A Beginner's Guide to Idaho's Underrated Craft Beer Scene

Last month, while I was in Boise covering Treefort Music Fest, a Brit who was in town for the festival asked me about how the rest of America perceives Idaho. “What is it known for?” she wanted to know. “What’s the stereotype?” I fumbled. “Uh…potatoes? Guns?”

It’s not an obvious answer to those of us outside the Gem State, but it turns out I should have mentioned the state’s impressive craft beer scene — one that doesn’t get nearly enough recognition. It’s difficult to walk around Boise or surrounding areas like Garden City without encountering a brewery or a bottle shop. As of 2022, ranked 11th in the nation for craft breweries per capita.

While I was at Treefort, I spent plenty of time at Alefort, the festival-within-a-festival devoted to celebrating all things craft beer, in an effort to try as many local brews as possible. When I wasn’t at Alefort, I was off-site visiting as many breweries as time would allow. (It’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it.) Some of the brewers I spoke to lamented the fact that Idaho doesn’t have one specific style of beer it’s known for, a la a West Coast IPA or a Vermont DIPA, but they all expressed an overwhelming sense of pride in the overall quality of beer being produced in the state — thanks in part to easy access to fresh, quality ingredients. Idaho is the second-largest hops producer in the country and the No. 1 producer of barley.

While some may see the lack of a signature style as a downside, to me it makes the state’s craft beer scene all the more impressive. I tried just as many excellent stouts as I did sours; when you’ve got talented brewers with access to some of the best ingredients in the nation, chances are they’re going to be good at making just about everything.

With that in mind, I rounded up a list of must-visit breweries — presented in alphabetical order — for those planning a trip to Idaho.

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The multifaceted festival, which runs March 20-24, has helped bring national attention to Idaho’s music scene

Barbarian Brewing

If you’re a fan of sours, this brewery — which has a taproom in Garden City as well as a beer bar in Boise, and is the brainchild of partners Bre Hovley and James Long — should be your first stop. Their Salty Dog fruited gose incorporates grapefruit and blood orange for a perfectly tart (and yes, salty) warm-weather brew. If you prefer something a little sweeter, their Key Lime Pie Berliner Weisse is made with 200 pounds of key limes, one pound of Tahitian vanilla beans and 75 pounds of graham cracker crumbs and milk sugar — and it tastes exactly like a slice of the real thing. They’re not afraid to get a little weird with their sours, either: their Sour Gummy Guys is brewed with 75 pounds of Sour Patch Kids candy. My favorite Barbarian beer, however, was their Bitter Old Man, a barrel-aged Scotch ale that boasts a hefty 12% ABV.

Bear Island Brewing Co.

Bear Island calls itself “Boise’s biggest little brewery,” and it’s veteran-owned, founded by Beth and Steve Bechtel, who both served in the Navy. Everyone who works at Bear Island is either a veteran or related to one, and the brewery frequently partners with local charities to give back to the community. Especially if you’re in from out of state, you’re going to want to try their Idaho Potato Ale, which is an IPA brewed with actual Idaho russet potatoes.

Bert’s Brewing

Like Barbarian and Bear Island, Bert’s Brewing in Garden City is owned and operated by a married couple: Sidney and Rob Harrelson, the latter being the youngest person in the United States to earn his Master Brewer’s Certification. They specialize in German-style brews, but they blend traditional brewing techniques with a modern sensibility that allows for a little more experimentation. Their Zest! lager was one of the most memorable beers I tried at Alefort; they hand-zested 150 pounds of naval oranges and 50 pounds of Meyer lemons to make it as citrusy as the name promised. As the bartender who poured it for me noted, “It’s like if Blue Moon was actually good.”

Boise Brewing

Boise Brewing, which also served as a venue for the music portion of Treefort, is unique in that it’s one of the few community-funded, community-supported breweries in the country. Inspired by the concept of community-supported agriculture, Boise Brewing says, “Community Supported Beer is the idea that beer drinking should be an adventure. It is a commitment to drinking good beer and taking your beer appreciation to the next level. We believe that when you bring a like-minded community together to make great beer… that’s exactly what you will do!” A $100 membership gets you 12 growler fills of exclusive, specialty brews. And of course, you don’t have to be a member to sample the rest of their beer, and last year Boise Brewing took home the silver medal in the Strong Red Ale category at the World Beer Cup with their Jagged Shard Imperial Red Ale.

Grand Teton Brewing

Located in Victor, Idaho in a massive 11,000-square foot facility at the base of the Teton Mountains, Grand Teton Brewing is the oldest craft brewery in the state. Founded in 1988 by Charlie and Ernie Otto as “Otto Brothers’ Brewing Company,” Grand Teton is a staple of the area. Their Old Faithful Ale is the official beer of Yellowstone National Park, and proceeds from the brew go towards conservation projects in the park.

Mad Swede Brewing Company

This brewery, which was opened by former Hewlett-Packard engineers Jerry and Susie Larson in 2016, pays tribute to its founders’ Swedish heritage by naming the majority of its beers after famous Vikings and Norse gods (see: Freya’s Pale from Exertion or the Helhest Oat Ale). But it’s their Scotch Ale — dubbed Caber Toss This, Ye Wee Lad — that earned them a gold medal at the 2021 International Beer Awards.

Mother Earth Brew Co.

Mother Earth was originally founded in Vista, California in 2010 (hence the name of their excellent flagship vanilla cream ale, Cali Creamin’), but in 2016 they opened up a production facility and a tasting room in Nampa, Idaho and quickly became Idaho’s largest brewery. They also have a 30-tap tasting room in Boise, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a bad beer on any one of those taps. What struck me most about Mother Earth while I was there was their impressive variety; Cali Creamin’ and all its variants (which include peach and orange creamsicle) are just as well-executed as a hoppy West Coast IPA like Boo Koo IPA, which earned the brewery a silver medal at last year’s World Beer Cup; a bold Russian Imperial Stout like Quit Stalin; or a dry-hopped pale ale like Timber Giant.

Sockeye Brewing

With a total 132 medals from various beer competitions, Sockeye is Idaho’s most decorated brewery. Last year, they added another accolade by earning a silver medal in the Coffee Beer category at the World Beer Cup with their Neckar Coffee Oatmeal Brown. However, it’s their flagship Dagger Falls IPA that stands as Idaho’s best-selling craft beer. Sockeye also is responsible for one of the best beers I tried at Alefort this year: Cairo, an heirloom saison brewed with saffron that poured a gorgeous yellow color and tasted like a perfect blend of earthy and floral.