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Drink it Missoula

Blog by Ryan Newhouse

Ryan Newhouse has lived in Missoula since 2002 and has tipped his glass in most of the town’s establishments. He is a full-time writer, husband and parent (in no particular order) and a part-time zymurgist. He makes a mean hard cider and pairs his cocktails with dishes from his blog, Cooked Animals: Recipes for Wild Game. See Ryan’s most recent Drink It blog and past posts below.

Ryan is also an accomplished cyclist. Check out his “Bike it” cycling blog too!

Click here to see Ryan’s “Drink It” archive.

Beer Icon Comes to Flathead Lake for Cruise

By RYAN NEWHOUSE - The Montana Brewer's Association holds fundraising c... more

2nd Annual Missoula Craft Beer Week Kicks Off April 28

By RYAN NEWHOUSE - The 2nd Annual Missoula Craft Beer Week - April 28 -... more

Beer Battle: Montana Taverns Versus Montana Breweries

By RYAN NEWHOUSE - If you have enjoyed a pint of Montana beer in your f... more

Winter BrewFest III Features 36 Beers

Check out the beer list for the Missoula Downtown Association and Kettlehouse Brewery-hosted Winter BrewFest III on Friday, February 15 from 5-10 pm at Caras Park.... more

Missoula Downtown Association Readies for the Third Winter Brewfest

By RYAN NEWHOUSE - Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow, or ice will keep Missoulians from their brewfests. On Feb. 15, the 3rd MDA Winter Brewfest will be held at Caras Park.... more

Garden City Community Brew & Limited-Edition Black IPA

By RYAN NEWHOUSE - Today, the Missoula County Tavern Owners Association and Missoula’s 4 breweries released the Garden City Community Brew to benefit local non-profits.... more

The Zoo’s First (Legal) Still: Montgomery Distillery Opens at Last

By TREVOR REID - Despite many challenges, from missing parts to shipping crates lost at sea, Missoula’s first micro-distillery opened this fall on September 26.... more

Beer Salvation: How a Hobby Changed a Life

By JESSICA STUGELMAYER - For Martha Gergasko, beer was the key to her salvation. Missoula’s home brew club, the Zoo City Zymurgists, has a key role in its beer culture.... more

Press Release: Flathead Lake Brewing Company Temporarily Closes

On Oct. 6, a flood caused extensive damage to the Flathead Lake Brewing Company and Sapore. When the building reopens, both businesses will merge into one entity.... more

Missoula Hosts Montana Brewers Festival & Craft Beer Conference

By RYAN NEWHOUSE - This Saturday, the Montana Brewers Association is bringing, for the first time, the Fourth Annual Montana Brewers Festival to Missoula.... more

New Belgium Brewery’s Clips of Faith Returns to Missoula

By RYAN NEWHOUSE - This Friday, New Belgium’s fundraising foray into short films, Clips of Faith, is returning to Caras Park in Missoula. ... more

The ‘Best’ in Missoula for Libations

By RYAN NEWHOUSE - The Missoula Independent announced the annual Best of Missoula winners, and I'm here to present what matters: The best places to get great drinks. ... more

Meet Missoula’s Serious Scotch Gals

By RYAN NEWHOUSE - “Scotch is not just for old men with red noses and back room meetings.” This according to the Serious Scotch Gals, Missoula's top whiskey tasters.... more

Missoula Markets Make for Great Summer Drink Mixers

By RYAN NEWHOUSE - I’ve put together a short list of summer mixed drink recipes that feature items you can pick up most Saturdays at our local farmers' markets.... more

Missoula Gets Its First Craft Beer Week

By RYAN NEWHOUSE - Missoula is devoting a whole week to craft beer. It starts Tuesday, May 1 and ends with the 20th Annual Garden City Brewfest at Caras Park on May 5.... more

A Beer with Baucus in Missoula

By RYAN NEWHOUSE - On April 11, Fellow beer blogger, Alan McCormick, and I sat down for a pint with Senator Max Baucus to talk about craft beer and jobs in Montana.... more

The Dude Abides in Missoula

By RYAN NEWHOUSE - The Second Annual “The Dude Abides: A Celebration of The Big Lebowski,” will be at the Wilma Theater next Friday, March 30, at 7:00 p.m. Abide!... more

Missoula’s Family Friendly Fridays at the Top Hat

By RYAN NEWHOUSE - Missoula has a bar for kids! Well, at least an evening dedicated to them. Every Friday at the Top Hat is Family Friendly Friday from 6:00-8:00 p.m.... more

Zane Lamprey’s ‘Drinking Made Easy, Missoula’ Airs February 29

By RYAN NEWHOUSE - On February 29, Drinking Made Easy's Zane and Steve will air the exploits from their trip to our own little Garden City of Missoula.... more

Get Schooled on Craft Beer at the Kettlehouse Beer Kolledge

By RYAN NEWHOUSE - Beginning Monday, Feb. 20, you can sign up for the Kettlehouse’s new, free four-credit class that covers all things craft beer.... more

Missoula Winter Brewfest 2012

By RYAN NEWHOUSE - The 2nd annual Winter Brewfest is this Saturday from 2-8 p.m. at the old Safeway building on Broadway.... more

Gearing up for the Great Northern Brewing Co. Anniversary Party

By RYAN NEWHOUSE - Are you headed to the Great Northern Brewing Co. Anniversary Party and Whitefish Winter Carnival this weekend? You should be!... more

Liquid Planet’s Wine Passport Program: ‘A Journey in Every Sip’

By RYAN NEWHOUSE - Missoula oenophiles may be pleased to know that you can quite literally take your palate on a global expedition and get rewarded for it at Liquid Planet.... more

Get Your (Bar) Game on in Missoula

By RYAN NEWHOUSE - This week, I’ve put together a very small list of bars and other places you can go in Missoula to have a drink and play games with your friends.... more

Black Star Beer Barter Returns to Whitefish

By RYAN NEWHOUSE - “What would you do or trade for a year’s supply of Black Star beer?” The Great Northern Brewing Company's 2nd Black Star Beer Barter is coming to Whitefish on Feb 4.... more

Why We Drink Champagne on New Year’s Eve

By RYAN NEWHOUSE - I don’t have a clear answer as to why millions of people ring in the New Year with a kiss and a glass of bubbly. But why get bogged down in the details, right? ... more

2011 Gift Guide for Beer, Wine, and Cocktail Lovers

By RYAN NEWHOUSE - It’s that time of the year when we appreciate what we have - in Missoula that means snow, ski hills, and good drinks. Here's a local gift guide for liquid connoisseurs.... more

Missoula Gets Canned: New Big Sky Canned Craft Beer

By RYAN NEWHOUSE - Missoula’s Big Sky Brewing announced it will release its Big Sky IPA in cans, joining the ranks of its other canned beers: Moose Drool, Trout Slayer, Scape Goat, and Summer Honey.... more

Best Bars in Missoula for Getting a Free Birthday Drink

By RYAN NEWHOUSE - I’ve put together a list of the best bars in Missoula for celebrating a birthday, based on extensive research, phone calls, and personal past experience.... more

Beer Brings Jobs to Montana and Great Microbreweries to Its Citizens

By RYAN NEWHOUSE. If our country was termed the United States of Beer, Montana would rightly be its capital. ... more

Run Wild Missoula Beer Runs

By PAT CROSS. How did these Beer Runs start? They got their start a few weeks before the 2010 Missoula Marathon, a bunch of us had gathered on a warm Wednesday evening at the North Side Kettle House Brewery for... more

Seeley Lake Brew Fest and Tamarack Festival: A Weekend of Fun and Suds

By RYAN NEWHOUSE. This weekend kegs will be tapped and poured at the annual Seeley Lake Brew Fest and Tamarack Festival. The event kicks off on Friday October 7 at 7:00 p.m. with festivities throughout the week... more

Kate and John Bike for Food and Beer

By RYAN NEWHOUSE. John and Kate Suscovich launched a 24,000-mile journey by bike three and half months ago in New York. The goal was to raise awareness about living active lifestyles and making educated food ch... more

Missoula Makes Room for Draught Works Brewery

By RYAN NEWHOUSE. Inching ever more closely to an expected late-September opening, owners of Draught Works Brewery, Jeff Grant and Paul Marshall, are ready to quench Missoulians’ never-ending thirst for good ... more

2011 Maverick Brewfest Hits Caras Park on Friday

By RYAN NEWHOUSE. The 13th Annual Maverick Brewfest is kicking off at 4:00 p.m. on Friday September 9 at Caras Park. The event raises money for the Missoula Athletic Council, which has supported youth athletics... more

Be a Winner – Brew at Home

By RYAN NEWHOUSE. Now that the Western Montana Fair has left town and the smoke from nearby forest fires has arrived, it’s time to stay inside and think about drinking – or to think about making a drink.... more

Have Beer, Will Travel: Missoula-Based BeerTrips.com Creates Trips for Beer Lovers

By RYAN NEWHOUSE. Since 1998, Missoula-based Beertrips.com has launched hundreds of travelers into international beer scenes, taking them Abbey-hopping and Oktoberfest-ing so they can immerse themselves in the ... more

Cherry Hoppin’: Exploring Missoula’s Cherry-Inspired Cocktails and Drinks

By RYAN NEWHOUSE. August marks the beginning of the cherry harvest in the Flathead Valley, and it could be a very good one this year they say. Sweet, plump and delicious, Flathead cherries are an annual local f... more

Montgomery Distillery Making Headway in Missoula

By RYAN NEWHOUSE. If all goes as planned, Montgomery Distillery will begin construction next month to turn the 1920s car dealership (formerly the Firestone tire building) on the corner of Pattee and Main into M... more

Cooking with Beer at Missoula’s Good Food Store

By RYAN NEWHOUSE. The Good Food Store offered a cooking class last week that put two of my favorite things on the same plate – meat and beer. They prepared a spread fit for a king, with each dish prominently ... more

Gift Guide for Liquid-Loving, Missoula Dads

By RYAN NEWHOUSE. This Sunday is Father’s Day. If the man you are recognizing is anything like me, a gift that honors his devotion to the art of imbibing is warranted. So below I’ve crafted a short list of ... more

Caffe Dolce: Where Price and Passion Meet

By RYAN NEWHOUSE. Ninety-nine bottle of beer on the wall, they say, but at Caffe Dolce it’s wine you’ll see, beautifully arranged on the wall behind the counter. Under the guidance of Jerod Peitsmeyer, Caff... more

Raise Your Glass to Missoula Winery’s One Year Celebration

By RYAN NEWHOUSE. On Friday 5/27, the Missoula Winery and Events Center will celebrate its first year of business. Join them at the winery (5646 W. Harrier) from noon to 6 p.m. This is a “pre-show” to the M... more

Flathead Lake Brewing Company – Missoula Perfectly Pairs Beer and Bites at Brewer’s Dinner

By RYAN NEWHOUSE. (VIDEO) Last Friday I was fortunate enough to drench my taste buds in some very fine food and beer pairings at the first ever Brewer’s Dinner at Flathead Lake Brewing Company To say that th... more

First Firkin Friday at the Rhino

By RYAN NEWHOUSE. So you might be asking, “What the heck is a firkin and what’s so freakin’ special about ‘First Firkin Friday’?” Guess you're gonna have to check it for yourself on First Friday, Ma... more

Taste Buds Do a Happy Dance at New Tamarack Brewing Company in Missoula

By RYAN NEWHOUSE. On Monday April 11, Tamarack Brewing Company’s doors quietly opened to the Missoula public and there was much rejoicing – at least by me and the small crowd who had to check it out.... more

Mead I Say More?

By RYAN NEWHOUSE. I met Ken Schultz of Victor’s Hidden Legend Winery, an award-winning Montana meadery, and there I deepened my knowledge and appreciation for the oldest alcoholic beverage in the world--"hone... more

Learning Vino in La Grotta Bella

By RYAN NEWHOUSE. Not everyone in Missoula knows there’s a secret underground lair that holds the knowledge of fine wines. Yes, the La Grotta Bella (The Beautiful Cave) lies beneath The Old Post Pub.... more

Getting Lucky in Missoula

By RYAN NEWHOUSE. St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner (March 17), and though many in Missoula talk about making a pilgrimage to Butte to join in their “shenanigans,” Missoula lays claim to some re... more

Don’t Worry, Be a Happy Hour

By RYAN NEWHOUSE. Now that I’ve had a chance to settle into and savor a taste of Boulder, Colorado, one of the things that has struck me, other than the super high density of craft brewers in town, is that ne... more

Big Sky Brewing’s ‘Terrible’ Beer a Terrible Misnomer

By RYAN NEWHOUSE. Big Sky Brewing Co. released its 2010 Ivan the Terrible Imperial Stout in mid-January, and if you want to sample it for yourself you better hurry, as production is limited to only 3,800 750 m... more

Raising a Glass with Friends, the Original ‘Social Network’

By RYAN NEWHOUSE. Sharing a pint of brew with friends after work grew to be big business over the centuries. Last year, Montana earned the #1 spot in the country for “Most Beer Consumed” per capita at an a... more

Mouthwatering Bloody Mary at Last Run Inn

By RYAN NEWHOUSE. Fresh powder means one-and-a-half things in Missoula, hitting the slopes at Montana Snowbowl and finishing the day with a slice of wood-fired pizza and a famous mouthwatering Bloody Mary at La... more

A New Brew in Town: Flathead Lake Brewing Co.

By RYAN NEWHOUSE. Two weeks ago, Flathead Lake Brewing Co. opened a new brew pub on the second floor of 424 N. Higgins Ave., which is above the (also) new restaurant, Sapore. Owners Sandy Clare and Carla Mancin... more

Thankful for Spirits – Montana Whiskey and Vodka

"Drink It", by RYAN NEWHOUSE. The spirits of Halloween and Dia de los Muertos may be behind us, but there are some spirits that are never far away, and for that I am especially thankful.... more

Go Big, Go Growler

11/11 Blog by Ryan Newhouse. Since I’ve lived in Missoula, I’ve noticed a sharp rise in the use of growlers at Missoula’s breweries. Perhaps because I’m from the South and my grandfather used to run moo... more

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