Showed up to a pleasant surprise when I showed up at the local taproom today. The return of the Lightfoot Pilsner was augmented by a first ever Rye PA. It is essentially their single malt IPA with 5% of the malt replaced by rye.
New Brews at Blackfoot!
August 18th, 2010
Blackfoot Brewers Lunch
August 17th, 2010
Once again Blackfoot Brewing Company is holding a Brewers Lunch. This Thursday starting at noon, the brewers at Blackfoot will be discussing Brewer’s Yeast – The Magic of Beer.
We will discuss brewing yeast: its biology, history, use in beer, and particularly its impact to flavors and beer styles. Bring your lunch, beer is available for purchase.
Wouldn’t it be weird if the Lightfoot Pilser came on tap just in time for lunch?
The Art and Science of Beer
August 5th, 2010
Very exciting news here! Two of my favorite Helena institutions are teaming up to bring two hours or beer history, science, and art education to the Queen City. Exploration Works is teaming up with Brian Smith and Brad Simshaw, owners of Blackfoot River Brewing Company, to bring back an evening of “The Art and Science of Beer.”
This event was held at Exploration Works a few years ago, and I remember showing up a few minutes late to find no seating available, so I plan on not missing it this time! The event is next Thursday, August 12, 2010. It kicks off at 6:00pm and is slated to go until 8:00.
Adventures Taylored to Craft Beer Drinkers
July 25th, 2010
A new company has recently started operating in Montana: Taylored Adventures. I have often though of setting up some sort of Montana Craft Beer tour, but it looks like someone beat me to the punch. Taylored Adventures offers three unique tours around different areas of Montana (and a short jaunt into Wyoming). The tours focus on seeing the great outdoors, one includes a bike down the Beartooth Highway, as well as experiencing all the great Craft Beers brewers around the state have to offer.
Mike Taylor [the proprietor of Taylored Adventures] has been organizing college activities and tours for over twenty years at the State University of New York, University of Hawaii, University of Oregon and Northwest College in Wyoming.
His trip leadership experience includes: New York City/New England Tours, Hawaii Adventure Travel, Montana Ski Tours, Australia and the Cook Islands and more! He has also taught outdoor lifetime activities and sports including, Golf, Alpine, Telemark and Nordic Skiing, Snowboarding, Backpacking, Mountain Biking and Bicycle Touring. His interests include outdoor sports, photography, golf, travel, homebuilding, and beer tasting!
Although the tours are a bit out of my price range (they cost about $1400.00), they could be a great activity for when your beer loving extended family comes to visit. What better way to see Montana than with a few great Craft Brews in you!
MBA Launches New Website
June 29th, 2010
The Montana Brewers Association just launched its new website today. It looks great and has easy links to all the brewery members as well as associate members, and if you are a brew card members, you also have a mention as well! Check it out and become a fan on facebook to receive updates on what is happening, like the upcoming 2nd Annual Montana Brewers Festival!
Red Atlas Rocket
June 19th, 2010
I stopped into the Red Atlas today to try their new Red Atlas Rocket. It is a pint of the Rogue Double Mocha Porter with two shots of espresso poured into it, topped off with a side of oreo cookies. It has a tendency to foam up a bit at the start, an issue they hope to fix through testing of various mixing procedures. I didn’t try it side by side with Double Mocha Porter, but thought it was tasty all the same. It maintains a lot of the heavy malt character, especially the roasted chocolate, and the espresso balances it out with a nice bitter kick at the end. Probably not something you’ll have more than one pint of, the Red Atlas Rocket would be perfect for a lunch break when you just need a beer, but also a little kick in the pants to get through the rest of the work day.
Blackfoot Brewer’s Lunch
June 14th, 2010
This Thursday, June 17, Blackfoot River Brewery will be hosting a Brewer’s Lunch. It is from noon till 1pm. I imagine the doors will be opening about 15 minutes early to give people time to get a pint before lunch. This lunch’s topic is German Lagers: styles, history, ingredients, process, and flavors. Beer will be for sale during the lunch(don’t forget it counts towards your constitutional three). So grab your brown bag lunch and head down to the tap room for some great lunch time company and an enlightening conversation on German Lagers!
2nd Annual Montana Brewers Festival
June 10th, 2010
Exciting news here. Coming up this September 10 is the 2nd Annual Montana Brewers Festival! If you missed last year’s Oktoberfest, be sure to make it this year as it is guaranteed to be a good time. It will be featuring beers from all 21 MBA Breweries, music by The Growlers, The Hooligans, and Keegan Smith and the Fam. It will be held at the Haines Pavilion in Bozeman. Entrance is $10 at the door and includes a 6 oz. sampler glass with two samples (additional samples will be available for $1). Hope to see you all there!
Brewers Lunch at Blackfoot
May 20th, 2010
Sean and Trevor from the Blackfoot River Brewery.
Head down to the Blackfoot today at noon and join the brewers for a discussion on cask-conditioned ales. Doors open at 11:45, and don’t worry if you forget your lunch, they will be serving lunch from the taps! Although probably not the best idea if you plan on putting in a full day at work.
Seriously, lets cast some votes!
May 20th, 2010
Alright guys, get ready cause I’m gonna tell it how it is. Asheville, North Carolina is currently winning this Beer City USA 2010. Yes they have a strong showing at around 42%, but that has been static for the past day. Meanwhile, the Missoula, Montana in all its beer glory has risen from 0% to 2.7%! Although Helena brews some damn good beer, Missoula is pretty close, and if I had to choose between North Carolina and Missoula, well, its Missoula. Grizzly Growler has spearheaded the effort in Missoula on his blog, and hopefully we can do the same! So if you haven’t voted yet, get on it, it only takes maybe 15 seconds. Also, email it to friends and family, let them vote (but only if they are voting for Missoula!) GO MT!
