Kalispell, Montana, April
10, 2013—Kalispell is the largest
city in Montana without a craft brewery, but that’s about to change come summer
2013 when owner and brewer Cole Schneider plans to open Kalispell Brewing
Company in historic downtown Kalispell. Kalispell Brewing Company has been the
decade-long dream of Schneider’s and along with his wife, Maggie Doherty, the
duo are hoping that once the building’s extensive remodel is complete, they can
begin to serve the Flathead Valley their lineup of German-inspired lagers and
hoppy ales. With his lagers, Schneider intends to use the traditional decoction
mash method. Kalispell Brewing Company has a ten barrel system and will operate
a tasting room next to the brewery.
The seventy-seven year old Main Street
building, which totals 9,000 square feet, has been undergoing extensive
renovations since Schneider purchased the property in March of 2012. With the
summer season just months away, Schneider hopes that his dream of opening a
craft brewery will soon come to fruition. “In all areas, from construction to
sourcing materials we are moving along quickly. I can’t wait to start brewing,”
says Schneider.
Schneider’s love for beer
introduced him to the art and science of home brewing, an endeavor he’s
experimented with for more than ten years. Schneider moved to Whitefish, Montana from Nebraska
in 2005, and in 2010, met Doherty at Whitefish Mountain Resort. Doherty grew up
in northern Michigan and moved to the Flathead Valley in 2004. A writer and a Creative
Writing MFA candidate at Pacific
Lutheran University ,
Doherty will serve the brewery in public relations and as the “beer
ambassador”. The couple shares a love of skiing and a love of craft beer.
While the building has
undergone a major remodel from adding steel I-beams to support the sagging
roof, to repairing the aging original brickwork on both the interior and
exterior, Schneider says that the long-term renovation process, while lengthy
in time, has been worth the wait. “The building has such character and I wanted
to house my brewery in downtown Kalispell. The building has enough capacity for
our equipment and then some and we've got a great design in place for the
taproom, including a roof-top patio.” With the construction process well
underway, Schneider has been fine-tuning his craft beer recipes with his
elaborate and largely self-designed and engineered 10-gallon homebrew set up.
The brewery’s equipment arrived
on New Year’s Eve, a week and half before its intended delivery date, and
Schneider jokes that these unexpected events happen and will probably continue
to happen for Kalispell Brewing Company, like in any small new business. For
now, while the construction work is focused on the brewery floor, the equipment
sits in the tasting room. For Schneider, whose experiences in beer have taken
him to Munich ’s Oktoberfest and other travels
across the Europe and the United
States , his hope is to cultivate an
appreciation of beer with his brews. “No snootiness, just beer,” he adds. With Montana ranking as
second in the nation in the number of breweries percapita , Schneider notes
that the state has a palate for craft beer.
Schneider’s target date for
opening Kalispell Brewing Company is July 2013 but notes that sometimes
projected dates, especially with a major remodel, don’t always stick to
schedule. One thing that he is certain of is how eager he is to beginning
brewing. Kalispell Brewing Company will launch with five to seven signature
beers and feature seasonal varieties and brewer’s whims. For Kalispell Brewing
Company’s progress and updates, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/KalispellBrewingCompany.
An artist rendering of what the new Kalispell Brewing Company will look like.
The old Cadillac service department, a cavernous 6000 sq. ft. area, will now serve as Kalispell Brew Co.'s brewing facility.
One of the original murals from the old Cadillac dealership that will be preserved in the tasting room.
The brewing equipment occupies the space where elegant Cadillacs were once on display. Once the brewing facilities concrete floor is poured, the brewing equipment will be moved and work will begin to transform the old show room into a tasting room.
Maggie describing her vision of what's planned for the area leading up to the rooftop tasting room.
Cole and Maggie stand next to a wall, that will ultimately lead to the rooftop patio, where craft beer lovers will be able to imbibe while taking in the sunshine and beautiful views of the Swan Mountains. Note, in the background, what's left of the original Cadi"llac" dealership mural.
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