Cruisin’ for a boozin’ Black Hills Wine & Beer Masters By Kayla Gahagan
Just before it was to be filtered and bottled, Adam
during the day, hit a brewery at night and have a glass
Martinez handed fellow Firehouse Winery staff mem-
of wine at dinner.”
bers samples of a new roseʹ last week. “We’ve been tasting it since the grapes first arrived,
in Rapid City, joined the scene three years ago, open-
since mid-September,” said Michelle Pawelski, gener-
ing in the same building as Black Hills Bicycles and
al manager at the Firehouse. “It’s fun when we get to
Peak Sports on Omaha Street.
walk through this process.”
“We’re making beer as fast as people can drink it,”
The fifth anniversary celebration of the Firehouse Win-
Scheitler said, and that means 18 taps rotating at a
ery this month is just one stepping stone in a colorful
time.
wine and beer trail throughout the Black Hills. The art of perfecting the perfect brew or finest glass of wine starts in places like Belle Joli Vineyards in Belle Fourche and Naked Winery and Sick N Twisted Brewery Co. in Hill City. “Both wine and beer industries have grown during the last decade and it’s nothing but good for the region,” said Kara Sweet, wine club manager at the Firehouse Winery. “The Black Hills have become known as having a big metropolis culture and the feel of a small city,” she said. “We have great wine, beer and restaurants and people have come to expect that. All the industries can work together. You can go see Mt. Rushmore 20
Jesse Scheitler, co-owner of Lost Cabin Beer Company
Arts & Entertainment
Scheitler and business partner Tom Silbernagel kicked off the business after their longtime home-brewing hobby grew too large. “It got to the point where we had 14 beers on tap in the garage and realized we needed to dial back or dive in,” he said, laughing. “So, we convinced our wives to let us jump off the financial cliff.” It was worth the risk, he said. Their families help out, and their customers have become part of their tightknit community. “We’re just trying to have fun and make beer,” he said. With their location next to outdoor businesses, Lost
