The Missoula Downtown Association and Kettlehouse Brewing Co. are hosting Winter BrewFest III on Friday, February 15, 2013 from 5-10 pm at Caras Park.
Thirty of the 36 beers to be served at this weekend’s Winter BrewFest are brewed in the state of Montana, and 21 of those 30 beers will come from Missoula-area breweries. Twenty Montana breweries will have their beverages served at the unique outdoor event.
Highlighting the list of beers to be served are a Huckleberry Cold Smoke brewed in a cask and a barrel-aged Poshed Porter from Kettlehouse, Bayern’s Groomer, Brush Tail Saison from Big Sky, Shadow Caster Amber Ale from Draught Works, Tramway RyePA from Philipsburg Brewing, Steep and Deep IPA from Tamarack Brewery, and Open Pit Porter from the Quarry Brewery in Uptown Butte.
For the first time, the event will be held outdoors at Caras Park. There will be bonfires outside and giant heaters inside the pavilion to keep guests warm. “We are hoping Winter BrewFest has found its home in Caras Park, where Missoulians who enjoy being near the Clark Fork can celebrate what we love most about Downtown,” says Ellen Buchanan, director of the Missoula Redevelopment Agency and chair of the Winter BrewFest event committee.
Admission to Winter BrewFest is $10 per person and includes one 7-ounce commemorative glass and two beer tokens. Additional tokens are $1 each. Entertainment will be provided by Three Eared Dog from 5-7:30 pm and The Kevin Van Dort Band 8-10 pm. Food will be available from El Cazador and MacKenzie River Pizza.
This year’s event coincides with the opening night of the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, screening its opening film at the Wilma at 6pm. Visitors to both events will receive discounts: $3 off BrewFest admission with a screenings pass to Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, and $1 off a Big Sky Documentary Film Festival screening when you buy a BrewFest glass
Folks attending will be required to show identification at the entrance, located on the west side of the Caras Park Pavilion near the Carousel. Parking is free downtown on evenings and weekends, and attendees are encouraged to use alternative forms of transportation. Mountain Line bus service runs until 8 pm, and the University of Montana UDASH shuttle runs 15-minute service into the night for those staying until 10pm.
Additional information about Winter BrewFest can be found online (www.missouladowntown.com) or by calling the MDA (543-4238).
The 36 Beers of Winter BrewFest
Kettlehouse
Cask Huckleberry Cold Smoke
Joe Eddy then American Honey, then Merlot Barrel Age Cold Smoke
Poshed Porter
Big Sky Brewing Company
Moose Drool
Brush Tail Saison
All Souls Imperial Saison
Widmer
Columbia Commons
RedHook
Audible
New Belgium
Snow Day
Ninkasi
Renewale
Great Northern
Good Medicine
Snow Ghost
Harvest Moon
Elevator IPA
Charlie Russell Red
Quarry Brewing Company
Open Pit Porter
Gneiss IPA
Missoula
Highlander
ABI
Bud Lite
Bitterroot Brewery
Single Hop
Red Dread
Bayern Brewing Company
Faceplant Doppel
Groomer
Glacier
Flathead Cherry Ale
Sam Adams
Alpine Spring
Flathead Lake
Galaxy Pale Ale
Painted Rocks Porter
Blackfoot
Cream Ale
Higher Ground
Milk Stout
Deschutes
Red Chair Northwest IPA
Sierra
Ruthless Rye
Tamarack
Steep and Deep IPA
Winter Ale
Blacksmith
Panty Dropper Pale Ale
Draught Works
Bare in the Bush American Pale Ale
Shadow Caster Amber Ale
Philipsburg
Tramway RyePA
Wildwood
Wildwood Carapiller Red Lager