406 Hops Brewing News

™ A Publication Dedicated to Montana’s Brewing News

Brewing News

Debut Issue Sept/Oct 2016

Downtown Taproom: The Vault Brewery, Sayrs Bank Building built 1888.

Philipsburg Brewing Company brewing on original site after 146 years Philipsburg, Montana, a historic mining town with less than one thousand residents, is brewing and bottling beer on a site that hasn’t done so in nearly 100 years. Last brewed on site 1918. Is was called Kroger’s Brewery then later was changed to Philipsburg Brewing Company.

Last summer, Philipsburg Brewing Company completed an expansion from the 10-barrel brewhouse and taproom, adding a 50-barrel production facility less than a mile away. The site, referred to as The Silver Springs, is housed at the location of

Good for beer and good for the environment, cans are the ultimate sustainable packaging.

the Kroger Brewery, dating back to 1870, which eventually became Philipsburg Brewing Company and was shut down during Prohibition. There’s no question why there was a brewery founded at this site – it sits atop a fresh mountain spring where water flows at the rate of 300 gallons each minute.

The facility is now used as a production warehouse for Philipsburg Brewing Company not only to fill kegs for draft accounts but also to can beer in 16 ounce, aluminum bottles with recloseable caps made possible by

In Woods Bay in 2004 our dream of starting the Flathead Lake Brewing Company began.

By 2014, we used every inch of our building, and with the public liking our beer so much we just couldn’t keep up with demand. Our new Bigfork production facility got underway with the knowledge that great beer calls for quality ingredients and quality ingredients require a healthy environment. So, it should follow that sustainable brewing makes better beer, right?

For our Bigfork facility we chose to renovate an old bowling alley near the heart of Bigfork.

Formerly, this site had no storm water infrastructure and potentially contaminated surface run-off was allowed to flush downhill into the lake. We improved this condition by

continued on page 10

designing our roof and parking lots so that the vast majority of storm water is collected and cleaned as it infiltrates to the aquifer.

We designed our Bigfork Brewery and Pubhouse to be as water and energy efficient as possible. In addition to the solar, geothermal, and effluent reuse aspects of our building design, we also installed a Wild Goose canning line, which we use to package our most popular styles (The Centennial IPA, Two Rivers Pale, and Bufflehead Brown). Good for beer and good for the environment, cans are the ultimate sustainable packaging.

We at FLBC work hard, play harder, and do everything to the highest standard. For us, it’s about being leaders in the beer industry, it’s Continued on page 11

GREAT FALLS (Corporate) (406) 454-1351

BILLINGS (406) 259-5023

BUTTE (406) 723-5491

BOZEMAN (406) 586-5927

HELENA (406) 442-7737

GLENDIVE (406) 359-6114

“Montana’s only locally owned company specializing in beverage gas solutions.”

www.gendco.com

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SERIES

November 10 Beer Detective 1

This year’s craft beer series will allow you to explore beers in ways you may have never have experienced before.

Whether it’s identifying the best or worst flavors in brews or tasting newer style beers, we promise you’ll learn new things and experience new tastes in this series.

Four Classes – $45 each or $150 for the series Classes include 6-8 tastes and an MSUB tasting glass.

Crafter Beinners

for beg J. Pope ul

Must be 21 or older to enroll. (ID will be checked at the door.)

By Dr.

December 8 Beer Detective 2

Pa

February 9 The Spirit of Wood: Wood and Barrel Aged Beers

Homebrewer for nearly a decade now, VP of the Rimrock Brewers Guild, and I teach the Learn and Taste Craft Beer series of classes for MSU Billings.

March 16 Wild and Sour Brews

It can be overwhelming to just leap into the deep end of the craft beer pool.

Since you are probably new to craft beer let’s ease you in with the basics. The Brewers Association of America defines craft beer as small, independent, and traditional. It can be any style, color, or strength. Producing craft beer is more about the artistry than barrels produced. So, in keeping with the basics, let’s start with the label.

sponsored by

WHAT’S ON THE BEER LABEL: • Alcohol by Volume (ABV): Tells the percentage of alcohol in beer.

Average range of 4.5-5.5%. Some specialty beers can reach as high as 55%.

msubillings.edu/extendedcampus • 406-896-5890 A Publication Dedicated to Montana’s Brewing News Montana craft beer enthusiasts now have access to Montana-ONLY Brewing Newspaper.

We love Montana and are excited to spread the word regarding Montana's unique beer culture. This newsprint publication will include ALL current or soon to be open brewery/tap rooms, maps, events, classifieds and much, much more.

Coming soon will be an online ™ subscription service through our website, currently in development.

FREE Bimonthly copies will be sent to Montana breweries and affiliates. Extra copies/bundles will be available for purchase.

Brewing News

Published bimonthly

We invite your distribution business to advertise with 406 Hops. We encourage you to educate the readers about the craft beers you distribute and the many locations and events your Montana craft beer brands are available!

ADVERTISING: Treva Grewe Treva@406Hops.com

406-850-5113

DESIGN/LAYOUT: Alicia Lang Alicia@406Hops.com

Join us in making this publication: Interesting. Fun. Informative. The next issue will be NOV/DEC and the deadline is November 3rd. CHEERS!!

• International Bittering Unites (IBU): Hops are a cone-like flower that give beer its bitterness. Malty or wheat beers may be low as 10 to 20 IBUs while IPAs may have an IBU range from 40 to 100.

• Standard Reference Method (SRM): SRM is the color of beer. Most labels may not list this, but some do. A blonde ale or light lager may be between 3-6 SRM. A pale ale might be from 8-14 SRM. A black stout usually starts at 30 SRM. • Ale vs Lager: Without getting too technical, ales are produced with yeast that ferments warmer and lagers use yeast that ferments colder. Quite simply, different yeast produce different beer characteristics.

A LITTLE ABOUT STYLE: For a comprehensive list of beer styles see the American Homebrewers Association style guidelines.

• Blonde Ales: These are light, usually low IBU and refreshing with some fruity flavors and aromas.

• Wheat Beers: These can range from very light straw color to dark brown.

They are made with a large portion of wheat rather than all barley malt.

They can be light and refreshing with citrus or banana flavors all the way to dark chocolate and coffee with the dark versions.

• Hoppy Beers: Really any style of beer can be made to be hoppy. There are a few styles where this is the main characteristic. Pale ales and India Pale Ales are hop forward beers that emphasize bitterness and hoppy flavor/ aroma.

• Malty Beers: These beers usually range in color from dark amber to dark brown such as red, brown, or porter beers. They are usually balanced between bitterness and malt with the malt a little more out front. You may pick up some slight roast, chocolate, and/or coffee flavors.

• Black and Roast: Typically, stouts and some porters are black with a pronounced dark roast flavor that can taste of dark chocolate and coffee.

• Exotic and Sour: Some beers may include a litany of different spices and adjuncts to impart unique flavors. Some beers use bacteria (like with yogurt) to sour the beer to give it a tart and refreshing acidity.

Next time you are in a pub or brewery ask for a tasting flight of beers to try several styles without committing to a full pint of one. You get several samples for about the cost of a single pint. Each flight is a little beer adventure for your tongue.

PAGE 2 • DEBUT ISSUE SEPT/OCT 2016 • A PUBLICATION DEDICATED TO MONTANA’S BREWING NEWS

Travel up to north central Montana and visit the only brewery within 90 miles.

Triple Dog Brewing is nestled in what most people call a “pass through” town, Havre Montana. Located at the end of highway 2 in Havre, Michael and Erin Garrity started their business venture two and a half years ago. They purchased an abandoned vet clinic and began the demolition and rebuilding of what would soon be a brewery. Opening in March of 2014 they still have all five of their staple beers flowing through their taps. Duck Face IPA, Fresno Wheat, American Mutt Pale Ale, Dumpster Diver Stout and Aberdeen Scotch Ale. In addition to their five main beers they will have three or four seasonal brews like the Sweaty Cap Green Tea, or the Stache’ Cat IPA. No matter what is on tap it will be sure to please any palette.

Triple Dog Brewing is unlike any other brewery in the way that they have one man running the show. Michael Garrity, who self-taught himself to brew at the age of 19, doesn’t have any brewers assistants. He will put in 16 hour days making sure everything is brewed, kegged, cleaned and sanitized himself. His wife Erin runs the tap house and is in charge of the business and marketing side of things. You will most likely see both of them any day of the week at the brewery and they just may even be your bartenders.

For the almost three years they have been open, Triple Dog is one of the only breweries in Montana that doesn’t distribute. They need every drop in the tap house to keep up with the thirsty

patrons. However, they are expanding the brew area and tap room in October.

With the expansion they will be able to brew more beer and be able to distribute to the hi-line and eventually can or bottle.

The expansion will even open up opportunities for food in the future.

So unless you’re passing through you won’t find Triple Dog brew anywhere but here!

Triple dog brewing is located at 675 1st Street W. Havre MT Open Wednesday-Friday 4pm-8pm and Saturday-Sunday 2pm-8pm You can also visit our Facebook page at Facebook/brewon2.com for the latest updated.

The locals and tourists alike welcomed us with open arms and thirsty throats.

Anyone who has driven north from Rock Springs, Wyoming towards Jackson, Wyoming will tell the same thing: “Pretty, but boring.”

I would’ve had the same reaction when I made that trek in the mid-1990s if it wasn’t for the fact that my brain and my imagination were having trouble keeping up with one another. I was locked in a full-fledged, completely formed daydream about the future Glacier Brewing Company. At the time, I had been working as the Head Brewer, well only brewer, at the H.C. Berger Brewing Company in Fort Collins, Colorado. My girlfriend and I were headed to her summer job as a Park Ranger in scenic Glacier National Park in Montana. But again, I wasn’t noticing any scenery. All I could see was this future, yet-to-be-started, production microbrewery located somewhere in northwest Montana. In a startling flash, I was inspired how the brewery was going to look (old west store front), what styles of beers I would make (Germaninspired ales & lagers), even the names of the first three beers: Golden Grizzly Ale, North Fork Amber, and Smokejumper’s Stout (Alright, the last name didn’t make the cut. Too many other breweries were using that name. The name was changed to Slurry Bomber Stout and has been one of our most popular beers!). This daydream was the jumping off point for the Glacier Brewing Company.

We opened our doors in early 2003 having found a derelict racquetball court building on a weedy lot in Polson, Montana. We started with those first three beers and served them in our tiny tasting room, measuring 10’x17’. The locals and tourists alike welcomed us with open arms and

thirsty throats. We then added the Port Polson Pilsner, Flathead Cherry Ale, and the Glacier Root Beer, our non-alcoholic craft soda. Due to the response we were getting from our tasting room customers and our distributors, it wasn’t long before we realized we needed to expand not only our tasting room but we needed to increase our products by offering them in six-packs! So, we did both in one crazy year.

That was back in 2006 and we have not looked back since (well, except for this article!). The demand for our handcrafted beers and sodas continues to grow. Our distribution network has grown to cover the entire state of Montana from border to border, east to west, north to south.

We have been able to supply kegs and six-packs to the wonderful state of Montana with six of our craft beers, two of our craft sodas, and an unusual rotating beer offering on our Tasting Room’s “Single Barrel Batch Tap”. We have been able to do this with a total brewery staff of only five craft beer loving fanatics! Our batch size is small, our staff is small, our brewhouse is small, but our beers and sodas are as big as the Montana sky! The Glacier Brewing Company is a true craft microbrewery.

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Small-batch brewing is what it’s all about at Great Burn Brewing.

Great beer, delicious food and amazing customers!

When you’re out and about exploring Montana, The Last Best Place, make sure and stop by The Bitter Root Brewery in Hamilton for The Last Best Brew. Bitter Root Brewery is proud to be one of the oldest breweries in the state. First opening its doors in 1998, the last 18 years have been a whirlwind of great beer, delicious food and amazing customers! Family run and family friendly are two pillars that have stood true since the beginning. You can find their beers in cans and kegs throughout Montana, Idaho, and Washington.

Bitter Root Brewery’s brewers are passionate about beer and love the opportunity to showcase their talents. The brewery produces over 40 different styles of beer a year with 11 on draft at their tap room at all times. Matching the brewers’ passion, Bitter Root Brewery’s kitchen

team creates dishes primarily from scratch with the best local or organic ingredients whenever possible. With plenty of options to please all palates, the kitchen at the Bitter Root Brewery is a favorite stop for both locals and tourists.

Stop by and enjoy the excellent selection of local and traveling musicians every Thursday and Saturday evening from 6pm to 8pm. Stay tuned to their Facebook and website to keep track of upcoming fundraisers for local nonprofit organizations, changing brews and other specials. There’s always something new brewing at the Bitter Root Brewery.

Located at 101 Marcus St. in beautiful downtown Hamilton.

This September marks the 2nd year Anniversary for the opening of Great Burn Brewing in Missoula, Montana. Great Burn Brewing started as an idea of the Howard Brothers Mike and Greg, and Diana Garrett, Greg’s wife. They were later joined by friend Jennifer Wright to add the fourth partner to the business.

Many people inquire about the unique theme and name of the brewery. Great Burn Brewing, is in honor of Mike and Greg’s brother Chad who had the great opportunity to visit and work in the proposed Great Burn Wilderness during the 1990’s. Thanks to the Nine Mile Ranger District, Chad began his long love affair with wildlands.

His first job with the Forest Service was to conduct monitoring plots in the proposed wilderness area. Shuttled into the wilderness by helicopter, Chad and co-worker got to experience the Great Burn Wilderness like no one else. Chad went on with his Forest Service career to become a Lolo Hotshot and eventually heli-rappeller with the Krassel Helitack. Chad was a true fan of craft beer before it was cool and his brothers are living his dream of owning a microbrewery. Chad unfortunately lost his young life to cancer. “Great Burn Brewing” embodies elements from Chad’s life, firefighting and ruggedness of proposed Great Burn Wilderness.

All names aside this business is based on Mike Howard’s proven brewing skills and passion for craft beer. Great Burn Brewing’s delicious craft beer is based on Mike Howards’ s 15 years of experience working as brew master in the craft brewing industry. Mike has had the fortunate opportunity to work with many of the well-known breweries in western Montana. He also spent 5 years working at Stone Brewing in North County San Diego where he mastered his brewing skills.

Small-batch brewing is what it’s all about at Great Burn Brewing. This process has many advantages, which are apparent when tasting the flavorful beer at Great Burn Brewing. High quality, true hand-crafted ales are what helps make Great Burn Brewing truly special. Our craft beer is

flavorful and well-balanced. The Great Burn IPA was the first beer ever brewed on Great Burn’s fivebarrel system! It is a West Coast Style IPA, brewed with five different hop varieties, each lending to a unique citrus quality. Great Burn Brewing has four flagships beers (IPA, Cream Ale, Pale Ale, and Porter) all the time and rotating 5 to 6 unique and delicious specialty beers (Double IPA’s, Belgians, barrel aged beers, etc..).

Great Burn Brewing is located on the south side of Missoula. Missoula and the south-side neighborhood has welcomed Great Burn Brewing with open arms. We greatly appreciate the support of our loyal patrons.

The taproom is open Monday through Thursday from 2pm to 9pm, and Friday through Sunday from Noon to 9pm. Last call is at 8:00 pm. You can find more information on www.greatburnbrewing. com or visit our Facebook page.

PAGE 4 • DEBUT ISSUE SEPT/OCT 2016 • A PUBLICATION DEDICATED TO MONTANA’S BREWING NEWS

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Devoted to the development of a strong and growing craft brewing industry in Montana

Beers to Ya: Beaver Creek Brewery continues to rise in the Badlands Eight years ago, when Beaver Creek Brewery opened its doors in Wibaux, Montana, the future was uncertain, and not particularly bright.

“We really had no idea what to expect,” said co-owner “Mighty Big” Jim Devine. “We knew people liked our beer, but as far as business was concerned, we knew we were taking a risk.”

Now, as he reflects on nearly a decade of “serving Beaver,” the 6’7” California native is pleased and proud of how far he, his wife, Sandra, co-owner Sandon Stinnett, his investors and dedicated patrons have come.

Not only do they have their tap room – a fully renovated old grocery store – but they have also restored the abandoned theater next door.

The unique, rustic theater space includes brick walls, a balcony, a state-of-the-art sound system, prime acoustics, delicious gourmet pizza and more.

“It’s pretty simple, really,” says Devine. “Great food, drinks and music in a building loaded with historic charm.”

Beaver Creek Brewery regularly hosts bands at the Gem, musicians from all over the nation, and even Russia, as the Red Elvises come regularly and are a crowd favorite. Devine’s own band, Mighty Big Jim and the Tall

Boys, also play regularly at the venue. During their set, expect to hear some fun, down-home original songs about Wibaux, having a good time and “drinking Beaver.”

“We brew our own beer” Devine sings, “On Beaver Creek.”

The Beaver is a big hit: the Rough Rider Wheat, the Paddlefish Stout, the Beaver Creek Pale, Wibaux’s Gold, seasonal beers such as the Chokecherry Wheat and the Pipeliner Porter, and then there’s the Rusty Beaver

Wheat.

“That’s the one you have to watch out for,” Devine said. “It’s at 7.6 percent alcohol-by-volume.

Yeah, it’s strong; it’s not made for the weak.”

As their beer continues to gain in popularity in the Badlands, it also is spreading around both Montana and North Dakota, as it’s located just seven miles from to border.

But for the Beaver to reach it’s full flavor potential, taste it in Wibaux at the Brewery or next door at the Gem. “Come see us,” Devine said. “Our beaver tastes better.”

By CHARLIE DENISON | BCB Staff Writer

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Eureka

1 Havre

Whitefish

Libby

Columbia Falls

Lakeside

Thompson Falls

Bigfork

3

Polson

Black Eagle

Great Falls Belt

Superior

Missoula Lolo Stevensville

Hamilton

Helena Philipsburg

White Sulphur Springs

Deer Lodge

4

Butte

Darby

Belgrade Laurel Bozeman

2

™

Billings

Livingston

Sheridan Dillon

Red Lodge Big Sky

Brewing News

Montana Beer Bre

We love Montana and are excite unique beer culture and location would like to be added to th

AREA 1 - Glacier Country Backslope Brewing | 406-897-2850 1107 9th St. W. (Hwy 2), Columbia Falls backslopebrewing.com

Draught Works Brewing | 406-541-1592 915 Toole Ave., Missoula draughtworksbrewery.com

Imagine Nation Brewing | 406-459-8993 1151 W. Broadway, Missoula imaginenationbrewing.com

Bandit Brewing Co. | 406-646-6003 308 E. Tanner, Darby banditbeer.com

Kalispell Brewing | 406-756-BREW 412 Main St., Kalispell kalispellbrewing.com

Bayern Brewing, Inc. | 406-721-1482 1507 Montana St., Missoula bayernbrewery.com

Flathead Lake Brewing FLB #1 Woods Bay Brewery | 406-837-0353 26008 East Lake Shore Rte., Bigfork FLB #2 Bigfork Brewery | 406-837-0085 116 Holt Dr., Bigfork flatheadlakebrewing.com

Big Sky Brewing Company | 406-549-2777 5417 Trumpeter Way, Missoula bigskybrew.com

Glacier Brewing | 406-883-2595 6 Tenth Avenue East, Polson glacierbrewing.com

Bitter Root Brewing | 406-363-7468 101 Marcus St., Hamilton bitterrootbrewing.com

Great Burn Brewing | 406-317-1557 2230 McDonald Ave., Missoula greatburnbrewing.com

Blacksmith Brewing | 406-777-0680 114 Main St., Stevensville blacksmithbrewing.com

Great Northern Brewing | 406-863-1000 2 Central Ave., Whitefish greatnorthernbrewing.com

Bonsai Brewing | 406-730-1717 549 Wisconsin Ave., Whitefish bonsaibrew.com

Higherground Brewing | 406-375-5204 518 N. 1st St., Hamilton highergroundbrewing.com

Cabinet Mountain Brewing | 406-293-2739 206 Mineral Ave., Libby cabinetmountainbrewing.com

H.A. Brewing Co. | 406-889-3950 2525 Grave Creek Rd., Eureka habrewing.com

Kettlehouse Brewing | 406-728-1660 Southside: 602 Myrtle St., Missoula Northside: 313 N. 1st St. W, Missoula kettlehouse.com

AREA 2 - Southwest Montana Beaverhead Brewing | 406-988-0011 218 South Montana St., Dillon beaverheadbeer.com Blackfoot River Brewing | 406-449-3005 66 S. Park Ave., Helena blackfootriverbrewing.com

Limberlost Brewing Company | 406-356-6198 1017 Main St., Thompson Falls limberlostbrewingcompany.com

Butte Brewing | 406-491-5980 465 East Galena St., Butte facebook.com/buttebrewing

Lolo Peak Brewing | 406-493-6231 6201 Brewery Way, Lolo lolopeakbrewing.com

CopperWild Brewing | 406-782-1700 43 E. Park St., Butte copperwildbrewing.com

Missoula Brewing Company | 406-549-8193 200 International Blvd., Missoula highlanderbeer.com

Elk Ridge Brewing Company | 406-560-2252 320 Main St., Deer Lodge elkridgebrewingcompany.com

Tamarack Brewing | 406-844-0244 105 Blacktail Road, Lakeside tamarackbrewing.com

Lewis and Clark Brewing | 406-442-5960 1517 Dodge Ave., Helena lewisandclarkbrewing.com

Wildwood Brewing | 406-777-2855 4018 US Hwy 93 North, Stevensville wildwoodbrewing.com

Muddy Creek Brewery | 406-299-3645 2 E. Galena St., Butte facebook.com/muddycreekbrewery

PAGE 6 • DEBUT ISSUE SEPT/OCT 2016 • A PUBLICATION DEDICATED TO MONTANA’S BREWING NEWS

Bridger Brewing | 406-587-2124 1609 South 11th Ave., Bozeman bridgerbrewing.com Bunkhouse Brewery | 406-577-2074 1216 W. Lincoln St., Bozeman bunkhousebrewery.com

5

Glasgow

Katabatic Brewing Company | 406-333-2855 117 West Park St., Livingston katabaticbrewing.com

Wolf Point

Lone Peak Brewery | 406-995-3939 48 Market Place, Big Sky lonepeakbrewery.com

Sidney

Madison River Brewing Co | 406-599-3429 20900 Frontage Rd., Building B, Belgrade madisonriverbrewing.com

Glendive Wibaux

Map Brewing Company | 406-587-4070 510 Manley Road, Bozeman mapbrewing.com

6

Neptune’s Brewery | 406-222-7837 119 North L St., Livingston neptunesbrewery.com

Miles City

Outlaw Brewing | 406-577-2403 2876 North 27th Ave., Bozeman outlaw-brewing.com Red Lodge Ales | 406-446-4607 1445 North Broadway, Red Lodge redlodgeales.com White Dog Brewing Co | 406-992-5798 121 W. Main St., Unit B, Bozeman whitedogbrewing.com

ewers/Taprooms

ed to spread the word of Montana’s ns! If you are a brewery owner and he list, call Treva at 850-5113.

Philipsburg Brewing PB #1 | 406-859-2739 101 W. Broadway, Philipsburg PB #2/ Silver Springs Brewery & Tasting Room | 406-859-3226 106 Brewery Road, Philipsburg, philipsburgbrewingcompany.com Quarry Brewing | 406-723-0245 124 W. Broadway, Butte wedig.beer Ruby Valley Brew | 406-842 5977 111 S Main St., Sheridan, MT Ten Mile Creek Brewery | 406-231-0575 48 N. Last Chance Gulch, Helena facebook.com/TenMileCreekBrewery

AREA 5 - Missouri River Country Bowser Brewing Co | 406-315-1340 1826 10th Ave. S., Great Falls bowserbrew.com

Busted Knuckle Brewery | 406-228-2277 303 1st Ave. South, Glasgow facebook.com/bustedknucklebrew

Harvest Moon Brewery | 406-277-3188 7 Fifth Street South, Belt harvestmoonbrew.com

Meadowlark Brewing | 406-433-2337 117 S. Central Ave., Sidney meadowlarkbrewing.com

Mighty Mo Brewing | 406-952-0342 412 Central Ave., Great Falls mightymobrewing.com

Missouri Breaks Brewing | 406-653-1467 326 Main, Wolf Point missouribreaksbrewing.com

The Front Brewing Company | 406-727-3947 215 Third St. NW, Great Falls thefrontbrewing.com Triple Dog Brewing | 406-879-8103 675 1st St. West, Havre facebook.com/brewon2 AREA 4 - Yellowstone Country 406 Brewing Co. | 406-585-3745 101 East Oak, Suite D, Bozeman 406brewing.com

AREA 3 - Central Montana

Beehive Basin Brewery | 406-995-7444 245 Town Center Ave., Big Sky beehivebasinbrewery.com

2 Basset Brewery | 406-547-BEER 202 E. Main, White Sulphur Springs 2bassetbrewery.com

Bozeman Brewing Company | 406-585-9142 504 N. Broadway, Bozeman bozemanbrewing.com

Black Eagle Brewery | 406-868-1866 1602 25th Ave. NE, Black Eagle pitstopblackeagle.com

Bozeman Taproom/Fill Station | 406-577-2337 321 E Mendenhall St., Bozeman facebook.com/bozemantaproom

AREA 6 - Southeast Montana Angry Hank’s Microbrewery | 406-252-3370 20 N 30th St., Billings facebook.com/angryhanks Beaver Creek Brewery | 406-795-2337 104 Orgain Ave. W., Wibaux beavercreekbrewery.com Canyon Creek Brewing | 406-656-2528 3060 Gabel Road, Billings canyoncreekbrewing.com Carter’s Brewing | 406-252-0663 2526 Montana Ave., Billings cartersbrewing.com Cross County Brewing | 406-377-6912 320 E. Allard, Glendive facebook.com/xcbrews Opening Soon High Plains Brewing | 406-633-4594 601 E Main St., Laurel facebook.com/highplainsbrewing Montana Brewing Co | 406-252-9200 113 N. Broadway, Billings montanabrewingcompany.com Old Skool Brewery | 115 E Montana Ave., Baker Expected Opening: Spring 2017 Red Lodge Ales and Cider House | 2203 Montana Ave., Billings redlodgeales.com Opening Soon Thirsty Street Brewing Co. | 406-969-3200 3008 1st Ave. N., Billings thirstystreet.com TiltWürks | 406-951-6288 406 Pacific Ave., Miles City milescitybrewery.com Überbrew | 406-534-6960 2305 Montana Ave., Billings uberbrewmt.com Yellowstone Valley Brewing Co | 406-245-0918 2123 B 1st Ave. N., Billings yellowstonevalleybrew.com

MONTANA Homebrewer Clubs BILLINGS

Rimrock Brewers Guild <rimrock.brewers.guild@gmail.com>

BOZEMAN

Bridger Brew Crew <info@bridgerbrewcrew.org> The Ghetto Spoon Spargers <lee.brokus@verizon.net>

BUTTE

Mile High Mashers <homebrewoverlords@gmail.com>

COLSTRIP

Odd Fellow Homebrewers <oddfellowbrewers@gmail.com>

GREAT FALLS

Central Montana Homebrew Club <centralmontanahomebrew@gmail.com>

HAVRE

Hill County Homebrewers <ryan_hopper82@hotmail.com>

HELENA

High Mountain Hoppers <cookiedds@hotmail.com>

KALISPELL

Flathead Valley Brewers <flatheadvalleybrewers@yahoo.com>

MISSOULA

Montana Homebrewers Association <montanahomebrewers@gmail.com> Zoo City Zymurgists <info@montanahomebrewers.org>

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CRAFT BEER & FOOD PAIRING GUIDE FOOD COMPONENTS GRAIN

Farro, Arborio, Wild Rice, Polenta

BEANS & LEGUMES

Lentils, Fava, Chickpea, Green Beans

SHELLFISH

Clams, Scallops, Lobster, Crab

RICH MEATS & ROOT VEGETABLES

Parsnips, Carrots, Beef Strip Loin, Lamb

GAME BIRDS & GRAINS

Duck, Quail, Quinoa, Farro

FATS

Butter, Olive Oil, Duck/Pork Fat, Dairy

VEGETABLES (GRILLED)

Carrots, Mild Peppers, Onions, Mushrooms

BEER FLAVORS CLEAN & CRISP

American Amber Lager

BRAISED MEATS & CHOCOLATE

Beef Short-Rib, Pork Sholder, <50% Cacao (Malty & Sweet), >55% Cacao (Dark & Roasty)

PORK

Sausage, Tenderloin, Terrine

CREAMY DESSERTS

Cheesecake, Ice Cream, Creme Brûlée, Mousse Cake

EXAMPLE DISHES

Complementary grain flavors balance hops while remaining light on the palate.

Creamy Risotto

Food adds richness to the beer while balancing salt and acidity.

Grilled Halibut with Pole Beans

Beer brings out salinity and natural sweetness while cleansing the palate.

Mussels with Garlic, Parsley And Butter

Combining these flavors brings out umami and adds earthy notes that rest on the center of the palate.

Grilled Ribeye and Root Vegetables

Complements roastiness (Maillard reaction) while fat coats to neutralize hop bitterness.

Roasted Quail with Farrotto

Beer cuts through, balances strong flavors and allows for a complex finish.

Cashew Butter and Red Pepper Jelly On Toast

Brings out umami and balances sweetness and richness.

Green Chili-Stuffed Portobello

Beer complements the natural flavors and textures while cutting though fat, cleansing the palate.

Brie and Fruit

Highlights the roasted character (Maillard reaction).

Milk Chocolate Bread Pudding

The intensity of the pork fat stands up to the strong beer characteristics.

Pork Chops and Apple Relish

Balances richness on the palate so the dessert doesn’t finish cloyingly.

Butterscotch Mousse with Dark Chocolate

Bohemian-Style Pilsner

MALTY & SWEET

English-Style Brown Ale

German-Style Hefeweizen

FRUITY & SPICY

Belgian-Style Saison

German-Style Hefeweizen

SOUR, TART & FUNKY

American Brett

Belgian-Style Flanders

HOPPY & BITTER

American Pale Ale

American Brown Ale

HOPPY & BITTER

| DARK & ROASTY

American Black Ale

English-Style Brown Porter

DARK & ROASTY

Irish-Style Dry Stout

CHEESE Brie (Fruity & Spicy), Gouda (Malty & Sweet), Aged Cheddar (Hoppy & Bitter), Blue (Dark & Roasty), Mozzarella (Clean & Crisp)

INTERACTIONS

German-Style Schwarzbier

VARIES

Belgian-Style Tripel

English-Style Pale Ale (ESB)

MALTY & SWEET | DARK & ROASTY

German-Style Bock

Baltic-Style Porter

HOPPY & BITTER | FRUITY & SWEET

Imperial India Pale Ale

Belgian-Style Dubbel

VARIES

British-Style Barley Wine

Belgian-Style Fruit Lambic

LEARN MORE AT Brewers Association www.BrewersAssociation.org

PAGE 8 • DEBUT ISSUE SEPT/OCT 2016 • A PUBLICATION DEDICATED TO MONTANA’S BREWING NEWS

MAP Brewing Company is founded on the idea that you can create great beer, have a great atmosphere, and provide exceptional service… ...it just takes foresight, effort, the right team, and follow through.

Patrick Kainz (PK) first jumped into the brewery world in 1996 when he and his family helped open Wild Onion Brewing in northwest Illinois.

Wild Onion is still owned and run by his brothers and continues to produce exceptional beers and ambiance, but PK longed to get back west. He finally decided that he needed to get back to the industry he loved and hatched the idea of launching a brewery in Bozeman.

PK met Shenan “Dash” Rodman while playing hockey and they quickly realized they had a common vision about what the brewery experience could be. Their mutual friend Doug Child was looking to get back into brewing after a three-year stint as Head Brewer at Flying Pig brewing in Washington and formal training at the Seibel Institute. Next on board was Howie Moore, one of the premier “beer guys” in southwest Montana. Howie had worked for eight years in the craft beer industry and helped Madison River Brewing grow from 2,000 to 8,000

barrels a year during his tenure there.

Once the team was formed, the wheels were set in motion to begin the monstrous undertaking of building a production brewery and tasting room from the ground up. Locations were scouted, funding was secured, builders were contracted, and work began. Five years of planning was finally coming to fruition.

Why not enjoy a great beer in a spot that encompasses why we all live in such a world class area?

MAP chose a spot overlooking a lake just north of town with unencumbered views of the Bridger Mountains. It’s a place where folks across the spectrum feel welcome. “We wanted the tasting room to be the one we’d choose to frequent if we were the patron.” PK says. Old timbers, plenty of natural light, a real fireplace, couches, an incredible patio, and a mezzanine that could be used as a community room were all included in the build.

Patrons can see the production area from the tasting room. The team knew southwest Montana residents had a thirst for great craft beer, and they knew that production space would

Bandit Brewing Co.- Bootstrapping a Nano It can’t be done. Nano breweries cannot make a profit.

I heard this over and over again before we made the decision to open Bandit Brewing Co. in the small community of Darby with a population of just over 700 people.

In the strictest sense, it’s true. Nano breweries are not profitable IF you borrow a lot of money, pay a high rent, purchase brand new equipment, hire general contractors, and employ others to brew your beer.

But what if you owned the land, designed and built all the equipment, pounded every nail, and

brewed every single batch of beer? Could you make a profit?

Starting in 2013, I started planning the construction of Bandit Brewing Co. primarily as a community gathering spot where locals could gather with their families to enjoy a quality craft beer and the company of their neighbors. The big question- could I build out the brewery in a manner that I wouldn’t go into debt to provide a community amenity.

In the fall of 2014, armed with a Federal Brewer’s permit and State Manufacturers License,

be key to managing growth. They purchased a 30 bbl brew system, two 30 bbl fermenters, two 60 bbl fermenters, and serving vessels. They also left room for expansion if proved as popular as they hoped it would be. This proved to be good foresight; they’re already expanding to meet demand.

Northbound Golden Ale was the first batch through the tanks, and it went on to win a Gold medal that fall at the Montana Brewers Festival.

The brewery has gone on to win various local competitions as well as two medals at the North American Brewers Association competition in the spring of 2016. Steep Terrain Double IPA won a

Bronze and Sticke Shift Alt took home the Gold.

Coming up on their one year anniversary, it’s easy to see that the MAP team loves what they do.

Stop in sometime soon!

MAP Brewing Company is open 12-8pm every day. Their Northside Grille serves delicious, local food whenever the brewery is open, and they have free live music every Sunday and Tuesday from 6-8 pm. On Mondays, they offer a ½ price pint with any growler fill. Their Annual Growler Club gets you ½ price growler fills and a ½ price pint to go with it all year long. You can also reserve their mezzanine for private functions.

I started construction with a total budget of just $40,000 to build out a 1480 square foot commercial building AND fabricate all the brewing equipment. Three hard long months later, after running out of money and selling a car, a camper, and anything else that wasn’t tied down (except the children, we kept the children) Bandit Brewing Co. opened on Black Friday end of November to a packed house with four beers on tap.

With the sole intention of simply serving our local community in the south Bitter Root Valley with no plans for packaging our motto became ‘Immensely drinkable beer’. We soon filled our 11 taps with a spectrum of beer styles including two nitro beers and a specialty tap we use for “weird beers” or high octane beers. Bandit Brewing Co. does not have flagship beers, in the ensuing 22 months we have brewed over 150 different beer recipes. In effect, we are an experimental brewery constantly playing with ingredients and recipes.

When asked about our ‘rustic’ metal commercial building with a gravel parking lot at the edge of town, I tell people, “Let’s focus on the beer firsteverything else will work itself out”.

Are we profitable? Well, we’re not in debt.

Bandit Brewing Co. has grown to include a full time assistant brewer and three part time tap room employees in addition to my wife and I moving more into a managerial role as the brewery has become ‘a real business’. This summer we started limited distribution of kegs in the Bitter Root Valley as our production has increased.

At 2.5 barrel, we may well still be the smallest production size brewery in Montana- but we epitomize the concept of craft brewing with fresh ingredients and fresh beer.

What next? Well, you’re going to have to drop by the taproom in Darby to find out. But...small batch craft whiskey sounds interesting. Hmmm...I already own the land. All I need is…

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK • WWW.406HOPS.COM • 406-850-5113 • PAGE 9

Lewistown Brewing Company, better than we used to be, and we used to be the best!

“What?” you say, “Lewistown doesn’t have a brewery yet? Why?” That is what we’ve been asking ourselves here in Lewistown. Smack dab in the middle of God’s Country ­geographically in the center of the state with spring water flowing through the plumbing of every home on city water, golden barley fields surrounding us, and a steady flow of outdoor enthusiasts, not to mention thirsty farmers and ranchers, you’d think a brewery would’ve been opened here years ago and flourishing by now.

But, you’d be wrong.

My story isn’t much different from a lot of

fellow home­brewers. Nineteen years ago I started brewing beer in my kitchen when I lived in Helena.

The guys at Howling Wolf Homebrew Supply got my friend and me started on a hobby that grew into a passion. After moving to Lewistown in 2001, I continued to develop my technique and deepen my commitment to the craft. In 2003 my father-­in­ -law said, “you should start a brewery.” I thought he was crazy. But after sleeping on it and visiting a dozen brewers in Montana, Wyoming and Colorado, I started to believe I was crazy NOT to open a brewery. But life doesn’t always follow the path we lay out for it. I didn’t have the funds back

then to startup, and as time goes by, I’ve found that the elusive startup capital is, well, elusive.

Our business plan over the past decade has seen everything from a single­-barrel nano operation to a 15­-barrel production brewery with a canning line. We’ve contemplated a brewery run entirely on renewable energy, a brewery which sources ALL its ingredients from Fergus County, a brewery which malts its own locally­grown barley, and a brewery that includes, alongside its alcoholic brews, some world­class, made ­from­scratch root beers. The plan changes as we learn and dream, but it is always held in check by the same circumstance that keeps most of us from opening our dream ­lack of funds.

Currently, the plan is a 7­-barrel brewery designed to produce somewhere from 200 to 800 barrels annually for local consumption through our tap­ room and a half­dozen local taps. We’d love to use an old gas station on Main Street a la Angry Hanks

when it first opened in downtown Billings.

We have the name. We have the logo. We have the motto. We have a market, and we have some pretty darn good recipes we’d love to produce. But, just like many a home­brewer that would love to take The Big Step, we are waiting for the chance to make it happen.

It’ll happen when the time is right.

We recently heard a quote which describes our position very well. “Anything can be achieved with the patience of a glacier.”

We patiently wait.

Questions or comments regarding this article can be addressed to Brett Thackeray at 406.350.0170 or lewistownbrewing@yahoo.com

This is a picture of the possible future home of LBC - 411 East Main in Lewistown.

Has been a gas station/service station and currently a used car lot.

Cont. from page 1: Philipsburg Brewing Company

Staff Photo: July 2016

Original Kroger’s Brewery circa 1889

a partnership with Ball Corporation. Additionally, in the summer months there is a second taproom open on the weekends with mostly outdoor seating.

“The packaging choice was a no-brainer for us,” Head Brewer Mike Elliot explains. “The Ball AlumiTek bottles are a sustainable option for those of us that like to take our beer on our adventures and not to mention the quality factor of eliminating light or oxygen issues. “ The rich history of Philipsburg as a mining, beer-drinking town is being resurrected in the form of Tramway Rye Pale Ale and Otter Water

Session Pale Ale, available in the Alumi-Tek bottles in most of Southwest Montana. The next offering will be the World Beer Cup Silver Award, Haybag American Hefeweizen, which won the prestigious, international award in May of 2016, the only Montana brewery to medal in this year’s awards.

Philipsburg Brewing Company opened its doors in 2012 with a 10 barrel system, brewing beer the original, hands-on way. The expansion took place in the summer of 2015 with a 50 barrel production facility. Two breweries in one town of less than a thousand residents is rare yet successful venture for Philipsburg Brewing Company.

Brewers Ben Johnson & Mike Elliot NABA Gold Medal Otter Water Session Pale Ale 2015

Mike Elliot, Ryan Gil, Maddy Mason, Charlie Papazzian & Ben Johnson, World Beer Cup Silver Award, Haybag Hefeweizen. 2016

PAGE 10 • DEBUT ISSUE SEPT/OCT 2016 • A PUBLICATION DEDICATED TO MONTANA’S BREWING NEWS

cont from page 1: Good for beer

Lolo Peak Brewery is a community focused establishment.

On July 4th 2014 Lolo Peak Brewery opened its doors to the community, located in Lolo Montana at 6201 Brewery Way. With a beautiful rustic feel, LPB boasts a two story building with an unforgettable bar top.

You can enjoy mountainous views from the deck, an inviting landscaped patio that pleases children and adults, and a private community room available for parties or business.

Beer flows from 11 taps at LPB, offering a variety of styles from Pacific Northwest Ales, traditional European Lagers, and other seasonal favorites from around the world. LPB’s brewer Paul created six tasty mainstays including the Alpenglow Wheat Ale, Old Toby Porter, Buffalotrout Golden Ale, Lou Lou Amber, Double Eagle Scotch Ale, and 3 Needles IPA. The remaining five beers continually rotate including the Huckleberry Saison brewed with locally picked huckleberries, the Old Sammy Porter infused with Toddy coffee, and a crisp No Salmon Pale Ale. For non-alcoholic drinkers, LPB offers homemade Root Beer, Huckleberry soda, Ginger Ale, and Lemon-Lime soda.

Lolo Peak Brewery also offers an array of grub!

The menu includes a signature local Bitterroot Bison Burger topped with Old Toby Porter BBQ sauce as well as delicious Black & Tan Onion Rings. Chef Eric is known for incorporating Lolo Peak beer into most of his recipes. He keeps things interesting by rotating the menu seasonally to utilize as many locally sourced ingredients as possible.

Lolo Peak Brewery is a community focused establishment. Pint nights run every Wednesday evening from 6-9pm where .75 cents of each beer sold gets donated to the chosen charity of the night.

Follow LPB on Facebook for event updates including an Octoberfest celebration on October 9th as well as the annual Hop Picking Parting.

Whether you’re stocking up on beer for your Bitterroot float, finishing up a day of skiing the slopes, or just looking to grab a bite and a pint, LPB has you covered! Lolo Peak Brewery recently acquired a beer and wine license allowing them to offer wine as well as extend their hours to 10pm. With aspirations to expand, keep posted for a grand opening in East Missoula!

about supporting local and environmental sustainability, and it’s about contributing to the community that has so graciously embraced us. Most importantly for our crew though, it’s about making beer and food that we are proud of. We love what we do, and we hope you do too.

Check us out at one of our locations!

Bigfork Pubhouse 116 Holt Drive, Bigfork, 406.837.2004 Hours: 11am to 10pm every day Woods Bay Taproom 15300 MT HWY 35, Woods Bay, 406.837.0353 Hours: 3 to 8pm on the weekdays, 12 to 8pm on weekends FLBC of Missoula 424 N Higgins Blvd, Missoula, 406.542.3847 Hours: 3pm to 12am Sunday-Thursday, 3pm to 2am Friday-Saturday Website | www.flatheadlakebrewing.com Facebook | www.facebook.com/flatheadlakebrewing Instagram | www.instagram.com/flatheadlakebrewing Twitter | www.twitter.com/flatheadbrewing

Lolo Peak Photo credit: Frank Peterson, of Missoula

ATTENTION BREWERS AND OWNERS The next issue will be NOV/DEC and the deadline is November 3rd, 2016.

We would be honored if you - MONTANA'S BEER ELITE would submit an article to be printed in the newly formed 406 HOPS Brewing News!

406 Hops Brewing News will be available for a downloadable subscription soon, in addition to hard copies at every taproom/brewery, affiliate advertisers and favored bars and restaurants serving MONTANA CRAFT BEER.

™ Brewing News Published bimonthly PLEASE CONTACT Treva Grewe - Treva@406Hops.com

406-850-5113

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK • WWW.406HOPS.COM • 406-850-5113 • PAGE 11

Round The Clock Growler Fills 8am-2am Everyday.

Bring your own growlers or choose from one of ours, including a durable food/medical grade non-glass recreational growler.

Play our newer machines while we fill your favorite Montana Beer.

(406) 969-1602 1112 Grand Ave. Billings, MT 59102

Your Complete Supply Headquarters for ALL Fermented Beverages.

Beer • Wine • Distilling Mailing services available!

1916 3rd Ave N. • Billings, MT 59101 • 406-256-0261 Email: craigseiffert@gmail.com • Like Us on Facebook

THINK LOCAL SHOP LOCAL Locally owned neighborhood grocery store that offers everything from the highest quality meat & fish to a beautiful produce section. And don’t forget the large selection of beer and wine including brands brewed right here in Montana!

(406) 656-5716 - 2648 Poly Dr., Billings, Montana 59102

PAGE 12 • DEBUT ISSUE SEPT/OCT 2016 • A PUBLICATION DEDICATED TO MONTANA’S BREWING NEWS