http://www.newwest.net/topic/main/C560/L/ New West Network: The Voice of the Rocky Mountains en info@newwest.net Copyright 2008 Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:49:58 MDT Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:49:58 MDT http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/angry_hanks_brewing_a_method_to_his_madness/C560/C560/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/angry_hanks_brewing_a_method_to_his_madness/C560/C560/ Mon, 23 Jun 2008 07:00:00 MDT When you meet the owner of Angry Hanks Brewing, you can quickly see that he isn't angry. In fact, he isn't even Hank. He's happy, and he's Tim. As in Tim Mohr, founder, owner and head brewer at two-year old Angry Hanks Brewing of Billings. And I'm probably about the thousandth guy to ask him why he calls it Angry Hanks. http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/yellowstone_valley_brewing_is_this_a_big_racket_or_what/C560/C560/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/yellowstone_valley_brewing_is_this_a_big_racket_or_what/C560/C560/ Wed, 18 Jun 2008 09:03:00 MDT I'm sure if you work at Yellowstone Valley Brewing, you're always wondering if there'll ever be a dull moment. It's probably not part of the business plan, but owner and head brewer George Moncure seems to prefer that never-a-dull-moment style. For him, it comes naturally, you could say. Moncure, aka Brewin' Geo, aka Brew Dude, who has a master's degree in geochemistry and lists two of his favorite pastimes as "yucking it up and love planning" owns the place--and brews the beer, books the bands, and appears to live the life of a taproom loyal. For this guitar-strumming, tennis-playing, dinosaur-digging brewer, it's always Hoppy Hour. If you ask, for example, he'll show you his big racket, which is a real, oversized tennis racket he claimed when the Yellowstone Racquet Club gave in to condos and closed. As he swings it around in his packed taproom, he uses one of his favorite lines, possibly overused for the regulars: "Is this a big racket or what?" You have the distinct impression he isn't talking about tennis. http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/bitter_root_brewing_maker_of_the_last_best_brew/C560/C560/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/bitter_root_brewing_maker_of_the_last_best_brew/C560/C560/ Tue, 10 Jun 2008 04:39:00 MDT If you live in or travel to Montana, the Last Best Place, you need to sample the Last Best Brew, right? But you won't find it just anywhere. To find the Last Best Brew, you have to travel to western Montana and find a pub and eatery specializing in real good beer and therefore serving Montana microbrews. Or better yet, go to the source, over to downtown Hamilton, at Bitter Root Brewing, where they make it and serve it every day of the week. http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/big_sky_brewing_moose_drooling_with_success/C560/C560/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/big_sky_brewing_moose_drooling_with_success/C560/C560/ Wed, 28 May 2008 13:49:00 MDT One of the first questions I asked when I started the Microbrew Montana series was: "What's a microbrewery?" But there's no answer--no official line a brewer can cross to grow up from a microbrewery to a macrobrewery. That question sure came rushing back during my tour of Big Sky Brewing in Missoula, which is not only far and away the largest brewery in Montana, but also maker of the state's most famous beer, Moose Drool Brown Ale. And a major stretch for the word, microbrewery. http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/harvest_moon_montanas_small_town_brewery/C560/C560/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/harvest_moon_montanas_small_town_brewery/C560/C560/ Sat, 24 May 2008 08:53:00 MDT The question everybody seems to ask when the Harvest Moon Brewery or their famous beers, Pig's Ass Porter or Beltian White, comes up is: Why Belt? So, that's the first question I asked co-owner John Ballantyne. http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/great_northern_brewing_the_tallest_brewery_in_montana/C560/C560/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/great_northern_brewing_the_tallest_brewery_in_montana/C560/C560/ Tue, 20 May 2008 17:14:00 MDT One problem I've had out on the Microbrew Trail is finding the breweries--and not just the most remote brewery in the country, which happens to be in Montana, but most of them. Montana microbreweries tend to be tucked away in side-street warehouses or small towns you need Google Maps to find. But that's hardly the case with Great Northern Brewing, which has one of the most pricey corner lots in all of Montana right on Central Avenue in downtown Whitefish. And it has good roots, too. http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/glacier_brewing_a_taste_of_the_wild_west/C560/C560/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/glacier_brewing_a_taste_of_the_wild_west/C560/C560/ Mon, 12 May 2008 16:06:00 MDT When you drive up the main street of Polson to Glacier Brewing, you get a little flashback to the Wild West. Swinging saloon doors always do that. The weathered BREWERY sign above the swinging doors helps, too. Later, I found it came from the historic H.S. Gilbert Brewery in Virginia City, which was Montana's first-ever brewery--and where the Virginia City Players still act out a comedy called The Brewery Follies. (The webiste touts the follies as all "satire, nonsense, foolishness and absurdity," so that sounds like something that fits into the Montana Microbrew series, don't you think?) http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/tamarack_brewing_a_brewpub_montana_style/C560/C560/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/tamarack_brewing_a_brewpub_montana_style/C560/C560/ Sat, 03 May 2008 10:00:00 MDT When I'm interviewing brewery owners for the Microbrew Montana series, I always ask the same question: What's different about your operation compared to the other 26 Montana breweries? When visiting Tamarack Brewing in Lakeside, a rapidly growing berg on the west shore of expansive Flathead Lake, I thought I knew the answer as soon as I walked through the front door. But when the co-owner Craig Koontz brought out the brandy snifters, I realized I knew only part of the answer. http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/lang_creek_brewing_americas_most_remote_brewery/C560/C560/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/lang_creek_brewing_americas_most_remote_brewery/C560/C560/ Fri, 25 Apr 2008 10:01:00 MDT When visiting Lang Creek Brewing, getting there is half the reward. I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised. The owners left a clue right on the top of their website by advertising themselves as "America's most remote brewery." So, be sure to call ahead for directions. If you don't, you might be too old to enjoy those tasty brews when you finally get there. Editor's Note: For a complete list of Microbrew Montana articles to date, click here. http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/the_microbrew_montana_chronology/C560/C560/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/the_microbrew_montana_chronology/C560/C560/ Thu, 24 Apr 2008 04:03:00 MDT In a moment of weakness, I decided to take on a new challenge, a year-long tour of Montana's microbreweries and write an article on each one, plus related news on this rapidly growing micro-industry. In addition to NewWest.Net most articles will appear on on the Travel Montana website, visitmt.com. Here's a chronologcial list of the postings so far.