Moose Drool

[OntheLoose]

Has anyone tried Moose Drool? Very good IMHO and brewed right here in good ole Montana.

[steveh]

From nearly four years back. (http://www.realbeer.com/discussions/showthread.php?s=&threadid=173&highlight=moose) Among other discussions throughout the board.

S.

[bditty187]

Moose Drool is a good brown ale and, rumor has it, is on its way to Nebraska.

[Seymour]

Decent brown ale. I'm not a huge fan of browns, but I found it pleasant. Welcome, and what part of Montana?

[sundontlie]

i love the stuff.

[Jinja]

Big Moose Drool fan. It only recently appeared in California, so maybe part of why I enjoy it so much is because it was a rare drink, only when I went to Washington.

Jinja Out

[wortchillergoal]

Not only did I enjoy this beer, I thought the artwork on the label was great. Some people I know did not like it, the artwork that is.

[OntheLoose]

Sorry I have not read all the posts, I just skimmed. I live just outside of Billings, Southeast Montana. The name itself and the artwork could use help but the beer (which is what counts) itself is good. They are the only brewery I know of in Montana (Big Sky Brewery). I bet there are others that are just not as well known?

[ScottKingofBeer]

Montana makes a number of good beers. Some of them have pretty wide ranging disributon. I would rate Montana 3rd in the nation behind Oregon and Washington for quality beer. Although California makes a number of fine beers too, but make too many atrocious ones to rank that high for me. In Flathead County Alone there is the Lang Creek Brewing company. Tri-motor amber has won awards and was recently praised by Michael Jackson, the beer hunter; the Great Northern Brewing Company, which is famous for the Huckleberry wheat. I have had Great Northern Beer as far aways as NYC. Flathead Lake Brewing Company, just south of Bigfork, makes an outstanding Pale Ale and won a medal at the world beer cup for their Porter. In Polson there is a tny establishment called Glacier Brewhouse, which doesn't impress me much, but many love it. They make a Cherry Wheat among others. Whitefish brewing company is tiny and may no longer be in business, but they brewed an outstanding Nut Brown ale which they sold in Grocery stores around the state in 22 ounce bottles. In Missoula, In addition to Big Sky Brewing, you have Bayern Brewing which makes Trout Slayer and other German style lagers. Bayern's brew can be found in stores in much of the west coast, but isn't as well known as Big Sky Brewing. Helena has a couple of breweries, the name of one of them escapes me at the moment, but the other is called Blackfoot River Brewing and they make a potent and outstanding IPA. In Belt, Harvest Moon Brewing makes some fine beers. The Pig Ass Porter is not to be missed if you can find it. And in your neck of the woods is the Montana Brewing Co. They have a tasting room right downtown. I haven't been here in a long time and can't rember what they brew or how good it is, but I think I liked it and everyone I know who has had the beer has good things to say about it. Bozeman has Spanish Peaks which makes the Black Dog line of ales. I find this to be mediocre beer at best, but its very popular and can be found in other parts of the country as well. You should have no problems finding any of the beer from the aforementioned breweries in Montana Taverns. Many of them can also be found in stores. Montana has a great beer scene but ts kind of hidden due to a terrible state law that bans brewpubs. You can have tasting rooms, and sell beer to go, but you can't serve more then 3 pints per person, per day on premesis and you can't have a kitchen. I hope they repeal this law soon. I love the label for Moose Drool by the way. How could anyone not love a Moose on your beer bottle? Nothing says Montana like wildlife on your beer.

[ScottKingofBeer]

Sorry that post was so hard to read. Need to start using paragraphs. What a concept!

[steveh]

Originally posted by ScottKingofBeer
I would rate Montana 3rd in the nation behind Oregon and Washington for quality beer.

I think Colorado might give you an argument.

S.

[ScottKingofBeer]

Yeah, I kind of forgot about Colorado when I posted that, but to be honest I really haven't much liked what I have tried from colorado. I think Great Divide is overrated and over the top with some of their brew. Breckenridge was pretty horrible too, but its been 10 years since I had one. I can't stand New Belgium brewing and Wynkoomp was also disapointing. I know that leaves a lot still to try. I do need to try some of Avery's brews.

[Seymour]

Originally posted by ScottKingofBeer
I can't stand New Belgium brewing

Howls of protest coming from Fret in 3...2...

[OntheLoose]

I forgot about Trout Slayer. That one is really good too. I also did not know about a ban on brewpubs in Montana. I wonder why?

[steveh]

Originally posted by ScottKingofBeer
I can't stand New Belgium brewing and Wynkoomp was also disapointing. I know that leaves a lot still to try. I do need to try some of Avery's brews.

Wow, you must be hard to please! I traveled around Denver for a week and found some great brews (mostly at pubs and on tap). Loved Wynkoop - didn't find it at all over rated. Thought Breckenridge held its own. Flying Dog stuff is all good, New Belgium is great stuff - even the Fat Tire seems to have been given some more muscle. Fret's beloved Odell's has great brew. Boulder, Estes Park, even Tommy Knocker at the source had enjoyable brews. Get thee back to CO man!

S.

[denver brewhoo]

Ska and Bristol and Left Hand/Tabernash and Oskar Blues make pretty good beers too, at least in a lot of folks' opinion.

then there are the brewpubs that don't bottle, like Mountain Sun/ Southern Sun in Boulder or Bull & Bush in Denver.....

I gert the feeling homeboy hasn't tried all of these yet, like the Avery, but perhaps they just aren't worthy of mention in his mind.

Chacun a son gout!

[steveh]

Oohh yeah, forgot left hand and Tabernash -- Tabernash had a pretty decent Oktoberfest the last time I tried it.

S.

[Seymour]

Still strikes me as odd that I can get several of the Left Hand beers here in Texas, but none of the Tabernash offerings are here--at least as of yet. Wonder why that is? It's the same brewery, isn't it? Just one specializes in ales and the other in lagers...

[ScottKingofBeer]

I gert the feeling homeboy hasn't tried all of these yet, like the Avery, but perhaps they just aren't worthy of mention in his mind.

Chacun a son gout! [/B]

You are correct sir. I have not had any of those. I will readily admit my assesment of the colorado beer scene is formed from a less then adequate sampling of the brews available from this fine state. I will not agree that Fat Tire is any good though. I find this bew to be mostly tasteless and I think the aroma is objectionable. It smells vaguely of cheese. It's a subtle smell, but once I identfied what the odor was it became inpalatable. I like the other beers they brew better, but I wouldn't call one of them world class. I think they are the single most overrated craft brewery in America. Although Redhook and Mactarnahans are close behind. As for breckenridge, well, I had a single bottle of IPA 10 years ago. I should give them a second chance. I do like Dales Pale. And I like Frontier Airlines even better for serving it on the plane. Nice to get something other then Heineken at 30,000 feet.

[Seymour]

I have to side with ScottKingofBeer about New Belgium. I now find Fat Tire undrinkable, and had to struggle through two bottles of their seasonal Two Below before giving up on the beer entirely. I'm not a fan of Belgian ales in general, so this may be part of the problem. In fairness, though, I do rather like their summer seasonal (I believe they've renamed it Skinny Dip).

Avery's beers that I've had have been for the most part really good, and Odells beers are stellar, too--except maybe the golden ale, which I found a little bland.

SkoB, you might think more of Breck's beers at the original brewpub. Sipping an oatmeal stout at 9,000 feet, brewed right there on premises, is pretty close to phenomenal.

[mnstorm99]

Moose Drool is a very good beer if it is on tap. I have picked up a six pack and wasn't as crazy about it though.

I am in Minnesota (we have a few good beers). But I think Wisconsin could give Montana and Colorado a run for their money. I have to agree on the Oregon and Washington beers.

Wisconsin Breweries worth trying:
Capital
New Glarus
Point
Hinterland
Hell, Lienie's comes out with a decent one every so often.

Fact is there is good beer everywhere you go ( especially in the northern part of the country).

[wild]

Picked up a six of Moose Drool last week at a local AJ's and sampled it while brewing my own American Brown. Very tasty. I look forward to enjoying more offerings from Big Sky.

Wild

[steveh]

Not sure I'd put Point up against any craft brews from Colorado or Oregon, but Wisconsin does have some great breweries. To add to your short list:

Lake Front
Sprecher
Tyranena
Milwaukee Ale House
Delafield Brew House
Great Dane
Randy's Fun Hunters
Nicolette
Central Waters
Gray's
JT Whitney's
Corner Pub Brewery

All making some excellent beers.

S.

[mnstorm99]

I have never heard of most of those. Must be from Southern or Eastern Wisconsin. I did forget about Gray's though.

[chazwicke]

I've been to a bunch of the Montana breweries listed and I enjoyed the beer from most of them. I particularly enjoyed my visit to Bayern. I like the aluminum bottles that Moose Drool comes in. As for some of the more forgettable Colorado brews, I agree that some of New Belgium's beers are just OK and other are good. But I find this to be the case with many brewers. I'm not a big fan of Flying Dog either. They now make their East Coast distribution beers in the DC area - Frederick, Maryland. Breckenridge beers were available here a long time ago and I was not all that impressed with them back then either. I'm not sure they still make it to my area anymore but then I have not looked. Most of the breweries and brewpubs I've been to in CO have made adequate to fine beer. Almost always a beer tastes best at it's source. O'dells makes some very fine brew and Avery does too. Wisconsin is a great brewing state and I would also say Pennsylvania / Mid Atlantic deserves to be in that league. New England as a region also has some excellent brewers. Probably the only area of the country that is a little behind the other regions is the South. Especially the deep south and the South West. Although it appears that most areas have at least a few choices.

[steveh]

Originally posted by mnstorm99
I have never heard of most of those. Must be from Southern or Eastern Wisconsin.

The Great Dane, Whitney's, and Tyranena are in Madison (area), Central Waters is in Junction City (near Stevens Point), Nicolette is way up north east in Florence, Corner Pub is in Reedsburgh near the Dells - and Lake Front and Sprecher are as popular as New Glarus statewide.

I only named these ones because I've had their brews, there are many more around the state.

S.