KettleHouse Brewing Company

Last updated
KettleHouse Brewing Company
Location Missoula, Montana, U.S.
Opened1996
Annual production volume40,000–47,000 US beer barrels (47,000–55,000  hL)
Owned by
  • Tim O'Leary
  • Suzy Rizza
Website www.kettlehouse.com
Active beers
NameType
Cold Smoke Scotch Ale Scotch Ale
Eddy Out Pale Ale Pale ale
Double Haul IPA India pale ale
Fresh Bongwater Hemp Pale Ale Pale ale
Bonner Lager Lager
Seasonal beers
NameType
Garden City Pale Ale Pale ale
Ginseng Pale Ale Pale ale
Brick & Mortar Strong Belgian Dark Ale

KettleHouse Brewing Company is a craft brewing company located in Missoula, Montana. Founded in 1995 by Tim O'Leary and Suzy Rizza, the company has grown from a single taproom to two taprooms in Missoula and a major production facility in Bonner, Montana on the Blackfoot River. In 2017, the company, in collaboration with Top Hat Entertainment, opened the KettleHouse Amphitheater near the new facility in Bonner.

Contents

History

Founders Tim O'Leary and Suzy Rizza discovered a growing community of craft brewers while living in Colorado in the 1990s and began brewing beer. After experimenting with homebrewing in their kitchen, they quickly moved their production to a brew-on-premises in Boulder. The couple moved to Montana and opened the first brew on premise in Missoula, with the state only requiring them to obtain a brewer's license. They established KettleHouse with the idea of beer and recyclable packaging as a guiding point for success.

In 2006, KettleHouse became the first brewer in Montana to can its beer, fulfilling O'Leary's original goal of an environmentally friendly brewhouse.[ citation needed ] After occupying its original Myrtle Street location since opening, the canning required a move to a bigger facility to accommodate higher production numbers and larger equipment. Moving into a Northside location in 2009, the company did not think they would reach the production limit as laid out by the state of Montana. [1] Despite two facilities working at full production, the company could not meet demand for their product and still remain under the 10,000 barrel cap. Starting in 2012, the company began to move out of markets in response to the demand in the Missoula area. O'Leary stated he was unwilling to "close down our taprooms and risk alienating ourselves from our core market", but that he hoped he could help "remove this 10K (barrel) hurdle", (something he had helped put in place in 1999) and increase the barrel limit. [2] In 2017, the increase in barrel production limits O'Leary sought was passed in the Montana State Legislature. Production limits were raised to 60,000 barrels with a 2,000 barrel limit on taproom sales for breweries in Montana. [3]

In 2017, KettleHouse expanded outside beer production and its related products for the first time. In January 2017, the company opened a brand new canning and brewing facility in Bonner to prepare for the increase in barrels allowed as passed in the legislature. The new facility has the ability to brew 30,000 barrels per year, surpassing the production of both other taprooms. In the summer of 2017, KettleHouse opened the new KettleHouse Amphitheater in Bonner, Montana [4] with inaugural act Lyle Lovett. [5]

Products

KettleHouse has four mainstay beers available at its tap houses: Cold Smoke Scotch Ale, Double Haul IPA, Eddy Out Pale Ale and Fresh Bongwater Hemp Ale. Cold Smoke is KettleHouse's best seller and most awarded beer with four Golds at the North American Beer Awards as well as a popular ice cream version served in Missoula. [6] Bongwater Hemp Ale attracted some controversy with its initial offering that culminated with an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. [7]

Seasonals

In addition to its mainstays, the brewery offers a rotating selection of seasonals that differ based on the tap house and the time of year. Some of the more popular offerings are the Garden City Pale Ale and the various cask aged beers released throughout the year. Included at the tap houses are nitro-served beers, with Cold Smoke on nitro being a popular choice by consumers as it creates a smoother drink. Te Bonner Lager, a beer designed to be consumed at the KettleHouse Amphitheater was brewed to celebrate the venue's opening in 2017. [8]

Awards

BeerCategoryMedalYearBestower
Barrel Aged Freezout StoutSmoke and Wood Flavored BeerBronze2024Montana Brewers Association [9]
Barrel Aged Sapped Out Maple StoutWood Flavored BeerSilver2011North American Beer Awards [10]
Biere de GardeBiere de GardeGold2015North American Beer Awards [11]
Brick and Mortar PorterBelgian-Style Dark Strong AleSilver2012North American Beer Awards [12]
Cold Smoke Scotch AleScottish Style AleBronze2009Great American Beer Festival [13]
Scottish AlesSilver2010North American Beer Awards [14]
Scotch AleGold2011North American Beer Awards [10]
Scottish ExportBronze2011North American Beer Awards [10]
Scotch AleBronze2012World Beer Cup [15]
Scottish-Style AleSilver2015Great American Beer Festival [13]
Scottish-Style ExportGold2016North American Beer Awards [16]
Scotch Ale (Wee Heavy)Bronze2021North American Beer Awards [17]
Scottish-Style Ale Scottish-Style ExportGold2022North American Beer Awards [18] >
Double Haul IPAEnglish-Style India Pale AleGold2014World Beer Cup [19]
Double Haul NorthEnglish-Style India Pale AleGold2012North American Beer Awards [12]
Double Haul SouthEnglish-Style Pale AleBronze2012North American Beer Awards [12]
Fresh BongwaterEnglish-Style Summber AleSilver2015North American Beer Awards [11]
Gin EddyBarrel-Aged BeerSilver2013North American Beer Awards [20]
Ginseng Ginger AleCarbonated Soft DrinksSilver2012North American Beer Awards [12]
HaulapenoChili BeerGold2016North American Beer Awards [16]
Hellgate Honey HefeAmerican-Style HefeweizenSilver2021North American Beer Awards [17]
KettleHouse KommonCalifornia CommonSilver2015North American Beer Awards [11]
KombrewskiSpecialty and Experimental BeerSilver2016North American Beer Awards [16]
Muley Buck IPAIndia Pale AlesSilver2024Montana Brewers Association [9]
Seeley Axe WhiteGluten-Free BeerBronze2011Great American Beer Festival [13]
Shady New England IPAHazy Pale AlesGold2024Montana Brewers Association [9]
Zula StoutAmerican StoutSilver2011North American Beer Awards [10]

See also

References

  1. Ryan Newhouse, Montana Beer: A Guide to Breweries in Big Sky Country (Charleston, SC: American Palate, 2013), 63-67; Tim O'Leary. Oral Interview, April 4, 2018, by Meaghan Fernandes and Joseph Serido at KettleHouse Brewing Co. in Missoula, MT. Digital recording and transcription in the possession of Kyle J. Volk, University of Montana
  2. Missoulian, JENNA CEDERBERG of the. "Local demand forces Kettlehouse to remove products from Kalispell, Helena and Great Falls". missoulian.com. Retrieved 2018-05-01.
  3. "Legislature Approves Bill Raising Brewery Production Limits - Flathead Beacon". Flathead Beacon. 2017-04-13. Retrieved 2018-05-01.
  4. Reichard, Sean (July 13, 2017). "KettleHouse Amphitheater Highlights Western Montana". New West. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
  5. MacLachlan, Montana. "Opening night at KettleHouse..." KECI. Retrieved 2018-05-01.
  6. "Winners By Flight" (PDF). North American Brewers Association. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  7. Missoulian, MICHAEL MOORE of the. "ATF: That's bad brew". missoulian.com. Retrieved 2018-05-01.
  8. Indy Staff. "Griz Lager vs. Bonner Logger—an Indy taste test". Missoula Independent. Retrieved 2018-05-01.[ permanent dead link ]
  9. 1 2 3 "2024 Montana Beer Awards Winners". Montana Brewers Association. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "NABA 2011 Winners" (PDF). North American Brewers. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  11. 1 2 3 "NABA Winners 2015" (PDF). North American Brewers. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "NABA 2012 Winners" (PDF). North American Brewers. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  13. 1 2 3 "Past Winners". Great American Beer Festival. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  14. "NABA 2010 Winners" (PDF). North American Brewers. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  15. "Winners List 2012" (PDF). World Beer Cup. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  16. 1 2 3 "NABA Winner 2016" (PDF). North American Brewers. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  17. 1 2 "NABA 2021 Winners" (PDF). North American Brewers. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  18. "NABA 2022 Winners" (PDF). North American Brewers. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  19. "2014 Winners List" (PDF). World Beer Cup. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  20. "NABA 2013 Winners" (PDF). North American Brewers. Retrieved 9 March 2024.

Bibliography