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

Big Sky Brewing, Brennan’s Wave work to keep water fun

Big Sky Brewing has announced that they are teaming up with Brennan’s Wave to help repair some natural damage that has occurred over the years. The brewery will donate $1 for each case equivalent of beer sold throughout Missoula County in February and $1 for every Moose Drool growler sale. Pretty easy: drink beer, save water features.

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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

Craft beer and the 2013 Montana Legislature

The 2013 Montana Legislature began only a few weeks ago and the hot topic, at least from this beer drinker’s perspective, is once again the state’s liquor laws.

For years now, the burgeoning craft beer industry and the powerful Montana Tavern Association have been butting heads over a growing turf war. The Tavern Association wants to keep intact the licenses that many bar and restaurant owners have paid so much for. Breweries in the state would like to loosen up the laws so they can either sell more than the 48 ounce limit, serve beer for on-premise consumption past 8 p.m. and/or brew more than 10,000 barrels while still being able to sell beer and drink beer in taprooms.

There are other issues, of course, but it would be wrong to fully place the blame on either side. For example, if you paid $500,000 for a liquor license (viewed as an asset by owners) would you want a neighboring brewery to be able to sell as much beer as they want without having to pay for said liquor license? Probably not. On the other hand, if you own a brewery and you’re on the cusp of either growing or stagnating (meaning not being able to grow because of existing laws in place) what do you do? If you’re not growing as a business you’re dying, at least that’s what my business professors say.

I don’t believe any brewery, with the possible exception of Big Sky Brewing or maybe Bayern Brewing, thought that the industry would grow as rapidly as it has in just the past few years. There are more than 30 breweries in the state with more being added it seems like every month, up from around 20 just a few years ago. Plus, a recent study has shown some of the economic benefits of the craft beer industry in Montana. It seems like there should be better laws in place to cultivate that growth even further.

This leads into the 2013 Montana Legislature, where many bills addressing the state’s current liquor law situation will be introduced and where many will fail. Fellow beer blog GrowlerFills.com has some excellent coverage thus far that I absolutely urge you to read if you haven’t already. One bill the blog profiled, which was just recently shelved, was a proposal by Rep. Jeff Welborn, R-Dillon, to place a limit on how much beer can be sold in a taproom (10 percent of annual production). Needless to say, that would put a dent in taproom sales for many breweries.

Other bills include one by Ellie Boldman Hill, D-Missoula, that would allow breweries to purchase a cabaret license (beer/wine) or full liquor license making it possible for them to sell more than the 48 ounce limit and extend their hours. This, from what I’ve heard, is something Kettlehouse Brewing would like to see so they can implement it in the Myrtle Street taproom. You might be asking yourself about places such as Lone Peak Brewing or Tamarack Brewing, which have full liquor licenses. Apparently the way they have it worked out is that the brewery is separate from the restaurant and therefore they can hold the license. The law in this area is all pretty murky to me, to be honest. Another bill is one by Christy Clark, R-Choteau, that would create a boutique beer or wine license for specialty shops to sell beer or wine.

If one thing is clear, it’s that something must be done to change the current system. The current laws do not bode well for businesses or consumers. Placing a limit on how many beers a brewery can serve while also limiting how much they can produce won’t help breweries grow (i.e. won’t help small businesses grow). Personally, I don’t care about having more than three beers at a brewery. However, I’m spoiled living in Missoula. I can just go down the street for another. Those living in smaller Montana towns with only one brewery don’t have that luxury. Hopefully, for the sake of all of us drinking folk, our elected leaders will find some compromise.

To see a list of alcohol-related bills by the Montana Legislature, click here.

- 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

Big Sky Brewing photo on Facebook creates uproar

The Great Falls Tribune wrote a story about this photo that has apparently raised quite a stir on Big Sky Brewing’s Facebook page. The photo, which was posted on Dec. 15, shows a Big Sky Brewing employee holding up a mountain lion she killed. The photo has nearly 100 shares, 450 likes and 320 comments and counting. There’s been some strong reaction from people both for and against the photo. The comments can be read here or you can check out the story, which highlights some of the most heated comments.

I guess living in Montana has desensitized me to pictures of dead animals. I don’t hunt, but I see nothing wrong with the photo. Just a month or two ago I saw a bloody elk head in someone’s truck outside of the Kettlehouse, so this is really nothing.

- 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

Imagine Missoula, Big Sky Brewing ready All Souls 2012 Christmas Edition

Hard to believe it’s already that time of the year again.

Imagine Missoula and Big Sky Brewing are gearing up to release the latest version of All Souls Ale, the 2012 Christmas Edition. All profits from the limited-edition brew go toward Imagine Missoula, a nonprofit “working to make Missoula better than it already is.”

If it seems like the last version was only released a few months ago, well, you’re right. Because of a brewing issue last year, Big Sky made the 2012 All Souls Easter Edition, a Dark Tripel, in April and now has the 2012 All Souls Christmas Edition ready for release. This version is again an Imperial Saison, like the original, punching in at about 11 percent alcohol by volume.

There are only 100 cases up for grabs, although at least 26 cases have already been sold. The 750 ml bottles sell for $14, half-cases go for $84 and cases for $168. If you want to place an order, call Nina Alviar at (406) 546-4697.

The release party is Friday, Dec. 7, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Big Sky taproom. There will be food, music by Tom Catmull and the Clerics and, of course, beer. They ask that you RSVP if you’re interested.

Can’t make it? Don’t fret. The beer will also be on tap at Big Sky after Dec. 7.

- Matt Pritchard

Missoula breweries, Tavern Association team up to distribute special brews

Missoula breweries and the Missoula County Tavern Owner’s Association are joining forces to brew up and distribute specialty beers twice a year with proceeds going toward Missoula charities.

The Garden City Community Brew project features all four of Missoula’s breweries, Bayern, Kettlehouse, Big Sky and Draught Works, and the unique brews will be available in about 20 bars. The first installment is a Black IPA brewed at Draught Works. Brewing will begin on Dec. 5 and the beer is scheduled to be available Friday, Dec. 21.

The Tavern Owner’s Association members and Missoula breweries have already donated about $4,000 that will go to help the Missoula Food Bank. It’s nice to see our breweries and bars coming together for a worthy cause.

You can grab a pint at:

• Al’s & Vic’s
• Bodega
• Brooks & Browns
• The Depot
• Double Front Lounge
• Eagles
• Elbow Room
• Iron Horse Brew Pub
• James Bar
• Joker’s Wild
• The Keep
• Montana Club (both locations)
• Mo Club
• Paradise Falls
• Red’s Bar
• The Rhino
• Rowdy’s Cabin
• Sean Kelly’s
• Stone of Accord

- Matt Pritchard

Big Medicine Brewing Co. looks to open in Missoula

Fernanda Menna Barreto Krum and Robert Rivers. Photo by Eliza Wiley/Independent Record

A new Missoula brewery is in the works, although the project is still in the early stages.

The Helena Independent Record reports that Helena native Robert Rivers and partner Fernanda Menna Barreto Krum are in the process of raising funds for a brewery that incorporates their background of helping people in conflict zones around the globe. The two hope Big Medicine Brewing Co. will help promote peace through beer.

In the first year of operation, two-day workshops are planned each month, featuring subjects related to social conflict and social change initiation, as well as one-hour dialogues twice a month.

Rivers and Menna Barreto Krum plan to draw on their own expertise and experience to facilitate these programs and brew the beer. Rivers has a master’s degree in peace and conflict studies from the European Centre for Peace Studies, and Menna Barreto Krum has a master’s degree in psychology and a certificate in global mental health from Harvard.

Rivers also holds a brewing certificate from the University of Wisconsin and both have been brewing beer for the past five years. They’ve raised at least $35,000 so far and are looking for about $200,000 more.

Big Medicine hopes to brew about 1,000 barrels a year once they’re up and running with beer “inspired by breweries around the world.”

You can contact them at bigmedicinebrewing@gmail.com.

- Matt Pritchard