owning a business in a vibrant city known for being the pinnacle of hospitality is to us the epitome of Rebel Spirit — a spirit that urges us to continually push boundaries and redefine success. Through our experiences, we aim to inspire others to embrace challenges, leverage their education, and contribute boldly to their communities — all of which embody the very essence of what it means to be a Rebel.”

One person who is becoming familiar with that essence? The Forrests’ oldest son, who enrolled as a UNLV freshman this fall. That makes him a third-generation Rebel, as his grandmother is a two-time Rebel graduate.

What led you both to choose UNLV? 

Wyndee Forrest: Dave and I were living in Huntington Beach, California, after meeting and working on the same cruise ship together. At one point, we both decided to go back to school. My mom was a professor at the College of Southern Nevada (CSN), and she learned that UNLV’s Hospitality College offered a degree in entertainment management. I found that appealing because I was looking to move on from my career as a professional dancer but wanted to stay in the entertainment industry. 

We moved out to Henderson in 2000, and I attended CSN for a year, then transferred to UNLV.

Dave Forrest: I completed a two-year recreation degree in my native Canada in 1995. After that, I worked with several recreation-related nonprofits over the years, but I never completed my four-year degree, which was a goal. 

While living in Southern California, Wyndee and I researched where we wanted to go to school. When I saw that UNLV offered a recreation degree, that sealed the deal for me. I applied, was accepted, and was extremely happy to become a Rebel.

What class or moment at UNLV still resonates with you today?

Wyndee: As a student, I was asked to be part of the management team for UNLVino, the Hospitality College’s big annual fundraiser. This provided real, hands-on experience as to what it takes to plan and execute a successful large-scale event.

Also, after getting a public relations internship with AEG, I got to work at the Coliseum Theater at Caesars Palace when Celine Dion first started her residency. The internship was my first exposure to the public relations field, which I chose to enter after graduating from UNLV. And, the only reason it was available was because of the longstanding relationships that the Hospitality College has with major corporations on the Las Vegas Strip. 

No other school can offer its students these kinds of amazing, hands-on, professional-development opportunities.

Dave: I also have fond memories of my internship with the City of Henderson’s recreation department. The experience set me up for professional success by giving me a taste of a real-world job in recreation, and I also was able to make important connections within the community.

How did your passion for craft beer develop? And, how did CraftHaus go from initial concept to reality?

Dave: Shortly after we finished at UNLV in 2004, we took a celebratory trip to Europe, spending four weeks traveling through eight countries. One thing we quickly discovered was that beer was entwined in European culture. Every time we crossed a border, we encountered a new beer style — one that natives were very proud of.

The flavors and aromas were unlike any beers we had had before. Also, we noticed a wonderful cultural trend: Beer brought people together. We realized that a great way to discover a country is through their food and drink.

After returning home, we went searching for all these amazing flavors and aromas that we found in Europe’s beers but couldn’t find them. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands: In an attempt to recreate those dynamic flavors, I began brewing beer at home. 

Over the next few years, I shared my homemade beer with friends and family, and over time, the hobby turned into a full-on passion. Then about 15 years ago, I entered a national contest with Sierra Nevada Brewing Company as part of their 30th anniversary celebration. I was one of 10 winners selected to brew with them at the flagship Sierra Nevada brewery in Chico, California.

That trip opened my eyes to the possibility of a career in the craft beer industry. When I returned home, I suggested to Wyndee that we move to Chico and go work for Sierra Nevada, which seemed to be a great company. Recognizing an opportunity that I clearly didn’t see, Wyndee offered a counterproposal: Stay in Las Vegas and create that same business model for our community. That’s how CraftHaus was born.

We then approached City of Henderson officials and told them our business plan and model. Their response was no, but the bigger blow was their reasoning: “Because that type of business does not exist here.”  

Instead, they offered to award us a gaming and liquor license — at a cost of $60,000. That was far beyond our budget, but more important than that, it wasn’t what we wanted. We wanted to create a non-gaming space that was welcoming to all. A place where people could engage in a conversation rather than bury their heads in a machine. And a place where members of our community could watch the brew-making process while sipping on a cold, fresh one.

A recent UNLV hospitality graduate who wants to someday open their own business asks you for one “must-do” and one “must-don’t.” What’s your response? 

Dave: Must do — take action! A lot of would-be entrepreneurs are good at planning, shmoozing, promotion, and proposing grand ideas. But many never really do anything. They want to be an entrepreneur, but they don’t take the first step. So, just start with something — anything — and that will kick-start your momentum. From there, spend the time to really educate yourself on whatever your business is. Once you figure that out, hit the pavement with determination to make your dream a reality. 

Must don’t: Don’t listen to the naysayers — and you will encounter some. They’ll tell you that you can’t do this, and that won’t work. Don’t get discouraged by that negativity. Just keep your head down, remain focused on your goal, and always remember: You’re a Rebel — and Rebels make it happen!

What’s the biggest misconception people have about the craft beer industry?

Wyndee: Dave and I work tirelessly to ensure that the guest has a relaxed, fun, and enjoyable experience. This can sometimes be perceived that owning a brewery with multiple taprooms is easy. The reality? Operating your own small business is a struggle with daily ups and downs. 

Our patrons sometimes tell us they want a “hobby” or something fun they can operate on the side. Well, the craft beer industry is not a hobby — nor is it a get-rich-quick business. We do it because we have an authentic passion for the craft and the community.

We operate a manufacturing facility that is extremely capital intensive to build, operate, maintain, and repair. Then there is the distribution side of the business, which requires an entirely different skill set.

Ultimately, when guests express to us that they want to do what we do, it’s the highest compliment. Because we know we’re doing it right.