PHILIPSBURG — In Philipsburg, crafting quality beer is a part of the town’s history, with the brewery’s roots stemming from before prohibition.
"Beer is just kind of a tradition here," Philipsburg Brewing Company co-owner and operations manager Nolan Smith said.
Back in 1875, when miners were hard at work, Philipsburg brewer Charles Kroger realized he could make something to bring the town together.
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"There's a huge mountain spring up there. That's why the brewer located up there is because of the spring water. That's one of the secrets to our beer and the bottled water that we do also," Nolan detailed.
But then, prohibition shut everything down.
"It was like 98 years where the town didn't have a brewery," Smith noted, emphasizing the lack of the beloved community gathering spot.
It was Cathy and Nolan Smith who brewed new life into Philipsburg as they revived the business at the original location by the spring and started a taproom by renovating a bank built in 1888.
Since 2012, the taproom has been a place for people to connect and relax after a long day of work.
"I was one of the original mug club members. I was in here so much that Cathy and Nolan gave me a job," Philipsburg Brewing Company head production brewer Max Statler shared.
This year, at the second annual Montana Beer Awards in Helena, Philipsburg Brewing Company brought home four medals.
Taproom staple Heybag Hefeweizen won bronze in the wheat ales category.
"When we have run out of Haybag here in the taproom, the locals just about revolt," Statler stated. "It's been our standby since day one and It just feels really good to have some recognition for that," he continued.
Forager Juniper Saison also won bronze, with Swimming Hole Hoppy Saison grabbing gold, and False Idols snagging silver.
"I'd say that everything we make, we try to make really approachable. We're not one of these breweries that makes the biggest hop-forward beers," Philipsburg Brewing Company head vault brewer Brandon Harvey noted.
The winning beer has kept locals returning daily and others visiting from all across the country.
"It's hard to come here and not talk to someone," Harvey told MTN.
Taking home four medals is a testament to the hard work that Philipsburg Brewing Company was built on.
"It's pretty pretty impressive to do it out of a small town like this. There were people who told us that we couldn't do it because of our location and you know the banks weren't too interested in us at the time either. So, we overcame a lot of challenges," explained Smith.
The brewing company’s next operation is its new seasonal beverage, the Howl Mexican Style Lager, which is set to hit shelves around the state in the coming weeks.
