Breweries in Montana produce a wide range of beers in different styles that are marketed locally, regionally, and nationally. Montana has an abundance of small, local breweries. In 2024, they ranked third in the number of craft breweries per capita of adults over 21. They have ranked third for over a decade. In addition to craft beer, Montana has several small batch distilleries, wineries, and ciderhouses. They also produce mead, kombucha, and seltzers.

In 2019, excluding the two largest breweries, the remaining 90 breweries produced an average of 1,650 barrels per year. In 2022, there were a total of 196,941 barrels of craft beer produced. The amount decreased to 182,488 in 2024.

In 2012 Montana's 38 brewing establishments (including breweries, brewpubs, importers, and company-owned packagers and wholesalers) employed 220 people directly, and more than 4,700 others in related jobs such as wholesaling and retailing. In August 2016, there were 68 breweries in operation in the state of Montana. In November 2023, the Montana Brewers Association reported 97 breweries with 4 more known to be in planning. In 2024 there were 109 breweries.

Including people directly employed in brewing, as well as those who supply Montana's breweries with everything from ingredients to machinery, the total business and personal tax revenue generated by Montana's breweries and related industries was more than $98 million in 2012. Consumer purchases of Montana's brewery products generated more than $21 million extra in tax revenue. The Brewers Association reported that Montana breweries had a $488 million impact in 2022. That increased to $565 million in 2024.

History 1863 - "Gilbert Brewery" was founded by Henry Gilbert, Christian Ritcher, and William Smith, making it one of the Montana Territory's first breweries, though it was not the first. Originally called "Thorn-Smith Brewery" and then "Virginia Brewery", the brewery continued until Montana Prohibition laws went into effect around 1916–1918. The brewery re-opened in 1934 but closed for good in 1974.Gilbert's Brewery 1926 - Montana became the first state to repeal Prohibition enforcement. The petition to lift the ban stated its purpose was "to restore constitutional rights and liberty in the state of Montana by repealing all laws relative to prohibition except those relating to minors.""Montana would limit Prohibition" Spokane Daily Chronicle - Jan 19, 1926 Efforts to reinstate the law two years later in 1928 failed.Kyvig, David "Chapter 7, Hard Times, Hopeful Times" Repealing National Prohibition (1979). 1997 - The cabaret license was created as a reaction to the fast-rising prices of regular liquor licenses. Cabaret licenses are more affordable and allowed restaurant owners to sell wine and beer.Beer and Wine License Laws in Montana | News, Sports, Weather for Great Falls, Helena, and all of Montana | Local Top Stories

List 1889 Brewing Co. Owned by Matt and Lindsey Miller, this Billings brewery opened in December 2024. They brew more than 15 beers. Their Winter Sippa Porter won bronze in the Strong Ales category at the 2025 Montana Beer Awards.

1Ō5 Brewing This brewery serves both coffee and beer in the Billings Heights neighborhood. Travis Zeilstra, with previous experience at four other breweries and multiple awards, is the head brewer. It opened in January 2025 and has the capacity to brew 10 beers.

2 Basset Brewery This brewery in White Sulphur Springs is owned by Barry Hedrich. He opened the brewery in February 2016. They produce a variety of beer as well as seltzer. Their Woofta won the 2024 silver award for Strong Lagers from Montana Brewers Association.

406 Brewing Company

406 Brewing Company is a microbrewery and tasting room in Manhattan. The owner is Matt Muth, a home brewer since college. The brewery opened in 2011, as the second brewery within Bozeman's city limits.Bozeman's newest brews — 406 Brewing Company opensNew brewery in Bozeman on tap In 2024, the brewery moved to a larger location in Manhattan. The name is derived from Montana's Telephone Area Code, which is 406.

At the 2016 North American Beer Awards, their Belgian pale took gold in the Belgian-Style Pale Ale category. In 2018, their Run-off Brown won silver at the North American Beer Awards in the English-Style Brown Ale category. At the 2024 North American Beer Awards they had three beers place: J.A.M.ber Ale won gold in Brown Porter, Belgian Pale Ale won silver in Belgian-Style Pale Ale, Peach Wheat won bronze in Other Fruit Beers.

They were the winners of the Community Impact Award at the 2025 Montana Beer Awards. Their Red Barrel won silver in the Strong Ales category and Little Blonde won bronze in Golden Ales and Hybrid Styles. At the North American Beer Awards they won silver with both their Belgian Pale Ale and Guava Tangerine Gose.

Angry Hank's Microbrewery Angry Hank's Brewing was opened in 2006 by Tim Mohr, who had worked as a brewer at Red Lodge Ales for five years.Angry Hanks Brewing The brewery was originally housed in an old gas station. In 2012, a second location was opened eight blocks away in an old carriage house. The brewery moved all operations to the carriage house in 2014. They also began canning their signature Street Fight and Anger Management.

The Angry Hank from which the brewery gets its name is not part of the organization, but instead a friend of the family who always seemed angry. The idea for the name came when someone, in an attempt to console Hank said to him, "Don't be angry Hank," just as Mohr and his family were having troubles deciding on a name for the then-proposed establishment.

Awards Beer Category Medal Year Bestower Frost killer Scottish-Style Export Silver 2015 North American Beer Awards Münchner Helles Münchner-Style Helles Gold 2011 Great American Beer Festival

Annie's Tap House Annie's Tap House is a brewery in downtown Great Falls. It was opened in 2022 by brothers Dan and Steve Morano as well as Kevin Younkin. The name is from the brothers' great-grandmother.

Backslope Brewing

Backslope is a brewery in Columbia Falls that opened in 2016. It is owned by Darin and Carla Fisher, with Darin as the brewer. They won the 2024 Small Brewery of the Year award from Montana Brewers Association. Their beers also took awards that year. Distant Neighbor won gold for Belgian and French Style Ales and Opulence took gold for Fruit, Vegetable, and Spiced Beer. At the 2025 Montana Beer Awards Opulance won the Sour Ales, Wild Ales, and Fruited Sour Ales category and Up From the Roots won silver in the Belgian & French-style Ales category.

Bar 3 Brewing Bar 3 is a brewery in Belgrade. Their Wee Heavy won the 2024 bronze award in Scottish Style Ales from Montana Brewers Association. They won Small Brewery of the Year at the 2025 Montana Beer Awards. Their AWS won gold in the India Pale Ales category and Steep Peaks won silver in Experimental Beer.

Bayern Brewing

Bayern Brewery was opened in 1987 as the "only German brewery in the Rockies," and today is the oldest operating brewery in Montana. Brewers Thorsten Geuera and Jürgen Knöller are both from Germany and use all German equipment and recipes.Bayern Brewing: The Only German Brewery in the Rockies They have 7 year round beers and distribute through 5 states.

Beaver Creek Brewery The brewery was set up in Wibaux's historic old business district with equipment salvaged from the former Milestown Brewing Company in a former grocery store that had been closed since 1986. It was established in 2008 by Jim Devine and Sandon Stinnett. In 2021, Devine left the business.

Located at the edge of Eastern Montana, Beaver Creek Brewery describes itself as "an oasis in a desert of no microbreweries".The first year they were brewing at capacity of about 200 barrels a year. Despite low production, they have a distribution area spanning hundreds of miles because of the low population density of the region.Beaver Creek Brewing: Montana's Microbrew Oasis | Bill Schneider | Travel & Outdoors | NewWest.Net As of 2024, they offer six standard beers as well as seasonals.

Beaverhead Brewing Company Beaverhead Brewing opened in Dillon in 2014. Owner Brett Maki worked at Pyramid Brewing then Georgetown Brewing Company before deciding to open his own brewery. The business takes its name from the original brewery in Dillon which closed at the beginning of Prohibition.

Beehive Basin Brewery Andy Liedberg and Casey Folley opened this Big Sky brewery in July 2015.

Bias Brewing Bias Brewering was opened in 2018 in Kalispell. It is owned by Gabe Mariman and Adam Roberston. In 2022, Bias moved into the former Kalispell Brewing Company building on Main Street. In 2022, the brewery had 15 beers on tap.

Their Rice, Rice, Baby Lager won Gold in the Hop-forward Pale Lagers category at the 2025 Montana Beer Awards.

Big Sky Brewing Co.

Big Sky Brewing Company is a microbrewery in Missoula, founded in 1995 by Neal Leathers, Bjorn Nabozney, and Brad Robinson. Their beer is sold throughout the western United States. Popular beers are Moose Drool and Space Goat.

Big Spring Brewing Company The brewery in Lewistown is owned by Rob Lehrkind, who also owns Julius Lehrkind in Bozeman. It has a partnership with its neighbor Central Feed Grilling Company. They have 5 main beers and a variety of rotators.

Bitter Root Brewing Bitter Root, in Hamilton, became a brewery in 1998. Owner and brewer Tim Bozik converted dairy equipment for his first brewing tanks. The brewery takes its name from Montana's state flower, the bitterroot. The brewery regularly assists local non-profits through fundraisers and partnerships. They also have partnerships with local farms and businesses to provide ingredients. They always have 11 beers on tap. Adding the rotators, they serve up to 40 styles per year.

Awards Beer Category Medal Year Bestower Barley Ridge Nut Brown Ale English Brown Ale Gold 2010 North American Beer Awards English Brown Ale Silver 2011 North American Beer Awards English Brown Ale Bronze 2012 North American Beer Awards English-Style Brown Ale Gold 2018 North American Beer Awards English-Style Brown Ale Gold 2019 North American Beer Awards Bitterroot Pale (Special) Best Bitter Silver 2011 North American Beer Awards Blown Out Brown English-Style Brown Ale Gold 2016 North American Beer Awards Cellar Series – Imperial Bourbon Porter Smoke and Wood Flavored Beer Silver 2023 North American Beer Awards Collaboration Porter Wood Flavored Beer Silver 2010 North American Beer Awards Huckleberry Honey Ale Honey Beer Silver 2010 North American Beer Awards Imperial Citra Ale American-Style Strong Ale Bronze 2013 North American Beer Awards Munich Helles Bock Helles Bock/Malbock Gold 2010 North American Beer Awards Oktoberfest Mazen-Oktoberfest Gold 2011 North American Beer Awards Sawtooth Ale English-Style Summer Ale Silver 2013 North American Beer Awards Light Ales/Hybrid Gold 2024 Montana Brewers Association Scottish Heart Scotch Ale (Wee Heavy) Silver 2012 North American Beer Awards Wee Heavy Scotch Ale (Wee Heavy) Silver 2016 North American Beer Awards

Black Eagle Brewery Black Eagle Brewery began in the town of Black Eagle in 2015. It is owned by Christa Heisler. Jason Lehman is the head brewer. They initially had a 15 barrel-capacity.

Blackfoot River Brewing Blackfoot River Brewing is a microbrewery in Helena, opened in 1998 by Brian Smith, Greg Wermers, and Brad Simshaw.Blackfoot River Brewing: Real Good Beer Made by Real Good People | Bill Schneider | Travel & Outdoors | NewWest.Net In 2008, they built a new facility on the parking lot next door.

In 2010, Tim Chisman became a brewer. In 2014, Chisman and Bethany Flint became the owners.

Beer is produced in 15-barrel batches.

Awards