Tips to be safe on New Year’s Eve, feel better New Year’s Day
Drinking beer is fun. Feeling terrible after drinking too much on New Year’s Eve isn’t.
Lifehacker.com has a guide that puts hangover cures and myths to the test, basically what works and what doesn’t. The bottom line to the article is: eat and drink water, lots of water. Sounds like common sense, but how many times have you forgotten these simple steps?
And since it is almost New Year’s and many out there will be having fun, remember to plan ahead and leave the car at home. There will be increased DUI patrols around Missoula, not the way to start 2012. On that note, here are some of the cab services available around town:
Yellow Cab: (406) 728-8294
Green Taxi: (406) 543-6644
UCallus: (406) 880-01673. A free cab service, but they do accept donations.
Happy New Year.
- Matt Pritchard
Draught Works Half-Nuts Rye
Draught Works is quickly becoming one of my go-to places to grab a quick beer in the late afternoon or on a Sunday. I’ve worked my way through their mainstay beers and tried out their first seasonal (I’m going to say ever), called Half-Nuts Rye, the other day.
What is it: Rye Brown with Hazelnut
Color: Dark Brown
ABV: 6.5 percent
Taste: Very smooth and very drinkable with a slight hint of hazelnut, but not sweet. Maybe a little light on flavor, which can be good or bad depending on your taste.
Another pint: Yes, please.
- Matt Pritchard
Colorado brewery creates Tebow-inspired barley wine
Jack Dempsey/Associated Press
Bonfire Brewing out of Eagle, Colo., has jumped on the Tim Tebow bandwagon with its “Tebrew” barley wine. The logo features “a man crouching as if in prayer but holding up a mug of beer, with the tagline ‘The Sunday Sipper.’ ” Is there anything Tebow can’t do? No. Here’s the story via the Associated Press:
EAGLE, Colo. – A beer inspired by Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow has produced big interest for a small brewery in Colorado’s mountains.
Bonfire Brewing’s “Tebrew” is a barley wine, a high-alcohol type of beer. Tebrew has a logo featuring a man crouching as if in prayer but holding up a mug of beer, with the tagline “The Sunday Sipper.“
Bonfire Brewing, in Eagle, Colo., plans to enter the barley wine for competition at the Jan. 7 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival in Vail. The Vail Daily reports that after the brewery put the logo on its Facebook page, calls started pouring in seeking the limited brew.
“It’s been great for the brewery, great for Eagle and great for the state,” brewery co-founder Andy Jessen said.
Jessen acknowledged that he doesn’t know whether Tebow drinks beer or not. He said the brew is more about fans and football than the player.
“It’s just a good time to be in Colorado and be a football fan here,” Jessen said.
Brewery owners say they’re flattered by the attention, but the batch is only 150 gallons. “Tebrew” is available only at the festival and at the small brewery’s tasting room, in 10 ounce servings.
“In the style of 4th quarter heroics, we’re waiting until the last minute to serve it up,” according to the brewery’s Facebook description of Tebrew.
The brewery is also selling T-shirts and mugs featuring the logo.
- Matt Pritchard
Most memorable beers of 2011
A few weeks ago, I asked readers to share their most memorable beers of 2011. Here’s a selection of what you said:
Sean Essen – Had to be Southern Tier’s Creme Brulee Stout, ridiculous stuff, dessert in a glass. … Actually, scratch that – ’96 Sam Adams Triple Bock.
Andy Baker – About three weeks ago I had the Autumn Maple from The Brewery. There was so many flavors, it was just like my thanksgiving dinner. Incredible!
Joey Petrilli – Savor Flowers, best no, but most memorable.
JW Robinson – My most memorable beer was a pint of Bayern’s Maibock from the wood keg that was tapped at the brewery. Maibock out of a bottle is good enough to stand alone, Bayern’s medals prove that. But when you drink it from the wood keg, it has this distinct, unknown flavor that you can’t get unless you visit Bavaria. We are lucky to have such great brewmasters in our own backyard. I make sure to plan my life around the wood keg Maibock every spring. What made the beer experience even better was that I was sharing, and discussing how great it was, with my very close friends and family. You can’t ask for much more.
Johnny Bevins – Kona Blend from brew fest
Mark Molvig – Galaxy Pale Ale- Flathead Lake Brewing Co.
Feel free to add more to the comments.
- Matt Pritchard
Rehberg places beer bet on Carroll College national championship game
Montana Rep. Denny Rehberg is taking on Rep. Dan Lipinski of Illinois over Saturday’s NAIA football championship, which pits Carroll against Saint Xavier, and good beer is on the line.
According to the Great Falls Tribune, if Carroll wins its second title in a row, the Montana lawmaker will receive a growler from Harrison’s Brewery in Orland Park, Ill. If Saint Xavier prevails, Rehberg will deliver Lipinski two six-packs of Lewis & Clark Amber from the Helena brewery.
This isn’t the first time a Montana congressman has put Lewis & Clark beer up for collateral in a bet over a Carroll College championship game. Last year, Sen. Max Baucus made a similar wager with Sen. Tim Johnson of South Dakota.
The game kicks off Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and will supposedly be televised on the CBS Sports Network.
- Matt Pritchard
Higherground Brewing Co. close to opening in Hamilton
The brewery boom continues, almost to the point where it’s tough to keep track of what’s going up where and when. Higherground Brewing Co. is preparing to open at 518 N. First St. in Hamilton, according to its Facebook page, bringing to three the number of Bitterroot Valley breweries.
Coming December 2011!!!
Handcrafted beers and wood fired pizzas.
Locally owned and operated by Fenn Nelson and Jasper Miller.
- Matt Pritchard
New Great Falls brewery likely to open before Christmas
Bowser Brewing Co. is moving closer to opening its doors in Great Falls, although no specific date has been set. In an email, Evan Bowser said the brewery should be open at its location at 1826 10th Ave. S. sometime before Christmas. Good news for those who’ve been waiting patiently for some new beer.
Via the Great Falls Tribune:
Bowser hopes to have five to eight beers on tap when the brewery opens. That will eventually increase to about 13 beers. Some of those will be offered year-round, while others will be seasonal, weekly or monthly.
- Matt Pritchard
What was the most memorable beer you had this year?
As 2011 comes to a close, it’s time to reflect on the year that was. So GG’s interested: What was the most memorable beer you had this year?
Now, it doesn’t necessarily have to be the best beer, just one that sticks out in your mind. For instance, it could be one you had while watching a Montana sunset this summer, or one after an epic snow day last winter, or one at your favorite beer festival. It doesn’t have to be a beer from Montana or even one you had in Montana, just anything you’d like to share.
For me, one that sticks out in my mind is the glass of 2011 Abyss by Deschutes Brewery I indulged in at the 2011 Grizzly Scholarship Association’s Beer and Wine Festival. Any beer that smells like chocolate chip pancakes is right up my ally. Dark, deep and rich, truly a special beer. Plus, throw in a side of Posh Chocolate that actually has some of the beer in it and you have yourself a winning combination. And although it doesn’t sound like it, I’m not even that into chocolate.
You can leave your comment with this story, on Facebook or email matt.pritchard@missoulian.com. If there’re enough responses, I’ll compile and post them.
Cheers.
- Matt Pritchard
Summit Beverage’s Winter Beer Survival Guide
Western Montana’s Summit Beverage has an excellent guide to decadent winter beer on its website. The guide has more than 30 beers, from Deschutes’ Stoic to Bayner’s Face Plant to Boston Beer’s Infinium Ale, to help keep you warm on these cold nights. There’s also food pairing recommendation with each brew. Now I assume these are all beers that Summit distributes, so it may be a little biased, but I can’t complain with the choices. You can pick up most these at Worden’s, Pattee Creek Market, Good Food Store, Orange Street and the like.
- Matt Pritchard