Page 7 - Helena Chamber Spring 2018 B2B

BLACKFOOT RIVER BREWING
Blackfoot River Brewing, whose motto is “Real Good Beer by Real Good People” is about to celebrate its 20th year later this year, all
of those on South Park near the library. It’s known among adults for its beer and among kids who tag along as the “popcorn store.” People can bring in outside food to eat while they drink, and with Miller’s Crossing and Bridge Pizza on either side, there is food readily available.
Blackfoot’s staff is Cicerone trained and certi ed, which is to beer as sommelier training is to wine. The servers are trained to help match a customer’s tastes with what’s on tap and serve it properly. There are monthly tastings for staff to keep them informed about what’s on tap and what’s coming up in rotation.
There are no TV’s on either of the two oors in the taproom. The point of coming to Blackfoot is to mix and mingle and hang out. You can watch TV at home. While you’re hanging out, you can try one of their wide varieties of beer—last year they brewed
47 different versions. They have
a standard 7-8 beers that are always available, and a wide range of seasonal and experimental offerings. Ideas for new beers come from customers and
staff. Three of their beers are certi ed organic.
The brewery’s location at the base of the Mt. Helena trail system gives it a unique
vibe in the warmer months. Hikers and mountain bikers stop in after their outings to snack and relax. Many days, the bike rack out front is full. This vibe even draws in riders and hikers from out of town, who plan their outings around a stop at the taproom.
The brewery’s connections to the Helena community run deep. Every Monday
is Community
Monday, with
$1 of every glass
sold going to a
local charity.
Since 2010, when
this was begun,
Blackfoot has raised
$183,000 for local
groups. Further
charitable giving
is done through
the Community
Partnership
Program; two
or three times
a year a local
business teams
with Blackfoot to
brew a limited-
edition beer,
which is then sold
to raise funds for
a local charity.
BREWERIES CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
SPRING 2018 | 7