Recommended Beer & Distillery Tours in Montana
- Big Sky Brews And Views Brewery Tour (4 hours) – Highly recommended!
- Best In The West Brewery Tour (4 hours)
- The Ultimate Montana Brewery Road Trip (Self Paced)
- Montana Distillery Tours (30 – 60 minutes)
- River City Brews Rafting Tour (4 hours)
Travel Tips for Drinking In Montana
- The state of Montana has a 0% sales tax, which will free you up to glug a couple extra glasses of your preferred hooch.
- The official alcoholic beverage of choice in Montana is a simple Whisky Ditch. It includes an ice cube or two, a 2-ounce dash of whiskey, and an equal amount of water.
- Montana is a state packed with breweries and distilleries. However, there are a handful of setups crafting vino from grapes sourced out of state. Others turn to creative methods and produce vin ordinaire from alternative fruits.
- Bars in Montana close up shop around 2 am, giving you plenty of time to experience each watering hole.
- Montana locals are largely conservative individuals, and the majority of residents are Christians. They are incredibly warm and welcoming to visitors, but they may not appreciate rowdiness and disrespectful behavior.
- Plan your trip accordingly if you intend on doing self tours. The Ultimate Brewery Road Trip or Southern Montana Distillery Tours require you to drive between multiple towns. That takes days for you to complete. Stopover and enjoy the towns along the way, do not push it. Alcohol and fatigue are a fatal combination behind the wheel. In addition, if the authorities discover any opened beverages in your vehicle, it could lead to a criminal record.
- Drinking in public is prohibited in Montana. Except in Butte and a few other towns. So, get comfortable at the bar of your choice, order a few beverages and snacks and enjoy the surroundings of the institution.
- Bars in Montana typically serve standard soul food such as burgers, wings, and pizza. If you want a classier dining establishment, I suggest reserving a table at a formal restaurant before commencing the festivities at your chosen taproom.
The 7 Best Bars in the State of Montana
- Stave and Hoop
- 51 Below Speakeasy
- Kitty Warren Social Club
- Blend Wine Bar
- Casey’s
- The Great Northern Bar And Grill
- Rhinoceros Bar
1. Stave and Hoop • Missoula • $$$-$$$$ • Map
Stave and Hoop transports you back to the 1920s and 30s with this well-decorated speakeasy in the heart of Missoula.
The watering hole pays homage to the Garden City Bottling and Liquor Co, which had a barrel storage facility at the same address.
A host of cocktails are offered on the menu to guide newbies. However, the mixologists guarding the alcohol stocks will whip up your beverage of choice.
Those who prefer to stick with wine and beer are well catered for, thanks to a wide selection of beer and wine.
Besides a host of Californian and Oregon single and blended wines, there are cultivars from Rioja, Burgundy, and Marlborough. Beer on tap and in bottles is also on hand to cover all types.
In Addition, to a classy interior and booze selection, Stave and Hoop offer classic bar food with a hint of fine dining.
Finally, this bar does not welcome anyone under 21, making it an ideal getaway for adults to hydrate. This bar only opens after 4 pm and shuts shop as the clock strikes midnight.
2. 51 Below Speakeasy • Butte • $$$-$$$$ • Map
A stay at the Miners Hotel adds to your travel experience in Butte. The hotel grounds played their role in the once flourishing mining endeavors on which the town was built.
It was constructed for the Miner’s Savings and Trust Co in 1913, and it is now listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.
51 Below Speakeasy is located inside the hotel. The quirky entrance forces you to enter a phone number into a dated telephone.
Once the call connects, a sliding door grants you access to the facilities. You are rewarded for your efforts with mouthwatering cocktails or a cold glass of prosecco.
A simple layout with leather couches, chairs, and round tables allows for engaging conversation with your party.
The bartenders know how to mix a drink, and if you are not the cocktail type, wine, bubbly, and brews are on standby. Martinis and Moscow Mules are a major hit, but whiskey, bourbon, vodka, and gin concoctions are also offered.
51 Below caters to a mature crowd looking for a stiff tonic, a chat, and a good time. It does not attract the younger college crowd you encounter in other nearby bars.
If you are making a mission to Butte to check out this Speakeasy it better be between Tuesday and Saturday. Although the hotel is open every day, access is denied to the tavern on Sundays and Monday.
It opens at 4 pm on Tuesday to Thursday, 2 pm on Friday and 10 am on Saturday. It closes between 9 pm to 11 pm, depending on the day of the week.
3. Kitty Warren Social Club • Bozeman • $$$-$$$$ • Map
The Kitty Warren Social Club brings the red light district to Bozeman. Although the brand screams raunchiness and debauchery, they serve up saporous tiki and bubbly cocktails.
Beer is offered on tap and in a bottle for the less adventurous. Alternatively, you can order a limited selection of wine by glass or bottle.
Kitty Warren is located 20 steps below 211 East Main Street and is decorated to resemble a hybrid-jungle theme. Plus, the dimmed light setting provides a relaxing and private atmosphere to enjoy your liquid concoction.
The Social Club is only open in the evenings, as a cocktail bar should be. First drinks are served at 5 pm, and service runs late into the night.
Drinks are shaken and stirred from Wednesday to Sunday, and the mixologists take a breather on Mond