Must stops in the West?

[jandafarmette]

This summer my wife and I are driving from Missouri to Portland, Oregon. When we travel we do what we can to find local food and local beer. We need some help in a couple spots. We’re interested in where to stop and drink good local beer and where/what to buy to bring home. Specifically, we need help for a dinner spot in Jackson, Wyoming, and a dinner stop in eastern Washington between Spokane and Kennewick. Once in Portland, I know I want to hit the Horse Brass Pub and McMenamin’s Kennedy School along with a trip out to Newport, OR for Rogue. After hitting those spots, if I have limited time, is there something for which I absolutely must make time? What should I be sure to find bottled to bring home? What’s the best place to buy from? On the way home we’re going back through western Montana – I know I need to find Big Sky’s Moose Drool – but where can I stop to eat at the same time? (Big Sky Brewing has no restaurant, right?) From there we’re heading to Devil’s Tower, Mt. Rushmore, and then across South Dakota, south to Iowa across I-80 to Chicago and we’re back in known territory. I need lots of help from southern Montana to the Iowa/Illinois line. You should know that we have a distinct love of cask-ales, I love barleywine any time of year, and my wife has a soft spot for ESBs and IPAs. Thanks for any help you can offer.

[davesarman]

Hopefully you haven't left yet...I'm originally from SD, so I can speak to the beer in that area. There's a brewpub in Jackson, I think it's called Snake River Brewing or something like that. I was there 3 years ago on a trip to Yellowstone. Good place, good food, good beer, but crowded when we were there. (Friday evening). Seemed like lots of rich young brats who drive convertable BMW's etc, don't have to work because daddy foots the bill for everything. So I guess I didn't like the crowd, but the food and beer was good.

In South Dakota, there are 4 brewpbus I would suggest. 2 in the west, 2 in the east. Fire House brewing in Rapid City has excellent beer, but no extreme or unusual styles. THeir food is EXCELLENT! It is located in downtown in an old restored fire hall. Very cool digs. The other one in the west is Mt. Rushmore Brewing Co. in Hill City which is, as you might have guessed, close to Mt. Rushmore. Small place, decent beers, good place to stop for lunch. Last time I was there, they had Moose Drool on tap. I think I might have heard they closed, but I'm not sure.

For eastern SD, I would recommend Sioux Falls Brewing Co. In an old restored building in downtown. Great beer, great food. YOu can find there beer bottled locally too. Their best beers are the Ringneck Red (named after the Ringneck pheasant, highly hunted game bird in SD) and the Midnight Star lager, which is named for and brewed for Kevin Costner's Midnight Star casino and saloon in Deadwood SD. Again, no off the wall styles, but good beer. The other one in Sioux Falls is Granite City Brewing Co. This is one of 3 locations of this small chain (the others are in Fargo, ND and St. Cloud, MN). Good food and good beer. They even have a cask dispensed bitter, that is quite good, and usually a seasonal that experiments from the norm more than the regular beers do.

If I had to pick my favorites, it would be Firehouse in Rapid City and Sioux Falls Brewing Co. in Sioux Falls. Hope this helps! Have fun on your trip and let me know if you stop at any of these places and what you think of them!