Heading To Montana, What Breweries Should I Hit Up?

[vibroluxious]

Not sure where else to post this but my wife and I are going to be in Glacier, Missoula, Craig, Yellow Stone, Whitefish etc.

Any don't miss places?

 

[thunderwagn]

Not sure if you're a Moose Drool fan or not, but Big Sky is in Missoula. I'm a Drool fan so I'd probably stop by just cuz.

 

[smurfjuice]

Movin' to Montana soon ...
gonna be a dental floss tycoon ... :rockin:
Sorry, thats all i got ...

 

[grizzly2378]

I went to college in Missoula. Big Sky is the obvious one, but be sure to check out Kettlehouse (Cold Smoke is maybe Montana's second most recognized beer behind Moose Drool) and Draught Works too. Also, Great Burn is a small, newer place that makes some good stuff. Missoula also has a craft beer bar called the Dram Shop, which is a good stop if you want to check out a bunch of local brews in one place.

Great Northern in Whitefish makes some good stuff too. I'm not too familiar with the other breweries in the Glacier/Flathead area.

If you're not familiar with Montana's ridiculous brewery laws, you soon will be. Basically, if a brewery produces over 10,000 bbl a year, they can't sell pints in their taproom (Big Sky is the only brewery in the state that exceeds that threshold). Big Sky can offer four, 4 ounce samples per customer, per day for free, or you can buy a growler or six pack and drink it off-site. At all of the other breweries that are under the threshold, they can only sell you 48 ounces per day, so three pints, for consumption in the taproom. Usually, they'll give you a punch card or tickets to something to keep track. The idea behind it all is that the bars/taverns didn't want to get cut off from the money flow by having the breweries self-distribute without limitation in their taprooms, so they limit how much the brewery can sell, which theoretically forces the consumer to go to the bar. You'll also find that breweries close fairly early (8:00 PM), which is another way to force consumers to bars instead. It's all stupid, but doesn't appear as though it'll change anytime soon.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

Here you go: http://montanabrewers.org/trail-map/

 

[TasunkaWitko]

I don't know why Harvest Moon (http://www.harvestmoonbrew.com/) isn't there, but if you get near Belt (Just outside of Great Falls), it's very much worth a stop. Beltian White, Pig's Ass Porter and Charlie Russell Red are three of the best beers you can find in the state. If you're not going to Belt itself, you should be able to find those beers just about anywhere in Montana.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

Redundant - Please delete.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

One more and I’ll stop – Highlander (http://www.highlanderbeer.com/) has also been very good, in my opinion.

 

[Spartan1979]

Muddy Creek

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=444132

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=528499

I haven't been there but I enjoyed the first thread. I haven't followed the second.

 

[ImNoExpert]

Muddy Creek

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=444132

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=528499

I haven't been there but I enjoyed the first thread. I haven't followed the second.

This. I've followed both threads and would hit them up in an instant if I was headed that way.

 

[schatzke]

Draught Works, Kettle House, Tamarack and Big Sky are all really good in Missoula.
If you go through Bozeman, Bozeman Brewing, Bridger Brewing, 406 Brewing, and MAP Brewing is new but I've heard good things.
Livingston is near there and they have 2 Neptune and Katabatic which are both good.
Glacier Brewing in Polson isn't bad.
Great Northern in Whitefish.
Craig is right near Helena and they have Lewis & Clark, Blackfoot and Ten Mile.
If you make it over to Billings we have several great breweries also.
That's just off the top of my head. Lots of good beer to be had hope you enjoy MT!

 

[vibroluxious]

Thanks Folks!
We will be in virtually all of the cities listed at some point over the next two weeks. Many of the places you listed were on my list but you all picked up a few I didn't have.

Knew I could count on HBT.

Cheers!

 

[vibroluxious]

I went to college in Missoula. Big Sky is the obvious one, but be sure to check out Kettlehouse (Cold Smoke is maybe Montana's second most recognized beer behind Moose Drool) and Draught Works too. Also, Great Burn is a small, newer place that makes some good stuff. Missoula also has a craft beer bar called the Dram Shop, which is a good stop if you want to check out a bunch of local brews in one place.

Great Northern in Whitefish makes some good stuff too. I'm not too familiar with the other breweries in the Glacier/Flathead area.

If you're not familiar with Montana's ridiculous brewery laws, you soon will be. Basically, if a brewery produces over 10,000 bbl a year, they can't sell pints in their taproom (Big Sky is the only brewery in the state that exceeds that threshold). Big Sky can offer four, 4 ounce samples per customer, per day for free, or you can buy a growler or six pack and drink it off-site. At all of the other breweries that are under the threshold, they can only sell you 48 ounces per day, so three pints, for consumption in the taproom. Usually, they'll give you a punch card or tickets to something to keep track. The idea behind it all is that the bars/taverns didn't want to get cut off from the money flow by having the breweries self-distribute without limitation in their taprooms, so they limit how much the brewery can sell, which theoretically forces the consumer to go to the bar. You'll also find that breweries close fairly early (8:00 PM), which is another way to force consumers to bars instead. It's all stupid, but doesn't appear as though it'll change anytime soon.

I had read about the micro brewery/distribution laws before.
Kinda screwy but at least they can serve in house.
There are still a few places out there that can't

 

[zmanzorro]

I went to Glacier a few years ago and found Bowser Brewing in Great Falls. Not amazing but still fairly good.

 

[Phunhog]

Now I never made it to the brewery but I very much enjoyed the beers from Bayern Brewing. I guess they specialize in German style lagers and I thought they were excellent! IIRC they are in Missoula.