Drowning in the Boise Brewing Scene

Since moving to Boise almost two years ago, I’ve been to my fair share of local breweries. In fact, I thought I had been to most of them, but in doing research for this post, I quickly found that I had only been to a handful. Breweries in the Boise area are quickly becoming the preferred post-work hangout. Dogs are permitted in most and with a recent law being passed, some now allow children. If everyone in the family is welcome, why not try it out?

Boise has a long history of craft breweries, but in the last couple of years there has been a brewery boom. Throughout the Treasure Valley, there are 16 breweries (list at bottom of page). Of these, ten are located in Boise, four are in Garden City, one in Meridian and another in Nampa. Garden City has gotten a lot of attention from hop lovers with places like Barbarian, Bella and Powderhaus opening up in the last two years. With these recent openings, more and more people are coming out to see what this craft brew culture is all about.

Craft brewery is defined by three categories and four industry market segments. According to the Brewers Association, “an American craft brewer(y) is small, independent and traditional.” These three categories (small, independent and traditional) deal with the size of the company which affects the amount and type of beer production.

• Small: produce 6 million barrels or less per year and alternates proprietorships.
• Independent: less than 25% of the brewery is owned or controlled by an alcohol industry member that is not itself a craft brewer
• Traditional: the majority of flavors in the beer are derived from traditional or innovative ingredients and fermentation

The Boise area has breweries that align with each of these categories. These differences in production are what sets each establishment apart from one another in flavor and style of beers.

Within the three categories of craft breweries, there are four industry market segments: brewpubs, microbreweries, regional craft breweries and contract brewing companies. Anything larger than a craft brewery are either a regional (produces 15,000-6,000,000 barrels/ year) or large (produces more than 6,000,000 barrels/year) brewery. The quick definition of these market segments are:

• Microbrewery: produces less than 15,000 barrels (17,600 hectoliters) per year with at least 75% of beer sold off-site
• Brewpub: restaurant-brewery that produces its beer primarily for the purpose of selling in the restaurant and bar (at least 25% of beer sold on site)
• Contract brewing company: business/brewery that hires another brewery to produce its beer
• Regional craft brewery: independent craft brewery with a majority of volume in ‘traditional’ or ‘innovative’ beers

Who knew drinking a beer would be so cerebral. Not to fear, now that we’ve covered the basics, we can talk about the fun part, beer!

The most important aspect of a brewery is of course the beer. I like to sit at the bar and chat with the bartender about their brewing process, different flavors on tap and any recommendations they could give based on my flavor preference. Make sure to ask for sample pours before buying a drink because hello, free beer samples, but more importantly, you can avoid the beers you don’t like and find one you do.

Breweries in Boise are known for having a wide selection of beers. However, the diversity of flavors in the IPA, make it the drink of choice for most brewery-goers in Boise. Most places around here have at least two different IPA options at all times, and my favorite IPA at the moment is the Little Wolf IPA from Barbarian. With an IBU of 75, each drink will remind you you’re drinking an IPA but right when it could get real bitter, notes of fruit and a hint of pine make the drink dangerously delicious.

Despite the fact that my favorite beer is from Barbarian, lately, my favorite brewery I’ve been going to is Payette Brewing. They have tons of great beers from Fly Line, a freshing seasonal Vienna pilsner, to Recoil, a year-round IPA on tap that will kick your pants off with an IBU of 80. Either way, you can enjoy your drink of choice outside or inside with tons of space to relax and enjoy the atmosphere. Payette doesn’t serve food, but different food trucks are invited to park out front every day. I plan on writing a full article on Payette and all the other breweries in Boise, so check back for more information on all things local breweries in the area.

Now it’s time to get out there and explore our local craft breweries.

Breweries:

1. Edge Brewing Company, Boise
2. Payette Brewing Company, Boise
3. Crooked Fence Brewing Company, Boise
4. Sockeye Brewing, Boise
5. Cloud 9 Brewery, Boise
6. Highland Hollow Brewhouse, Boise
7. Woodland Empire Ale Craft, Boise
8. Boise Brewing, Boise
9. Bear Island Brewing Company, Boise (no tap room but distributed in Bars and restaurants)
10. County Line Brewing, Garden City
11. Slanted Rock Brewing Company, Meridian
12. Crescent Brewing, Nampa
13. Powderhaus Brewing, Garden City
14. Barbarian Brewing, Garden City
15. Mad Swede Brewing Company, Boise
16. Bella Brewing, Garden City

Brewers Association