Spring Rendezvous at Haynes Pavilion.
The Spring Rendezvous brewfest is returning to Bozeman on Saturday, May 11th, bringing Montana’s brewers and craft beer lovers together to enjoy local beer, music, and food at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds. The brewfest provides the best opportunity to ring in spring and try some of the best craft brews in our state. Each brewfest ticket includes beer samples, plus a collectible tasting glass.
Festivities kick off at 3 p.m. with the VIP hour, while General Admission opens at 4 p.m. Performing during the VIP hour is Bozeman Americana artist Taylor Burlage, whose music is reflective of the mountains that he grew up in, using their power and imagery to craft kindred songs. For general admission Levi Blom, an emerging country music singer/songwriter who was born and raised in Butte, will play his Montana country rock. The fun will continue until 8 p.m.!
The event will showcase over 100 unique beverages from 31 Montana breweries, granting attendees a chance to explore a wide variety of styles and enjoy the latest seasonal brews. You can plan your samples by checking out the beer list here. Looking for eats to pair with your brews? Try out the delicious, local food from CC Gourmet, Follow Yer’ Nose BBQ, Highlander Taste, Mo’Bowls, or Ms. Sippi’s Southern Cuisine.
On tap for the first time at an MBA brewfest, you can try Montana’s first non-alcoholic craft beer, courtesy of Imagine Nation Brewing. Stop by their table to try the non-alcoholic Lupujus ZERO New England IPA. You can also learn more about Montana-grown barley varieties by visiting MSU’s Barley, Malt, & Brewing Quality Lab’s table, who will be pouring five non-alcoholic barley teas. Returning for this year’s Spring Rendezvous is 406 Brewing Company, formerly of Bozeman, and recently reopened in Manhattan.
Four award-winning beers from this year’s Montana Beer Awards will be on tap, Highlander Beer’s Tangerine Squeeze, Kettlehouse’s Muley Buck IPA, the Mexican Lager from Lewis and Clark Brewing Co., and the Mud Lake Dunkles Bock from Ronan Cooperative Brewery. The Tmavé Czech Dark Lager from Copper Furrow Brewing will also be on tap, fresh off winning a medal at the 2024 World Beer Cup. Stop by and sample some of the best in Montana craft beer!
The past two Spring Rendezvous brewfests have sold out, so don’t wait to get your tickets here!
– Ticket Prices –
Advance: $45 VIP / $35 GA
Day-Of $50 VIP / $40 GA
Make sure you join us at the brewfest afterparty at the Graduation Bash “Doubles” at the ELM. Keep the celebration going and enjoy music from Shakewell, who will be playing its rare species of jam-pop-funk-disco, with Desperate Electric bringing vibrant energy and infectious melodies. Get tickets for the afterparty here.
For free VIP entry, volunteer t-shirt, and a free ticket to the afterparty at the ELM, sign up to volunteer at https://volunteersignup.org/XPRB8
Can’t make it to the Spring Rendezvous? Mark your calendar for the next two stops on this year’s Rendezvous tour!
Summer Rendezvous
Saturday, August 3
Memorial Park, Helena
Fall Rendezvous
Saturday, September 21
Caras Park, Missoula
Lewis and Clark Brewing Co. wins gold at World Beer Cup.
Four breweries representing Big Sky Country won medals at the 2024 World Beer Cup. The 15th iteration of the competition, hosted at the Venetian Convention and Expo Center in Las Vegas, capped off the festivities for this year’s Craft Brewers Conference® & BrewExpo America®.
Hosted by the Brewers Association, judging for the event took place over a week as 280 judges tasted 9,300 beer entries across 110 categories. With 2,060 breweries hailing from 50 nations, the World Beer Cup is the largest beer competition in the world. Montana’s world-class craft beer has consistently won at the World Beer Cup, with a Montana brewery medalling at each competition since 2006.
“Each award represents not only exceptional quality but also innovation and creativity, driving the global craft beer industry forward,” said Chris Williams, World Beer Cup competition director. “This year’s winners exemplify the spirit of craftsmanship and ingenuity and showcase the diverse flavors and techniques that make beer an art form. Congratulations to this year’s winners for their outstanding achievements in brewing.”
Lewis & Clark Brewing Co. took home the gold for American Wheat Beer with their Miner’s Gold Hefeweizen. Miner’s Gold is no stranger to the World Beer Cup, having previously been awarded a gold medal in 2018, silver in 2012, and bronze in 2023.
Sacred Waters Brewing Co. won the bronze in Chili Beer for Lil’ Salmon Fire, their first at the World Beer Cup. Hot off a silver medal win at the Denver International Beer Competition this December, this cream ale brings the spice with pounds of poblano, serrano, and jalapeño peppers.
MAP Brewing also got its first World Beer Cup hardware, with a bronze medal in German-Style Koelsch for Ridge Hippy. This brew was previously recognized at the 2017 North American Beer Awards, and features a subtle fruity aroma that gives way to a soft, grain-driven body with subdued noble hop character and a clean, refreshing finish.
Copper Furrow Brewing built its trophy case for their Tmavé Czech Dark Lager, which won a silver medal at last year’s Great American Beer Festival. At the WBC, they won a bronze medal for International Dark Lagers.
Check out the full Winners List here. Congratulations to each winning brewery for representing our state at the international level!
Patagonia, the outdoor clothing giant, is working with a small group of breweries throughout the country to create a sustainable beer under the Patagonia Provisions program. Montana’s own MAP Brewing Co. was chosen to participate, creating the Kernza Lager with twenty other breweries across the country.
Rather than being brewed with barley or wheat, this lager is brewed with Kernza grain. The Kernza grain was created by the Land Institute team, and is a perennial plant that is both regenerative and sustainable, requiring less tilling and emissions. Seeing the need to develop a perennial crop that would not only remain in the soil, but contribute to soil health in a prairie setting, set Wes Jackson on a path to create a better product. Kernza is not only environmentally sound, but gut-friendly as well. It’s tested higher in fibers, protein and amino acids than traditional wheat grain. Learn more about the Kernza revolution here.
Patagonia Provisions reached out to MAP last year to begin collaborating on the project. The agriculturalists behind the Kernza grain come from The Land Institute, which specializes in alternative agricultural practice. Brandon Schlautman, who works closely with the MSU Barley, Malt and Brewing Quality Lab explains the grain “mimics nature” in that its perennial cycle predates industrial agricultural practices. Kernza improves the land’s water filtration, microbiome and prevents soil erosion, whereas a regular wheat grain must be planted year after year, contributing to emissions through tilling practices.
MAP is the only producer and seller of the Kernza Lager in Montana and they’ll have it for the rest of the year, with cans coming soon.
Doug Child, head brewer at MAP, is excited about Kernza’s potential as a regenerative grain as an adjunct for a grist bill. Child gave us the inside scoop on working with the Kernza product, noting that “the raw, de-husked grain is too small and soft for a malt mill. For the grain to release its full extract potential (contributing flavor, mouthfeel, and alcohol), Kernza will have to be malted or pre-gelatinized and flaked.” Nonetheless, Child’s was able to create a nutty, earthy aroma and flavor in a helles-style lager.
Child isn’t giving up on Kernza. Neither is Hannah Uhlmann at the MSU Barley, Malt and Brewing Quality Lab. Uhlmann is working closely with Sustain-a-Grain, an advocate of Kernza grain growers, “to support them in creating a rolled version of the grain that is better for brewing production. This process is not yet organic-certified so does not fit with the current requirements of Patagonia Provision products. The certification comes with a big price tag, meaning demand for the product needs to grow to off-set the investment, allowing growers to sell at an appropriate value and brewers to not break the bank.”
The Kernza grain is the next chapter in sustainable brewery practices. Learn more about the Kernza grain here. Don’t forget to try out the Lager at MAP this summer.
MSU research brewer Bruce McMahon runs a brew cycle in MSU’s Barley, Malt and Brewing Quality Lab. MSU photo by Colter Peterson.
MSU’s Barley, Malt and Brewing Quality Lab literally has “brewing” in its name, but the lab was not legally allowed to brew beer until just recently. All that changed on February 28, when MSU’s application for an Academic Brewer License was approved.
Before being allowed to brew at the lab, researchers would actually take wort, the unfermented infusion of malt, home from the lab to continue the brewing process. With no legal avenue to brew in the Lab, homebrewing became the only legal option available to them. Being able to brew beer is essential for the work of the Lab, which conducts barley and malt research and breeds new varieties of barley.
“Brewing is a complicated process that involves not only barley, but also the barley-growing environment, yeast and many other factors,” said Jamie Sherman, barley program director. “If we don’t understand this process, how can we possibly breed for it?”
Montana already had a law on the books that provided for an Academic Brewer License that would cover such research. However, the law was narrowly written to only allow for two campuses, MSU-Billings and Flathead Valley Community College, to utilize the Academic Brewer License. When passing the original bill to create the special license in 2017, the legislators chose to limit its availability to the two schools that had brewer training programs at the time, but that left out MSU and the important research being conducted at the Barley, Malt and Brewing Quality Lab.
The MBA learned of the problem and got working to fix it. We began educating legislators about the problem and need for a solution, and reached out to industry partner groups to ensure the entire alcohol industry was supportive of expanding the Academic Brewer License. We also raised the issue with the Department of Revenue (DOR), the department responsible for alcohol regulation in Montana. DOR responded by including the fix in Gov. Gianforte’s Red Tape Relief initiative, giving the proposed legislation significant momentum.
“Most legislative solutions aren’t so easy or clear cut, especially when it comes to alcohol policy,” said MBA Executive Director Matt Leow. “But in this case the need was so obvious and the solution so reasonable, that the bill enjoyed zero opposition during the two bill hearings.”
Bill signing ceremony for HB 31.
HB 31, sponsored by Rep. Ross Fitzgerald (R-Power), opened up the Montana Academic Brewer License to be available to any state institution of higher education. The bill ultimately passed the House of Representatives 89-10 and the Senate with a vote of 45-5. It was one of the first bills in 2023 to pass both chambers and be sent to the governor’s desk, clearing its final vote on February 9, barely a month into the session.
The Barley, Malt and Brewing Lab, founded in 2016, provides incredibly valuable resources and services to craft brewers, barley growers and maltsters. Through the Barley Breeding Program, the Lab breeds new varieties that produce traits of interest and then field tests the new varieties before recommending them for release. The Lab also provides testing services for barley, malt and beer, serving as an important industry partner from Montana’s barley fields to local craft breweries. The ability to now brew, allows the Lab to confirm that new varieties of barley don’t just grow well, but also deliver the desired results in the brewing process.
“When you’re a breeder, one of the most important things is gathering a lot of data over a number of years from barley grown in different environments, which will make your selections a lot better,” Sherman said. “Now, we can get our own brewing data, which helps us to make better decisions when developing varieties. It’s already empowered us.”
A variety of beer that symbolizes the strong craft brewing community in Montana has been arriving on taps across the state with increasing frequency. Collaboration beers have been seeing a recent renaissance in Montana, thanks to legislative changes enacted in the past year.
Prior to the passage of SB 312 in 2023, restrictions on where collaboration beers could be sold hampered breweries from working with each other on brews. These previous regulations discouraged collaboration brews as only the brewery hosting the collab could sell the end product in their taproom. Non-hosting breweries suffered a financial loss since they contributed staff time, travel and resources to participate in the collaboration brew, but weren’t able to sell the creation in their own brewery. The situation created a financial disincentive for collaborations throughout the state.
The Red-E or Knot Irish Ale, available at Philipsburg Brewing Co. and MAP Brewing Co.
By providing for an exception to the rule and allowing a participating brewery to serve the collaboration beers back at their brewery, SB 312 has opened the door for brewers to work together to create incredible beers. Two brewers that have already taken advantage of the possibilities offered by the law are Philipsburg Brewing Company and MAP Brewing Co. The inspiration for the collaboration “was to get together with a brewery that is in a different region, and has a very different process than we do,” says Doug Child, MAP’s head brewer. “We exchange ideas, processes, and decisions so that we each learn from each other, as well as expose our beer to each other’s market.”
The first beer brewed in collaboration between Philipsburg and MAP, the Red-E or Knot Irish Ale hit taps on March 15th after being brewed in Bozeman. This brew, which balances modest hop bitterness with a toasty caramel-cinnamon aroma and dry finish, came about after “we tossed ideas back and forth about how to get that classic red color,” explains Child. The collaboration continues between the two breweries, as a few of MAP’s brewers recently made the trip to Philipsburg to create a unique beer there. That brew is a saison that is currently still being barrel-aged with juniper berries.
Another collaboration recently released in two taprooms was between Sacred Waters Brewing Company and Ronan Cooperative Brewery. They brewed a New Zealand-Style pilsner in Kalispell, a beer that went on tap earlier this month. “The collaboration process went smoothly,” says Seth Orr, head brewer at Sacred Waters.
Sacred Waters head brewer Seth Orr (left) and Ronan Coop head brewer Jim Myers (right) on collaboration brew day.
After working with Ronan’s team on recipe development, they created a new recipe for a hoppy pilsner. Then, the two breweries divided the ingredients for the beer. For the whirlpool hops, Ronan brought exclusively New Zealand varieties, including Motueka, Riwaka, and Southern Cross. Sacred Waters provided Nelson Sauvin for the dry hop, and then added Flathead Valley Hops’ Hallertau Mittelfruh for the boil.
The end product “pushed the boundaries of what a pilsner can be,” says Orr. The clean and crisp hoppy lager with a balanced water profile and dank, tropical flavors bring new flavor profiles to the Flathead and Mission Valleys.
While great beer is one product of collaboration brews, another is an opportunity for brewers to talk shop and learn from each other. “I feel really fortunate to get to brew and learn from Seth,” explains Ronan Coop Brewery’s head brewer, Jim Myers.
“[We] talked a lot about lagers, which Ronan Brewing is known for making well,” adds Orr. “I learned that there are new levels in which a lager can be elevated.” The Montana craft beer industry has always been a special part of the state’s culture and we’re excited to see where this new wave of collaboration will take it.
Brewers gather at first statewide craft beer awards.
The winners of the Montana Beer Awards were announced by the Montana Brewers Association during the award ceremony on Saturday, February 24th. Hosted by Lewis and Clark Brewing Company in Helena, awards were issued across 19 beer categories, plus awards for the Small, Medium, Large, and Community Breweries of the Year. This year’s Montana Beer Awards marked the inaugural state-wide, blindly tasted beer competition for exclusively Montana-brewed beers.
“I’m over the moon about how successful the inaugural Montana Beer Awards were,” says MBA Executive Director Matt Leow. “The quality of beer, the commitment and integrity from the judges, and the camaraderie between brewers on display Saturday night are a testament to the strong brewing community we have in Montana.”
There were 365 beers entered into the competition by 55 Montana breweries, comprised of both MBA member breweries and non-members. Each beer was carefully evaluated by 21 certified beer judges, professional brewers, and industry experts from Montana, Colorado, Utah, Oregon, and Alberta. Judges assessed the beers blindly over the course of the two and a half days prior to the awards, spending almost 10 hours a day carefully tasting each beer and providing their feedback to brewers on an online scoresheet.
Bozeman Brewing Co.’s Mark Bergstrom accepts the award for Large Brewery of the Year.
“We had an incredible turnout for the Montana Beer Awards this year. We are thankful for our judges professionalism and vast knowledge. They did an amazing job helping us with the competition and the stewards were responsible for keeping the show going,” says competition organizer and Copper Furrow Brewing taproom manager Danielle Durkin. “It felt amazing to give out so many awards to Montana Breweries who make some of the best beer in the state! I am already looking forward to next year.”
To a packed house at Lewis and Clark Brewing Company and to livestream viewers online, a total of 35 breweries claimed gold, silver, and bronze medals in 19 beer categories. Congratulations to each winning brewery and their fantastic beer:
Presented by Gallatin Valley Malt Co.
Philipsburg Brewing Company, Philipsburg
Presented by Propagate Lab
Backslope Brewing, Columbia Falls
Presented by Malteurop Malting Co.
Neptune’s Brewery, Livingston
Presented by Malteurop Malting Co.
Bozeman Brewing Company, Bozeman
Presented by the Montana Wheat & Barley Committee
GOLD: Mexican Lager, Lewis and Clark Brewing, Helena
SILVER: ERAS, Imagine Nation Brewing Co., Missoula
BRONZE: Ridge Pils, Bozeman Brewing Company, Bozeman
Presented by 5280PKG
GOLD: False Idols, Philipsburg Brewing Company, Philipsburg
SILVER: Noble Pilsner, Cranky Sam Brewing, Missoula
BRONZE: Axolager Mexican-Style Lager, Bozeman Brewing Company, Bozeman
Presented by Montana Craft Malt
GOLD: Schwartz Lake Schwarzbier, Ronan Cooperative Brewery, Ronan
SILVER: Fanny Pack Amber Lager, Ten Mile Creek Brewery, Helena
BRONZE: Rink Rat Red Lager, Blacksmith Brewing Company, Stevensville
GOLD: Eisbock, Bayern Brewing, Missoula
SILVER: Woofta, 2 Basset Brewery, White Sulphur Springs
BRONZE: Mud Lake Dunkles Bock, Ronan Cooperative Brewery, Ronan
GOLD: Sawtooth Ridge, Bitter Root Brewing, Hamilton
SILVER: Otter Water, Philipsburg Brewing Company, Philipsburg
BRONZE: Sandbagger Gold, Montana Brewing Company, Billings
GOLD: St. Walter Hefeweizen, Bayern Brewing, Missoula
SILVER: American Dunkel, Sawdust and Steel, Three Forks
BRONZE: The Patriot, Patriotic American Brewery, Evergreen
Presented by Big Sky Hops Farm
GOLD: Lee Metcalf, Bridger Brewing, Bozeman
SILVER: Damsel Fly, Mountains Walking, Bozeman
BRONZE: 40 South, MAP Brewing Company, Bozeman
Presented by Flathead Valley Hops
GOLD: The BOB IPA, Sacred Waters Brewing Company, Kalispell
SILVER: Muley Buck IPA, KettleHouse Brewery, Missoula
BRONZE: (New Hokkaido) Daruma IPA, Mountains Walking, Bozeman
Presented by Valley Bank of Helena
GOLD: Shady New England IPA, KettleHouse Brewery, Missoula
SILVER: Hopster Doofus, Thirsty Street Brewing Co., Billings
BRONZE: Higher Haze, Bridger Brewing, Bozeman
GOLD: Dan Bailey’s, Neptune’s Brewery, Livingston
SILVER: Bozone Amber Ale, Bozeman Brewing Company, Bozeman
BRONZE: Anchor’s Away, Neptune’s Brewery, Livingston
GOLD: Katabatic Scotch Ale, Katabatic Brewing Co., Livingston
SILVER: Copper John Scotch Ale, Madison River Brewing Company, Belgrade
BRONZE: Wee Heavy, Bar 3 Brewing, Belgrade
GOLD: Backcountry, Lewis & Clark Brewing, Helena
SILVER: Big Bison, Thirsty Street Brewing Co., Billings
BRONZE: Whiplash, Mighty Mo Brewing Co., Great Falls
GOLD: Winter Warmer, Copper Furrow Brewing, Helena
SILVER: Frostbite Barley Wine, Madison River Brewing Company, Belgrade
BRONZE: Ivan the Terrible, Big Sky Brewing Company, Missoula
GOLD: Distant Neighbor, Backslope Brewing, Columbia Falls
SILVER: Table Farmhouse, Smelter City Brewing, Anaconda
BRONZE: Nightlight, Jeremiah Johnson Brewing Co., Great Falls
GOLD: Catalina Whine Mixer, MAP Brewing Company, Bozeman
SILVER: Vieux Bois Gueuze Inspired 3 Year Blend #3, Bozeman Brewing Company, Bozeman
BRONZE: Oakilly Dokilly, OddPitch Brewing, Missoula
GOLD: Dunkle Rauchbier, Burnt Tree Brewing, Ennis
SILVER: 2023 Cellar Series – Imperial Bourbon Porter, Bitter Root Brewing, Hamilton
BRONZE: Barrel Aged Freezeout Stout, KettleHouse Brewery, Missoula
GOLD: Opulence, Backslope Brewing, Columbia Falls
SILVER: Tangerine Squeezer, Highlander Beer, Missoula
BRONZE: Black Fire, OddPitch Brewing, Missoula
GOLD: Kind of a Big Dill, Old Bull Brewing, Frenchtown
SILVER: Just Hipster Enough, Smelter City Brewing, Anaconda
BRONZE: Fuzzy Wuzzy Was a Beer, Sawdust and Steel, Three Forks
GOLD: (New Hokkaido) Lychee Kozo, Mountains Walking, Bozeman
SILVER: Watermelon Lime, Triple Dog Brewing, Havre
BRONZE: Tropical Fusion Hard Seltzer, Lewis and Clark Brewing, Helena
Gally’s Brewing Co.’s spin on the Peaks to Prairie beer, made with Montana Craft Malt, hops from XXX Hops farm, and honeyberries grown at Aspen Grove Farm.
Saturday, April 6th, is Montanans’ favorite unofficial holiday, Montana Day, also known as 4-0-6 Day. It also happens to be New Beer’s Eve, the day before National Beer Day, making this day the natural time to celebrate Montana craft beer with the release of the 2024 Peaks to Prairie collaboration beer at eleven breweries across Montana.
Peaks to Prairie is a collaboration of Montana Brewers Association (MBA) member breweries, Montana’s barley and hops growers, and local maltsters. Brewers have creative freedom to brew the style of their choosing with a recipe using ingredients grown and malted in Montana. This is the fourth annual Montana collaboration beer organized by the MBA, and the first MBA collaboration without a specific style requirement.
“Montana brewers and craft beer lovers are in the fortunate and unique position of living and brewing in a place where all the ingredients necessary to brew great beer are produced right here,” says MBA Executive Director Matt Leow. “Montana is a special place where you can know your brewer, know your farmer, and know your maltster. We’re the leading barley malt producing state, we have a fast-growing hops industry and are fortunate to have several local maltsters. There aren’t many states where brewers can produce a beer with all local ingredients like we’re doing with Peaks to Prairie.”
The name of the collab beer, “Peaks to Prairie,” represents the wide range of geographical features in Montana, reflecting the diverse landscapes of mountains, canyons, river valleys, forests, grassy plains, and more that are found in Big Sky Country. This collaboration beer aims to showcase the unique flavors and ingredients sourced from these environments. By combining elements from Montana’s peaks to prairies, the beer represents a fusion of the state’s natural beauty and agricultural abundance.
Thanks to the generous support of Bell Crossing Farms, Big Sky Orchards, Crooked Yard Hops, Flathead Valley Hops, Farm Power Malt, Gallatin Valley Malt, and Montana Craft Malt, brewers were able to purchase their locally-sourced ingredients at a reduced rate. With their own unique recipes, brewers unleashed their creativity and now they are eager to share their delicious brews with craft beer enthusiasts.
“We look forward to the Peaks to Prairie beer every year, and I think there is a lot of pride in everyone’s Peak to Prairie brew as it uses Montana ingredients and also showcases how incredible the Montana craft beer scene is. I think the option of brewing any style you want this year makes it even more exciting for all the breweries participating,” says Zach Nelson, Head Brewer at KettleHouse Brewing. “We’re very excited to see what gets put on tap across the state, and as always, we love to support the Montana Brewers Association, and keep helping to grow the Montana Craft beer scene.”
So far, eleven Montana breweries are brewing the Peaks to Prairie beer. Each brewery will donate a portion of the proceeds of their Peaks to Prairie beer to the Montana Brewers Association to continue to further the mission of promoting the production and sales of the freshest and highest quality Montana-made beers. The MBA will use some of the funds raised to support scholarships for student researchers at MSU’s Barley, Malt & Brewing Quality Lab.
To celebrate Montana Day and New Beer’s Eve, craft beer lovers can show their support for the collaboration beer project by visiting any of the following participating breweries and enjoying a pint of Peaks to Prairie:
For more information on each Peaks to Prairie beer, visit montanabrewers.org/upcoming_events/2024-peaks-to-prairie-collaboration-beer-release/.
Participating breweries will be pouring the Peaks to Prairie collaboration beer throughout the year while supplies last.
