CRAFT BEER REVIEWS
Grand Teton Brewing
Snarling Badger
Victor, ID
IBU: 9.5
ABV: 7.5%
Color: Golden, hazy orange
This light, refreshing wheat has a kick to it! At 7.5% alcohol and with a tartness of a lemon, you don’t need any more fruit in this concoction. According to the gang representing the brewery from Victor, Snarling Badger is a north German style wheat ale that gets its zest from a secondary fermentation in which they use lactobacillus.
The word is that Germans who brew this style of ale have been known to bury a few bottles in the garden for a couple years. The tartness increases with age, and with that much alcohol, this should make for a fine, bold brew in a few years, if you can wait that long.
Harvest Moon Brewing
Elevator Imperial IPA
Belt, MT
IBU: N/A
ABV: 8.7%
Color: Medium Amber
This IPA makes a decent showing, but lacks any wow factor in appearance. When poured into a pint glass from a can, the beer has a burnt orange color on the bottom that darkens into a medium amber. The head lacks in volume and thickness being about a finger width and light.
This beer hits your nose with fruity aromatics and a subtle hint of citrus. Leading with a grapefruit hop taste that compliments the initial aromatics, Elevator Imperial IPA is a little on the lighter side of IPAs with a sweet caramel finish. Overall, this IPA has a strong alcohol content, but sacrifices appearance and taste depth in the process.
The Front Brewing
Riverwater
Great Falls, MT
IBU: 67
ABV: 6.9%
Color: Deep Golden Orange
River Water’s from the can is where it is at! It has a ripcord, full pop-top that begs to be consumed on a floating trip or out camping. The can itself is brilliantly designed and a work of art in itself. But to the most important part: How does it taste?
Rest assured, this beer has a great taste. It has a citrus and sweet aroma that are easily picked up due to the full pop-top. I poured a small amount of the beer into a snifter, and it has a full-bodied head, just over a finger, that lingers for some time. The color is a deep amber that almost borders on maple.
The initial taste is slightly robust with sweet finishes that hangs on your tongue until the next sip. The citrus is ever present with hints of orange and grapefruit. All in all, grab this beer on your next camp or float trip and you won’t be disappointed.
UberBrew Brewing Company
White Noise Hefeweizen
Billings, MT
IBU: 15
ABV: 5.7%
Color: Golden, hazy orange
This American-style Hefeweizen is clean and refreshing. It’s unfiltered, which gives it its yellow, cloudy appearance. Fruits like lemon and orange come to mind, and the wheat becomes a significant part of the beer’s characteristics. Brewed with German hops and malt, UberBrew co-owners Mark Hastings and Jason Shroyer owe its distinct flavor to the German yeasts they add to begin the fermentation process. But it doesn’t remind me of a German style Hefe. It's distincly American and definitely worth a try.
UberBrew actually uses a contract brewing agreement with Fort Collins Brewing to make its White Noise, but no one can argue with this beer earning a silver medal at the 2014 World Beer Cup. And it’s really allowed them to expand their production. Look for White Noise to start showing up on the shelves of your local grocery store soon.