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

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I took a walk through with co owner Josh Townsley today. The plans for the place are amazing, with a ton of room for dining and downstairs for hanging out with your friends in a real Montana beer bar. The plans are to have eight beers on tap from the beautiful Lakeside brewery and then perhaps 10 beers from around Montana to compliment.

The food will be the same as at the Lakeside location with burgers, made-to-order pizzas and other pub fare. The old White Water Bar & Grill is located at 231 West Front Street.

I’d only been in the White Water once, and by the time this place is remodeled and open, the Missoula Tamarack is going to be a very cool place and something that Missoula doesn’t have a lot of. Applebees is in a convenient location if you live in the south hills, and the Iron Horse is fine if you want to spend an evening with college kids. But for good pub food in a relaxed atmosphere downtown and central, this restaurant will likely find some fans in Missoula.

To reiterate something I wrote when I broke the news a month ago or so, the Tamarack Missoula won’t be a brewery. It will be a pub, meaning they’ll bring Tamarack beer in from Lakeside to serve as well as offering up other Montana beers.

I’ll be tracking the progress as they completely renovate the building over the next 10 to 12 weeks, and check back often for updates from the Tamarack Missoula project.

Prost,

GG

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Here are the official results of the 2010 Mountain Brewers’ Beer Festival. I apologize if I missed anyone, the list was kind of difficult to read. Looks as if Bitterroot Brewing and Montana Brewing Company really cleaned house this year. Nice job everyone.

Bayern Brewing – Doppelbock, bronze

Big Sky Brewing Company – Bobo’s Robust Porter, Gold.

406 Series Saison

Bitterroot Brewing – Huckleberry Honey Ale, Silver

Collabeeration Porter, Silver

Munich Helles Bock, Gold

Nut Brown Ale, Gold

Kettlehouse Brewing Company – Cold Smoke, Silver

Madison River Brewing Company – Frostbite Rye Barleywine, Bronze

Copper John Scotch Ale, Gold

Montana Brewing Company – Custer’s Last Stout, Bronze

Whitetail Wheat, Gold

Stillwater Rye, Gold

Two Moon Saison, Gold

Red Lodge Ales – Red Lodge Hefeweizen, Gold

Glacier Ale, Silver

Congratulations to all of our Montana breweries and their phenomenal beers. You’ve proved once again that Montana is home to some of the best brewers in the Rocky Mountain West.

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GG

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I got a call from the Tamarack Brewing Company’s Josh Townsley today with some exciting news. Apparently Tamarack Brewing Company is exploring a possible Missoula taphouse or brewpub that would feature Tamarack’s lineup of great beers as well as other beers. And of course, they’ll be bringing their great pub-style food with them, including what are in this blogger’s humble opinion, some of the best burgers around.

Here’s everything I know at this point. This will not be a production facility. Tamarack does not want to come to Missoula to compete with the other breweries in town. They are just opening a restaurant that they’ll call a taphouse or brewpub or something similar, according to Townsley. There will be no onsite production and no distribution. All of Tamarack’s beer sold at the new pub will come from Lakeside, and they plan to feature other great Montana beers as well.

Townsley said that while they are under contract for an undisclosed building in Missoula,  there are no details set in stone as of yet, but that they are 98 percent sure they’re going to open something in Missoula. As far as a timeline goes, there is nothing definite yet, but Townsley did say he’s hoping to have something in place by fall.

“It’s a great town, with great beer and great people,” Townsley said.  ”And we are excited about the opportunity to be a part of it.”

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GG

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Greg Engert

Greg Engert, of Birch and Barley in Washington D.C., won because “he’s bringing the same seriousness to beer that other sommeliers bring to wine,” according to FoodandWine.com.

This excites me, because one of the biggest things lacking in the craft beer world is educated palates at the higher levels of dining. In Missoula we have half-a-dozen restaurants that serve amazing beer, and not one of them has a single staff person who can answer beyond the most basic questions.

It’s well known that I’m an advocate of craft beer education, and to see a beer guy named as one of the top sommeliers in the country is an encouraging sign of things to come.

Congratulations Greg!

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GG

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Here’s the latest update on the planned grand reopening of Flathead Lake Brewing Company.

The crew at Flathead Lake Brewing Company is excited to say that after months of restructuring our new and improved brewery will be reopening. This time around we will not only be a world class tap room, but also a restaurant serving foods not only for adults but for the kiddies too. On March 17th, 2010 come celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at The Flathead Lake Brewery as our doors unlock for the public. Then, on Saturday, March 20, 2010, come back and join us for our official grand opening celebration. That day either sit back in our updated tap room with one of our flagship beers and an amazing item off our new menu or hangout outside under a tent on our deck while listening to the Bad Larry’s from 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm. We look forward to serving you, so bring down the family and meet our new one. Check out our web site at www.flatheadlakebrewing.com for more information. We can’t wait to serve old familiar faces and get the chance to say hello to new ones.

Cheers!!! The crew of FLBC.

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GG

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Beer giant MillerCoors is partnering with Great Northern Brewing Co. in Whitefish to take the old Black Star beer to a national audience, according to this blog post on NewWest.Net. After a seven-year hiatus from the market, the famed Black Star label will be available in grocery stores and on tap around the state, thanks to a deal that makes Great Northern Brewing Co. the exclusive local producer and distributor of the beer.

Great Northern Brewing Co. also contract brews Highlander beer, the remake of a classic Western Montana beer once brewed by Missoula Brewing Co. But unlike Highlander, a rich, Scottish-style ale craft beer, which bares little resemblance to the light lager it was historically, Black Star will be a lager with perhaps a bigger hop profile than one might expect from your typical Coors Light.

It’ll be interesting to see what people make of this Montana beer once it goes national.

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GG

Black Star

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Here’s the latest announcement from the folks at Flathead Lake Brewing Co. Looks to be a good spring on the Flathead.

We at FLBC wanted to keep people informed that we are looking at a March opening (we are having many inquires). We will keep you posted for the official opening date and time. For now we can say that our former amazing brewer Tim is officially back and getting ready to start brewing again. We are currently getting our mouth watering foods ready to serve. We will be serving items such as pizza, Italian beef sandwiches, Brats slowly boiled in Tim’s rich beer served on sesame buns, chili and much more. The new amazing group of people working here at FLBC look forward to serving you soon. So, come down and meet us and the new “official” owner. He has always been a part of the FLBC since it opened six years ago. He was just a silent partner then, but has a lot to say now. All comments are positive, and all are about how we are going to make the brewery into a place this wonderful community will be proud of.

Cheers!
The new FLBC family

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GG

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I don’t have actual confirmation yet, but the Montana hop vine is reporting that the popular east lake brewery just south of Big Fork will reopen in the same location, but under new ownership. I’m told that former brewery Tim Jacoby will again take the reigns, though I don’t know if he’ll use the same recipes as before or create new beers.

At any rate, I’m excited that this awesomely located brewery will once again be a destination while boating the Flathead and on trips to and from Glacier National Park.

More when I know.

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GG

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The social networking of beer.

My friend Mike Saxton, adventurer and founder of BeerTrips.Com, has started the Missoula Beer Appreciation Society. The goal, and I’m just guessing here, because Mike and I haven’t sat down for a beer in a while, is to provide a forum for the appreciation and enjoyment of beer in and around Missoula.

In fact, I know that’s what it’s all about.

For now, you can, if you have a Facebook account, become a fan of this page and learn more about the first scheduled meeting of the society, which Mike hints at on Facebook.

Chimay at Cafe Dolce could be a very cool first meeting.

Prost,

GG

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