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mICROBREW mONTANA

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. [more]

MICROBREW MONTANA

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. [more]

WILD BILL ON THE BEER TRAIL

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. [more]

2,864 BEERS. 644 BREWERIES IN COMPETITION

Montana Brewing of Billings scored big at what's considered "the most prestigious beer competition in the world," the World Beer Cup held April 19 in San Diego.

World Beer Cup 2008 winners were selected by an international panel of 129 beer judges from 21 countries. A massive field of 2,864 entries from 644 breweries in 58 countries made up the competition. More than 3,800 breweries in 100 countries were invited to compete. [more]

12 OTHER BREWERIES SHARE JUDGED AWARDS

Flathead Lake Brewing, nestled away up at Wood's Bay on its namesake, Flathead Lake, won the big prize at the second annual Montana Beer Festival, held April 11 in Bozeman for Rising Sun Espresso Porter.

The participants of the beer fest decide the People's Choice Awards. At the gate, everybody received a ballot with their tasting glass and rated the brews as they sampled the 85 craft beers throughout the evening. [more]

MICROBREW MONTANA

I've been worried about readers thinking it's a stretch for the outdoor editor to write the Microbrew Montana series, but not since my visit to Madison River Brewing of Belgrade. There, in the taproom, a long cast from its namesake, the famous, trout-rich river, you can order a Hopper, Yellow Humpy, Salmon Fly, Black Ghost, Copper John, Rubber Legged Razz, or my favorite, the Irresistible.

For the non-fishaholics among us, those are all names of fishing flies, but Madison River Brewing, located in one of the hottest travel destinations in the world for fly anglers, uses them as names for their tasty, craft beers.

From a marketing standpoint, you could call that connecting the dots.

Editor"s Note: For a complete list of Microbrew Montana articles to date, click here. [more]

FLY FISHING NORTHEAST OREGON'S RIVERS

Last year, I caught a steelhead and it gave me Steelhead Fever. So bad was the infliction that I immediately advanced to Phase 2 of the disease, the need to catch one of these silvery torpedoes on a fly.

I'm just back from fly fishing three incredible steelhead rivers in northeast Oregon, and I actually did it, caught my first steelhead on a fly. This hardly makes me an expert on fly fishing for steelhead, but if you have the fever and want to try it, this article might save you a little time. [more]

A COMING PANDEMIC WITH NO CURE

Any angler who has had a steelhead on knows about this disease, but only a small minority has had this misfortune. Worse, those who have it probably aren't aware of their ailment or realize that it's extremely contagious--and has no cure or vaccine to prevent it from spreading.

Blissfully, the carriers are out there, the steelheaders, along with an army of outdoor writers like yours truly, spreading Steelhead Fever. If they keep this up, we'll have a regular pandemic on our hands. [more]

INTRODUCING MICROBREW MONTANA

Editor's Note: A couple months ago, 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. Today, I'm launching that new series on NewWest.Net with this overview of the industry and how microbreweries fit into the economic and tourism pictures in Montana. I'm also posting the first of long series of features on individual breweries starting with the Lewis & Clark Brewing in Helena. You will also be able to see the articles on the Travel Montana website, visitmt.com. Throughout the year, I'll be visiting most microbreweries in the state and posting profiles on them and their owners. After I finish this series, my byline might be a little scarce for a few months while I'm in recovery.-- Bill Schneider



Click more below for the first installment and check in with www.newwest.net/microbrew to tag along with Bill. [more]

MICROBREW MONTANA

Lewis & Clark Brewing in Helena, Montana, used to be a Sleeping Giant. And perhaps it still is.

In March, 2002, Max Pigman bought the struggling Sleeping Giant Brewing. Ever since, his business has been anything but sleepy.

"We kept the Sleeping Giant name for about two years," Pigman explains, but then decided to re-name it. "Outside of Helena, the term 'sleeping giant' (a recognizable mountain north of town) wasn't well known, and we started marking our beer outside Helena. Also, we decided the words 'sleeping' and 'beer' didn't really go together."

Or do they?

Editor"s Note: For a complete list of Microbrew Montana articles to date, click here.
[more]

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