The 2019 Drinks Issue
Quench your summer thirst with everything from cold brew coffee to killer kombucha, craft beer and snappy spirits
By Beacon Staff
It’s August, historically the summer’s hottest, smokiest month in the Flathead Valley. If you’re looking to cool down by sipping a cold one, there are plenty of watering-hole options for you to consider, as well as a host of delicious options for the teetotalers among us.
There’s also a few important questions to keep in mind before settling on the perfect beverage.
What’s the science behind craft beer? How does fermentation produce kombucha? Is cold brew coffee just cold coffee? What are the latest trends in craft cocktails?
Belly up to the bar and find out in the 2019 Drinks Issue. Cheers!
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Kombucha’s Dark Side On Tap
Dark Side Fermenters makes fermented tea a fun, non-alcoholic addition to brewery menus
By Charlotte Bausch
If you’ve never had kombucha, the appeal of a fizzy, sour drink made from fermented green or black tea might seem strange, but the drink has gained popularity in recent years for its sour-sweet flavor and its probiotic benefits.
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Q&A with Sacred Waters Head Brewer Joe Byers
Byers, who is also FBCC’s brewing program director, talks about his favorite local beers, tips for home brewers and the future of Montana’s craft beer scene
By Justin Franz
Joe Byers knows beer. The 34-year-old head brewer at Sacred Waters Brewing Company in Kalispell has worked at Tamarack Brewing Company and is currently the director of the Flathead Valley Community College’s Brewing Academy of Montana.
Last week, the Beacon sat down with him to talk about the local beer scene and his favorite brews.
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Experimentation Through Fermentation
In an increasingly crowded craft beer market, local breweries are getting creative with their offerings
By Andy Viano
There was a time not long ago when craft breweries were funky little upstarts trying to gain a foothold in a world dominated by legacy brands and traditional styles. A time when brewing things like IPAs was way outside the box, and when a generation of old-school drinkers rolled their eyes at the sight of dozens of new labels in expanding grocery store beer aisles.
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From Moo to Cold Brew
Kalispell Kreamery’s seasonal cold brew drink combines fresh milk and Montana Coffee Traders coffee
By Molly Priddy
Dairy farmers know early mornings.
When the cows need milking, there’s no way around having to get up and get to work, rain or shine or light or darkness. So it would make sense, then, for the folks at Kalispell Kreamery to develop a delicious seasonal coffee drink to perk up the rest of us.
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Tips on How to Wine and Dine
Mission Mountain Winery owner and wine maker Thomas Campbell discusses favorite pairings
By Justin Franz
There are few better ways to catch up with old friends than sharing a meal. And the quality of that meal only increases when it’s complemented with a nice bottle of wine.
Or maybe a couple bottles of wine.
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Trego on Tap
Community hub provides gathering place for eclectic patrons in the Tobacco Valley
By Tristan Scott
A strong sense of community has always run deep in Trego, the tiny outpost situated in the forested Tobacco Valley south of Eureka. It’s far removed from the hustle and bustle of Whitefish and Kalispell, but kinship is stoked at the local post office and general store, where folks are eager to greet their neighbors and share a cool beverage.
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Crafting a Killer Cocktail
Mixologists around the Flathead Valley are finding new ways to showcase local spirits
By Andy Viano
There is no shortage of joy to be taken from a perfectly mixed martini, a refreshing margarita, a tangy bloody mary or a well-balanced old fashioned. But like in the diversifying world of craft beer, those on the cutting edge of making spirits are venturing outside the norm to satisfy every taste, and cocktails are following right along with that trend.