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Kalispell Brewing Company Celebrates First Anniversary

Kalispell brewery hosting two days of festivities to celebrate anniversary

By Beacon Staff

Kalispell Brewing Company is celebrating its first anniversary this weekend with two days of festivities.

To celebrate the anniversary on Friday, June 19, Kalispell Brewing Company will release its Coin Toss Cream Ale at noon. At 6 p.m., the anniversary will be marked with a collective toast in the tasting room. Saturday, June 20 is the customer appreciation party with a free barbecue from D&T BBQ served from noon to 2 p.m., free Snowslip Stout cupcakes from Ceres Bakery at 4 p.m. and live music at 5 p.m. with Springwagon String Band. The public is invited to attend all events.

The brewery has produced 523 barrel or 16,235 gallons of beer in its first year, according to its founders.

Founded by former telemark ski racers, Cole Schneider and Maggie Doherty, Kalispell Brewing Company opened its doors last summer after an extensive two-year renovation project to rehabilitate and convert the Main Street 100 year old brick building into a brewery and tasting room. Since opening, the craft brewery has witnessed significant success, including winning a gold medal at the 2014 Montana Brewers Association’s Fall Festival for Schneider’s Snowslip Stout. In March, the brewery expanded fermentation capacity from 40 barrels to 100 barrels to meet growing demand.

The brewery employs eight staff members, including a mixture of full- and part-time staff to work in the tasting room and one part time cellar operator on the production floor. Schneider brews five flagships beers, and over the course of the year has released 13 different seasonal selections.