There is no hotter topic related to beer in Montana now than the (still unrelased) proposed bill to significantly amend the “small brewery exception” afforded Montana’s breweries with annual production of between 100 and 10,000 barrels. The exception permits small breweries to sell up to 48 ounces, per person, per day between the hours of…
Beer and cheese is one of my favorite pairings to do. It’s a subject I covered in a decidedly uneducated fashion in The Session No. 51: The Great Online Beer and Cheese Off. Perhaps its my fascination with the similar way in which a few simple ingredients can be turned into an unlimited variation of…
HB 524 easily passed the Montana House of Representatives Friday on a 95-2 final vote and should be transmitted to the Senate for it’s consideration soon. HB 524 would remove the grocery store/pharmacy requirement for off-premise retail licenses for beer and wine. Sort of. As originally proposed, HB 524 merely eliminated the grocery store/pharmacy requirement. …
A bill to clearly prohibit patrons from bringing their own alcohol into restaurants and other establishments that do not have an on-premise alcohol license was rejected by the Montana House of Representatives today on a 31-69 vote. Sponsored by Representative Roger Hagan, House Bill 405 easily passed out of committee (17-3), but it wasn’t even…
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…
In short, Missoula Craft Beer Week is a celebration of beer. Sure, many of us celebrate beer on a regular basis, but we’re talking about a kick-ass week full of events celebrating all the lip smacking goodness in fantastic craft beer. Sound good? Last’s year’s inaugural Missoula Craft Beer Week was a great success, fully…
The 2013 Montana Legislature has made it to the halfway point, known as the transmittal date when most bills must be passed by one branch and sent to the other for further consideration. Those that fail to meet this date are dead in all but the rarest situations . Revenue bills and a couple other…
This month’s Session* topic is hosted by Adam at Pints and Pubs. He raises the topic of doing a beer audit and writes: Once or twice a year I take a beer audit. I open cupboards and boxes and just have a good look at what’s there. . . . . So, I’m interested to…
One of the most heard statements in the taverns versus breweries turf war comes from a variety of tavern owners: “If breweries want to act like bars, they should buy a retail licenses like we had to do.” As explained here, that’s not legal under Montana law. Montana subscribes to the three tier system (manufacturer,…
For Valentine’s Day, I thought it worthwhile to make a steamy confession: I am a beer ticker. Yes, I am one of those beer geeks who likes to try a new beer and check it off. But I don’t think this an unpardonable sin. Instead, I see it as a service to craft beer, a…