Bayern Brewing Co. celebrated its 30th anniversary earlier this year and its selection of authentic German beers have been a favorite of many across the Montana and beyond.  Opened in 1987, the Missoula brewery first packaged its beer in 1997 with bottles of Amber and Pilsener.

Bayern has been a champion of the sustainability of glass bottles, installing a bottle washing machine and instituting a glass recycling program to reuse bottles.

Photo courtesy of Bayern Brewing Co.

But for the first time, the brewery has released 12-packs of beer in cans, beginning with its popular winter beers, Groomer (a wintermärzen) and Face Plant (a doppelweizen).

Bayern remains dedicated to glass bottles (both Groomer and Face Plant are still available in glass), but adding cans is a nod to Montana’s outdoor culture and patrons’ desire to take beer along on adventures.

Bayern’s ability to include cans was partly driven by the passing of HB 541, the recent legislation that raised Montana’s beer production cap. The law change allows Bayern to keep its taproom while expanding production. Bayern’s German beers have particularly become a hit in Seattle’s beer market and the increased cap helps Bayern enjoy those market opportunities while also taking on new projects like cans.

Photo courtesy of Bayern Brewing Co.

At the Missoula taproom/Edelweiss Bistro, Bayern will host their traditional German Christmas tree ceremonies on Saturday December 9th, 16th, and 23rd.

Beginning at 5pm, Bayern’s owner, Jürgen Knöller, will talk about the tradition of Christmas, his German traditions, and what the holiday means to him. It’s the perfect time to relax in in a holiday setting and enjoy a beer from the barrel with treats and food specials prepared by the Edelweiss Bistro.

Be on the lookout for Bayern’s Bad Santa Eisbock which will be available across Montana in limited quantities on draft in December. Bad Santa is a version of Bayern’s Doppelbock that is frozen during the lagering phase with a portion of the water content removed, leaving a full bodied, malty lager with higher alcohol and flavor (ABV: 12-13%, IBU: 23).

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Photo courtesy of Bayern Brewing Co.

Photo courtesy of Bayern Brewing Co.