Montana’s craft beer explorers have more reason to celebrate this week.  Bridger Brewing Co. in Bozeman and Desert Mountain Brewing and Draughthaus in Columbia Falls both opened in the past few days, adding more great local options for craft beer.

Now comes word that Seattle, WA’s  Elysian Brewing Co. will begin distribution in Montana next week.  In Elysian’s own words “After years of customers bootlegging our beers into the state, driving hundreds of miles just to get Elysian beer, we are opening up Montana!”

I’ve been one of those customers driving hundreds of miles to “bootleg” Elysian’s beers back for later enjoyment.  Given Montana’s comparatively small distribution of the world’s craft beer, every one of my trips over to Washington and Idaho includes multiple stops at a variety of stores to load up on new options.  I can’t remember a haul that did not include at least one Elysian beer.

While their Dragonstooth Stout has long been a regular favorite of mine, Elysian is known for its frequent seasonals and one-offs that aren’t afraid to push the boundaries of what we commonly think of as beer.  I do believe their Mortis Sour Persimmon Ale, one of Elysian’s 12 Beers of the Apocalypse, might be the first sour beer I willingly ordered an entire pint of.*