May 13-19 is American Craft Beer Week
This week (May 13-19) is once again American Craft Beer Week, according to the Brewers Association. As they describe the event, it is a week-long celebration of “the 2,400+ small and independent craft brewers who continue to make the U.S. the world’s most diverse brewing destination.” They’ve assembled a calendar with over 1,200 events around the country, but sadly, not one event on their calendar is in the State of Montana.
The Brewers Association list 48 Montana breweries on their site, 30 of which are listed as members of their organization.
Might we suggest you visit a tap room or two this week for a spontaneous celebration?
Kettlehouse Brewing holds raffle to help employee fight cancer
On Feb. 6, Kettlehouse Brewing is holding a raffle and a Community UNite to help Tammy kick cancer’s ass. Tammy DuBois is an administrator and “the glue” at the Kettlehouse.
There are around 20 prizes up for grabs including a new Ariens lawn mower, Maker’s Mark bourbon basket, a night’s stay in the executive suite at Hawthorn Suites, Kindle Fire HD, various gift certificates, Kettlehouse merchandise, a priceless one day guided fly-fishing trip with Curtis and more.
The raffle will take place at the Northside Kettlehouse on Wednesday, Feb. 6, from 5-8 p.m. Tickets are $10 each or three for $20 and you don’t have to be in the house to win. However, if you do decide to make it down 50 cents from every beer sold that night will help Tammy fight cancer.
- Matt Pritchard
Missoula Winter BrewFest hits Caras Park on Feb. 15
The third annual Winter BrewFest is once again on the move this year with its sights set on Caras Park in downtown Missoula. You may recall that the brewfest was held in the old Safeway building last year and the Missoula Mercantile building (old Macy’s building) the previous year.
On tap this year are more than 30 beers, a wine bar, food and music. Festivities are poised to get under way on Friday, Feb. 15, at 5 p.m and last until 10. Cost of entry is $10 for a 7-ounce glass and two tokens. Extra beers are the usual $1.
This should be a welcome divergence from the florescent lights of years past. Although I guess we can only hope it won’t be too frigid that night.
- Matt Pritchard
Micro-Brew Review and Cool Dog Ball heads to Helena on Jan. 25
The long running Micro-Brew Review and Cool Dog Ball sets up shop in Helena on Friday, Jan. 25., bringing with it around 35 beers and live music by Curley Taylor and Zydeco Trouble.
Breweries on board this year include:
- Blackfoot River Brewing
- Lewis and Clark Brewery
- Big Sky Brewing
- Bayern Brewing
- Bitterroot Brewing
- Harvest Moon
- Front Brewery
- Bowser Brewery
- Ninkasi
- Goose Island
The ball, which is an annual fundraiser for the Race to the Sky sled dog race, will be held at the Helena Civic Center ballroom from 6-11:30 p.m., with the music set to start at 8:30. Tickets are available in advance for $18 at Bert and Ernie’s, Topper’s Cellar, The Overland Express, Staggering Ox and both Man Stores, all in Helena, or they can be purchased at the door for $20.
- Matt Pritchard
Win a year’s supply of beer at 2013 Black Star Beer Barter
Whitefish is again hosting the annual Black Star Beer Barter, where thirsty fans can barter for a year’s supply of beer.
The bartering will take place after the Whitefish Winter Carnival parade at around 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2. The premise is fairly simple, “What would you do or trade for a year’s worth of beer?” Last year, a fire dancer, a guy with two Volkswagon buses and skaters impressively ollieing over beer kegs took home prizes (watch the video below).
The grand prize this year consists of 52 cases of Blackstar, Wheatfish Wheat Lager and Going to the Sun IPA, so you can check beer shopping off your list in 2013. If you’re interested in signing up, register at Great Northern Brewing by 3 p.m. on Feb. 2. If you’re going all out and have some grandiose idea requiring special arrangements, contact Jessica Lucey before Jan. 31 at (406) 863-1000 ext. 2.
- Matt Pritchard
Draught Works offering up Christmas Steamer
Missoula’s Draught Works is gearing up for a good ol’ fashion Christmas Steamer on Friday, Dec. 21. What’s a Christmas Steamer? Well, it’s a heck of a deal. For $5, between 4 and 8 p.m. you can get a pint of your choice and a bowl of fresh Penn Cove mussels. Sounds like a good excuse to get those visiting relatives out of the house and around some beer.
- Matt Pritchard
Yeti Home Brew Competition winners
The first Yeti Home Brew Competition was held over the weekend at Higherground Brewing Co. Homebrewers were asked to drop off three 12-ounce bottles in one or more of the following categories: Light Beer, Amber Beer, Specialty and IPA. Jared Robinson of Summer Sun Garden & Brew passed along a note of the winners. Congratulations to all.
Light:
1st Cole M.
2nd David FoxAmber:
1st David Fox
2nd DuncanSpecialty:
1st Dan Lee
2nd Clint N.IPA:
1st Matt Miller
2nd Clint NissenOverall:
1st Matt Miller
2nd Dan Lee
- Matt Pritchard
Roundup: Lists of best beers of 2012
I’m a sucker for end of the year lists, especially when it comes to music. LargeheartedBoy.com has an exhaustive tally going of links to music lists by blogs, newspapers and other sites that’s worth checking out if you have some time to kill. For what it’s worth, my favorite album this year is, without question, Fear Fun by Father John Misty (click here to hear the whole album). They also put on my favorite show this year, along with Youth Lagoon.
Anyway, getting back to beer, I decided to try and compile links to lists of the best beers of 2012. If anyone wants to contribute, be it your own picks or picks from any other sites, email GrizGrowler@gmail.com. I personally don’t have a full list, but the best beer I had this year was Zombie Dust by Three Floyds Brewing Co. out of Munster, Ind. It lived up to its billing as a “gushing undead pale ale.” My sister’s boyfriend brought it back from Chicago over the Fourth of July and it definitely sticks out in my mind.
Here’s the list with links. The No. 1 beer from the site and the brewery are listed to the side:
- Rate Beer (top 50) Westvleteren 12 by Westvleteren Abdij St. Sixtus
- Homebrewers Association (top 50) Pliny the Elder by Russian River Brewing
- Beer Advocate (top 100) Pliny the Younger by Russian River Brewing
- First We Feast (best beer in each state) Montana: Ivan the Terrible by Big Sky Brewing
- Draft Magazine (best 25)
- Draft Magazine (100 best beer bars)
- Esquire (best 24)
- Wine Enthusiast (top 25) Saison Rue by The Bruery
- Beer Advocate community thread (best 5 new beers)
- Willamette Week (president of beers) Beaverbear Barleywine by Tom Roan and Nancy Bowser
- World Beer Awards Red Chair NWPA by Deschutes Brewery
- Great American Beer Awards
- World Beer Cup
- North American Brewers Association
- Montana Brewers Festival Red Ale by Lewis and Clark Brewing
- Matt Pritchard
Higherground, Summer Sun to hold Yeti Home Brew Competition
Higherground Brewing Co. in Hamilton is teaming up with Summer Sun Garden & Brew to host a “brotherly competition around beer.” The Yeti Home Brew Competition is set to take place at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, at Higherground Brewing. There will be about $400 worth of prizes up for grabs and they’re taking more specific prize suggestions from fellow brewers.
The categories are Light Beer, Amber Beer, Specialty and IPA. If you’re interested, drop off three 12-ounce bottles along with $5 at Higherground or at either Summer Sun in Missoula (128 W. Alder St.) or Hamilton (310 N. First St.) between Dec. 8-14.
Prizes will be handed out at 5 p.m. on Dec. 15. If you have question, send them to Beer@HighergroundBrewery.com.
- Matt Pritchard
Study touts economic benefits of craft beer in Montana
The Montana Brewers Association recently commissioned a report by the Bureau of Business and Economic Research to show, by the numbers, the financial impact of breweries in the state.
The report, which can be read in its entirety here, shows that the craft beer industry has created 434 jobs in the state and produces sales of nearly $50 million. What’s more is that the industry brings in about $1.5 million in revenues for the state and Montana’s population has increased by 36 people due to beer.
Northwest Montana is behind much of the success, generating more than half of the sales and tallying up more than half of the total jobs. Plus, there are now 33 breweries in the state, with 12 of those in the northwest.
Here are some other fun facts about the growth of craft beer in Montana between 2010-2011:
- Production increased from 87,442 barrels to 102,925 barrels, up 18 percent
- Beer sales increased from $21.8 million to $26.1 million, up 20 percent
- Matt Pritchard