Bayern Brewing

Craft Beer Dinner

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 25 Oct 2016 20:04:00 +0000

On Sunday, November 6th at 5:00 PM Bayern Brewing and the Edelweiss Bistro will be hosting their first ever Craft Beer Dinner. Chef Mathias has planned a five-course dinner to be paired with some of the best brews Bayern has to offer (see the flyer graphic below for details). Tickets went on sale earlier this week, limited to just 20 people but there are still a few tickets left. This is a rare opportunity you won't want to miss, so get signed up today by calling the Bayern Tasting room (406) 721-1482 or stop by the brewery. You could perhaps have a beer and some of the regular, authentic German cuisine on the Edelweiss Bistro menu while you're signing up. Just an idea...

Prost!

Oktoberfest Party at Bayern

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 28 Aug 2016 22:29:00 +0000

Saturday, Sep. 3, there will be a big kickoff to the Oktoberfest season at Bayern; a party with live Oom-Pah music, special beer offerings, a special menu from Edelweiss Bistro and more!

A live performance by the touring OomPah band S-Bahn (follow this link to check out their website) will entertain everyone at Bayern Brewing and this performance is planned to be in a special expanded beer garden in the parking lot and adjacent lot. Based out of the Pacific Northwest, they tour around the Western US (and beyond) and are slated to play the German Fest in Caras Park the following day. They're a lot of fun and many are excited for this performance. It is going to make a great party that much better.

Special beer offerings include the traditional wooden barrel tapping that will occur at the brewery weekly during the Oktoberfest season (September). The wooden barrel will contain (what else?) Bayern's Oktoberfest Lager, a dark "Fest Beer" fashioned after the beer that was served at the very first Oktoberfest celebrations in Munich, Germany. In addition, there will also be a firkin tapped containing Bourbon Vanilla Oktoberfest. We experimented with this and a few other cask-conditioned varieties, deciding that this one would be a real crowd pleaser for "Beer Nerds" as well as anyone who appreciates something interesting and new from Bayern.

The Edelweiss Bistro is planning some special menu items for the event. I'm not sure if they will also include most of their regular items or if they're just going to create one special, traditional plate offered at the event as they have done in the past. I will update this blog post with that information as soon as I find out. No matter what, its going to be super-tasty and complementary to the beer and the celebration in general.

For those of you who are concerned about missing the Griz game that evening, we plan to have a projection screen TV to show the game on a big screen outdoors as well as in the Taproom and the Bistro. You may be a bit distracted by all the other fun going on though!

Those who show up in Oktoberfest attire, such as the traditional Lederhosen, Dirndl (or something to the effect) will receive a free draft beer!

On a bit of a side note, you might like to read the Bayern Brewsletter from Fall 2009, which contains a bit of history about the very 1st Oktoberfest and why it is actually celebrated in September, even though it is called "Oktoberfest".

This may very well be the biggest, best Oktoberfest Party Bayern Brewing has thrown thus far. You won't want to miss it. Until then, ~Prost!

Brewfest Season, Crowler Thursday and More News

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 18:59:00 +0000

Don't miss the last Crowler Thursday - buy a Crowler, filled with your choice of Bayern beer (subject to availability) and get a free pint! This special promotion is over at the end of the month so you have one Thursday left to take advantage.

Brewfest season is upon us. Just about every weekend lately there seems to be some great beer-related event and it continues through Oktoberfest season. Actually, Bayern has already started brewing Oktoberfest beer in preparation!

Two upcoming events are the Oregon Brewers Festival this week (July 28-30) in Portland, OR and the Western Montana Fair Brewers Exhibition Friday, August 12 in Missoula, MT. Lead Brewer, Justin Lee, will be traveling out to represent Bayern in Portland. Dozens of breweries will be there to share their products, many beer-related businesses will also be there offering gear, live music... Let's just put it this way: its only one of the biggest Brew Festivals in the United States. Also, the Brewers Exhibition is the first brewfest as part of the Western Montana Fair. Planned to become an annual addition to the Fair, $12 gets you a wristband, some tokens and much more.

Recently, Bayern traveled to the Bitterroot Brewfest in Hamilton, MT, and the Big Sky Brewfest at the resort. The two German interns also represented Bayern at the brewfest inVirginia City.

Speaking of interns, this is the last week Jan Albers will be working with Bayern. His term is up and we will be welcoming another new intern shortly. We will have more about the new brewer intern and our new kitchen intern, working for Edelweiss Bistro, in an upcoming blog post. Stay tuned, but in the meantime, stop by and say Auf Wiedersehen to Jan.

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer. ~Prost!

Mug Club Party and Citra Dump Truck

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 19:35:00 +0000

Join us at Bayern Brewing this Saturday 4-8pm for a fun party thrown for our Mug Club members. Eat some tasty BBQ food and something from the potluck, drink an Unfiltered Pilsener (available for a limited time) or Citra Dump Truck, listen to music provided by a DJ, play some games and maybe win some cool prizes. Mug Club membership gets you a wristband to get in the door, a free beer and a brat or burger. Sorry - the deadline to get entered in the prize drawing has already passed but you could still become a Mug Club member. If you bring a dish to contribute to the potluck, you can get an extra chance to win in the prize drawing.

Citra Dump Truck is now available in the Bayern Tasting Room and, for the first time ever, in 6-packs in most markets (look for the "Brewmasters' Limited Release" carrier in stores). Dry-hopped with Citra hops, it adds an extra citrus flavor and aroma to delicious Dump Truck while still adhering to the Reinheitsgebot (German Beer Purity Law).

There's a great new deal available in the Tasting Room on Thursdays: get a free beer when you get a crowler filled! A crowler, in case you didn't know, is a 32 oz can you can get filled with any beer you choose to take it with you. They are great for taking on the river or any situation where you'd like to bring beer in a recyclable container. Also, check out out new insulated growlers (pictured at left) - we only have a few left so get one while you still can!

More news to share with you soon so check back!

~Prost!

Firkin Fest 2016!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 16 May 2016 21:33:00 +0000

This week, May 16-21, is American Craft Beer Week! To celebrate, Bayern has crafted a special firkin to be tapped each day during the week. Trying new things is great and Bayern's staff would love for you to join in and give your input on the new beers. By the way, a firkin is a small, hand-filled keg (in this case, very specially prepared and cask-conditioned). Your input could influence a new beer offered by Bayern!

Monday- 20 liter firkin of Pilsner dry hopped with Sterling (Sterling is a US hop to replace the German Saaz hop normally used in Pilseners, it has more citrus and spicy notes)

Tuesday- 41 liter English firkin of St. Wilbur Weizen triple-hopped with Mandarina Bavaria hops to give it a more refreshing summer finish.

Wednesday- 41 liter firkin of Helles dry hopped with a Hallertau Blanc - a new bold German variety with floral and fruity, passion fruit, grapefruit, pineapple, grape and lemongrass overtones. (very excited for this one!)

Thursday- 30 liter firkin of Dump Truck hopped with El Dorado, which shows fruity notes, specifically tropical fruit flavors. Other fruit notes offered have been pear, watermelon and stone fruit.

Friday- 30 liter firkin of Dancing Trout double-hopped with Jarrylo. Paired with a crisp, Pilsner malt base, Jarrylo shines with banana, pear, orange, and fruity spice.

Saturday- 20 liter firkin of Amber hopped with Amarillo.

Also, on Monday, Juergen will be tapping a wooden barrel of Unfiltered Pilsener at the Iron Horse as we help them celebrate their 25th anniversary.

~Prost!

Craft Beer Week Events!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 29 Apr 2016 20:23:00 +0000

Missoula Craft Beer Week is April 30-May 7 and Bayern will be featuring Doppelbock (Maibock isn't available) and a sneak-peek of Citra-charged Dump Truck all week (while supplies last) at the brewery. Bayern will also be joining the celebration at the following events:

Friday April 29, 5-9pm Brews Cruise packet pick-up party at Bayern Brewing. A wooden barrel of Dump Truck will be tapped around 5pm. If you're interested in the Brews Cruise come down to inquire or and sign up or see the link below.
Saturday April 30, Brews Cruise starting at 12:00 p.m. A bicycling poker run to kick off Missoula Craft Beer Week! Proceeds benefit MTB Missoula. $15 per rider. Grand prizes are new cruiser bikes courtesy Missoula Bicycle Works.
Thursday May 5, 5-10pm Craft Brewers Cup. Mini Golf tournament that roams around Missoula! Bayern will be manning the hole at Charlie's Bar downtown (you know where it is...).
Friday May 6, 5pm - Jürgen will be tapping a wooden barrel of Dump Truck at the Depot Bar & Restaurant located at 201 Railroad Street W. Missoula
Saturday May 7, 3pm(ish) Garden City Brewfest Bayern will be tapping a wooden barrel of some of the last Maibock for the season. This festival, which was actually started jointly between Bayern, The Rhino, Iron Horse Brewpub and Worden's Market (so its actually called a B.R.I.W.-fest) has now become a champion of the wonderful Missoula Downtown Association. Craft Beer from all around the Northwest (and some other places too). Click here for more info.

For more details on the Brews Cruise or Craft Brewers Cup, you can visit the Missoula Craft Beer Week website: http://missoulabeerweek.com

It should also be noted that Bayern is getting some national recognition at the Brewers Association Craft Brew Conference in Philadelphia, PA next week. Bayern's Brewmaster, Thorsten Geuer, will be speaking about our bottle washer and other sustainability efforts at the conference. Bayern even got a cool write-up in Beer Advocate magazine that has recently gained more attention.

Oh - check this out! The website myrecipes.com recently posted a list of the best breweries in each of the 50 States. Guess who was #1 in Montana?! Follow this link to see the article. It was re-posted on MSNBC and other sources. Very cool.

Hope you all take part in at least part of Missoula Craft Beer Week and, no matter what, enjoy your life, springtime and some good beer.

~Prost!

Dump Truck, Dancing Trout and Concert Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 02:37:00 +0000

Fishing and floating season in the Northwest has officially begun. So we packaged a LOT of Dump Truck this week. It will be showing up in stores and at taverns/restaurants in many markets soon. Dancing Trout will be shipping soon as well. Both are eagerly anticipated by many as they are refreshing, tasty, and quite unique. Dump Truck especially is one-of-a-kind: it somewhat defies categorization. Decoction brewed, unfiltered with a high gravity, yet you'd hardly know it with its golden color and champagne-like qualities. Dancing Trout is a "Kristall-Weizen", which is a style you don't hear about very often in markets rather saturated with IPAs and other, more English types of styles. Grab a six-pack or growler of either of these for your next float or fishing expedition. We doubt you'll be disappointed.

It was a fun Sunday night at the brewery when the rock band Royal Bliss gave a very special, intimate performance upstairs. Tickets sold out, the band and attendees all had a great time. Some fans who had seen the band before were surprised that their style sounded a bit more country than the last time they had seen them. While they call their style "Heartland Rock" with classic and southern rock roots, they've recently had a little more influence from Nashville. The newest member of the band, Sean “Memphis” Hennesy (guitar/banjo, has a lot to do with this Nashville influence. The crowd was pretty excited when he jumped up on the bar during one of their songs (see photo).

One more bit of information to add along the lines of current events at Bayern Brewing; we have even more new Beer Gear (new logowear - hats and shirts) available in our Tasting Room. You can order then over the phone too, if you're not able to visit us at the brewery. See below for a pic of current hats available and visit the Beer Gear section of www.bayernbrewery.com to learn more.

~Prost!

St. Patricks Day, Maibock "Preview" and Upcoming Concert

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 18:44:00 +0000

Lots of upcoming events at Bayern Brewing and Edelweiss Bistro to tell you about so let's get into it!

Maibock will be available this weekend (Friday-Sunday) in the Tasting Room at Bayern. The delicious, malty spring seasonal (click here to read the Spring 2009 Bayern Brewsletter featuring the story of Maibock) is the seasonal beer typically offered after St. Patrick's Day.


Shawna models one of our new t-shirts

New logowear is available in the Tasting Room and Gift Shop. New T-shirts (including Edelweiss Cafe shirts!) and even a new Edelweiss Cafe dress. A couple of the options are pictured.

St. Patrick's Day, Edelweiss Cafe will be serving $10 plates of corned-beef, cabbage, potatoes and carrots (exclusively - due to high-demand, they will not be serving items on the regular menu). There will be a wooden barrel of Killarney tapped around 5:30pm with a special discount for glasses of beer from the wooden barrel - $2 each! There will probably be some bagpipe music and other fun stuff too so come down and spend part of your St. Patty's Day at Bayern!

Sunday, March 20, the nationally-touring rock band Royal Bliss will be doing a meet-and-greet at Bayern from 5-7pm followed by an hour-long acoustic performance in the Edelweiss Bistro (upstairs). Tickets are $7 and very limited. Call the Tasting Room (406.721.1482) during business hours (11am-8pm) for more information or to purchase your ticket.

Hope to see you at the brewery taking advantage of one (or all!) of these great events.

~Prost!

German Intern Changes

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 22:15:00 +0000

Bayern Brewing will be saying goodbye to the German intern, Broder Kallsen (pictured at right), who has been with us for the past year. While his coworkers and the friends he has made here in Montana will be sad to see him go, we will soon be welcoming a new intern from Germany, Raven Fritscher.

Every six months, a new intern comes from Germany to learn and work with the Bayern Brew Crew through a Cultural Exchange program. Bayern's Brewmaster actually came to Missoula many years ago through a similar program so this is a long-standing tradition of education and opportunity. The interns who participate are typically in the process of earning their Master Brewers Diploma (or similar education) and in a journeyman phase of their education. Broder came to Bayern after doing his apprenticeship working at Flensburger Brauerei near the Baltic Sea for three years. Our other current intern from Germany, Jan Albers, worked and apprenticed at the Jever brewery. Raven Fritscher arrives in Montana soon, coming from his previous brewery experience at Koenig Pilsener in Duisburg-Wedau, Germany.

Raven Fritscher

Broder really enjoyed his time in Montana where he made many new friends, visited our national parks, played soccer and enjoyed many other outdoor activities that we have to offer here. After spending next month touring around the Western United States and particularly California, Broder's next experience brewing abroad takes him to China, where he will work for Amoy Bräu, a German brewery in Xiamen.

Please wish Broder the best of luck in his next adventure and give a warm welcome to Raven. ~Prost!

Expanded Business Hours and New Menu Items

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 11 Feb 2016 22:01:00 +0000

The Tasting Room and Edelweiss Bistro are now open from 11am to 8pm. Please visit the Tasting Room any day of the week during these hours. However, Edelweiss Bistro will be closed on Sundays.

There are a number of new items on the menu at the Edelweiss Bistro. One of the most popular new items is the Jäger Gravy, a mushroom gravy sauce that can be used for dipping your fries (or smothering them). Jäger Gravy is also available as a topping for your schnitzel as in the new menu item the Jägerschnitzel, pictured above right with another recently-added side: traditional home-made Spätzel (a German noodle). Another new favorite is the appetizer, Brotzeit Teller: an assortment of sliced deli meats, two cheeses, German pickles, radishes, German rye bread, butter and hot Löwen mustard. Some people even get that one as a meal for themselves.

For a full menu, you can visit www.edelweissbistro.com.

Valentines Day is Sunday... Maybe you and your sweetie would enjoy treating yourself to some authentic German food and beer... The restaurant does have some romantic ambiance... Just sayin'...

~Prost!

Killarney is back!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 22:19:00 +0000

Ah! The luck of the Irish is with ye' now, lads & lasses, because Bayern Killarney Irish Red Lager is here!

I might just as well let the photo do all the talking because, let's face it, you can't stop looking at that amazing red color, can you? Well, I could describe the flavor I suppose... It is 5.8% ABV, smooth, malty and complex because it is made with five different kinds of malt (Pils, Wheat, Munich, Chocolate and Cara-Red from Germany). Killarney is also medium-hopped with hops from the Hallertauer Region of Germany. Sounds rather German for an Irish Red Lager, right? That is because it is a tribute to the Irish heritage here in Montana. This beer is truly one-of-a-kind and Brewmaster Jürgen Knöller (Owner of Bayern Brewing) claims it is actually the first Irish Red Lager made in America. How can he make such a claim? Well... before I go plagiarizing myself, I'll just refer you to the Bayern Brewsletter I wrote at this same time of year back in 2009.

You can find it pouring in the Tasting Room at Bayern Brewing, as well as in bottles and on draught in the Northwest craft beer market. If you've run out of Doppelbock for your Superbowl party, no one will be too disappointed with Killarney as a substitute.

Enjoy your weekend and stay safe everyone! ~Prost!

Last Call for Doppelbock!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 22:02:00 +0000

Get $1 off pints and growler fills from now until Doppelbock is gone at the brewery Tasting Room! With a deal like that, you had better come get some because supplies won't last very long.

Typically, Doppelbock has it's seasonal run from late October through early February (the Superbowl) on draft and in bottles. Well...it's that time of year! That means... Killarney season is coming soon! I'll blog about Killarney in a couple of weeks.

Another great opportunity at the Tasting Room is the 2nd Annual Brewery Food Drive. Drop off any non-perishable food items and, for every 5 you bring in, you will get one entry in a drawing for a Bayern Brewing Gift Basket. The gift basket is filled with some great items (mugs, a hat, a t-shirt, a growler, a hoodie, and, of course, beer!) and you can feel good about providing food to the Missoula Food Bank who helps ensure that no one in goes hungry. By participating, you're a winner even if you don't win the gift basket. For more information on the Brewery Food Drive (founded by Bayern's own Joe Berryman), you can check out this post on the Montana Brewers Association website.

Bring a few things from your pantry, save some money on delicious Doppelbock, and enjoy the friendly environment. We hope you'll join us before these opportunities are over. ~Prost!

Food at Bayern!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 25 Sep 2015 18:10:00 +0000

Schnitzel Sandwich

Bayern Brewing now has more food offered in the Tasting Room. The Edelweiss Bistro operates Tuesday through Saturday during regular Tasting Room hours serving traditional German/Bavarian cuisine to complement Bayern's authentic German/Bavarian beers. New menu items include: schnitzel, weisswurst, brats, the popular Edelweiss Burger (Frikadelle), offered with choices of tasty sides. German "bier-hall-style" appetizers such as pretzels and Landjaegers (German meat stick) are also available along with some typical American snacks.

Sarah Gaither

Sarah Gaither is the Kitchen Manager for the Edelweiss Bistro. Originally from Polson, MT, where she was formerly the Kitchen Manager at The Cove, Sarah has 14 years of experience in the restaurant industry. Sarah has been working closely with Jürgen Knöller, Master Brewer and Owner of Bayern Brewing (who is also a gourmet chef). Their focus is providing delicious, authentic German food while still employing the same philosophy of sustainability and environmentally-responsible business practices used to make beer at Bayern. Aside from ingredients and items imported from Germany, all food is made with high-quality ingredients from local Montana producers. The beef and pork used is humanely-raised by local suppliers in Western Montana, free of hormones and antibiotics. Eggs come from local suppliers raising cage-free chickens that are free of growth hormones and antibiotics. Breads, sausages and vegetables are all purchased locally. In addition, items imported from Germany (such as pickles, mustards, condiments and seasonings), contain no high-fructose corn syrup, artificial coloring or preservatives.

Additional seating has been added at the brewery to accommodate guests - Bayern now has an upper-level deck on the front of the building. It has a window view in on the brewhouse and out to the mountains north of Missoula.

This weekend, stop in Bayern Brewing, try some of the food, enjoy some beer and, if you visit Friday evening, you can enjoy some of the same Oktoberfest festivities mentioned in last weeks blog post!

~Prost!

Bayern Oktoberfest

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 18:28:00 +0000

Lots going on at Bayern brewing Friday and Saturday, Sept. 18 & 19. Friday, starting at 5 pm, sign up and packet-pickup party for the Brews Cruise the following day. A wooden barrel of Oktoberfest will be tapped, there will be live "oompah" music and traditional German food will be available (brats, sauerkraut and potato salad).

Saturday the 19th, in tandem with the super fun Brews Cruise (and poker run - click the link to learn more), the Edelweiss Bistro will be having their soft-opening at Bayern Brewing. Come check out Missoula's newest restaurant with a menu featuring traditional German/Bavarian cuisine to compliment the authentic lagers offered by the only German microbrewery in the Rocky Mountains. A wooden barrel of Oktoberfest will be tapped around 5 pm with more live "Oompah" music to enjoy.

Bayern Brewing owner, Jürgen Knöller, is proud to be opening the Edelweiss Bistro, using the same philosophy of craftsmanship and sustainability for the beer produced at his microbrewery. Menu items (such as schnitzel, weisswurst and brats) are made with high-quality ingredients from local Montana producers in addition to those imported from Germany. The beef and pork used is humanely-raised by local suppliers in Western Montana, free of hormones and antibiotics. Eggs come from local suppliers raising cage-free chickens that are free of growth hormones and antibiotics. Breads, sausages and vegetables are all purchased locally. Items imported from Germany (such as pickles, mustards, condiments and seasonings), contain no high-fructose corn syrup, artificial coloring or preservatives.

Please come enjoy the festivities at Bayern this weekend and remember: those who show up in Oktoberfest attire, such as lederhosen and drndls, usually get "special treatment"!

~Prost!

St. Patrick's Day Events

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 01:34:00 +0000

St. Patrick's Day is Tuesday and Bayern Brewing will be a great place to celebrate Montana's Irish heritage while enjoying some of the last delicious Bayern Killarney Irish Red Lager of this season (supplies are running out - Maibock coming soon!). Check it out:

Plates of corned beef & cabbage will be served (while availability lasts!). Starts when we open at noon and cost is TBD.
Wooden barrel of Killarney will be tapped at around 5 pm.
If you bought one of the new Killarney T-shirt & pint glass combos (pictured in this post and a few are still available), wear it to the brewery and your first beer is free!

Hope to see you at the brewery on St. Patrick's Day!

If you'd like to learn more about Bayern Killarney Irish Red Lager, please visit this page:
http://www.bayernbrewery.com/beer/killarney.html

Christmas at Bayern

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 11 Dec 2014 17:43:00 +0000

A ceremonious lighting of the Christmas tree will occur every Saturday evening, until Christmas, at around 5:30 pm. A wooden barrel of Bayern's winter seasonal brew will be tapped, singing may occur and holiday cheer will be flowing (in more ways than one).

Jürgen started this tradition in 1998 when the new brewhouse was installed at the brewery location on West 3rd Street. His intention was to share with his customers some of the "old-world-charm" he created at his house during the holidays. Every year the Christmas tree is decorated just like the family Tannenbaum he grew up with in Germany (a modern addition is electric lights since we can't light it with candles ALL the time - just at these special ceremonies). The tradition continues with a wooden barrel tapping, accompaniment by either a recording of the Vienna Boys Choir performing German Christmas music or, occasionally, a live local choir. Holiday treats such as the delicious German stollen bread are shared with Bayern's friends/customers. It is a wonderful way to spend an

evening after, say, an afternoon of Christmas shopping for your loved ones. Another suggestion: if your company can't organize a Christmas party, perhaps you could meet down at the brewery for a couple beers and some holiday cheer. The folks at Bayern hope you will join them for at least one of these special events.

The upstairs events room (pictured at left) is open on Friday & Saturday evenings and available to rent for your holiday party.
Contact the Tasting Room for availability.

~Prost!

Oktoberfest Party at Bayern

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 21:22:00 +0000

For some people, this is what heaven looks like...

This Friday evening, September 26, as well as Oct. 3rd, there will be two more Oktoberfest parties at Bayern Brewing! Our Beer Garden (and Tasting Room) will be packed with thirsty beer drinkers listening to live oompah music and eating authentic German cuisine prepared by the (almost) famous Chef Claus. Giant Bavarian-style pretzels from Black Cat Bakery will be available and a wooden barrel of our signature Oktoberfest beer will be tapped around 5:30 pm. If you dress for the occasion, (lederhosen, dirndl, or your best attempt at traditional Bavarian attire) your first pint is free! As always, you will have several authentic German beer styles to choose from. If you only go to one Oktoberfest party this season, you don't want to miss attending one of these.

Bayern's Tasting Room and Beer Garden are always family-friendly although the policy of "Children left unattended will be given a shot of espresso and a puppy" does apply (in jest, of course - just please keep some control of your kids).

On a side-note, fans of Groomer Wintermärzen will be thrilled to learn that Bayern packaged and shipped the first kegs and bottles of this dark and delicious brew this week! That means you will find it soon in most markets carrying Bayern products. More on that development in the next blog post.

Prost!

New Beer Style: Montana Helles Lager

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 18 Jul 2014 21:17:00 +0000

While Montana Helles Lager is Bayern Brewing's latest addition to the great lineup of authentic German-style lagers, it is not exactly a new beer style. In Bavaria, you usually order a light beer (the word helles means "light" or "bright" in German) or Dunkel ("dark"); unless you want a wheat (weizen) beer, usually offered regular or dark. Montana Helles Lager is Bayern's version of a Bavarian staple lager beer. Light in color, this lager is decoction brewed, giving it a full-body and cold fermented for the ultimate in smoothness. Using Hallertauer Magnum as the primary hops and Tettnang for aroma (both imported from Germany), it is well-balanced with a total of 25 IBUs. With a 5.6% ABV, Montana Helles Lager lives up to the quality and deliciousness you expect from Bayern Brewing and will soon be available throughout Western Montana.

Give it a try - you might have just discovered your new favorite beer! Prost!

World Cup USA vs Germany Party & New Growlers

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 19:46:00 +0000

Tomorrow, June 26, the Tasting Room will open at 10 am to host a viewing party for the World Cup match between USA and Germany. There will be brats, potato salad and sauerkraut available. It is an important match for both teams so you should come down and join us regardless of who you are cheering for!

While you are at Bayern Brewing, you should check out the new growlers (pictured below). Compact and made of stainless steel, it is hard to believe they have the same capacity as a regular 64 oz growler. We tested it!

This blog post is short because I am actually typing it while brewing today. I don't want to get too distracted and screw up this batch of Dragon's Breath Dark Heff (don't worry - I wouldn't let that happen)! Hope to see you here for the big match tomorrow.

Prost!

New Draft System Installed

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 21:13:00 +0000

Tasting Room Before

Visitors to the Bayern Brewing Tasting Room this weekend will be the first to experience tasty, authentic German-style beer poured from the new draft system that was installed this week. In the photo at right, you can see the old cooler cabinets below the tap handles. They were noisy and limited on space, so we couldn't always have all beers available on tap at once. It was kind of ceremonious to roll out another keg of beer once the last one was empty, but the Tasting Room employees probably didn't see it as a cool thing, especially when there were lots of thirsty customers to serve.

Tasting Room After

The new system brings beer that is kept at an optimally chilled temperature stored in the walk-in cooler directly behind where the photo is taken. Two very elegant-looking stainless tubes contain all the beer lines (and glycol cooling) with tap handles located above a beautiful new drip-pan. The new drain pan even features rinse sprayers for the glasses before use. This isn't just a cosmetic or convenience upgrade; keeping with our commitment to sustainable business practices, it is believed that this will cool the beer more efficiently than the old system, using less energy.

Please come down and check it out: the downstairs is now re-opened! Thanks to all our customers for your patience with the process this last week and thanks to our good friend Boomer for all his hard work. Prost!

Carnivores Classic and New Draft System

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 30 May 2014 21:29:00 +0000

Bayern Brewing is one of the sponsors of the Corridor Carnivores Classic, a benefit for the Missoula College Culinary Arts Program, which will occur May 30 and 31 at Caras Park. Tonight, Friday May 30, is the VIP dinner, which requires that you purchase a ticket to attend. This event features a six-course dinner, pairing food with drinks from Missoula breweries and distilleries, while being entertained by music from Eden Atwood and the UM Jazz Band. Tomorrow, Saturday May 31, the event is open to the public all afternoon with food vendors, and BBQ competition and more live music by Idle Ranch Hands, Three-Eared Dog and High Voltage. There is much more to this event and if you would like more information, please visit http://umt.edu/carnivoresclassic/

If you plan to visit Bayern Brewing on Monday, June 2 or Tuesday, June 3, you should be aware that the downstairs Tasting Room will be closed while the new draft system is being installed. The beer garden and Upstairs Event Room will be open so you can still get a pint or a growler filled, but Bayern will be temporarily operating at a smaller capacity. The new draft system is going to be very exciting. I will write more about that and post a couple before and after pics next week.

Have a great weekend! Prost!

New Trout & New Hats

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 23 May 2014 19:38:00 +0000

Dancing Trout has a new look and is now hopped using Cascade hops from the Northwest. The artwork used for our new packaging design is another Monte Dolack original and still portrays the philosophy of trout habitat preservation in Montana.

Many of you probably remember the big name change for this beer several years ago. If you are wondering why that happened, you can read about it on our website: www.bayernbrewery.com
That change had some pros and cons as far as the overall brand goes. Bayern recently made Dancing Trout a sort of seasonal, its counterpart being Groomer Dark Märzen, which returned after its first run to help Snowbowl celebrate a historic anniversary. Since the availability of Dancing Trout changed, the folks at Bayern thought it might be a good time to try a couple other changes as well. We hope you like the new design, will enjoy the new recipe and drink a few to help Bayern Brewing and Montana Trout Unlimited preserve Montana's blue-ribbon trout streams.

I also wanted to let you know we just got a whole bunch of new hats in the Tasting Room. If you can, you should stop in and check them out because they tend to go quickly. Some styles are more popular than others, of course, so if you don't get one of the more popular styles while they are available, it might be autumn before you get another crack at the new styles. The photo at right exhibits just a few of the new hats available. You can also call the Tasting Room (406) 721-1482 to inquire about new styles and have one shipped to you.

Hope everyone has a fun and safe Memorial Day weekend. The Tasting Room is open so come on down and fill your growler, grab a case or just enjoy a couple pints and a brat. Prost!

Secret Powers to Perform at Fürkin Fest Party

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 16 May 2014 18:30:00 +0000

Brewmaster Thorsten Geuer taps a firkin during Fürkin Fest

Big party at Bayern Brewing tonight! Burgers and brats will be provided. Guests are asked (but not required) to bring a potluck side or dessert to share. A wooden barrel of Maibock will be tapped and a live performance from rock band Secret Powers will top off what will promise to be a really fun event. This will come to be known as "Fürkin Friday", part of Bayern Brewing's Fürkin Fest that has been going on all this week to celebrate American Craft Beer Week. A different firkin has been tapped each day. Each one has contained one of our regular or seasonal beer styles dry-hopped (or infused) with special hops or fruit. They were all interesting and some were very popular. The warehouse will be open today so you can see the bottle washer and bottle-filling line. We will probably walk a tour or two through the brewery as well so if that is something you are interested in, you should come on down, arrive early before things start really rockin' and let someone know that you would like to be part of a tour. The Tasting Room is open all afternoon, as usual, so the exact start time is undetermined, but the band will probably start around 5 or 6pm and food will start around dinner time. We hope you will join us and thanks to all of you who came down during the week!

Oh! One more thing: Fürkin Fest isn't over! Tomorrow (Saturday), there will be a Radler Fürkin. A radler is a light beer (Bayern Helles Lager in this particular case) that is mixed with lemon-lime soda. The legend goes like this: a group of bicyclists in Germany were out for a long tour and stopped in a brewery at the end of the day to have some cold beer at the end of their ride. The brewery had not anticipated this large group of thirsty cyclists and so, apologetically, mixed the beer available with lemon soda (to make it go further for the group). They loved it - so much they told other people about it and eventually it became popular all through Germany (especially among cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts). Ride on down and try one! We are just off the Milwaukee Trail making Bayern Brewing's Tasting Room easily (and safely) accessible from anywhere in mid-Missoula.

Prost!

Fürkin Fest

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 09 May 2014 21:32:00 +0000

A different fürkin will be tapped and offered to those who visit the Bayern Brewing Tasting Room each day to celebrate American Craft Beer Week next week! At the end of the week, Friday, May 16, there will be a BBQ in the parking lot (or in the warehouse should weather make that necessary) and a wooden barrel of Maibock, Bayern's traditional German beer, will be tapped. Also, the band "Secret Powers" will perform on Friday. Attendees are asked (but not required) to bring a potluck side-dish or dessert to compliment the burgers and brats that will be provided. The image included in this post includes descriptions of each of the fürkins that will be offered, including several of Bayern's year-round and seasonal beer styles infused (or dry-hopped) in the fürkin with special hops or berries. You should know that a fürkin isn't that big (about 30 liters) so don't be late: they will be tapped at around 5pm each day and other celebratory events will start around that time as well. We hope you will join us.

By the way, you should check the Bayern Brewing Blog the next couple of weeks. We have lots of news to share such as the two great awards we recently earned and the return of Dancing Trout, with some changes! There will probably also be a few photos posted from fürkin fest!

Prost!

Summer in the Tasting Room and Beer Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 22:41:00 +0000

There is a lot going on at Bayern Brewing these days. The weather in the Northwest has finally become quite pleasant, which means more people enjoying delicious craft beers in their backyards, at the lake, on the deck, etc. So production has really increased to keep up with the demand. Things haven't just gotten busier in the brewhouse, "tank farm" and bottling line; the Bayern Tasting Room and Beer Garden are seeing a lot more visitors. Good-looking folks from all over are hanging out wearing shorts and sunglasses, soaking up some rays, playing some chess on the giant chessboard and enjoying all the light beers available in our Beer Garden. These include: Dump Truck, Kaiser Imperial Pilsener Lager, St. Wilbur Weizen, Dancing Trout and Pilsener (we still have some darker beers on tap too and Maibock has even made a brief reappearance). This happens every nice day we have here in Missoula, Montana, but there are some special events going on this summer you will want to know about.

First, every Friday there will be plates of quality food available that every German beer garden ought to have: brats, German potato salad and other sides. There will likely be more than one vendor providing this, so you will want to come back often to sample the variety.

On Saturdays, the Tasting Room is now open at 10 a.m. and, if you bring in an Ecopack full of reusable bottles between 10 am-4 pm, you can get 10% off your entire purchase in the Tasting Room (beer, food and merchandise).

Live music will be coming too. John Floridis is attempting to play at every brewery in Montana so Bayern is honored to host his talent at some point this summer. Other bands/artists and dates will be announced later on this blog, on the Bayern website and Facebook.

Everyone at Bayern hopes you have a safe, fun summer and hope to see you at the brewery sometime (and often!).

~ Prost!