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BREWING NEWS A Publication Dedicated to Montana’s Brewing News
406 Hops Brewing News is available in every Brewery/Taproom, and select establishments that serve/resell Montana Craft Beer • Volume
1/Issue #3
Beth and Andy Stohlman
Chris and Barry Hindrick and family
The name of the brewery was Inspired by our two basset hounds Stanley and Leroy. If Stanley and Leroy are a little excited, can you blame them? After all, February 26th was the first anniversary of 2 Basset Brewery in White Sulphur Springs. Stanley and Leroy are the two lovable basset hounds who inspired Chris and Barry Hedrich to open the only brewery in beautiful Meagher County. These two hounds are behind some of the best beer names I’ve ever heard – Stanley Stout, Drooligan, Bad Bad Leroy Brown, Chasing Blonde, Extra Special Basset ….and Breaking Basset – a popular favorite Farmhouse Ale. How the heck a person can get goggles on a basset hound is beyond me…but safety first!
Barry began homebrewing in 2013 as a hobby. Then, according to Chris, “with our kids out of the house, we began toying with the idea of starting a new business in White Sulphur Springs in early 2014. One thing led to another, and we applied for a brewery license in January of 2015, purchased a building in April and began renovations and opened 2 Basset Brewery on February 26, 2016. The name of the brewery was inspired by our two basset hounds Stanley and Leroy. They make us laugh every day and remind us to take the time to enjoy family and friends – with a great locally brewed craft beer.” This ain’t your father’s brewery. 2 Basset Continued on page 5
A community driven brewery - the Bunkhouse has strong roots in serving others. It’s not hard to find a bottle of Maisel’s Weisse, a cloudy orange Hefeweizen, while exploring the pubs and alehouses of Germany. However, it is hard to find in the towns and plains of Montana. Andy Stohlmann sought to fix that upon returning from Germany, in 2004. Over the next part of the decade Andy and his friend Mark spent many nights perfecting numerous homebrew recipes, while continuing the journey to replicate his favorite German Hefeweizen. Like many homegrown ideas, The Bunkhouse wasn’t always intended to be a just a brewery. In 2009 and 2010 Andy successfully secured research grants from the Montana Department
of commerce to open a Malthouse that would utilize a brewery to showcase the malt’s produced. When the idea of the Malthouse began to be pushed further into the future, Andy decided to utilize all he had learned in the garage and open a brewery. “Not to assume credit where it isn’t due, but I believe the recent announcement Of Montana Craft Malt is the tangible result of our early work to bring a craft Malthouse to Montana.” “Our goal is to always to make beer that people enjoy drinking” Andy admits that while craft brewing continues to grow in Montana and around the country, The Bunkhouse is more interested in staying traditional. “We typically Continued on page 7
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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.
A Bimonthly Publication Dedicated to Montana’s Brewing News.
ed R r e t t Be d! a e D than ope
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BREWING NEWS
ADVERTISING: Treva Grewe Treva@406Hops.com
l J. P
DESIGN/LAYOUT: Alicia Lang Alicia@406Hops.com
WHO WE ARE:
Two women, with a deep passion for craft beer and the process involved; who decided to pursue a dream of creating a publication that focuses on Montana. 406 Hops Spotlights: brewery/taprooms, beer selections/styles, events, homebrewing and women in brewing. We are Montana Brewers Association affiliate members.
WHY WE DO THIS:
We wanted to work at something we love - Montana’s fantastic craft beer and culture while traveling the state! We are dedicated to promoting and educating customers in concern to everything YOUR BRAND encompasses.
WE DO NOT: Print malicious or accusatory content.
Owners/Brewers: 406 HOPS Brewing News is delivered to every brewery
and select business’s in Montana for their customers to enjoy - FREE OF CHARGE - and would appreciate our publication being visibly displayed in your establishment. If we have not covered your brewery as yet, or you have something NEW brewing/events/awards that you’d like our readers to be aware of, please let us know. Our website features all MT breweries with active links to each. Our Website, Facebook and Instagram are increasing in popularity and a subscription service is also available. www.406hops.com
Advertisers: Your Support Allows this Publication to Thrive. If you
serve, sell or distribute Montana craft beer or related products - advertise your business with 406 Hops - contact Treva Grewe at 406-850-5113. Tourist season is upon us, and we invite YOU to take this opportunity to reach out to OUR followers. After all, OUR READERS ARE CRAFT BEER ENTHUSIASTS.
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To our readers: We hope you enjoy reading/following/sharing and exploring!
IN THIS ISSUE
Breweries: 2 Basset Brewery, Bunkhouse Brewing, Wildwood Brewing, Black Eagle Brewing, High Plains Brewing, Cut Bank Creek Brewing, Cross Country Brewing, Thirsty Street Brewing, Mighty Mo Brewing and Kalispell Brewing.
au By Dr. P
Late winter and early spring in the mountain west is punctuated by erratic weather and our general avoidance of any beer that is dark or spicy. We have been drinking them since October of last year, our taste buds are burned out, and the distinct lack of regular sunlight has us craving sunshine. Unfortunately, those days are still a couple more months off. In the meantime, our beer cravings may be satiated with a beer that can bridge the divide between the dark and the light. Something still big and warming, but with some bright flavors that remind us of the sunny days to come. My first thought, as far as style goes, was a nice malty red or amber ale. An Irish red ale, for instance, is not a hoppy beer but is malt forward. An American amber ale tends to have more hop bite than other red beers, but packs little punch in the warming category. And then it struck me, a double IPA would fit the bill nicely. A double IPA has a robust, yet simple, grain bill and loads of juicy hops to counter the doldrums of the dreary end of winter. However, not just any double IPA will do. I decided I needed a grain bill that is appropriate for the weather outside but packed with hops reminiscent of a dreamy summer day. I settled on a substyle of the IPA, a double (or imperial) red IPA. What follows below is my idea of a beer perfect for this late winter/early spring season. Big and malty enough to stave off the cold, but bright and fruity enough you may feel the need to enjoy it in a back yard hammock.
DR. POPE’S, BETTER RED THAN DEAD IMPERIAL RED IPA Scale: 5 gallon • Type: All grain 9 lbs Two Row (US) 4 lbs Light Munich Malt (German) 1 lb Cane Sugar (end of boil) 1 lb 55L Crystal Malt 0.5 lb White Wheat (US) 2 oz Carafa II Malt (German) Glacier Hops (60 min) 16.1 IBU Glacier Hops (30 min) 12.4 IBU Cascade Hops (20 min) 11.7 IBU Cascade Hops (15 min) 9.6 IBU Amarillo Hops (10 min) 8.5 IBU
Amarillo Hops (5 min) 4.7 IBU 1 TBS Irish Moss (last 15 minutes of boil) or 1 Whirlfloc tablet Wyeast 1272 American Ale II yeast Mash at 149 degrees F for 60 minutes OG: approx. 1.086 FG: approx. 1.020 (73% attenuation) ABV: 8.6% IBU: 63 SRM: 15 (deep red)
Women In Brewing: Sarah Hogue, Heather Wade and Maggie Doherty, Homebrewing Clubs: Bridger Brew Crew Club, Central Montana Homebrew Club and Rimrock Brewers Guild. We like to thank our writers: Dr Paul Pope, Josh Michael, Vince Grewe, Lynne Jourdonnais, Bella Corrin, Alex S. Hartford, Rusty B., and Don & LuAnn Schrauth for helping us put this issue together. A shoutout to Scott Sery, who has been a homebrewer for over a decade, and is joining us in our social media marketing and blog content writing.
Old Irish Toast “May your glass be ever full. May the roof over your head be always strong. And may you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows your dead.”
Check out Lewis & Clark Brewing’s Expansion.
Take a Sneak Peek into Gally’s Progress.
Lewis and Clark Brewing | Helena | Visit www.facebook.com/LewisandClark
Gally’s Brewing | Harlowton | Opening Soon — Visit www.facebook.com/gallysbrewingco
PAGE 2 • Volumn 1/Issue #3 • A PUBLICATION DEDICATED TO MONTANA’S BREWING NEWS
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Come on in, grab a seat by the fire, and listen to a story told by a fine craft beer from Montana. The gorgeous Bitterroot valley, which is flanked by the Bitterroot and Sapphire Mountains, is home to Jim Lueders’ Wildwood Brewery. The brewery is located on US Highway 93 South near Stevensville and has been open since 2012. If you are looking to make Stevensville a destination experience, there are an abundance of wonderful activities in addition to the brewery to wile away your time. There is plenty of good dining in Stevensville and neighboring small towns, hiking, fishing, water sports, climbing, and seasonal festivals. You history buffs can visit the Stevensville Museum or tour St. Mary’s Mission. A multitude of
animals and birds can be viewed at the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge nearby. Golfing, hunting, soaking in area hot springs, and exploring state parks can also provide for your amusement. Jim states he became a brewer by following his interests and passion. He started down the brewing path by beginning home brewing in 1981 in Missoula. His brewing training took him all over the world before his settling in Stevensville and building Wildwood Brewery. According to Jim, “Our building and all equipment were purchased with careful attention to sustainability. Most everything is second hand, repurposed, or salvaged.”
Jim did much of the construction himself. The first beer produced at Wildwood Brewery was Bodacious Bock. The one Jim enjoys brewing the most is Ambitious Lager, one of the 12 organic varieties brewed by Wildwood. When asked how much beer was produced in a year, Jim’s response was “not enough!” Twelve varieties total have been created since Wildwood opened and they currently have 5 of them on tap. All Wildwood beers are USDA certified organic, and they include sourced products and/or unique add-ins. The ideas for these beers come from Jims’ own ideas and from listening to and learning from others. Jim has suggested that experimenting with pure maple syrup or huckleberries would be options he’d like to try. Maybe crafted varieties containing these ingredients will be found at Wildwood down the road. Wildwood Brewery has its’ own production facility, and its canned beers can currently be
Devoted to the development of a strong and growing craft brewing industry in Montana purchased in Missoula, Bozeman, Helena, Butte, Polson, and of course up and down the Bitterroot valley. According to Wildwood Brewery’s website, Spirituous Smoke, a seasonal classic German smoke lager made in the Bamberger tradition is a first place winner in the Rauchbier category in the inaugural Beer Army Beer Wars competition presented by All About Beer Magazine. This brew “sports a deep amber color, subtle smoke flavor, is well balanced, and pairs well with smoked or spicy foods.” A FEW PERSONAL TIDBITS about Wildwood’s owner: HE does not drink beer every day. Some days, he has a few. HIS beer preference is a true Pilsner. Jim claims, “When fresh, I enjoy the Pilsner Urquell, for example”. IF he could be any tree, he would be a white bark pine, because “they are native to Montana, grow in the high country, support many varied animal species, grow large, and live to be very old”. (—Article by Lynn Jourdonnais/406Hops)
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Black Eagle Brewing - Over the Missouri River, North of Great Falls.
High Plains Brewing and the Exploration of Montana Ingredients.
Just on the other side of the Missouri River north of Great Falls you’ll find yourself in Black Eagle. Look around long enough and you can find yourself at the Pit Stop Tavern building which is also home to Black Eagle Brewery. Christa Liscum launched the, now, 3 man operation just over 2 years ago. In that time Kelly Gilligan has gone from being a bartender at the Pit Stop, to helping clean the brewing equipment, and is now the main brewer. Kelly knew that there was more to brewing than making beer and then enjoying it, “I knew going in that it was hard work. What most don’t realize is that it’s not just making and drinking it. There is quite a bit of cleaning that is done and is every bit as important if not more. I like to say that it is harder to make it than it is to drink it!” Kelly and TJ Carlson, his brewing counterpart, have gone on to make 13 different types of beer and at any given time sell 9 beers depending on the time of year. They have also made the effort, via a mobile production unit, to can 5 of their beers in 16 oz cans. Black Eagle Brewing is currently producing about 1,000 barrels a year and are looking into other markets to increase their production and expand beyond Great Falls, Helena, and Hi Line communities to eventually reach more parts of the state. They have just signed with a few new distributors. Intermountain Distributing out of Billings, Thompson Distributing out of Butte, and Nemont Distributing out of Glasgow. When asked what his favorite beer to brew is Kelly was quick to describe the SOS IPA, “I enjoy brewing the SOS IPA the most. It’s probably because of the hops both in the boil and dry
Located on a stretch of E. Main St in Laurel, MT, is High Plains Brewing, and if you blink you just might miss it. And it would be a shame if you did, because High Plains makes some of the finest craft beer in the state and proudly uses Montana ingredients like their own farmed honey, Butte malt, and barn wood from the family’s ranch also adorns the inside of the brewery. There is a feeling of comfort, of being home, that makes High Plains such a desired watering hole. And it’s these simple elements that make High Plains Brewing a true Montana craft-brewing destination spot. Originally a gas station in the ‘30s, owner and farm connoisseur Levi Bequette and his father Dave purchased the site for storage but quickly found the itch to brew creep back into their lives. Levi was the former head brewer at Fat Jack’s in Laurel, and his renowned Honey Porter was leaving a void in the locals’ palette. You see, this isn’t just any Honey Porter; this is Levi Bequette’s Honey Porter. And with Cole Whitmoyer at his side, this particular Honey Porter has been known to induce certain “tendencies,” certain behaviors. As they are keen on saying, “Honey Porter Happens,” and “Proposals Happen,” or even “Pregnancy Happens.” It is truly that transforming, as any local imbiber will attest to. And it is more than just the MONTANA FRESH INGREDIENTS, more than the careful process and the attention to detail. These men were born to brew, which is exactly why their
hopping. The aroma in the brewery on those days is full of citrusy flavors.” In trying to create a good variety of beers Kelly leans on TJ, “TJ is the man who comes up with the recipes. He has many years experience and has a good record of designing good beers! I have learned a lot from him. So we talk and come up with ideas and he makes them work” Black Eagle Brewery also makes sure to remain ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE by monitoring water use and giving spent grain to a local farmer to feed cows and pigs. With the Pit Stop also housing the Raceway Cafe which features a large menu including pizza, burgers, chicken, salads, and sandwiches there is something for everyone to enjoy after taking in a day of Great Falls attractions. Great Falls is an easy choice for anyone looking to enjoy a walk along the river. The Missouri River provides a paved greenbelt as well as many picturesque waterfalls. There is also the Lewis and Clark and Charles Russell Museum for those looking to stay indoors. Though Christa, Kelly, and TJ are active in providing great beer there is surely more to come. Kelly aspires to one day make a more labor intensive flavor, “I would have to say a barrel aged sour would be my choice. Tough for us to make because of the lack of space along with the time. Maybe in the future we will be able to.” Don’t feel compelled to wait on that though and find out what makes Black Eagle another great Montana brewery. (—Article by Alex S Hartford/406Hops)
PAGE 4 • Volumn 1/Issue #3 • A PUBLICATION DEDICATED TO MONTANA’S BREWING NEWS
followers were so eager for High Plains to open shop. And High Plains has much larger goals in their foreseeable future. This summer they plan on opening a patio on the side of the building, where patrons will have the opportunity to enjoy the weather, and even listen to live music. Food trucks also make frequent stops to the brewery, and the favorite tastes of Cajun Phatty’s can be relished, and even the Sandee’s food truck rolls on through. High Plains is also hoping to procure a new license that will enable them to have expanded hours with no drink limit restrictions. And coupled with the relaxed atmosphere and the consistent beers, all of this adds up to big things for the brewery, and the excitement is definitely palpable in Laurel and the surrounding areas. Whether or not you have tried the Honey Porter from High Plains, or the Galaxy Pale Ale, or the Amber, or any one of their high quality brews, there is little doubt that High Plains not only knows exactly what its customers deserve, but is in the continual pursuit of making the best beers in the state. No more cars driving by leaving High Plains unnoticed, no more waiting for fantastic craft brews from their 3,000 square foot tap room, and certainly no reason to ignore what they have accomplished. As I, along with many, many others, am now keen on saying, “High Plains Happened.” (—Article by Josh Michael/406Hops)
Honey I’m Home! Meet Justin and Karli Mosey.
Both are Tap Room managers BUT, at different Helena breweries! Here are snippets from their interview. More on Justin and Karli in the next issue.
Q & A with Justin
Q & A with Karli
Q: Please explain your title and role at your respective breweries. Include as many nuances as you would like. Take us thru a perfect work day if you choose? A: “I manage Lewis and Clark Taproom. Coaching and A: “I am the taproom manager of a very small staff of
Photo by Alex Wolfe
Justin R. Mosey - Taproom Manager Lewis & Clark Brewing Company
Q: If off premise promotional events are a part of your position, please explain from set up to tear down. Most readers attend functions, festivals and fundraisers but do not know the hard work entailed to promote. A: “Our license allows us to cater off-site. This year I’ve set up for a few legislative meet and greets, a brewfest at Yellowstone Club, and Karli & I will be setting up for our respective breweries at Philipsburg’s Ice Association Brewfest. Setting up a jockey box and booth isn’t rocket science. Pouring and talking up good beer and a brewery you’re so proud to a bunch of people who are excited to see you is easy. The hard part for me is being away from home and the taproom. I’m always really stoked to get back to Helena, it’s taprooms, and all of our great friends” Continued from front cover ...
motivating a staff of over 20 of the industry’s hardest working, friendliest, most knowledgeable beer servers (IMHO) is a great privilege. I spend about 25 hours/ week behind the bar and on the floor of our expansive taproom serving 12 delicious beers to hundreds of happy customers. The rest of the week I make schedules, book rooms for private parties, arrange charity nights and off-site events, clean draught lines, take inventory, and place orders.”
Q: Do you execute events in the tap room? Please touch on various types of groups, clubs, fundraisers, music trivia and how you execute for a successful event? A: “We own a restaurant beer and wine license and A: “We have live music every Thursday, and once a enjoy an expansive facility equipped with an art gallery, a game room, two private event rooms, two stages (one indoor, one outdoor) a mezzanine, and a really impressive sound system. Mondays we have an open mic. Tuesdays we have our “Ales For Charity Night” where $1 for every beer sold goes to a local charity. Wednesdays we host an “Cow Tipping,” an improv comedy troupe followed by our own Taproom Trivia. Thursdays and Saturdays we host live music and we provide sound engineers so we’re a destination for a lot of talented touring musicians. Think House of Blues on a small town scale. It cracks me up when, on a slow night, a newbie... asks “is it always this busy in here?”
2 Basset Brewery
Brewery currently has 12 different beers on tap. They include a Blonde Ale, Honey Amber Ale, Extra Special Bitter, IPA, Hefeweizen, Dunkelweizen, Farmhouse Ale, Scottish Ale, Milk Stout, Brown Ale, Irish Red Ale and Porter. But wait…that’s not all. 2 Basset has also served a Rye Pale Ale (RPA) during the Red Ants Pants Music Festival, and a Witbier. They’ve aged a portion of their Vanilla Porter in a bourbon barrel and also have created raspberry and apricot versions of their Hefeweizen. Plans are in the works for a cherry vanilla bourbon porter and a cream ale. Barry is an avid reader and researcher and solicits input from customers as well as visits other Montana breweries for ideas. 2 Basset brewery has a very welcoming atmosphere where people come, relax and enjoy a delicious locally brewed beer. Chris and Barry like to say that folks come into the brewery as strangers and leave as friends. They did most of the renovation themselves. The table tops are fashioned from a local tree and a local barn is part of the wood bar itself. Let’s say you haven’t just finished skiing at
eight, 6 of whom are men. My duties include taking inventory, setting and maintaining service standards, educating staff on the beers we have on tap, social media and keeping our taproom atmosphere aligned with our mission of creating a ‘somewhat organized community.’ ...We are proud to have the most familyfriendly taproom in Helena, parents and their little ones are some of our best and favorite customers.”
Showdown and need a different excuse to visit 2 Basset Brewery - White Sulphur Springs is a great recreation area. There is floating the Smith, boating, camping, hiking, fishing, hunting, skiing, snowmobiling, and snowshoeing. The local hot springs is a big draw and there is a new bakery, and sporting goods store - not to mention some very good dining establishments and various other local businesses. White Sulphur Springs is also home to Red Ants Pants and their awesome music festival held the last weekend in July. 2 Basset Brewery is NOT a well-kept secret. The locals are not selfish – they love to share their fine brewery…and their beers. Stanley and Leroy invite you to visit 2 Basset Brewery to enjoy a Bassito…or a Belter…or Bottom’s Up. One things for sure. When you step through the front door of 2 Basset Brewery you’ll feel right at home! (—Article by Vince/406Hops)
month on a Saturday from 5-8. Our biggest event is Downdogs and Draughts Yoga every Sunday from 11-12. We move all the tables to the perimeter of the room and the taproom turns into a huge yoga studio. The class is only $10, $2 of which is donated to our local non-profit of the week and the cost of the class includes a pint to be enjoyed after class. Downdogs and Draughts draws in upwards of 40 participants, especially during the winter months; we have been doing this yoga event every Sunday for more than a year. We host a ‘Brew a Better Community’ night on Sundays as well, $1 from every pint sold from 5-8 goes to the local non-profit of the week.”
Photo by Alex Wolfe
Karli Mosey - Taproom Manager Ten Mile Creek
Q: Describe any relation to Pink Boots Society or women empowerment for selves or customers? A: “I’ve recently joined the Pink Boots
Society. It has been empowering to join a huge community of ladies with like-minds, facing the same struggles of being taken seriously in a maledominated industry. I’ve been inspired to pursue further education to attack the stigma of “lady brains” behind the bar by showing that I really know what I’m talking about when discussing beer. I love the mission of encouraging women to make craft beer their drink of choice; I rarely allow a lady who has apprehension about beer leave my bar without at least trying something, I love the victory of seeing their surprise when they find something they likeespecially a meaty beer like our Reginald’s Red Ale or our Firetower Coffee Porter.”
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Cut Bank Creek Brewery. Where is Cut Bank and Why Should I Go There?
Cross Country Brewing- Opening Soon Q & A with Kathy Cross interviewing, Owner Justin Cross.
Cut Bank is a hardy little town on U.S. 2 and is a gateway to the eastern entrance of Glacier National Park! The pride of Cut Bank and popular tourist photo op is an iconic 27-foot-tall, concrete Penguin, situated on the east entrance into town. He will tell you it is the “coldest spot in the nation”. Cut Bank no longer holds that record but I can vouch for the penguin, visiting Cut Bank years ago, frozen in my memory- It can be frigid! Very soon Cut Bank is joining the ranks of Montana towns with new breweries. Cut Bank Creek Brewery will be opening their doors serving craft beer all year round, including those bone chillin winter days where good beer and good company will keep you warm thru spring! Louis Stoltz received a Christmas gift of a home brewing kit from his children, and one thing led to another. Louis shared his home brews and word got out. Like many smaller communities, many had never experienced Craft beer before and it was a hit! The Chamber of Commerce encouraged Louis to brew his famous, Penguin Piss Amber beer for the movie premier “Cut Bank”, his beer was a success! Louis brewed and donated 5 more styles to Cut Banks Trail Development Fundraiser, Octoberfest. Not yet ready for retirement coupled with the popularity of his beer Louis and Kim made a final decision to open a brewery. Step one - find a building. The former Cut Bank Plumbing building is a newer building without environment concerns. Long days accrue for both Louis and Kim. In addition to working at CHS Inc.
A family affair. Owners Lonnie and Justin Cross will be opening Cross Country Brewing in Glendive with the help of their two sons, John and Elliot “the Brewers” along with their sons wives Kathy and Janey as the marketing team.
Louis, is the general contractor for the brewery. Kim also works full time in Sunburst, which is quite a jaunt to the North. Cut Bank and the Highline have felt forgotten in the Montana craft beer movement. Deep in agriculture, Cut Bank will showcase the barley grown in their backyard. Kim and Louis plan to make their part of the state famous as people who stop when traveling through. In addition to the now famous Penguin Piss Amber, a Red, Stout IPA and a Pale will be on tap for the grand opening. Kim, showcasing her Belgian heritage would love a Dopplebock on tap, in the near future. Folk Lore Coffee roasted in the neighboring community of Conrad will be featured as well. The source of our water; the headwaters of Cut Bank Creek, begins at the Triple Divide Peak located in Glacier National Park. Glacier county encompasses the best of the mountain and prairies. The Many Glacier area, East Glacier, Two Medicine and The Sweet Grass Hills are all within a 45-60-minute drive from Cut Bank. Spectacular hiking, fishing for walleye or trout, hunting and camping, it is all here! The Blackfeet Indian Reservation is one of Americas most culturally intact native populations. Numerous Hutterite colonies are steeped in centuries-old Germanic tradition. Along the Lewis and Clark trail, Camp Disappointment and the historic Meriwether Lewis fight site are located in the Cut Bank Area too. Come imbibe and explore, Cut Bank has Good People and Good Beer. The Good Life! (—Article by 406Hops)
Q: When, where and what were Justin’s, Elliot’s and John’s first Craft beers and when did they decide to brew from home? A: “Per John: I have been brewing at home for 7 years now. Before that, I was trying out craft beers for about 3 years. At that time, there still was not a whole lot of craft beer on the shelf in Glendive. Bigger craft beers where available; Sam Adams, Alaskan, New Belgium, etc. My brother in law showed me his brewing set up and that is where I started. First beer I brewed was a honey pale ale from a kit, then a stout, then I started designing beers after that.” Q: What will the exact rotators be and briefly explain any special sourcing? A: “We will open with a stout, a brown ale, wheat ale, and an IPA. We have in the rotation an Irish Red, American Pale, a Scottish Ale, Imperial IPA, and developing a lager, saison, and dopplebock.” Q: Please explain the deliciousness of the seasonal blueberry beer. A: “The blueberry ale drinks just like a wheat beer. It is light bodied and dark blue in color with a blueish head. When you take a drink, you get a regular wheat beer with just a touch of fruit smell. After you swallow, the flavor of the blueberries comes through your nose and mouth.” Q: Will you have a patio? Any plans for live music? A: “We have plans for an outdoor patio. It is a small venue so live music for now would be small acoustic music.” Q: What recreation areas and popular tourist activities/attractions are favored? A: “Glendive has a lot of outdoors activities. Makoshika is beautiful for hiking and exploring there is also a great visitors center there. The Yellowstone River offers fishing and wading. Hollecker Lake, north of town on Highway 16, offers a nice swimming hole and some fishing. There is a recreation area south of town for riding dirt bikes, atvs, utvs, and some 4-wheeling. There is the Gateway Museum and a Dinosaur Museum.” OVER 20 MONTANA CRAFT BEERS ON TAP Sit Down and Enjoy a Cold Craft Beer While You Indulge in an Epic Pizza — Or — While You Fill A GROWLER TO GO!
Visit the Growler Filling Station at the Legendary . . . 711 1st Ave N - Great Falls (406) 727-8183 - 10:00AM - 2:00AM
PAGE 6 • Volumn 1/Issue #3 • A PUBLICATION DEDICATED TO MONTANA’S BREWING NEWS
Continued from front cover...
Bunkhouse avoid the temptation to chase the next trend… more hops, crazy ingredients or obscure styles”. The traditional approach shows up on tap with The Bunkhouse’s three regular taps: An Imperial Red ale, an English IPA, and an Oatmeal Stout. That doesn’t mean they avoid more adventurous approach either. The first Tuesday of every month features ten gallons of something fun they wanted to try. Maybe the most unique aspect of the Bunkhouse is their approach to community. The Bunkhouse is almost entirely veteran owned. “The Bunkhouse has strong roots in serving others and I believe that is what drives the Bunkhouse to be a community-driven brewery. Whether we are using our Growlers for Good program to support local charities, volunteering around the Gallatin Valley or partnering with other local businesses, we believe the Bunkhouse strives to be an integral part of our community.” Growlers for Good is a long-term relational charity program that sells co-branded growlers in partnership with various non-profit groups. Every Friday when a Growler for Good growler is filled, the Bunkhouse makes a donation to that specific charity. So far, this year the Bunkhouse has raised $2,000 for Big Sky Bravery, Horses for Heroes, the Gallatin Ice Foundation, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and Rock to the Rescue. Located on West Lincoln Street near Brick Breeden Fieldhouse, the Bunkhouse is an eclectic mix of stone, steel, wood, patrons and beer! The Bunkhouse brews are also available at Red Tractor Pizza and Old Chicago in Bozeman and The Grizzly Brewing- Malmstrom Air Force Base. Andy is currently deployed and graciously relayed all information to his wife from a tent in Southeast Asia, for this article. (—Article by Rusty B/406Hops) 406 Hops Brewing News would like to take this opportunity to thank Andy and Crew for their dedication in service to our Country! WE SALUTE YOU!
ON BOARD
with Don and LuAnn Schrauth It really all started back in June of 2014 when I received a Montana brewery passport from my kids as a gift. I had been to a few Montana breweries since I moved here from WI back in 2013 but this opened up a whole new idea. Being from Wisconsin I had to like beer. On July 15 of 2014 I took my passport to a brewery and it all started. I challenged myself to go to every Montana brewery and drink every beer within 2 years. At that time I didn’t realize how many different beers there were and how many rotators were possible. I originally figured about 300 different beers. On many weekends we would jump in our RV and head to another brewery. Living in Lewistown; right in the middle of the state; made this feat very doable. We logged many miles on our journey. My wife is a very good sport and enjoyed the quest as much as I did. Occasionally one or both of our daughters would venture along. (Family quality time). Missoula area was easy to enjoy their breweries because 1 of our daughters went to college there. The northwest part of the state required an extended weekend. As we neared the 2 year time frame of my personal challenge it looked like I may not make it. Then on a Friday night my wife, LuAnn said,” you know, in order to meet your goal we should go to the last 2 breweries tomorrow.” We ended up doing just that but we only had Saturday because Sunday we had other plans. We left Saturday morning and drove to Wolf Point and Glasgow to the last 2 breweries on my list. A 515 mile trip just to get beer!!!!! I made my goal in 1 week short of my 2 year time frame. We had been to EVERY Montana brewery that had a taproom. Two of the breweries have since closed. As new breweries open up it requires another road trip. Miles City was the latest new one for us. We continue to go to breweries and check out their new beers. I enjoy visiting with the other patrons. They are always impressed when I show them my original Montana passport and the new modified one that LuAnn made for me. (I ran out of room.) We have had many interesting conversations. I always tell people, “everyone needs a hobby. Mine is beer.” We once met 2 people that live 10
miles from where we used to live back in Wisconsin and we were at Kalispell Brewing. It is amazing how small the world really is when enjoying a beer. EVERY brewery is fun and different in their own way. That’s another reason we enjoy them. Some have great food to enjoy with our beer. Many people ask me who makes my favorite beer and which is my favorite brewery. That is privilege information for family and friends. I enjoy SO many. I tend to enjoy the darker beers over the lighter ones. I originally didn’t care for IPA’s but I have acquired a taste for some of them. Some beers taste different from a can or bottle as from the tap. The nitro beers are awesome. I haven’t made a decision on these new sour beers. If they have them, I purchase a glass, a crowler, a grunt, a growler and a sticker at each brewery and proudly display them in my pool table room.
I have met others who have the passport, but nobody I have met has gone to all breweries like we did. We will continue to go to breweries we have already been to and await the opening of new ones. 2017 looks like the possibility of 4 or 5 new ones.
Here in Lewistown we have the unfortunate distinction of being the largest city in Montana WITHOUT a brewery. A few people have explored the possibility, but I keep waiting patiently. As of today LuAnn and I have been to every Montana brewery with a taproom and I have enjoyed 1,000 different beers from 68 different Montana breweries! —Sincerely, Don
Editors Note: We were honored to celebrate with Don Schrauth (aka MT BeerNut) along with his family and friends on January 21, 2017 at Angry Hanks in Billings as he enjoyed a Helles Bock as his number 1000. Quite an accomplishment Don - SALUTE! Join us in Don & LuAnn adventures across Montana. Don has offered to tell his story and share his love of beer with our followers. Read all about this incredible journey in which ALL Montana Brewery’s were visited in less than two years. We look forward to reading all about it in future issues. Welcome to the TEAM! And to think that it all started with a Montana Brewery PASSPORT from his kids as a gift.
Congratulations Don and LuAnn on Don’s We received a great deal of wonderful information in concern to the Bunkhouse we will be featuring an additional article in the next issue of 406 HOPSBN- So stay tuned!
1000 Montana Microbrew Achievement! From Your Lewistown Friends LIKE US ON FACEBOOK • WWW.406HOPS.COM • 406-850-5113 • PAGE 7
Eureka
1
Cut Bank Havre
Whitefish
Libby
Columbia Falls Bigfork
Lakeside
Thompson Falls
3
Polson
Black Eagle Great Falls Belt
Superior
Missoula
If you are a brewery/ taproom owner & would like to be added to this list or see incorrect info, call Treva at 406-850-5113
Lolo Stevensville
Hamilton
Helena Philipsburg
White Sulphur Springs
Deer Lodge
4
Butte
Darby
Belgrade Laurel Bozeman
™
2
Livingston
Sheridan Dillon
BREWING NEWS
Red Lodge Big Sky
All roads lead to the
AREA 1 - Glacier Country Backslope Brewing | 406-897-2850 1107 9th St. W. (Hwy 2), Columbia Falls backslopebrewing.com
OVER 75 Dunluce Brewing | 406-531-4578 Superior, Montana dunlucebrewing.com
Higherground Brewing | 406-375-5204 518 N. 1st St., Hamilton highergroundbrewing.com Imagine Nation Brewing | 406-459-8993 1151 W. Broadway, Missoula imaginenationbrewing.com
Big Sky Brewing Company | 406-549-2777 5417 Trumpeter Way, Missoula bigskybrew.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 FLB #3 of Missoula | 406-542-3847 424 N. Higgins Blvd., Missoula flatheadlakebrewing.com
Bitter Root Brewing | 406-363-7468 101 Marcus St., Hamilton bitterrootbrewing.com
Gild Brewing | 515 S. Higgins, Missoula Opening Soon
Blacksmith Brewing | 406-777-0680 114 Main St., Stevensville blacksmithbrewing.com
Glacier Brewing | 406-883-2595 6 Tenth Avenue East, Polson glacierbrewing.com
Bonsai Brewing | 406-730-1717 549 Wisconsin Ave., Whitefish bonsaibrew.com
Great Burn Brewing | 406-317-1557 2230 McDonald Ave., Missoula greatburnbrewing.com
Cabinet Mountain Brewing | 406-293-2739 206 Mineral Ave., Libby cabinetmountainbrewing.com
Great Northern Brewing | 406-863-1000 2 Central Ave., Whitefish greatnorthernbrewing.com
Draught Works Brewing | 406-541-1592 915 Toole Ave., Missoula draughtworksbrewery.com
H.A. Brewing Co. | 406-889-3950 2525 Grave Creek Rd., Eureka habrewing.com
Bandit Brewing Co. | 406-646-6003 308 E. Tanner, Darby banditbeer.com Bayern Brewing, Inc. | 406-721-1482 1507 Montana St., Missoula bayernbrewery.com
Billings
Kalispell Brewing | 406-756-BREW 412 Main St., Kalispell kalispellbrewing.com Kettlehouse Brewing | 406-728-1660 Southside: 602 Myrtle St., Missoula Northside: 313 N. 1st St. W, Missoula kettlehouse.com Limberlost Brewing Company | 406-356-6198 1017 Main St., Thompson Falls limberlostbrewingcompany.com Opening Soon Lolo Peak Brewing | 406-493-6231 6201 Brewery Way, Lolo lolopeakbrewing.com
bozemantaproom.com
Our main bar features 45 beers (inclu top deck highlights an additional 13 b is tapped, including wine. This allows a cleaner, greener Bozeman. In ad sourced locally or fro
321 E. Mendenhall St TB #2 | 406-830-3113 231 W Front St., Missoula tamarackbrewing.com Wildwood Brewing | 406-777-2855 4018 US Hwy 93 North, Stevensville wildwoodbrewing.com
AREA 2 - Southwest Montana
Missoula Brewing Company | 406-549-8193 200 International Blvd., Missoula highlanderbeer.com
Beaverhead Brewing | 406-988-0011 218 South Montana St., Dillon beaverheadbeer.com
Tamarack Brewing TB #1 | 406-844-0244 105 Blacktail Road, Lakeside
Blackfoot River Brewing | 406-449-3005 66 S. Park Ave., Helena blackfootriverbrewing.com
PAGE 8 • Volumn 1/Issue #3 • A PUBLICATION DEDICATED TO MONTANA’S BREWING NEWS
5
Glasgow
Harvest Moon Brewery | 406-277-3188 7 Fifth Street South, Belt harvestmoonbrew.com
White Dog Brewing Co | 406-992-5798 121 W. Main St., Unit B, Bozeman whitedogbrewing.com
Mighty Mo Brewing | 406-952-0342 412 Central Ave., Great Falls mightymobrewing.com
AREA 5 - Missouri River Country
The Front Brewing Company | 406-727-3947 215 3rd St. NW, Great Falls thefrontbrewing.com (Temporarily Closed)
Wolf Point
Triple Dog Brewing | 406-879-8103 675 1st St. West, Havre facebook.com/brewon2
Sidney
AREA 4 - Yellowstone Country 2 Basset Brewery | 406-547-BEER 202 E. Main, White Sulphur Springs 2bassetbrewery.com
Glendive Wibaux
6
406 Brewing Co. | 406-585-3745 101 East Oak, Suite D, Bozeman 406brewing.com Miles City
Bar 3 BBQ & Brewing | 406-388-9182 100 S Broadway, Belgrade bar3bbq.com Beehive Basin Brewery | 406-995-7444 245 Town Center Ave., Big Sky beehivebasinbrewery.com Bozeman Brewing Company | 406-585-9142 504 N. Broadway, Bozeman bozemanbrewing.com Bridger Brewing | 406-587-2124 1609 South 11th Ave., Bozeman bridgerbrewing.com 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
e Bozeman Taproom
5 taps!
Hours 11:00AM - 2:00AM
uding 2 casks) and 9 wines. The roof beers and 9 wines. Everything we pour us to reduce can and bottle waste for ddition, many of our food items are om Montana. Cheers!
t. Bozeman, MT
Quarry Brewing | 406-723-0245 124 W. Broadway, Butte wedig.beer Ruby Valley Brew | 406-842 5977 111 S Main St., Sheridan Opening Soon Smelter City Brewing | 101 Main St., Anaconda facebook.com/Smelter-City-Brewing Opening Soon
Butte Brewing | 406-491-5980 465 East Galena St., Butte facebook.com/buttebrewing
Ten Mile Creek Brewery | 406-231-0575 48 N. Last Chance Gulch, Helena facebook.com/TenMileCreekBrewery
Elk Ridge Brewing Company | 406-560-2252 320 N. Main St., Deer Lodge elkridgebrewingcompany.com Opening Soon
AREA 3 - Central Montana
Lewis and Clark Brewing | 406-442-5960 1517 Dodge Ave., Helena lewisandclarkbrewing.com Muddy Creek Brewery | 406-299-3645 2 E. Galena St., Butte facebook.com/muddycreekbrewery
Black Eagle Brewery | 406-868-1866 1602 25th Ave. NE, Black Eagle pitstopblackeagle.com Cut Bank Creek Brewery | 406-229-0298 315 East Rail Road, Cut Bank cutbankcreekbrewery.com Opening Soon
Bunkhouse Brewery | 406-577-2074 1216 W. Lincoln St., Bozeman bunkhousebrewery.com Gally’s Brewing | 406-208-8256 32 South Central, Harlowton facebook.com/gallysbrewingco Opening Soon Katabatic Brewing Company | 406-333-2855 117 West Park St., Livingston katabaticbrewing.com Lone Peak Brewery | 406-995-3939 48 Market Place, Big Sky lonepeakbrewery.com Madison River Brewing Co | 406-599-3429 20900 Frontage Rd., Building B, Belgrade madisonriverbrewing.com Map Brewing Company | 406-587-4070 510 Manley Road, Bozeman mapbrewing.com Neptune’s Brewery | 406-222-7837 119 North L St., Livingston neptunesbrewery.com
Busted Knuckle Brewery | 406-228-2277 303 1st Avenue South, Glasgow facebook.com/bustedknucklebrew Meadowlark Brewing | 406-433-2337 117 S. Central Ave., Sidney meadowlarkbrewing.com Missouri Breaks Brewing | 406-653-1467 326 Main, Wolf Point missouribreaksbrewing.com
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 Country 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 Last Chance Pub & Cider Mill | 406-534-8918 2203 Montana Ave., Billings lastchancecider.com Montana Brewing Co | 406-252-9200 113 N. Broadway, Billings montanabrewingcompany.com Old Skool Brewery | 406-690-5034 115 E Montana Ave., Baker facebook.com/oldskoolbrew Opening Soon Thirsty Street Brewing Co. | 406-969-3200 3008 1st Avenue N., Billings thirstystreet.com TiltWürks | 406- 874-8458 420 Pacific Ave., Miles City milescitybrewery.com Überbrew | 406-534-6960 2305 Montana Ave., Billings uberbrewmt.com
Outlaw Brewing | 406-577-2403 2876 North 27th Ave., Bozeman outlaw-brewing.com
White City Brewing | 406-998-9521 113 Main St., Lavina facebook.com/whitecitybrewing Opening Soon
Red Lodge Ales | 406-446-4607 1445 North Broadway, Red Lodge redlodgeales.com
Yellowstone Valley Brewing | 406-245-0918 2123 B 1st Avenue N., Billings yellowstonevalleybrew.com
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Montana Craft Malt to Improve Malt Supply for Craft Brewing. BUTTE, Montana: A local team of investors has organized to build a 10,000 ton malting facility in Montana that will serve the craft brewing industry with diverse varieties of malt produced exclusively from Montana-grown barley. “Montana has arguably the best growing environment in the world for barley -- a wealth of sophisticated growers, strong logistics infrastructure, and abundant quality water supply – it’s sort of nirvana, really. The coming together of all these things positions us very well to satisfy the diverse needs of the booming craft brewing industry, in Montana and beyond,” said local businessman Ron Ueland, President of the venture Montana Craft Malt. The craft brewing industry has been growing at breakneck speed in the last 10 years, and the result is a need for high quality, specialized malts in order to deliver the sugars for fermentation in the brewing process, as well as provide additional flavor to make each beer variety a favorable craft product. Having access to multiple varieties of malt is key for brewers looking to differentiate their brews. The malt plant will be specifically designed to produce smaller batches of specialty malts for craft brewing customers. The plant will allow for batch flexibility and versatility, unlike the large batch, production-centered approach of the
macro-maltsters. The malthouse can be expanded or replicated in the future, should the demand for craft malt continue to grow beyond the 10,000 tons per the specifications of the initial design. Per Dustin de Yong of the Montana Department of Commerce, “Montana’s craft brewers and distillers have been nationally recognized for their excellence. Likewise, Montana grains are known as some of the best on the continent. A feasibility study conducted by our office at the request of Department of Agriculture Director, Ron de Yong, was published in 2014 and played a major role in bringing this opportunity to fruition. Mr. Ueland’s knowledge and history of success in the agricultural industry will help to deliver a product unmatched and unavailable in the marketplace today. We are very excited to see this development realized and in the hands of a capable Montanan.” The group leveraged the Department of Commerce’s market data and also surveyed a number of craft brewers to validate the opportunity. “We understand craft brewers value a sense of place with their ingredients. They prefer not to buy from commodity markets where the true origin of those ingredients is unknown, and where ingredients are not widely differentiated. They’re telling us they would prefer to buy locally, with the ability to buy diverse varieties that will allow them to differentiate their product without
paying import taxes or high shipping costs,” said Jennifer O’Brien, Montana Craft Malt’s marketing lead. “For Montana’s craft brewers, Montana Craft Malt will allow them to play with unique malts – even some heirloom and European varieties – from which they can achieve flavorful brews, while also enjoying the marketable properties of a truly local beer.” As for craft brewers outside Montana, “We are confident that our brand will be recognized across the industry for the quality within our diverse product portfolio, the proficiency of our malting process, and the origin of the malted grain itself. Furthermore, bringing out-of-state dollars into Montana will further bolster the economic impact of this value-added project, “ says Ueland. “Quality is a hallmark of the wheat and barley grown by our farmers,” said Lola Raska, Executive Vice President of the Montana Grain Growers Association, “and we are very pleased with news of this new malting facility. Specialized malts for the growing craft brewing industry, made from our members’ high quality barley, will be a fantastic addition to Montana’s ag community.” Collin Watters, Executive Vice President of The Montana Wheat and Barley Committee adds, “We are excited about the opportunity this business represents for Montana’s malting barley growers. Access to a diverse market is critical for growers’ long term profitability.” Working with an alliance of select craft brewers, Montana Craft Malt plans to partner with Northern Seed and the Montana State University barley lab, under the direction of Dr. Jamie Sherman, to identify and test a diverse portfolio of base malt and specialty malts, allowing the brewers an opportunity to help shape the product offering from seed to bottle. These partnerships will also allow Montana Craft Malt to provide batch data to brewers, something that is necessary to manage consistency in brewing, but isn’t always available to them today. “This is an exciting time for our team – we’re looking forward to cracking into this under-served industry and offering a product portfolio that truly
honors the art and science that is craft brewing. In an industry that was dominated by macro brews for so long, the malt supply chain was shaped by ‘drinkability’ properties, and what we’re seeing with the emergence of craft brewing is a different set of values, where it’s more about heritage, flavor, and sourcing locally – we’re couldn’t be more excited to serve this value system,” O’Brien said. Montana Craft Malt is currently in the site selection process, considering a few strategic locations in and around the Butte, Montana area. These locations are being considered due to their proximity to growers, transportation infrastructure, access to clean water supply, turnkey availability of utilities, and other business incentives. The group plans to make a decision on site selection in the coming month. Including land and equipment, the 10,000 ton facility is projected to be a $15 million capital expenditure, says the investor group. Dick Anderson Construction has been contracted for construction management and CMC Engineering and Management, LTD has been chosen for design engineering. “At the end of the day,this is about Montana. Period. Our teams hares a deep commitment to Montana growers and the local business community. The barley growers win because they have a locally owned buyer for their barley. Our craft brewer customers win because we intend on providing them malt that is crafted to their specifications and quality standards. And Montana wins, because this is a project that will bring construction and operations jobs, it will bring people to town when they do business with us, and we will be a buyer of local utilities and supplies,” said Ueland. “We don’t want to continue to export our raw materials to other states for processing, were going to do it all here, and produce a darn good product.” An investor group has been formed and Montana Craft Malt expects to begin construction on its malt house in 2017, with the first batches of malt available to brewers in 2018. Source: Jennifer O’Brien - Montana Craft Malt
www.acesmt.com
SC RE PR EN OM PR EM OT INTI BR ION NG PR OID AL IN ER DE TIN Y SI G DE GN CA SI LS GN BA S NN VE ERS HI AN CLES DM OR E.. .
SHOP FOR YOUR LIFE. DESIGN WITH YOUR STYLE. BUY ANYTIME FROM ANYWHERE.
PAGE 10 • Volumn 1/Issue #3 • A PUBLICATION DEDICATED TO MONTANA’S BREWING NEWS
Owners Shea and Jill Dawson
Quench Your Thirst at Thirsty Street.
Mighty Mo Proves that Mo is Definitely Better.
The name says it all. If you are in the mood for a scrumptious beer than this is where you need to go. Owners Shea and Jill Dawson have always had a love for beer and after taking a brewery science class in college, Shea found himself with a new passion and started brewing at home. After moving to Billings and falling in love with the city, they decided to plant their roots. In 2016, Thirsty Street was born and they brewed almost 400 barrels. Currently they have 10 beers on tap, along with a Nitro pour. They released their first bottles in November and will continue to release bottles of specialty beers like the Trailhead Whiskey “Barrel Aged Imperial Stout” and Cabernet Sauvignon barrel aged “Oaked Up Plum Sour”, which are both available in corked 750ml Belgian bottles for in-house purchase. You can also order their beer at Commons 1882, The Divide, Rib and Chop House in Billings; Trails Inn in Miles City. They do plan to increase distribution in 2017 so keep on eye out. Most malts come from Great Falls and hops from PNW, with specialty ingredients like fruit and honey from vendors right here in Montana. There are not a lot of breweries that naturally carbonate their beer in kegs and produce unfiltered beer. This allows them to make beer without chemicals and additives, a fact that they are very proud of. Spent grains are even picked up by farmers to use as feed and they recycle all of there bottles. All their beers are produced, kegged and bottled in-house. With Shea brewing and Jill managing the taproom, its safe to say their life is their beer and you can taste the love and hard work they put into there business. Being a small brewery gives them the
When one enters the recently renovated Mighty Mo in downtown Great Falls, MT, “Mo” is most definitely on the mind. Because they have it all; tasty handcrafted pizza and sublime wings, artisan salads and appetizers to whet any palette. The food borders on superlative. And did we mention they have beer? Not just some of the best beer in Great Falls, but consistently some of the best beer in the state. Whether you’re in the mood for an India Pale Ale, Porter, Red Ale, or an American Hefeweizen, or just want to enjoy fantastic food and good company, Mighty Mo has you covered. It wasn’t always an easy road for the guys at Mighty Mo, and after finally securing a building in downtown Great Falls, they realized the battle had just begun. They had to make sure the building was structurally sound enough to support the tanks, as there was a basement underneath them, and even getting the tanks themselves inside proved difficult. Co-owner Seth Swingley admits they had their fair share of bumps and turns, and when they originally opened they weren’t too keen on having food and decided it was best to just do beer. That changed within three months. They not only decided to go the food route, and keeping with the tradition of Mighty Mo quality ingredients, they decided to produce food that could match the craftsmanship of their beer. This coupling has made Mighty Mo the premier spot to savor both food and drink alike. But their beer is startlingly good. They purchase their base malt from Malteurop in Great Falls, and most of their beer is named for the Missouri River (also known as the Mighty Mo) and
flexibility to have fun with their brews with inspiration always flowing. They currently have barrels that will take a year or more before they are ready to consume, so it’s just a matter of time before we get a taste of their latest creation. So if you’re worried about the future, here is something to look forward too. Beer isn’t the only thing this watering hole has to offer. They also serve wine in case you are not in the mood for a brew. If you are on the hungry side, they serve Montana-make hotdogs and sausages. Rotating food trucks are also a nice added bonus. Shea and Jill love to have fun and enjoy putting on events like Live Music, “Brews and Brushes”, “Beer and Yoga”, “Cornhole for a Cause” and much more. Visit their website at www.thirstystreet.com for upcoming events! Thirsty Street offers the ever popular shuffle board, billiards table, darts and large screen TVs; its common for locals to be seen imbibing while playing board and card games too. They are open late - so no matter what you are looking for, Thirsty Street is the place to be. Make Billings a destination and work up a thirst by hiking the scenic Rimrocks, enjoy the many parks, river and water activities, downtown stores, galleries and museums. So come say hi and quench your thirst at Thirsty Street. (—Article by Bella Corrin/406Hops)
related to fishing. Try a Rising Trout Pale Ale at 5.6% ABV, or a Lip Ripper IPA for a good dose of hops. Another favorite is the Dam Fog American Style Hefeweizen at 5% ABV. It is an aptly named brew, and resembles the mist coming off the Missouri River. Or if you live the mantra “go big or go home” try a Smoke Jumper Strong Scotch Ale at 7.3% ABV and 20 IBU’s. And besides just the hip beer names, the labels are also fashionable and stir up images of Montana settings as well as expertly shot images of the Missouri River. The Lip Ripper IPA is a still shot of a fish hooked and skipping out of the water, perfectly embodying the tasty brew that lurks within. Casey Kingsland, the co-owner and head brewer, does a first-rate job balancing his choices of beers to brew and also what locals would like to try. A popular beer style at the moment are the fruit beers, something Casey had originally decided he wasn’t interested in brewing. But true to form, he tried his hand at brewing this decidedly specialty beer, and now Mighty Mo includes two fruit beers from their seasonal series. Seth regularly teases him, saying they should have named it the “Hypocrisy Series” instead. These guys know how to have a good time, and Mighty Mo exemplifies this idea of fun and community in any task they choose to undertake. From their Raise-A-Pint Night, where they donate money from each pint sold to benefit a featured organization, down to their food, to their atmosphere, and the consummate beer they produce. Everything at Mighty Mo is done the right way, proving Mo is definitely better. (—Article by Josh Michael/406Hops)
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Celebrating W O M E N in Brewing. Madam President By: Dr. Paul J. Pope Rimrock Brewers Guild’s election resulted in a wonderful precedent. I was asked by the editors of 406 Hops, who are all women I might add, to interview President Hogue about taking this leadership role with this grand club and the state of women in the industry/hobby. If you work in the brewing industry or are a homebrewer who is a member of a club you will notice a distinct lack of brewers of the female persuasion. I cannot say exactly why this is for sure; or why brewing tends to be more attractive to men than women, but it appears that way. I do feel the brewing community in general is very open and welcoming to women brewers (or brewsters to use antiquated parlance). My experience within the brewing community has been overwhelmingly positive and welcoming to all. If you geek out about beer we can get along regardless of everything else. Perhaps delving into the sociocultural dynamics of brewing culture might make a great story in the future. Until then, without further ado, this is my interview with the Rimrock Brewers Guild’s first female President, Sarah Hogue.
Q & A with Sarah Hogue Q: How long have you been home brewing and what got you interested? A: “I have been home brewing for about 6 years. When my husband and I started brewing we lived in Missoula and I was going to college, then we moved to Billings and were founding members of the Rimrock Brewers Guild. I originally became interested in home brewing because I LOVE beer and my husband said, let’s try making our own. So we did!” Q: Your husband is also a home brewer, how is it brewing with him? A: “We really enjoy brewing together. Sometimes we have a hard time deciding what to brew, but once we come up with a recipe, we usually do the shopping, cleaning, and brewing as a team. Team Hogue Brewing!” Q: Which one of you comes up with the beer recipes? A: “Once we decide on a style of beer to brew, it is usually the one who was successful in persuading the other to brew the kind of beer they wanted. Although, lately, I have been the one designing the recipes.” Q: Have you entered and/or placed in any home brewing competitions since you began brewing? A: “We have entered in a few competitions. We have not placed in any, but really enjoy the feedback that we get from entering competitions. We are really looking forward to entering a few this year.” Q: Can you tell us a little about your professional background? Has this had any influence at all on your brewing? A: “I am an oncology pharmacist. I have a very strong background in science and math, with chemistry being my favorite. This did play into my interest in brewing, because it is basically a giant chemistry experiment every time we brew! I love the science behind it. I started brewing when I was in the pharmacy school. After pharmacy school, I did two years of residency, one year in Wisconsin and one year in Idaho. I was able to participate in the home brew clubs while I was touring the US and am excited to bring some of the things I learned back to Billings.” Q: You were recently elected as the President of the Rimrock Brewers Guild. You are the third president and the first female president for the club. What has that experience been like so far? A: “I am really excited to be President of the RBG. So far it is just a lot of fun. We have a lot of fun things planned for the coming year.”
Every Brew Presents
an Opportunity to Learn and Evolve. When first asked to write this article, I thought to myself, “Where do I even begin?”. Then it occurred to me that I should just simply start at the beginning. For me that place happened to be in a bookstore. I grew up in the micro brew rich Pacific Northwest and when I moved to my father’s native Montana, I felt a little deprived. Every trip back to visit family turned into a quest to consume as much variety as possible before my return to the beer desert that I know called home. A few brews we’re making their way over the Rockies and some breweries even popping up around the state, but not enough to satisfy the gap left by my upbringing. So, one day while perusing a bookstore I frequented, I stumbled across a home brew book and began to read with mixed feelings of excitement and trepidation how I could do this myself. Three days later found me standing in a brewery supply store buying ingredients and armed with some borrowed equipment, and hasty advice my first batch of beer was well on its way. And guess what? It was fantastic! Finally the drought was over.
(From left to right) Friends Jace and Nicole Christensen, with Sarah Hogue and her husband Casey at the 2016 GABF
Q: What concerns, if any, you had about being the club’s first female leader? A: “Honestly, I was pretty shocked when I was elected. I was pretty concerned about how people would feel about a female president, as home brewing is typically a male oriented activity. So far, as president, I haven’t really run into any issues. So hopefully that continues.” Q: Home brewing seems to be mostly a male oriented activity, but do you know many women brewers? A: “I know a few other women who brew with their husbands, but other than that not really.” Q: Making beer and beer drinking is commonly associated mostly with men, what has been your experience, as a woman, in this crazy beer community? A: “For the most part I feel that women in Billings are pretty well accepted in the beer drinking community, but it has taken a while to bring people around to the fact that I brew beer. Whenever I meet new people and they find out that I brew beer they are always really surprised, and then ask me a lot of questions about that. Now when I tell people that I am the president of the RBG, they don’t really know how to react. Personally, I have become pretty well accepted within the beer community.” Q: Why do you think less women than men take up the hobby or become professional brewers? A: “I think that traditionally, beer has been more geared to men. Girls don’t typically see their mothers drinking beer at dinner. Women typically drink more wine, so that is all girls know. Also, I think the media has something to do with it as well, you don’t see a lot of women on TV or in movies drinking beer. Growing up, my mom would drink a beer every once in a while, so I never thought twice about it. My mom likes beer way more than my dad.” Q: Do you have any advice for women, or really anyone, who wants to start brewing beer? A: “If you want to start brewing beer, find your local home brew club, if there is one. We are all so very welcoming and love new people!! Also, go down to the local home brew shop. The folks who run your LHBS can impart so much knowledge and help you along the way. Also, there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with brewing from a kit that you can get from the LHBS or even from the internet. That is how my husband and I first brewed, and it was a great way to learn the brewing process without having to think so much about what all needs to go in the recipe, because everything you need is contained in the box.” Q: Do you think the brewing community in Montana has been receptive of women brewing beer? A: “I think they have been pretty receptive of women brewing beer. The cool thing about the brewing community, is that they are really nice, friendly, people who really just care about beer! They don’t care who you are or where you come from, if you like beer, then you have something in common.”
Now there are breweries everywhere (thank goodness), but I still enjoy the creative process and having my own stash of beautiful little gems on hand. I love all kinds of beer and over the years have brewed many varieties. Many brewers progress to all grain batches and kegging their brews. I still prefer smaller quicker batches and bottles. I now work at Vintage Sellers in Great Falls and we recently opened up space for a good sized brew and wine making department. It has been a blast ordering in new things and meeting fellow brewers. The one thing I hear from people who are new to brewing is how intimidating it seems to get started and I always tell them take it one step at a time. After all, you have days in between each phase to figure out the details so don’t sweat the big picture. The beer brewing community is more than generous with their advice and for that I am grateful. Every brew presents an opportunity to learn and evolve. Women brewing is becoming more common, and lets face it, we know our way around the kitchen and for me the brew process is no different than trying out a new recipe each and every time. So to those wanting to explore this rewarding craft, jump in the wort is fine! And to all those who paved the way, thank you, I love brewing beer... (—Article by Heather Wade/Homebrewer)
PAGE 12 • Volumn 1/Issue #3 • A PUBLICATION DEDICATED TO MONTANA’S BREWING NEWS
Philipsburg Brewing Company to Host Women in Industry for All-Female Brew Day PHILIPSBURG, MT – Philipsburg Brewing Company is hosting an allfemale brew day on Wednesday, March 8, for International Women’s Day along with Pink Boots Society’s Big Boots Brew. This collaboration brew is facilitated by the international organization Pink Boots Society that assists, inspires and encourages women beer professionals through education. Philipsburg Brewing Company’s Sales Representative & Marketing Manager, Maddy Mason, also the recipient of a PBS scholarship in 2015, along with Montana Chapter President KettleHouse’s Northside Lead Brewer, Corey Regini are hosting any women who make income from the beer industry, not just brewers – bloggers, bartenders and more – to join them for the brew day in Philipsburg.
Owners Maggie & Cole Doherty
Maggie Doherty, Beer Ambassador
-Kalispell Brewing.
Kalispell Brewing Company, the name of which is not only a nod to reflecting home town pride and heritage, but also to Kalispell’s Brewing history which began in the late 1800’s with the start of Kalispell Malting and Brewing Company, was co founded in 2012 by the husband and wife team, Cole Schneider and Maggie Doherty. Cole is the owner and head brewer. Maggie is the Beer Ambassador and Public Relations gal. The duo spent the next 2 years shoring up the 100 year old building they purchased to house their brewery, going out of their way to preserve the buildings history and integrity to the best of their abilities. Essentially they became the general contractors for the project. The brewery has been open for 3 years now. KBC’s focus is on brewing quality German lagers. It currently has 5 mainstay brews and has 10-12 beers on tap at a time. The hops used by
KBC are acquired from Germany, Oregon, Washington, and Glacier Hops Ranch in Whitefish. The hops obtained from Whitefish are used to make a seasonal Pilsner which they named Fresh Hop by Pop, which coincides with Maggie’s pregnancy and birth of their now 16 month old son. They also have some new hops coming from New Zealand. Cole and Maggie’s niche is in the centuries old process of decoction brewing. They are also currently working on some barrel aging and souring projects, which she said would be ready to go in approximately 3 years time. They self distribute their beers throughout Flathead County. And they have a mobile canning line which cans 6 packs of their Two Ski Brewskis Pilsner. Maggie first fell in love with Montana and our
mountains at the age of 13 when she was here for a skiing trip at Big Sky Resort, and promised herself then and there that one day she would indeed end up in our gorgeous state. She grew up in Boyne, near the shores of Lake Michigan. She began skiing at the age of two and has been skiing ever since. She graduated from DePauw University with a degree in English. One week later, she kept that promise made by her 13 year old self and made the move to Montana. Maggie met Cole in 2010 at Whitefish Mountain Resort where they both happened to be training for the National Championships in Telemark skiing. From there, they both traveled with the US National Telemark team to Germany, Norway, and Austria. Her first exposure to craft beer was in high school when she worked for the now defunct Boyne River Brewing Company. In college, she discovered she wasn’t a fan of mass produced beers and sought more unique varieties. Her husband started home brewing while he was in college. She’s always enjoyed the tap house feeling and says that food and beverage interests are in her family’s makeup. Currently, she is co-owner of the brewery, is attending grad school, and is co-parenting a 16 month old. She refers to herself as “BEER AMBASSADOR”, is intrigued by the fusion of art and science as it lends itself to beer making, “is an ever-eager taste tester and student of craft beer, a fan of fermentation, and is all about helping others become ardent craft brewery lovers.” (—Article by Lynn Jourdonnais/406Hops)
Currently, there are nearly a dozen women planning to attend from other breweries across the state – Draught Works, Katabatic, etc. -- as well as attendees from prominent beer bars such as The Dram Shop in Missoula and Montana Ale Works in Bozeman. The beer will be released early April and a portion of the proceeds from the brew will go back to Pink Boots Society. For more information or to join for the March 8th brew day, please contact Maddy Mason, maddy@philipsburgbrewingcompany.com at Philipsburg Brewing Company. Philipsburg Brewing Company opened its doors in 2012 with the idea of providing quality, hand crafted beers, in a friendly, unique setting. Philipsburg Brewing Company uses only the finest Montana malt and local mountain spring water to craft our beer. Mike Elliott, Head Brewer, has quickly earned a reputation for creating unique, crisp and refreshing lagers and ales.
Ninkasi We don’t actually know the individual who first created beer, but according to research conducted by historian Jane Peyton, for thousands of years brewing beer was a woman’s domain. According to a 2010 Telegraph piece: “Nearly 7,000 years ago in Mesopotamia and Sumeria, so important were [women’s] skills that they were the only ones allowed to brew the drink or run any taverns.” Beer was even considered a gift from Ninkasi. Ninkasi is female, and the fact that a female deity was invoked in prayer with regards to the production of brewed beverages illustrated the relationship between brewing and women as a domestic right and responsibility.
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Montana HOMEBREWING CLUB News Get involved with the Bridger Brew Crew Club. Nestled in the Gallatin Valley, the Bridger Brew Crew is a popular homebrewing club amongst area makers of beer, cider, mead, wine, and kombucha, as well as many other fermented beverages and cultured foods. Founded in 2008, the club’s purpose is simple: to share the joy, art, and knowledge of the homebrewing with others. As with any initial set of goals, the club has evolved over time. Today, the Bridger Brew Crew encompasses much more than beer with an increasing number of activities also incorporating other types of fermented creations. Getting involved with the club is easy. Bridger Brew Crew meets the first Thursday of every month at 6pm. These gatherings are always free and open to everyone and rotate between three local breweries in either Bozeman or Belgrade. Get-togethers are a social time where members get to know one another, catch up on the latest brewing news, and taste a plethora of fermented beverages. In addition to the monthly meetups, at least one other member event is held each month. These special events are open to dues-paying
members and cater to improving knowledge of fermentation processes and techniques. Typical offerings include group brew days, brew challenges, sensory and palate training, brewery tours, and style specific tastings. The club also hosts annual activities such as the club campout where this past year members brewed a stein gruit using nothing but hot stones (heated in a campfire) as a heat source and a creek for a wort chiller. Most recently, members enjoyed a Dunkelweizen brew day. Attendees participated in brewing this beer and learning the mechanics of a step mash schedule on an electric brewing system. Events on the horizon include a White Dog Brewing Tour and Tasting and the March Club Meetup. Also, occurring this March is the first annual Bozeman Brew Off—a homebrew competition open to the public and hosted by the club. Online registration is now open with the entry window happening March 1st to the 10th. Judging will take place March 18th and 19th. The winner will have their recipe brewed on a commercial
scale at Bridger Brewing. The winning beer will then be available on tap during Bozeman Craft Beer Week (May 6th – 13th). Prizes and brewery swag will also be awarded. Those interested in entering beers in the Bozeman Brew Off can do so at https://www.bridgerbrewcrew.org/bozemanbrewoff-2017/. Interested homebrewers can connect with the club members immediately on the group’s Facebook Page and Facebook Group. The FB group includes members from all over and is often used
as place to share news, ask questions, and give and receive brewing advice. Overall the club has approximately 30 dues-paying members and monthly meeting attendance ranges from 25 to 40 people. The easiest and best way to learn more is to come out and have a pint at any of the monthly meetups. Learn how to get involved by visiting the club’s website at www. bridgerbrewcrew.org. (—Article by Bridger Brew Crew)
Brewing a stone gruit at the first annual club campout in Paradise Valley.
Mark your Calendars! Member John H. tasting some of the club’s offerings.
Examining a beer is more than just tasting it. Large turn out at first meeting of 2017, MAP Brewing Company.
The winning beer will be brewed on Bridger Brewing's 10-barrel brew system and made available on tap at the brewery during
Bozeman Craft Beer Week May 6-13, 2017
Use your creativity and brewer savvy to construct a beer recipe for the FIRST EVER BOZEMAN BREW OFF happening MARCH 18TH & 19TH, 2017. For a full list of Official Competition Rules & Regulations please contact The Bridger Brew Crew Club. • www.bridgerbrewcrew.org/bozeman-brewoff-2017
Fermentana, LLC presents the Gallatin Valley's first week-long, multi-venue community craft beer celebration happening May 6th - 13th, 2017 Bozeman Craft Beer Week: Bozeman Craft Beer Week is a grassroots collaboration organized by two avid Bozeman homebrewers. The goal: spotlight the Gallatin Valley's vibrant craft beer community and all its facets. This 8-day, multi-venue beer bash includes a variety of exciting craft beer-centric events happening throughout the community at local breweries, restaurants, and more. With a focus on craft, community, and collaboration, Bozeman Craft Beer Week embodies the best southwest Montana's craft beer scene has to offer. The current list of participants includes Bozeman and Belgrade's nine craft breweries: · 406 Brewing Company · Bar 3 Brewing · Bozeman Brewing Company · Bridger Brewing · Bunkhouse Brewery · Madison River Brewing Company · MAP Brewing · Outlaw Brewing · White Dog Brewing In addition, local cider maker, Lockhorn Hard Cider, the Montana Brewers Association, developers of the craft beer app, PintPass, and Bozeman's local homebrew club, Bridger Brew Crew, as well as an array of Montana craft beer-supporting restaurants like Montana Ale Works and Red Tractor Pizza, and even a local pet store, Dee-O-Gee, have also signed up to be involved. About the Organizers: Fermentana is a fermentation-focused events promotions company whose mission is to develop and grow Montana's local communities through events which intrigue, engage, and excite fermentation enthusiasts. For more information about Fermentana, please email fermentana@gmail.com or visit our website at http://www.fermentana.com
PAGE 14 • Volumn 1/Issue #3 • A PUBLICATION DEDICATED TO MONTANA’S BREWING NEWS
CONTACT INFORMATION FOR MT Homebrewer ClubS
Central Montana Homebrew Club. Brewing is, without a doubt, the world’s best hobby. Central Montana Homebrew club is based out of Great Falls and started about 2.5 years ago. The group was started by one individual that had a passion for brewing and wanted to meet more like minded individuals. He created a Facebook page and was on Homebrew talk prior to the meeting. He posted a meeting notice on the Facebook page and thought he was going to show up and enjoy beer by himself. Little did he know 5 people showed up that day with the same brewing passion as he had and the homebrew club started. The group has now grown to around 20 members with a very diverse background and brewing styles. We currently don’t have any dues to join the club the only requirement is to enjoy beer! Several members have agricultural backgrounds in addition to production knowledge of raw materials for brewing. A few examples, one member is a malt barley grower and can explain the production of specific malt barley varieties. Other members are working on homemade malts and building malting machines to produce malt on a small scale. The malt trial batches are shared with members to experiment with. We have had some palate testing with the new malt varieties to see if we can distinguish between malt varieties, in the same beer. Many members experiment with hops and have an experimental hop farm. They cultivate several varieties and share the hop harvest with the members. Another member has extensive knowledge in water and adjusting water for specific brewing needs of styles. It is a varied group which collaborates together smoothly. Brew clubs also offer other ways to
tap into the larger brewing community. They usually have good relationships with the breweries in the area; Mighty Mo Brewing is and continues to be very accommodating. They allow our homebrew club to gather in their meeting room and welcome club members to bring our latest homebrews in to sample. MMBC has helped in aiding our club from its conception. They graciously sponsored a brewing competition and awarded terrific beer related prizes. The Grand prize winner, won the opportunity to brew their recipe on a large scale at Mighty Mo. In addition, we have had several brewery tours at other area local micro brewery’s. All kindly allowed us to view behind the scenes methods of their process. As homebrewers, one can experiment on a more extreme level than larger breweries. Homebrewers are not concerned with keeping the cost of their brews low. We have tried extreme hopping, adding a lot of chocolate bars, passion fruit, and tons of malt to produce heavy beers. The possibilities are endless and we are trying to explore them all! We are a very giving group with sharing our beers together and exchanging growlers with different homebrewers. We share our yeast, hops, and malt with each other. One of the best benefits is the great friendships that have been formed with people with the same passion. When it was first organized we did not know each other, now we have become great friends that love to enjoy beer together. Central Montana Homebrew Club is on Facebook. We meet the second Tuesday of every month but take the summers off. Feel free to join, just show up at a meeting and enjoy great beer. Cheers! (—Article by CMHC)
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>
C E N T R A L M O N TA N A ' S Home Brewing Supply Headquarters
WIN E MAK I N G EQU IPME NT
R BEE NG WI BRE LIES PP SU
• Beer and Wine Making Equipment & Ingredient Kits • Bulk & Packaged Beer Malts • Yeast and Hops • Grains • Bottling & Kegging Supplies • Additives • Fermenting Supplies • Books
406-452-8065 105 Smelter Ave NE, Ste 111 - Great Falls, MT - Hours: 9:00AM-7:00PM, Mon.-Sat.
Rimrock Brewers Guild - Billings. Caution Men Brewing
Hop harvest
Bubble bubble, toil not trouble.
December 2016 the Rimrock Brewers Guild elected its third president after the club’s second president, Damion Leonard and Secretary Matt Miller, decided to step down. I am taking this opportunity to thank Damion and Matt for their years of service, and doing a yeoman’s job, leading the RBG club. Their leadership made the club both prosper and fun. With two officer vacancies the club held elections during our December Holiday Party. Longtime members, Scott Sery, was elected Club Secretary and Sarah Hogue was elected President. (—Article by Dr Paul Pope)
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK • WWW.406HOPS.COM • 406-850-5113 • PAGE 15
Sat., April 8, 2017 • 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM
The Livingston Depot Parking Lot - 200 West Park St. - Livingston, MT
The opportunity to sample beers from 30+ Montana breweries Free sampler glass with entry Live music Special VIP area with access to special release beers and collectible Tap into Montana Brew Fest glass
Have questions? Contact Tap Into Montana • www.tapintomt.com • facebook.com/tapintomt
Knotty Wood Guitar Company and Perfect Imperfections: Wes Urbaniak and Herd Lay Down a Serious Groove. If you’ve ever walked into one of the breweries in Billings, MT, that has live music, chances are you may have stumbled onto one of its most enigmatic characters. Wes Urbaniak is a local musician who partakes in the brewery culture, but that is not where his talent ends. He has been hand-making guitars of various natural resources for many years, and just as his guitars are one-of-a-kind so is, not surprisingly, his music. Textured compositions, layered harmonies, intricate rhythms and instruments of impeccable aesthetics, Wes Urbaniak and his band, Wesley and the Revolving (WatR), are the perfect complement to any hearty craft brew. To say Wes Urbaniak’s instruments are organically made would be a gross understatement. His shop, Knotty Wood Guitar Company is truly something to behold. Live music is played and recorded at street level, while a shop rests upstairs and some of the most striking guitars and instruments are made. Once inside, a camaraderie is instantly discovered, with smiling faces and specialty guitars being strummed and picked, and it’s difficult not to be drawn in by all KnottyWood has to offer. A sixer of microbrew sits on an amp; musicians joke and laugh; low lights color the room with an ambiance of music meeting, and when the mics are turned on the room grows silent with anticipation. This is where the music is made, both figuratively and literally, and when hairs stand up on neck not one eye strays from the band. But Wes came from more humble beginnings and spent ten years building his guitars in a small garage while doing his recordings in the living room. He has played less than glamorous gigs, performing at graduation parties and events, and also the Bighorn Trail run, where people were actually RUNNING away from him. It was a trail run after all. Wes has also completed many solo tours and traveled across the country many times. One tour, The Letter Writing Tour, he presented the listeners with an opportunity to write a one page handwritten letter every month for a year and Wes would build them an instrument. His current bandmates also share in his unique vision and they
came together in a rather serendipitous fashion. But what lies between and outside of their assembly is the revelation that music and art share a common thread, and it’s this connectedness that unites and strengthens individuals into something more communal, something more luminous. Even more striking, are his motives behind his music and instruments He has been known to give his guitars away for free to unsuspecting people, leaving them at random houses and even driving to New York City to drop off one of his ‘Letter Writer’ guitars. There has always been a sense of community that Wes has perpetuated both through his charity and his innovation, and playing at local breweries encapsulates this dynamic. Whether it is using his talents as a platform for others by supporting musicians through Light Box Music Sessions, or simply providing the soundtrack at breweries, Wes Urbaniak is a diligent inspiration for many local and regional artists. It’s this parallelism between community and music that ultimately drives Wes Urbaniak and his herd, thriving on the intimate feel of the demographic of the craft beer culture where family and community meet, and instead of performing in bars where most musicians carve out their niche. Wes has decided to parlay his talents in a setting where distinguished tastes converge into an atmosphere of creativity and friendship. Where connections are made and innovation is held above the ordinary courtship of base entertainment. There is something much deeper going on, and Wes surrounds himself with dynamic musicians and like-minded auteurs. Just one glance at his guitars, or a simple conversation with Wes and his bandmates, can transform any denier of what Billings has to offer artistically into an instant believer. So the next time you are out enjoying a craft beer in Billings, MT, from Canyon Creek Brewery, Yellowstone Valley Brewing Co, or even the Pub Station, make sure you keep your eyes open for Wes Urbaniak and crew, perhaps playing their perfectly imperfect guitars, or perhaps simply enjoying a local craft brew. These are Billings’ hidden stars, hanging out right in the open. (—Article by Josh Michael/406Hops)
What your server wants you to know I am not your puppy. Please do not whistle or snap your fingers to get my attention. Really? Who over the age of 21 still disposes their gum under the table? Yes, this is my REAL job! Nope, no national brand light wussy beer here! Try the corner gas station. Seriously, last call means last pour. Your whining will not release beer from the taps. I am sorry your spouse found out about your lover. I am a beer server not a therapist! Wow, Chew in the urinal. Its my LUCKY night, I am going to buy a lottery ticket! Yes the wedding ring is real, STOP hitting on me! My name is NOT, Kitty meow, meow!
PAGE 16 • Volumn 1/Issue #3 • A PUBLICATION DEDICATED TO MONTANA’S BREWING NEWS