I'm a college graduate from Orange County, California and I just got a job offer in a small town in Lincoln County, Montana. I'd be living in either Libby or Troy, with Missoula and Spokane more than 3 hours away in opposite directions. Where am I going to get beer? Or am I doomed to Bud?
Congrats on the offer! You're actually quite close to Sandpoint, ID (one of my favorite towns)! Just north of Sandpoint is Laughing Dog Brewery, and there's a grocery store almost next to the brewery (I forget the name) that has a great craft beer selection. I picked up a bottle of Alaskan Baltic Porter ('09) there last June. You're not doomed. If you ever come to Missoula, hit me up. We have a very active tasting/trading group here, and I'll do the same if we head over to Sandpoint.
I love Laughing Dog! Sounds good. I imagine I'll be spending some weekends in Missoula, so I'll hit you up for sure.
The Missoula crew is literally the best thing that ever happened to my beer life. West Montana is loaded with lots of decent but not great breweries. Bitter Root is the gem out here, and Blackfoot River on the tap front. Occasional trips to Spokane will net you the out of state stuff like Hair of the Dog and Oskar Blues and what have you.
Really? Just my own opinion of course, but I'd rank them pretty far down the list. They only offer 22oz bottles, which outside of Missoula, tend to sit around and get old. Any opinions on that new(ish?) Tamarack Brewing?
Fresh, Bitter Root's Single Hop Pale and especially Red Dread are incredible. And you can usually find them for $3 a bottle. We found a case of Red Dread for $2 a bottle and have been loving that. Their Nut Brown is very nice in that style. Tamarack has some nice stuff for sure. They make a few nice IPAs. I just don't get to their taphouse all that often.
