It seems it’s the season for anniversary celebrations and what better time than harvest time? First we get an infusion of fresh hops followed soon thereafter with a harvest of pumpkins.* Blacksmith Brewing Co. is fast approaching their 4th Anniversary and is throwing a potluck dinner and party on Wednesday, October 24, 2012. Really, a…
Last night, Alan and I joined some beer-loving friends at The Rhino, Missoula’s premier craft beer bar for an incredible time enjoying the summer evening with great beer. The event was the first-ever ‘Aged Beer Nite,’ the brainchild and collaborative effort between Rhino co-owner, Kevin Head, and Summit Beverage’s leading “beer guy,” Mark Waiss. “This was an idea…
The grand finale of the inaugural Missoula Craft Beer Week takes place tomorrow, Saturday, May 5, and the celebration is going to be a big one. Now in its 20th year, the Missoula Downtown Association’s Garden City BrewFest is an annual rite of spring in Missoula, marking both the end of winter (usually) and the…
Some days blog posts darn near write themselves. Other days, not so much. So, until the next idea strikes, here for your viewing pleasure are some random, recent beer shots. First up is a Headwall Double IPA from Tamarack Brewing Co. at their Missoula location. It’s an excellent full bodied bunch of hop goodness over…
Western Montana breweries have been busy lately creating a variety of new beers for the fall and winter season. From big IPAs and porters to pumpkin ales and even a wintermarzen, there’s a lot to try and something for everyone. With Thanksgiving week upon us, now is a great time to take a break, head…
What qualifies as a “session” beer is a topic of much debate in the beer world with no clear definition. Beer Advocate suggests it’s a beer with no more than 5% alcohol, a good balance between hops and malt and a clean finish, creating a highly drinkable beer. The lower alcohol and typically lighter body…
While enjoying a couple of pints at The Rhino in Missoula on new years eve, we came up with the idea of handing out a few 2010 Beer Awards to mark another great year in craft brewing. One of the primary purposes of this blog is to generate discussion and interest in craft beer. Whether…
For Day 7 we’re staying local again with beer from Blacksmith Brewing Co. in Stevensville, MT. It had been a while since we’d taken the drive down from Missoula and a couple of extra days off to start the New Year’s Eve weekend seemed like the perfect time. As is common for Blacksmith, the place…
As a malt-head, I’m much more in tune with the wonderful variety of flavors a brewer can create from the infinite combinations of base malts and specialty grains. From biscuit and grain to caramel, toffee, coffee and nutty flavors, the world of malt awaits. When it comes to hops, it took me a while to…
Over Memorial Day weekend, we took a drive down to Stevensville to check out two of Blacksmith Brewing Co.‘s latest releases: Black Iron IPA and Vienna Lager. Black Iron IPA is back by overwhelming popular demand. Give it a try and you’ll understand why. As I wrote when it first came out, it is a…