Flathead Lake Brewing Co. to move into new building, expand

Flathead Lake Brewing Co. in Woods Bay is planning on moving into a new building, the North Shore Bowling Alley, in Bigfork around the middle of next year. The brewery will remodel the old bowling alley before moving in and the expansion will allow more space for “special edition ales.” The current location in Woods Bay will continue to operate until the new building is ready.

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Bigfork adds hockey tournament to annual brewfest

The Bigfork Brewfest takes place Saturday and hockey lovers will be happy to know there’s a special tournament this year just for them.

The third annual brewfest will be held on Saturday, Feb. 25, from 3 to 7 p.m. in downtown Bigfork. Tickets are $20 at the door, but you can save $5 by picking them up before Friday at Great Northern Brewery in Whitefish, Shepard’s Glass in Kalispell and Glacier Sotheby’s & The Jug Tree in Bigfork. Proceeds this year go toward the Bigfork Youth Coalition, the Ski Bus, the community Foundation for a Better Bigfork and the Children’s Theater. Brewers are the usual suspects: Tamarack, Great Northern, Madison River, Flathead Lake, Glacier, Draught Works, Bitter Root, Blackfoot River, Blacksmith, etc …

In addition to the brewfest on Saturday, the inaugural Continental Divide Brewers Hockey Challenge takes place at the Woodland Ice Center in Kalispell. Four teams filled with beer folks will face off against one another starting Friday at 8 p.m. through Saturday night. Donations will be accepted to help out Flathead Valley youth hockey programs.

Go on, check it out.

- Matt Pritchard

Bigfork distillery first in Montana to earn international award

Craft distilleries have been popping up all over Montana, producing fine, hand-made liquor. Now, it appears, at least one is getting some international recognition.

Whistling Andy Inc. of Bigfork recently won a Platinum Medal for their Hibiscus Coconut Rum at the 2011 Spirits International Prestige Awards in San Diego. This marks the first time a Montana distillery has received a medal in any international spirit competition, according to a news release. The Spirits International Prestige Awards, which were held on June 28, were established three years ago to fill a “lingering void” in international spirits competition.

Here’s how Whistling Andy’s Hibiscus Coconut Rum is made:

Whistling Andy’s hibiscus coconut rum begins with their crystal rum, based on traditional Caribbean recipes using blackstrap molasses and unrefined cane sugar. After fermenting their recipe for eight days they triple distill the resulting alcoholic concoction, resulting in a smooth sipping white rum with wonderful notes of banana, licorice and plum. Next, the distillers at Whistling Andy steep in dried hibiscus flowers sourced from a tea company in Jamaica. The hibiscus has a very floral aroma, accenting the fruity nose of the rum. Whistling Andy’s staff purchases natural coconut from a company that spins coconut water through a centrifuge to pull the fat out, resulting in a clean, clear subtle coconut flavor without any chemical suntan lotion-like aftertaste or particulates. The result is a deep red, wonderfully scented rum with coconut undertones that finishes incredibly smooth.

And here’s a little background information:

Whistling Andy distillery opened its doors to the public on New Year’s Eve, 2010. In just seven months Whistling Andy’s distillers are already producing vodka made with 100 percent Montana winter wheat, three different styles of gin, crystal rum, hibiscus coconut rum, moonshine and are aging two different styles of whiskey. The first barrel of harvest whiskey, an American-style whiskey with barley, wheat, corn and rye, will be ready for bottling at the end of October. All of the grains used in Whistling Andy products come from one family farm in Ronan.
Whistling Andy distilling is owned and operated by the Anderson and Marchetti families. The name Whistling Andy originated from Roger Anderson’s Air Force nickname and the man on the labels of the Whistling Andy liquor bottles is Jean Claude, Dana Marchetti’s great grandfather. An interesting side note about Jean Claude, he was a Teetotaler, abstaining from alcohol. Hopefully he had a good sense of humor.

- Matt Pritchard

Photo gallery from 2011 Bigfork Brewfest

For those of you like me who weren’t able to attend this year’s Bigfork Brewfest don’t be down, you can get a glimpse of the goings on by heading over to the Bigfork Eagle and checking out its photo gallery. Looks like it was fun, and chilly.

- Matt Pritchard

Second annual Bigfork Brewfest takes place Saturday

The second installment of the Bigfork Brewfest is set Saturday from 3 to 7 p.m. on Electric Avenue in front of the Garden Bar. Tickets are $20 at the gate and good for 10 beers and a cup. Proceeds will go to area nonprofits and charities.

Eleven breweries are on board, including Tamarack, Great Northern, Harvest Moon, Blackfoot, Big Sky, Bayern, Madison River, Flathead Lake, Bitterroot, Glacier and Blacksmith. Each will be 2 or more beers and there may be some surprises.

In addition to beer, gifted Bigfork sculptor Sunti Pichetchaiyakul will attempt to create a bust of the Garden Bar’s Mark Langlois in less than 20 minutes starting at around 4 p.m., according to the Bigfork Eagle. That’d be worth seeing on its own.

It’s looking like it’s going to be cold, so drink up – responsibly, of course.

- Matt Pritchard

Bigfork Brewfest is this Saturday

The Bigfork Brewfest is this Saturday, February 27, 2010. It’s from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Electric Ave, in front of the Garden. Tickets $15 in advance and $20 at the gate.

Bigfork Brewfest is February 27

Check it out!

An Outdoor Celebration of Montana Beers in Charming Downtown Bigfork

When : Saturday February 27th from 3:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Where: Downtown Bigfork
What: Bigfork Brewfest
Special Events: K-9 Keg Pull, Live Music, Unique Foods available from Local Restaurants, Fire Pit, Heat Lamps, Street Closed for Festival
WHY: Because good beer is important and so is helping others in need

Tickets are $15.00 in advance and $20.00 at the gate, ticket holders will sample 10-12 beers and enjoy live music. Local food vendors will be serving up some great food. Bring your dog but only if they are friendly and enter them in the K-9 Keg pull, where they will pull a keg according to their weight! Tickets available in Bigfork at The Jug Tree, Sotheby’s Int Real Estate, The Raven, in Whitefish at Great Northern Brewing, in Polson at Glacier Brewing. Call for more information and ticket outlets 406.253.7862

Prost,

GG