After another hearty day of exploring we again found ourselves in a fine "craft beer" establishment. The Bozeman Brewing Company or "Bozone" did not fail in quenching our thirsts and providing a nice "all things beer" atmosphere. This fine factory of foamy goodness is located very near the downtown area and its many restaurants. I’ll cover the “food proximity” issue a bit later.
I tend to lean towards the heavy and hop laden IPA's, Pale's, and Cream Stouts while the Mrs. makes no doubt that clean, crisp, and "easy on the finish" are her preferred choices. An unfiltered Hefeweizen, Imperial Stout, or Double IPA under her nose will usually generate a prompt and lively critique that would send a well intentioned monk stumbling for cover! Better make that a Lager, Pilsner, or Brown Ale!
Luckily, Bozone has enough standard and seasonals to satisfy any taste. She has her Schwarze Blackmore Lager and I have Hopfest and Plum Street Porter. Bozone Select (Amber), German Blonde, and Java Stout are noteworthy as well.
As with all Montana brewery “tap rooms”, some quirky laws prevail. Each guest can have no more than 3 pints per visit. They fall under highly regulated hours (closing at 8pm each night). Food is not served on site (proximity to restaurants may be a bonus), and “growler refill” hours are strictly enforced. Some additional tid-bits of Montana beer laws are found here http://growlerfills.blogspot.com/2009/12/beer-laws-101-dude-wheres-my-pint.html
Growlers (1/2 gallon glass or river-friendly plastic jugs) are the best take-home value going. In fact, growlers can be refilled at other tap rooms as the brewers mutually support each others customers in a “co-op” type of agreement. This is kind of nice when seasonals change or one craft brewer runs out of your favorite. Fresh beer in a half gallon jug is always a welcome addition to any refrigerator!
Some things are always certain at a Montana tap room. The beer is always fresh,the crowd is always lively, and the talk is always of great beer. Cheers!
I will be posting "Yellowstone 2" soon.
