Big Sky Brewing Company releases an Imperial IPA
Big Sky’s already vaunted powerhouse IPA will be briefly overshadowed by the emergence of an Imperial IPA, which is currently pouring at the taproom, or so I’m told. I shall venture forth to find out if that’s true.
This is the next in their Limited Montana Release Series, formerly known as the 406 Series. It should be available around the state for a short while on tap and in bottles just as the Saison was in the spring.
Prost,
GG
Big Sky Imperial IPA, the next in the Limited Montana Series
Flathead Lake Brewing Company is coming to Missoula
Looks like plans are in the works for an FLBC taproom in downtown Missoula. Here’s a comment left on GG from Mr. Johnston.
GG. Your source is correct. We will be at Higgins Ally. We will be doing some renovations and with any luck be open by October. We are still in the planning stages and once everything is finalized, we will get the word out. We are teaming up with a local restaurant which will be moving from their present location in down town Missoula. We are looking forward to the addition to our home in Woods Bay.
Prost,
GG
Road Bowling and Highlander Beer are just two of many activities at the Celtic Festival Missoula this weekend
What is Road Bowling, well, as this road bowling page explains, it’s an old Irish sport whereby players toss small cannon balls along a roadway. Much like golf, the lowest number of throws along a pre-determined course wins. There’s much more to it, but if this intrigues you, you’ll be able to play it this coming Saturday, when the Celtic Festival Missoula begins.
The Celtic celebration is twofold, really, one fold is the celebration of Celtic traditions, food and music. The other fold is that it’s a celebration of the 100th anniversary of Highlander beer, Missoula’s very own beer legend.
Add the Young Dubliners, a fantastic Celtic-style band, to the mix, and you’ve got yourself a full-blown Irish celebration.
Here’s the pertinent info:
Join us on the Clark Fork River in downtown Missoula, in Caras Park, July 31, 2010
10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Irish Road Bowling (Stimpson Lumber site, Bonner) Register for your hour at the Missoula AOH website
3:00-5:00 p.m. Kids events (facepainting, art table, caber toss) guest appearence by Monte in a Kilt!!
3:00-4:00 p.m. Dillion Junior Fiddlers
4:00-4:15 p.m. Missoula Irish Dancers
4:15-5:00 p.m. The Celtic Dragon Pipe Band and The Missoula Highland Dancers
5:00-7:00 p.m. Malarkey
7:00-9:00 p.m. The Young Dubliners
Have questions? Want to volunteer? Contact us Shannon Lukes at 406-239-0105Proceeds to benefit Watson’s Children Shelter and the Friends of Irish Studies.
Prost,
GG
Flathead Lake Brewing Company coming to a Missoula near you?
Do you love stopping off at Flathead Lake Brewing Company on your way to and from Glacier National Park? I do. In fact, I love stopping in there every chance I get. I’m a huge fan of the Imperial IPA, as most of you know.
Well, the good news, so it seems, is that Flathead Lake Brewing Company seems to be in talks with a new Missoula business to open a tap room at or above Higgins Alley. I have no details on the deal yet, but the rumor seems pretty solid at this point. I’m not at liberty to reveal my sources on this, but suffice it to say they have never let me down.
Also, an E-mail information request sent to FLBC was not returned.
I’ll have more information as soon as it is available. Meanwhile, keep your eyes peeled for other Montana breweries opening tap rooms in and around Missoula. Seems to be the hottest spot for beer drinkers in the Treasure State right now.
Prost,
GG
A bubble gum beauty and a red monster on rye for your weekend beer selection
Tap handle from Big Sky's Red Rye Ale
I popped into the Myrtle St. Kettlehouse the other day for a beer, and I was pleasantly surprised to see they had a Crystal Pilsner on tap. This single-hop Pils was perfect after walking out of my air-conditioned office into Southern Baptists Sanctuary heat of a Missoula summer afternoon.
Clean and crisp with some spice on the nose and palate from the Crystal hops, this beer has an unmistakable bubble gum or fruit characteristic that makes it not just a good thirst quencher but a really fun beer to sip in those nice lager glasses that Kettlehouse is now using.
The Crystal Pils would make for a great river beer or with a dinner of grilled chicken and salad or even seafood. Lot’s of fun stuff to do with this beer.
Across town, I found an interesting Red Rye Ale at Big Sky Brewing Company. If you’re not familiar with Rye-style beers, this one might come as a surprise. It’s not a big beer, per se, but it’s a bold beer. Rye has a certain spice or boldness to it that barley or wheat beers do not. I told my wife it’s like the difference between eating pastrami on wheat and eating pastrami the way it was meant to be eatin’, on rye. The base of that sandwich makes all the difference, and it’s the same with the beer.
Again, it’s not a heaviness, it’s a certain mouthfeel, maybe an astringency that really plays nicely with the hops and yeast characteristics on this beer. It lacks the biscuity quality of barley beers, but that rye backbone holds up a nice hops structure that’s as wide as it is tall.
The Red Rye Ale would make for a good porch sipper, and it’s spectacular with spicy barbecue, especially Asian rubs or Korean barbecue.
Prost,
GG
YouTube – Big Sky Brewing Company’s Double Rainbow IPA
This is a little “When Harry Met Sally-ish,” but it’s funny nonetheless.
Watch this first:
And then watch this:
Prost,
GG
Warning, Offensive Video – BrewDog Obliterates World’s Strongest Beer Record
The End of History from BrewDog on Vimeo.
World’s Strongest Beer Update – The latest rumor has BrewDog hitting 55 % ABV and £500 a bottle!
According to this post by the good folks at BeerNews.org, BrewDog has possibly produced the world’s strongest beer at 55% ABV. The Scottish brewery is mum on the subject, but they are expected to make a rather big announcement tomorrow.
If rumor turns out to be truth, BrewDog will have concocted a recipe for a very expensive glass of beer. A collector’s item really. The reported price is £500 a bottle, but that’s because they’re are only a reported 12 bottles.
Oh, yeah, and apparently they’re marketing the bottles inside of some stuffed animal. It will be interesting to see what the latest gimmick is all about. It’ll be even more interesting to see if they really hit 55% ABV.
Read all about the battle for the World’s Strongest Beer here.
Prost,
GG
16th Annual Bitterroot Brew Fest is this weekend
Live musical acts include Blue to the Bone and Cellar Door. Here’s some information and a link where you can purchase your tickets in advance.
Donate $15 which includes: Admission, your Commemorative Glass and 3 Drink Tickets. Event begins at 3:00pm and the fun goes until 10:00pm in the evening!
Don’t wait in line, get an advanced ticket that you can pick up at the gate. Just bring an ID and we’ll have your ticket(s) waiting for you.
There will be Brews — Wine — Meads — Music — Food — Choice Awards and a great time to be had by all. You will not want to miss our 16th Annual Micro Brew Festival on Saturday, July 24 on 2nd and Bedford in Hamilton.
Free Ranger and the Breakfast Beer comes home to roost
I’ve finally posted our entry in the 2010 New Belgium Brewing Company Clips of Faith Beer and Film Tour, which played in Missoula on Wednesday, July 7. So here it is if you happened to miss it on the big screen.
Prost,
GG