#micro brews

That last line of text says ‘Union Made’

I just made it to my new home over 2,200 miles (3,540km) from my hometown in NW Montana (less than 80 miles from the Canadian border). I arrived at my new place last week, and have been adjusting to new climate, new micro culture, new time zone.

Been missing a lot of things about MT, too. I don’t miss the hyper masculine, “anti woke” bullshit. Seriously was a haven for coal rolling trump flag waving assholes of every variety. I don’t miss the neo nazis, white supremacy, the timothy mcveigh-level anti government cool aid drinkers and I don’t miss having super fked up fundamental Christian churches and shitty casino chains doting the landscape denser than Starbucks in downtown Seattle.

But I miss the land itself… Mountains and streams I could happily die in… Sky so big, so close and so clear it makes you question your own senses (when it’s not stained brown with wildfire smoke)…

I miss the animals… Too many, of sui generis types and just the coolest things to be sharing space with… too many to even list gdi

And oddly enough I was even missing the beer. For a hot minute in the early 2000’s, Montana was home to the highest number of different micro breweries per-capita in the entire US. I had numerous local favorites over the years, Bayern brewing still being a good go-to, but often times replaced by any number of other offerings (Kettlehouse, Bozeman Brewing Co., Kalispell Brewing Co. all had their hits, among many others).

I kind of expected being closer to “civilization” in the new place would actually offer up more variety just by being in range of major food and beverage transportation hubs, but what I found so far is mostly just wider selection of cheap mass production drinks. More interesting local varieties do not have the same rep as they did back home, proportionally.

So I decided to just dive in and taste the mega-factory piss-beers. They aren’t as good, of course, but they’re still drinkable and its hot and Summertime so who cares…

Featured: Hermiston Brewing Co. & Nookies Restaurant, Hermiston, Oregon

We’re located in a remodeled 1942-style stucco, European style building with large beams in the ceiling, large open kitchen. Bar on one side, restaurant on the other. Clean, great atmosphere. Micro-brews, takeout and private parties. Steaks, wraps, paninis, burgers and more!

125 N First St, Hermiston, OR 97838

541-289-7414

Restaurant- Mon-Thurs: 11am-9pm; Fri & Sat: 11am-9am; Sun: 11am-8pm. Bar…

For example, when I am at the store looking for beerkin or winekin, one of the most important decisions is where they started life at. I know, inside of myself, that mass-produced by giant corporations are not going to have the same kind of effect as those made in microbrews. It's about the care with the cultivation. 

Think about local creations and how it affects who you are when you become one with them.