A friend of mine is part of the Grizzly Scholarship Association so I thought I’d pass this along to anyone interested in downing some beer for a cause.

Missoula’s Tamarack Brewing Co. is holding a Community Tap Night tonight (Tuesday, May 15) to help out the GSA. For every beer sold, 75 cents goes toward the organization. The event takes place from 6 until 9 p.m.

Here’s a little about the GSA:

Each year, Montana Grizzly Scholarship Association donors give The University of Montana the financial strength to educate deserving student-athletes and to build programs that we can all take pride in. We face the enormous challenge of rewarding dedicated student-athletes with scholarship assistance. The GSA has committed $1.4 million toward scholarship expenses for the upcoming academic year.

- Matt Pritchard

To reach that surprising conclusion, the researchers devised a bar game in which 40 men were given three words and told to come up with a fourth that fits the pattern.

For example, the word “cheese” could fit with words like “blue” or “cottage” or “Swiss.”

Half the players were given two pints. The other half got nothing.

The result? Those who imbibed solved 40% more of the problems that their sober counterparts.

Also, the drinkers finished their problems in 12 seconds while it took the non-drinkers 15.5 seconds.

While I sometimes believe I’m a bit smarter after a couple of pints, it’s hard for me to believe that’s true. If I was, I think my brain would probably tell me to avoid that third one … cheers.

Check out the full story here.

- Matt Pritchard

Beerjobber.com works with breweries and connects them with beer lovers. Users of the service can place orders from specific breweries over the site and then Beerjobber picks up the beer and ships it to your doorstep.

When I first saw this, I didn’t think it was legal. And in some states, like Montana, it isn’t. (When I asked them over Twitter they said, “Unfortunately no. MT has some of the strangest laws in the country!”)

Nonetheless, they do ship to some 38 states and they’re adding breweries all the time. So if you live outside the Big Sky, it’s worth a shot to see if they deliver to you. Prices are around $50 per case and shipping ranges from $6 to $20.

- Matt Pritchard

Adrienne Bull, a chemical engineer from Corvallis, pours a biochemical product into a vessel last September. Photo by KURT WILSON/Missoulian

Blue Marble Bio, a biotech firm with a facility in Missoula, has teamed with InBev (present owners of Anheuser-Busch) to turn brewery waste into products such as shaving cream and soap. It basically works by converting the waste into carboxylic acid, which then can be used in cleaning supplies and grooming products.

Of course, reusing the remains of the brewing process is nothing new. Often what’s left is used as livestock feed. But this process could lead to a new market for the leftovers.

Blue Marble Bio began testing waste grain from Anheuser-Busch about a year ago and is scaling up the process for a small facility in Missoula.

If all goes well, Blue Marble will develop a pilot-scale biorefinery at an Anheuser-Busch brewery at a yet to be identified location.

Read the full story here.

- Matt Pritchard

I checked out a preview and the episode is definitely worth watching if you get a chance. The show airs on HDNet , which is available on DirecTV and Dish Network, so set you DVR.

- Matt Pritchard

Popped open a bottle of Dogfish Head’s Pangaea the other day, which I bought last March in Arizona. The idea behind it was to make a beer that contains ingredients from every continent: crystallized ginger from Australia, water from Antarctica, basmati rice from Asia, muscavado sugar from Africa, European yeast and North American maize.

Here’s Dogfish Head’s Sam Calagione explaining the beer:

After trying the beer, I’m honestly not sure what to say. It was a little bitter and a little sour with notes of the ginger coming through. I don’t think I was quite prepared for it. If you find it on your travels when it’s available, then take the plunge. But be warned, it’s definitely unique.

- Matt Pritchard

Missoula-based Zip Beverage Co. recently completed its purchase of Butte’s Thompson Distributing Inc., which has been in business since 1976. The Montana Standard reports the Thompson family decided to sell after seeing the trend of small distributors being bought up by larger companies in the wake of InBev’s acquisition of Anheuser-Busch in 2008. With the sale, Zip will expand to Dillon, Twin Bridges, Three Forks and Butte, and projects to have annual sales of 2 million cases of beer per year.

Read the full story here.

- Matt Pritchard

Hey all,

Grizzly Growler will have some slight changes in the works over the next couple of weeks starting with a new email address, GrizGrowler@gmail.com. I am moving on from my job at the Missoulian to go back to school (accounting of things), but will be maintaining the blog and Facebook page. Check out the updated Montana breweries map on the left-hand side, which is up now, and look for an updated list of Montana craft breweries and a list of 2012 Montana beer festivals and events.

- Matt Pritchard

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

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