In Bozeman, Montana a tourist will find a great many things: Clean air, national forest access, and trails to wander alone with your thoughts, or with someone you love, as you take a real look at the amazing natural world that surrounds us all.
In Bozeman you won’t pass out from the heat, you walk into a moderate climate that is the ideal spot to make wonderful vacation memories – or to purchase property for when you retire. From shopping to parks to world-class museums, this area year-round, offers some of the most amazing art and cultural events on the planet.
Bozeman is, quite literally, the perfect place to live; a small town feel with every big city amenity a visitor could possibly wish for.
There’s something else on Bozeman’s radar that is completely and utterly worth the trip to this fantastical area. Breweries. And there is one – a brand new one – that is growing as a fan favorite each and every day. On the front of this amazing building which holds fun, entertainment, and some of the best beer in the world inside its walls, hangs a huge sign reading * 406*.
The 406 Brewery is located on Oak Street in the old Sweet Pea Cannery right across from the Fairgrounds baseball field. The front of this memorable building is made entirely of glass; the light inside feels just right, as the warm rays spotlight a world filled with extremely cool furnishings. The ceilings rise in the air so high that it feels like a cathedral has been constructed for the beer lover inside all of us.
The room is immense. Every visitor can see the large shiny tanks as they sit in their places and create the flavors of beer that you won’t soon forget. Iron and wood make up the furnishings offering a glimpse of copper trim that glimmers in the light.
In fact, the 406 Brewery has some of the most amazing decor any visitor will ever see. Among the mostly-recycled items are some imaginative bar tops, footrests, and benches. Add in the picturesque view, the amazing atmosphere, and the great tasting beer, and the 406 *Brewery* becomes a place that offers fun, peace, and harmony all rolled up into one. A true beer haven.
For those of you who may not understand the intense interest in beer in the U.S., micro-brewing has increased steadily ever since James Robertson’s encyclopedic “Great American Beer Book” was published in 1974, and when Michael Jackson’s (no, not that one) 1977 book The World Guide to Beer was introduced to the American public. On top of the literary artists who “drew” people in with their guides, the law has helped a great deal with placing micro-breweries on the map. The enactment of laws clarifying that home brewing was legal in 1979 encouraged an increase in hobbyists who contributed greatly to the trend. Pioneer breweries such as the reinvigorated *Anchor Brewing, Samuel Adams, Sierra Nevada*, and many others, brought the concept of ‘craft beer’ to a wider audience and provided the foundation upon which today’s successful market is based.
An American “craft brewery” is the category that the *406 Brewery *falls into, being a small, independent and traditional brewery. What also added a huge “following” to the beer industry market were best-selling magazines such as *The Beer Connoisseur *that turned the beer industry into cutting-edge news. Information is available whether you are a novice or a connoisseur, and people have come to learn that being a beer lover is not only about discovering new tastes, but also about acquiring knowledge of the tastes of the industry, which has become a world of style and sophistication.
The 406 Brewery *in Bozeman is a brand new locale to sit and enjoy a craft-beer, and is also the first in-town competitor for the *Bozeman Brewing Company which opened nine years ago. But, like the rest of the beautiful, calm, and peaceful “feel” of Bozeman, the owner of 406 Brewery, Matt Muth, and the owner of Bozeman Brewing, Todd Scott, are both very amiable. In fact, Todd Scott is excited for the new business, which will elicit even more traffic to the town and enable Bozeman to one day become the best location to receive the *best* beer in the world.
Matt Muth has had a long career in brewing. In fact, he began his path toward his future by washing kegs at *Madison River Brewing Company *in Belgrade; he also worked for his now ‘rival,’ the *Bozeman Brewing Company*. Matt began brewing beers while in college, as well, so with all this experience behind Matt Muth, it’s no wonder that he finally reached the pinnacle of his own dream and opened his very own brewery.
All of the brewery owners in this area love the fact that each one of their businesses are *still* growing in this horrific economy…which is an excellent sign for the future of craft brew. In Bozeman, having various brewers is a true gift, seeing as that it enables one and all to exchange information, ingredients, and processing tips. Craft brewing is becoming more and more popular as people want to have a variety of choices for their palettes, and this particular trend is happening nationwide. Twenty-six registered breweries are in the state of Montana at the moment (*figures based on per capita*), making them second only to Vermont.
Of course, beer has become an American staple. Beer and brewing have been around forever – and the craft beers are certainly something to taste! Beer is no longer associated with the whole saloon atmosphere. In fact, beer has become as eloquent and stylish as champagne, wine-tasting events, etc. and is destined to become THE drink of choice for all people .
In the beautiful atmosphere of the 406 Brewery, the emphasis is placed on the tasting room. Matt Muth has set up the brewery so that customers and visitors can actually experience the rich smells and amazing sights that come from his recipes. He’s even stated that he envisions having a blackboard in the tasting room where patrons can write recipe ideas and potential beer names, in order for the customer to become a true part of the brewing process.
The brewery will also have beer-incorporated food, such as pizza with an India Pale Ale crust, to beer bread. There are several different types of beer on the menu at the 406 Brewery right now: Session Pale Ale, the JAMber Amber (JAM are Matt’s brother’s initials), an IPA(India Pale Ale), and the Brown Porter, which are quickly becoming the “stars” of Bozeman.
Now for a little personal information, Matt Muth runs the *406 Brewery *with his brother, sister and two other employees, who serve beer and tend bar. Open to the public from 12 noon until 8pm, 7 days a week, the 406 Brewery is most definitely the place to use as your Friday afternoon hangout, or on a Sunday afternoon for rest and relaxation. And if you stop by in the mornings, you may actually be able to watch the beer being made!
The 406 Brewery is different than other breweries. None of the product, currently, is bottled or put into kegs. It truly *is* a micro-brewery. The long term goal is to eventually move towards distribution, but for now, the tasting room is the only place you can acquire the excellent *406* beer. You can even take it home with you. ‘Growlers’ can be filled for a nominal price and if you don’t have one, they are for sale at the brewery.
In the end, Matt Muth has provided Bozeman and the rest of the “traveling” world with a wonderful location, a fantastic, high-caliber product, and a place of sheer warmth. This writer’s advice? If you’re not planning a trip to Bozeman and the 406 Brewery…you definitely should!
Until Next Time, Everybody.
