Bayern Blog

Oktoberfest, a marriage made in Munich.

admin — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:55:13 +0000

The original Oktoberfest took place in Munich on October 1, 1815 marking the wedding of Germany’s King Ludwig I and Princess Maria Theresia. All of Munich came out for a celebratory fair and horse races. The event was so successful that anniversary celebrations have taken place ever since. After that first year, Munich’s influential brewer’s guild established a specific set of rules governing beer brewed for Oktoberfest. The beer had to be brewed in Munich. It had to have a minimum of 13.5% Plato starting at gravity guaranteeing a minimum alcohol percentage of 5.5 by volume. The result was a rich Marzen Lager completely unique to Munich.

Bayern Brewing is proud to serve this storied beer seasonally to its customers. Our lovingly crafted Oktoberfest, much like the wedding almost two centuries ago that inspired it, melds the spirit of matrimony and the purity of tradition. And Oktoberfest will always be back for the next anniversary. To love. To beer. To October.

This year, Oktoberfest will be available in 5-liter minikegs. In addition, several establishments throughout Montana will sponsor Oktoberfests of their own:

Saturday 09/13: Oktoberfest at Juliano ’s restaurant in Billings

Friday 10/10: Oktoberfest Montana Club (both locations, Brooks and Reserve Street in Missoula)

Friday 10/17: Oktoberfest Moose’s Saloon , Kalispell, German brats and sauerkraut

Saturday 10/18: Oktoberfest Garden Bar, Big Fork, German brats and sauerkraut.

Friday 10/24: Oktoberfest Bulldog Saloon, Kalispell, German brats and sauerkraut.

Green beer? Never.

admin — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:56:03 +0000

At Bayern Brewing, we’re going green and no, we’re not talking about the changing the hue of our brew. We’re talking about a way to recycle your Bayern six pack carriers and get some green in return. Did you know that for every six pack cardboard carrier you bring or mail back to the brewery, you will receive $0.10 in cash or $0.15 in tap room credit?

Drink beer.

Recycle.

Get money.

Drink beer.

Now doesn’t the world already seem like a better place?

What grows in the beer garden?

admin — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 01:36:35 +0000

Sure it would be nice if you could grow beer in your own backyard, but until those green thumbs can catch up with us beer bellies we’ll have to head to the Bayern beer garden where the freshest Bayern beer comes to you straight from the source. The beer garden is open again for the season, and as long as the weather cooperates, we’ll be serving a variety of fresh favorites on tap seven days a week.

On Fridays the garden is especially festive with live music that mingles with the sizzling sounds of Chef Claus preparing his authentic German cuisine. Where else can you get a heaping plate of genuine bratwurst, sauerkraut, German potato salad and a rye roll for a mere $5.00? The potato salad alone is invaluable.

The summer’s popular brews grace the patio tables as the mellowing sunlight casts a happy glow through the glasses of St. Wilbur Hefeweizen, Dragon’s Break Dark Hef, Dancing Trout and the always refreshing, worth the little extra wait, slow-poured Bayern Pilsener – served fittingly its special, fluted glass. The beers, like the people sitting around the tables enjoying them, exude the spirit of summer that is uniquely Missoula and quintessentially Bayern.

We’ve been busy

admin — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 04:37:36 +0000

Yes, yes, it’s been quite a while since our last post and, well, what we can we say? We’ve been working. And we’ve learned that hard work truly does pay off. In early June, Jürgen headed to the North American Brewer’s Fest in Idaho Falls and came back with some shiny new accessories.

Dragon’s Breath brought home the silver. Our Bavarian dark hefeweizen was given its quite name by a Billings beer distributor. This “sleeper” beer is not advertised much and can’t be found in the bottle, but Dragon’s Breath has gained a respectable following at Montana’s watering holes that carry it on draft. It’s hugely popular in the Billings market and is starting to make appearances throughout Missoula as well. The top fermented hef is a deep brown in color, yet offers that surprisingly crisp wheat flavor. Another dark beer brought home the honors as well. Doppelbock, Bayern’s heralded winter lager, also received a silver medal at the Fest.

Before Bayern was receiving national recognition in Idaho, we were feeling the love right here in Missoula. In May, Bayern’s seasonal spring beer, Maibock, won Best Lager at the Missoula Brew Fest, a well attended beer tasting event held annually at Caras Park. Beers from throughout the Rocky Mountain West were represented and sampled widely by the brew lovers in attendance. What better way is there to spend a beautiful day in Missoula than outside sipping samples of some local brew?

A pint of red for the green isle

admin — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 04:13:20 +0000

In a state with a strong and proud Irish heritage, Montanans were eager for a local beer inspired by the great brewing history of the green isle itself. Bayern Brewery’s Jürgen Knöller heard the demand and considered it a challenge issued. A traditional Bavarian Masterbrewer, Knöller had to figure out how to brew using a top fermenting ale yeast (in the Irish tradition) without interfering with the German bottom fermenting yeast used throughout the brewery. How best to avoid this biological brawl? There were only two options:

1.) Build a separate brewery to harness this wily Irish yeast or

2.) Charter a compromise where German and Irish brewing traditions could fuse to create a completely unique beer.

Diplomacy triumphed and a medium hopped lager was born. It’s name - Killarney after the charming town in County Kerry. Killarney’s warm red color distinguished it, and coincidentally or not, a flurry of red Irish beers from some of America’s big brewers hit the market soon after. But Bayern can rightfully claim to have created the first red Irish lager in the states, back in February of 1988. Lucky for Montana.

Now 20 years later, Killarney Red Lager is one of Bayern’s most anticipated seasonals. It is brewed with two-row Harrington pale, carmel, Munich, wheat and German Dunkel malt. The hops are cascade and come from Yakima. Bayern Killarney has an alcohol content of 5.7% alc. vol. (14.2% Plato o.g.) and is available in draft, bottles and now in Bayern’s new 5-liter mini kegs. Hurry this popular beer could be gone before the end of your favorite Irish toast. Sláinte! Prost! Cheers!

five liters of fun

admin — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 21:03:45 +0000

They’re short and squatty, yet extremely popular at parties. Yes, Bayern Brewery is pleased to announce our newest addition - the five-liter mini keg. Bayern Brewery’s five liter mini-keg is the only one of its kind in the United States.

Sure, it’s too small for a keg stand, but just right for your next poker night. Best of all you can use real glasses instead of those red cups that people write their names on. Now you can enjoy taproom taste in your rec room.

Bayern’s mini-kegs contain five delicious liters of the latest Bayern seasonal brew or the beer with a cause, Dancing Trout Ale. For your next mini-kegger, you can find Bayern mini-kegs just about anywhere you buy your favorite Bayern beers. Now the only German microbrewery in the Rockies has the only five liter mini-kegs in America.

Bayern Brewery. Tapping into originality since 1987.

Dancing Trout makes TU news

admin — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 04:21:23 +0000

Dancing Trout Ale made a proverbial splash in the Fall 2007 issue of Trout magazine, the nationally distributed publication of Trout Unlimited. As many fans of the German Wheat Ale may already know, Dancing Trout has been dubbed the “official beer sponsor” of Montana Trout Unlimited, which means a portion of every sale of Dancing Trout beer and merchandise goes to Montana TU.

Once again, Bayern Brewery tapped their old friend, Monte Dolack, a Trout Unlimited award winner and renowned Montana artist, to create Dancing Trout’s whimsical label art. Post cards and poster prints of Dancing Trout are available in limited quantities at bayernbrewery.com.

The completely unique partnership between Bayern and Montana Trout Unlimited is a testament to how truly fresh this local brewery is - not only for beer, but progressive ideas as well. Now anglers can feel good, no matter how big of a whopper they’re telling, when they toast to a plentiful day of catching (and releasing) on those pristine Montana trout streams.

Bayern hardwear

admin — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 04:26:18 +0000

For the beverage enthusiast, Bayern Brewery pint glasses, growlers and mugs certainly hold their own. Add to their collection or build your own by ordering now. Use the Item name when filling out your order form.

Pint glasses - $4.50 each or a set of four for $15

Top, left to right - Item: AMBERPINT, KILLARNEYPINT, DOPPELPINT, MAIBOCKPINT, BAYERNPINT

Bottom, left to right - Item: PILSNERPINT, WILBURPINT, ANNIVERSARYPINT, DRAGONPINT, DOLACKTROUTPINT, DANCINGPINT

Growlers - $6

From left to right - Item: ANNIVERSARYGROWL, WILBURGROWL, DANCINGGROWL, BAYERNGROWL

Growler covers - $15, Growler and cover - $20

From left to right - Item: ANNIVERSARYCOVER, REDCOVER, GREENCOVER, BLACKCOVER

Items: WILBURMUG - $6, BAYERNCAMPMUG - $8, DANCINGCAMPMUG - $8

Limited edition Bayern Brewery 20th Anniversary Stein, with lid - $35, without lid - $25

Item: ANNIVERSARYLID, ANNIVERSARYSTEIN

warm your egg noggin

admin — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 03:52:39 +0000

Get your Bayern beanie just in time for the chilly weather - just $15. Use Item Name, BEANIE , on your order form.

Front

Back

Bayern softwear 2.0

admin — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 23:50:32 +0000

A couple of special edition ball caps for a very special topper. All caps below are $20. Use the item name below on your order form.

Item: WHEATCAP

Mesh caps are Dri-Duck.

Item: MESHCAP

Mesh caps are Dri-Duck.

Item: ANNIVERSARYCAP

Caps commemorating Bayern Brewery’s 20th Anniversary.

Bayern softwear

admin — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 22:43:18 +0000

We can’t guarantee a total head-to-toe makeover, but we can at least start with the head part. Our latest ball caps come in a variety of styles, with one sure to fit yours. They’re adjustable, so they’ll also fit your head. All caps below are $16. Use the item name on your order form.

Item: BLOGHAT1

Item: BLOGHAT2

Item: BLOGHAT3

Item: BLOGHAT4

Item: BLOGHAT5

A portion of all sales of Dancing Trout merchandise goes to

Montana Trout Unlimited

Item: BLOGHAT6

Item: BLOGHAT7

Beer Gear for the holidays

admin — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 19:22:45 +0000

Stopping just short of delivering a fresh pint to their doorstep, you can give the freshest in design from Montana’s only true German brewery. If you’re in the market for something completely unique this holiday season, check out the new beer gear at Bayern Brewery in the posts above.

Prices do NOT include shipping and handling. Orders will be sent parcel post as it’s the most affordable way to ship, unless specified otherwise. For orders to be delivered before December 25, please call the brewery directly at 406-721-1482.

From our little corner of the world to yours, happy holidays from Bayern Brewery, Missoula, Montana.

For an order form, click here.

Raise a Stein to 20 Years

admin — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 20:21:45 +0000

In 1987, masterbrewer, Jürgen Knoeller came to Missoula from Munich to head the only German brewery in the Rocky Mountains. At that time, microbreweries were barely a blip on the beer drinker’s radar so the concept of a German brewery in the tiny mountain enclave of Missoula was a rather ambitious proposition. Not to mention the fact that Montana’s taste in beer was unspecified at best. But in a state that trends toward supporting the independent spirit, Montanans were willing to give this new concept a try. And ultimately it was the taste they were looking for. It was the pure, rich, flavorful authenticity of the beer, freshly brewed with centuries of German tradition behind it that was able to overcome all obstacles and continues to thrive to this day. To commemorate the past two decades, Bayern Brewery has created a limited number of 20th anniversary beer steins, both with and without lids - depending on your imbibing preferences - for sale in the brewery’s Tap Room. Join Jürgen and the entire Bayern Brewery team in celebrating the big 2-0 and make a toast to many more years to come.