Montana Beer Awards honors best brews
Daily Inter-Lake | UPDATED 8 months AGO
Seth Orr, head brewer at Sacred Waters Brewing Company, starts a brew at the brewery. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
A total of 30 breweries claimed gold, silver and bronze medals in 22 beer categories at the second Montana Beer Awards, organized by the Montana Brewers Association, in February in Helena.
Large, Medium and Small Brewery of the Year awards were handed out to the winningest breweries in each of those categories, based on their annual production amounts. Small brewery went to Bar 3 of Belgrade, medium went to Cranky Sam Brewing of Missoula and large went to MAP Brewing Company of Bozeman.
“Last year’s event was a huge success, and we built on that momentum to showcase even more outstanding beers from across the state,” Competition Director Loy Maierhauser said. “It’s a testament to our unique and thriving craft beer scene, and we are very proud to celebrate the incredible work of Montana’s breweries.”
Forty-nine different breweries entered the competition. Eighteen Montana communities were represented in the winners. The three most-entered categories were brown and black ales, India pale ales and hazy pale ales.
In addition to beer categories, one brewery received the Community Impact Award, which celebrates the exceptional efforts made by local breweries to enrich their communities. The award went to 406 Brewing Company of Manhattan.
Steve “Bubs” Lozar of Polson also was recognized with the inaugural Montana Beer Champion Award, which honors an individual whose exceptional dedication and contributions have significantly elevated the craft beer industry in Montana.
Individual awards were:
Alternative Products
GOLD: POG Seltzer, Big Sky Brewing Company, Missoula
SILVER: Blueberry Pomegranate Seltzer, KettleHouse Brewing, Bonner
BRONZE: Ginger Lime Pear, Triple Dog Brewing, Havre
Amber Ales & Hybrid Styles
GOLD: Bozone Amber Ale, Bozeman Brewing Company, Bozeman
SILVER: Forbidden City Amber, Ronan Cooperative Brewery, Ronan
BRONZE: Fife’n Irish Red Ale, Bias Brewing, Kalispell
Amber & Dark Lagers
GOLD: Dunkels and Dragons, Outlaw Brewing, Bozeman
SILVER: Bavarian Velvet, MAP Brewing Company, Bozeman
BRONZE: Garden Wall Vienna Lager, Ronan Cooperative Brewery Ronan
American & International Pale Lagers
GOLD: Pat’s River Beer, MAP Brewing Co., Bozeman
SILVER: 56 Counties, KettleHouse Brewing, Bonner
BRONZE: Snow Dust, Sacred Waters Brewing Co., Kalispell
Belgian & French-Style Ales
GOLD: Swimming Hole, Philipsburg Brewing Company, Philipsburg
SILVER: Up From the Roots, Backslope Brewing, Columbia Falls
BRONZE: Oh Baby A Tripel!!, Jeremiah Johnson Brewing Co., Great Falls
Brown & Black Ales
GOLD: Muzzleloader Chocolate Stout, Katabatic Brewing Co., Livingston
SILVER: Snowslip Stout Cranky Sam Brewing, Missoula
BRONZE: Whiplash, Mighty Mo Brewing Co., Great Falls
Experimental Beers
GOLD: Great Wave, MAP Brewing Co., Bozeman
SILVER: Steep Peaks, Bar 3 Brewing, Belgrade
BRONZE: Fear Fun, Jeremiah Johnson Brewing Co., Great Falls
Fruit Beers
GOLD: Lemonade Stand Lager, Smelter City Brewing, Anaconda
SILVER: Maui Magic, Burnt Tree Brewing, Ennis
BRONZE: Halo, Lewis and Clark Brewing Company, Helena
Golden Ales & Hybrid Styles
GOLD: Wildlands Mexican Lager, Bridger Brewing, Bozeman
SILVER: Blue Horse, Bridger Brewing, Bozeman
BRONZE: Little Blonde, 406 Brewing Company, Manhattan
Hazy Pale Ales
GOLD: Chasin’ Haze, Bridger Brewing, Bozeman
SILVER: Double Trouble, Outlaw Brewing, Bozeman
BRONZE: Queen of Cups, Gild Brewing, Missoula
Hop-Forward Pale Lagers
GOLD: Rice, Rice, Baby Lager, Bias Brewing, Kalispell
SILVER: Noble Pilsner, Cranky Sam Brewing, Missoula
BRONZE: Premo Pilsner, Bridger Brewing, Bozeman
India Pale Ales
Presented by General Distributing Co.
GOLD: AWS, Bar 3 Brewing, Belgrade
SILVER: Bridger Double, Bridger Brewing, Bozeman
BRONZE: Juicy Obsession, Lewis and Clark Brewing Company, Helena
Malt-Forward European Pale Lagers
GOLD: Hellroaring Helles, Ronan Cooperative Brewery, Ronan
SILVER: False Idols, Philipsburg Brewing Company, Philipsburg
BRONZE: M8 Mountain Lager, Map Brewing Co., Bozeman
Pale Ales
GOLD: Cowpoke Pale Ale, Outlaw Brewing, Bozeman
SILVER: Muley Buck IPA, KettleHouse Brewing, Bonner
BRONZE: Lee Metcalf, Bridger Brewing, Bozeman
Peaks to Prairie
GOLD: Peaks to Prairie Session Pale, Katabatic Brewing Co., Livingston
SILVER: Peaks to Prairie Bock, Highlander Beer, Missoula
BRONZE: Peaks to Prairie Red IPA, MAP Brewing Co., Bozeman
Scottish-Style Ales
Presented by The Mighty Mo
GOLD: Scottish Ale, Neptune’s Brewery, Livingston
SILVER: Nob Hill, Mt Ascension Brewing, Helena
BRONZE: Scotch Ale, Highlander Beer, Missoula
Smoke & Wood Flavored Beer
GOLD: Old Stache Porter, Tamarack Brewing Co., Lakeside
SILVER: Forager, Philipsburg Brewing Company, Philipsburg
BRONZE: Ivan the Terrible, Big Sky Brewing Company, Missoula
Sour Ales, Wild Ales, & Fruited Sour
Ales
GOLD: Opulence, Backslope Brewing, Columbia Falls
SILVER: Funky Fieldhand Brett Saison, Bozeman Brewing Co., Bozeman
BRONZE: Raspberry Lemon Tart Cake, Smelter City Brewing, Anaconda
Strong Ales
GOLD: Snowy Survey, Old Bull Brewing, Frenchtown
SILVER: Red Barrel, 406 Brewing Company, Manhattan
BRONZE: Winter Sippa Porter, 1889 Brewing Company, Billings
Strong Lagers
GOLD: Bayern Eisbock, Bayern Brewing, Missoula
SILVER: Pink Boots Doppelbock, Burnt Tree Brewing, Ennis
BRONZE: Baltic Porter, Cranky Sam Brewing, Missoula
Vegetable & Spiced Beers
GOLD: Lil’ Salmon Fire, Sacred Waters Brewing Co., Kalispell
SILVER: Ivan the Terrible – Almond Joy, Big Sky Brewing Company, Missoula
BRONZE: Fire in the Hole!, Patriotic American Brewery, Kalispell
Wheat Ales
GOLD: Miner’s Gold, Lewis and Clark Brewing Company, Helena
SILVER: Bayern St Walter Hefeweizen, Bayern Brewing, Missoula
BRONZE: Haybag Hefeweizen, Philipsburg Brewing Company, Philipsburg