Muddy Creek Brewery

a really neat place, upstairs on the second floor of what appears to be a cool historic building right in the center of town there. its got an old saloon or dance hall vibe to it, lots of wood, very casual, but also kind of like it was grand in its time. the place is absolutely packed for trivia, patrons of all ages and their dogs too! the wait at the bar for a drink on a weeknight was several minutes long, this must be a local favorite. they had a pretty nice selection of beers going on in here, something for everyone, and i enjoyed a blonde ale with coffee called shower beer, as well as a surprisingly modern oatmeal based pale ale called ornery goat. both were somewhat simple beers, but both quite good. i got a chance to spend some time chatting with the brewer, who seems to be working mighty hard to keep things flowing in here. good dude, quite humble, and it shows in the beers. the place would be relaxing on a quieter night, but with the trivia going on and people wall to wall, it all felt a little too chaotic to be chill, but i liked the energy and the apparent enthusiasm for the beers. hoping to make it back here to try more of their stuff next time...

 

 

Butte, Montana's newest brewery is run by some very friendly folks who aren't shy about visiting with the customers. They have fixed up a portion of a grand old building which also holds a martini bar next door and (unfortunately) a divey rave-type joint on the lower floor. The interior is warm and roomy but could use some decor to give it some character. The recent addition of a diminutive stuffed black bear provides a topic of conversation. They have quite a few beers on tap, and also soft drinks for the kiddies- always welcome in these tasting room establishments. One or two beers (stout and/or porter) are dispensed with nitro. The quality is rather uneven, but it's getting there.

I joined the mug club, which strikes me as a very good deal. The 75 dollar dues earn a filled growler, a numbered mug, one free beer per week, and one free birthday beer. Membership also buys a discount on brewery gear, which I believe is 10 percent. I calculated a minimum of about 12 visits per year plus the birthday beer to break even, not counting merchandise purchases. Pints are four bucks apiece with growler fills running 8-9 bucks.

Overall, this place is a much-anticipated, welcome addition to the town and I wish them every success.