The longing we feel for a cold beer after a day of winter activity seems incongruous, yet there it is, as undeniable and obstinate as a bighorn sheep standing in the middle of the road. And the best way to slake that thirst is with a beer brewed here in Western Montana, where the micro-brew movement feels as if it’s entered an era of maturity.
The novelty of drinking a beer brewed in Whitefish or Lakeside or Polson has worn off. We don’t drink it because it’s local; we drink it because it’s delicious. That many patrons expect to see local beers on tap when they enter their favorite watering hole demonstrates the local brewing economy has become firmly established, reinforced by the happy corollary effect of buying a beverage that supports your friends and neighbors.
So do your part to sample the local beers you’ll see on tap at bars and restaurants around the Flathead. Bartenders are usually glad to let you taste something, but the options can still be daunting. So here’s a primer on some of this reporter’s favorites. Much research went into this project, but I won’t be offended if you disagree.
The beer at the Great Northern Brewing Co. in Whitefish are getting better and better. The brewery is already well known for its signature Wheatfish hefeweizen, with which you can’t go wrong. But the Frog Hop Pale Ale, which uses locally grown hops from the nearby Purple Frog Gardens, is pungent, hoppy and delicious. Perhaps my favorite beer there is the Big Fog ESB, which was light and crisp with a nice amber color. The Snow Ghost winter lager is sweeter and very tasty.
Down the road at the Tamarack Brewing Company in Lakeside, brewer Craig Koontz is always experimenting with some specialty brew or another, like their Old ‘Stache Whiskey Barrel Porter, so check out their chalkboard to see what’s new – but you can’t go wrong with their Yard Sale Amber Ale, which is medium-bodied and very drinkable. If you prefer a lighter beer, the Bear Bottom Blonde Kolsch is a refreshing and slightly dry beer.
In Polson, the Glacier Brewing Company boasts of its award-winning Slurry Bomber Stout and Golden Grizzly Ale – two of their most popular beers. Glacier also makes a cherry creme soda and a root beer that are killer. It’s worth swinging by here on the chance they’re tapping one of their specialty one-barrel batches, which go quickly.
And while calling this beer local is to use the definition loosely, any visitor to the Flathead has to try a Cold Smoke Scotch Ale, brewed by Missoula’s Kettle House Brewing Co., which recently took third place in its category at the Great American Beer Festival. This dark, sweet beer tastes lighter than it looks, with a coffee overtone. Few beers taste better after a ski day.
And while I’m mentioning other great Montana beers, the Organic Pale Ale (OPA) and India Pale Ale (IPA) by Helena’s Blackfoot River Brewing are exceptional as well, particularly if you like your beers hoppy and slightly skunky.
A word of warning: Almost all of the aforementioned beers have a higher alcohol content than mass-produced beers. If you’re wondering why you feel so light-headed after only drinking one or two Cold Smokes, it’s because of the beer’s 6.5 percent alcohol-by-volume. So enjoy these beers in moderation. They’re just one more aspect of this region’s unique culinary culture.