by Kristen Pope BEER DESTINATIONS illustration by Sam Brewster Missoula, Montana The first commercial brewing operation in the tasting room and grab a growler in Missoula began in 1874 when George to go. The brewery also offers seasonal Gerber started brewing and selling his specialties such as Oktoberfest in the fall, beer. At the time the town’s population Doppelbock in the winter, and its Face beeradvocate.com/place was in the hundreds, but it soon grew. Plant Weizenbock, or Doppel Weizen, for more destinations to visit The University of Montana opened in throughout ski season. Pair lagers with 1893 and, by 1900, over 4,000 people German snacks in the tasting room, Does your town have a burgeoning called Missoula home. Gerber offi- including brats, pretzels and Landjaegers, beer scene you’d like to see profiled cially dubbed his operation Garden City a Bavarian beef jerky. here? Let us know: @BeerAdvocate Brewery, honoring the town’s “Garden Next to open was Big Sky Brewing [4.25, or
[email protected]. City” nickname, as it was often warmer bigskybrew.com] in 1995. Known for its crit- than the rest of the state. ter-themed beer names, including Moose As an isolated region, this riverside Drool Brown Ale and Montana Trout Slayer North of the Clark Fork River, lumber town relied on local producers wheat ale, Big Sky focuses on English-style in the Westside neighborhood, for their brewing ingredients, as brewers ales, producing more than 46,000 barrels Jeff Grant and Paul Marshall here still do today. Currently, over half of per year.