Speical Blog

Beers and Gears: Day One, a Frigid Bust

By Bill Schneider, 5-24-10

	Chuck Micklewright (left), Will Selser, Quarry owner and brewmaster Chuck Schnabel, and Bill Schneider enjoying an undeserved beer at Butte's Quarry Brewery.

It has to get better from here.

We woke up this morning hoping the weather forecaster had it wrong again, but no, just our luck, the forecast was spot on. Freezing rain and snow all day! 

This might support the older-and-wiser theory. After much discussion down at the coffee shop early this morning, we decided the weather was beyond uncomfortable and clearly hypothermic, so we made the tough choice to skip the first day and start from Butte tomorrow morning. 

Wiser or wimpy? You decide. Instead of a wet, frigid ride to Butte, we drove down in comfort in Chuck’s Winnebago. Both Will and I have both had plenty of hypothermic rides and know that even if you have the best cycling garb, which we do, you still get cold and wet, and at the least, it’s difficult to consider it a good time.

So, no cycling news today, but we can still come through on half of our assignment, the brewery news. Here we are, at Quarry Brewing, one of Montana’s newest, checking out the new beers brewed up by owners Lyza and Chuck Schnabel.

Brewmaster Chuck was there behind the bar, as he always is, with a big smile, as always. I could hardly recognize the place without The Green Door (You have to be at least 50 to get that), but Chuck assured me it was still there, “just rolled up.” Since my last visit, he has put in another door, outside The Green Door, with windows. He still puts down The Green Door and the massive quilt made out of his old brewery t-shirts and jeans. 

Unlike a lot of businesses, Quarry had a great year in 2009, now up to about 400 barrels per year production. In September, Chuck and Lyza will be celebrating Quarry’s third birthday, which makes it one of the newest breweries in Montana. Only Blacksmith in Stevensville is newer.

Chuck was pleasantly stressed about the upcoming National Folk Festival, July 9-10-11 in Butte. About a fifth of his annual capacity, 125 kegs, has been pre-order by the organizers, all to be sold on-site in his taproom or in four beer trailers located around Butte. He expects 200,000 people to show up, and undoubtedly, many of then will be looking for the best local brew.

Sounds like a great time. Don’t miss it.

Ditto for every Saturday night at the Quarry. That’s Open Mike Night,” when anything goes.

Also, Lyza Schnabel, Chuck’s spouse and co-owner, has started a “Ladies Night,” with no men allowed in the taproom. The first one is June 2. Don’t miss it, if you don’t have a Y chromosome, that is.

While we were at the Quarry enjoying some great beer, guess what, it FINALLY stopped raining and snowing, so maybe tomorrow, we can actually get on our bicycles and do what we’re supposed to be doing—earning our cold beer at night.

Stat tuned…

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