Flathead Lake Resort Area Beer & Breweries
A trip to Flathead Lake isn’t complete without a beer in hand while floating or paddling your way across the lake. The same goes for a trip to Flathead Valley. It’s not complete without a trip to one of its many breweries. Whether your hitting up breweries in Bigfork, breweries in Kalispell, or breweries in the entire Flathead Valley, we’ve done our best to list them all here for you in one place. The only thing you’ll have to decide is what beer to drink when you get there.
BREWERIES NEAR FLATHEAD LAKE RESORT
We’re lucky to be the Bigfork hotel within a two minute walk to our private beach. But we’re also lucky to have a craft beer bar and other breweries nearby as well. And while you can only walk to one of them, the rest are only a short car drive away.
Alongside their fantastic craft brews, most also serve handcrafted foods from pizzas to burgers and more. Get ready to get your drink on. Safely, of course. Click here if you need to plan some alternative transportation to get you safely back to us.
Flathead Lake Brewing Co.
(About an 8-10 minute drive north of Flathead Lake Resort along Montana Highway 35)
Flathead Lake Brewing has been a Western Montana staple since it opened in 2004 in Woods Bay, where we at Flathead Lake Resort call home. The brewpub is now located a short 8 minute drive up the road in Bigfork, with stunning views overlooking Flathead Lake.
With 16 taps, Flathead Lake Brewing has a wide range of beer styles on tap at any given time, ensuring something that fits nearly any palate, including sours and barrel aged beers. They have a full bar with wine, spirits, and cocktails, a restaurant menu, and are kid friendly. The brewery also frequently has live music, comedy shows, film nights, and more.
The view from the Flathead Lake Brewing Co.’s outdoor deck.
Glacier Brewing Co.
(About a 35 minute drive south of the resort in Polson)
Glacier Brewing is the first of a great one-two punch of breweries if you’re driving down to the south end of Flathead Lake to Polson and then on to Ronan. (More on Ronan in a minute!)
Located in the downtown area of this quaint little lakeside town, Glacier Brewing is another brewery that is good at providing a wide variety of styles. They also have a few that are a little more surprising, such as frequently having some German style lagers and Milkshake IPAs. They are well known for their Cherry Ale (the Flathead Valley has a number of cherry orchards). Glacier also offers a few hard seltzers and carries a line-up of several non-alcoholic sodas.
Ronan Cooperative Brewery (aka Ronan Co-Op Brewing)
(About a 45 minute drive south of the resort in Ronan)
Ronan Co-Op Brewing is a rare find across the country. Though there are nearly 11,000 craft breweries in the U.S. and around 100 in Montana, there are only a handful that are co-operative breweries, which are each collectively owned, typically primarily by members of the surrounding community. This is one of those co-op breweries.
Located off the main street in the town of Ronan just beyond the south end of Flathead Lake, Ronan Co-Operative Brewery is a quaint little taproom with a good selection of beer styles. It’s also kind of fun to know that at just about any given time, whoever you sit down next to at the bar is probably one of the brewery’s 400 or so owners!
Tamarack Brewing Co. (Alehouse & Grill)
(About a 30 minute drive north and west of the resort in Lakeside)
Founded in 2007, Tamarack Brewing is one of the oldest breweries in Montana. Though there is also a Missoula location, Lakeside (on the west side of Flathead Lake opposite the resort) is where the brewery originated.
They have nine flagship beers that cover the bases for the vast majority of drinkers, including a non-alcoholic root beer. They typically also have several seasonal varieties on tap, along with fantastic pub-style food, and an inviting outdoor space along a creek.
SIP OF MONTANA
(About a 10 minute walk up the hill by Papa’s Market or a two minute drive)
Not a brewery, but we would be remiss if we don’t mention Bigfork’s newest addition the the craft beer scene - especially when it’s in our backyard. Sip of Montana is a craft beer bar with 20 taps highlighting craft beer from across the state. Also serving up some of the best handmade pretzels and pizzas, this is the place to be to feel like a local.
These guys even have beer pong tournaments, along with live music, and trivia nights. College kid or workaholic, local or tourist, the guys here will welcome you like you’ve lived here forever. No wonder we like them, too.
BARS & SALOONS NEAR FLATHEAD LAKE RESORT
Sometimes you simply want to dive-in... to a dive bar. Trust us, that is not a put down by any means. To us, a dive bar is more about a certain type of experience than it is about having limited beer options. And you won’t find any of these hot spots being overly limited when it comes to beer. These are all great spots that are fun hangouts for locals and visitors alike. Craft breweries in the Flathead Valley are awesome, but so are dive bars in the Flathead Valley.
A Trio of Woods Bay Faves
The Raven
(0.5 miles south of the resort in Woods Bay)
Tropical vibes? Lakeside? A pier where you can dock your boat or kayak? Check. Check. And check. Oh, not to mention that the Raven has a solid line-up of craft beer taps, as well as numerous signature cocktails, and some good lakeside grub. The Raven also frequently has live music throughout the summer season.
Did we also mention that you can show up without shoes and in your bathing suit? This is lake life, and the Raven knows it. But the most important thing you need to know about the Raven is that they host one of the best Margarita Mondays around.
Flathead Lake Resort crew and friend at The Raven
Montana Bonfire
(0.5 miles south of the resort in Woods Bay)
Known to the locals as simply Bonfire, this is a fantastic place for a little bit more of an upscale dinner or a date night. Don’t worry, it’s still got that Montana vibe, just with a bit more shine on it.
Bonfire has a quaint bartop area with a full bar, featuring local beers, carefully curated spirits and wine, and artfully designed, hand crafted cocktails. If that weren’t enough, they also have a lush outdoor space if you want to hang out or eat outside. Local live music is a big deal in the Flathead Valley, so it’s no surprise that Bonfire frequently features local artists.
The Sitting Duck
(0.5 miles south of the resort in Woods Bay)
There’s a little bit more dive in The Sitting Duck, but again, in a great way! Just a couple doors down from The Raven and across the street from Bonfire, The Duck (as it is known to locals) has a full bar with everything you’d expect, as well as several local craft beer handles and a good can and bottle selection.
Renowned throughout the valley for their Karaoke Night, The Duck also has its own pier, where you can tie off and hang out. And if you come around a little bit outside the high season of summer, you just might get to experience The Duck’s infamous Sunday afternoon Bingo!
Just up the Road in Bigfork & Ferndale
Buffalo Saloon
(About a 10-12 minute drive north of the resort along Montana Highway 35)
Another awesome Montana dive bar, the Buffalo Saloon has a full bar and features several local craft beers on tap and in cans and bottles. They show sports on several screens, have a Montana style happy hour - think three hours long - and typically have live music on Friday and Saturday nights.
The A Bar
(About 15 minute drive north and east of the resort at the intersection of Highway 209 and Montana Highway 83 in Ferndale)
This is a staff favorite, tucked away in Ferndale, just down the road from the resort. The A Bar is quintessential Montana. You want an ice cold beer? Some tasty pub grub? Or maybe you just want to get your groove on with some karaoke or live music. How about a poker run? If you want to taste/drink/experience Montana, dive into the A Bar!
Kelly’s Pub & Casino
(In Bigfork proper)
Kelly’s may well be one of the most unique bars in Bigfork in that the casino consists of more than just a few machines. You can actually play poker here, at a table, with money! And yes, it’s most definitely a dive bar, but a cool one at that. Some even say they have some of the best pizza around, and it’s one of the rare late night finds for food in this town, including an onsite food truck serving up some good Asian and Thai food. With a few craft beers on tap alongside everything you’d expect from a dive bar, this is a cool place to be when you just need a bar and a friendly bartender.
The Garden Bar
(In Bigfork proper)
While the Garden Bar does serve food and is open throughout the day, what this place is really good for is a boot-stompin’ night out! In the mood to get your dance on? They’ve got the music, the drinks (even some unique craft beers not often found in the Flathead Valley) and the bar scene vibe. All with a great indoor space along with a unique outdoor space complete with a tree right in the middle of it all.
But don’t forget your cash when heading to this Bigfork bar. No credit cards accepted here.
More Small Town Dive Bars Near Flathead Lake
Del’s Bar & Grill
(About a 30 minute drive - on the north end of Flathead Lake Resort in Somers)
Whether you need a dive bar, a pizza place, some good home cooked meals, or just a place to hang out with good friends, Del’s is the place. You’ll find good food, a decent selection of craft beer, a full bar, and did I mention a mini-golf course? Yep, they’ve got that here, too, along with a beautiful outdoor space for live music and just pure enjoyment.
Gunsight Saloon
(about a 40 minute drive from Flathead Lake Resort in Columbia Falls)
If you ever get anywhere in the Flathead Valley to listen to live music, eat fantastic food, choose from a wide variety of craft beer and cocktails, all while keeping an eye on whatever sport you love to watch, this is the place. With a massive outdoor space for music and simply enjoying the outdoors in Montana, you won’t want to go inside. But on those fall days when football is on and the air is cooler, they’ve got the space for that, too. Family friendly as well as bar vibes the later it gets, Gunsight Saloon is Montana at its finest.
FLATHEAD VALLEY DISTILLERIES
We like our beer, but we also enjoy a distillery or two every now and then. And Flathead Valley’s distilleries do not disappoint. Each one, like the breweries in Flathead Valley, has their own unique take on spirits and ambiance, so you may have to visit more than just one.
Whistling Andy
(About a 5 minute drive north of the resort along Montana Highway 35)
If you like spirits, you can’t do much better than Bigfork’s own craft distillery, Whistling Andy. They have a diverse line-up of spirits from Bourbons and Whiskeys to flavored Rums, Gins, and Vodkas (yes, even a Huckleberry Vodka!). You can buy bottles to go from their tasting room, take a tour, sample of a flight of several spirits, or sip on a hand-crafted cocktail. It’s not beer, but Whistling Andy is just too good to pass up!
Whistling Andy Distillery - Great to the last drop!
Glacier Distilling Company
(close to Glacier National Park just outside of Columbia Falls - about a 45 minute drive from the resort)
Known for their small batch whiskeys and uniquely flavored craft spirits, if you like distilleries, this is another must visit. They do not serve cocktails, but they have a wide variety of spirits with a wide variety of flavors to choose from, pleasing almost any palate. Plus, I hear that there may just be a nearby speak-easy just an easy walk up the hill for those that desire a handcrafted cocktail. So, before you head on into Glacier, you may want to make a pitstop at Glacier Distilling.
KALISPELL BREWERIES
If you’re Glamping Montana style in one of our vintage Airstreams, or enjoying a rustic tent space or cozying up in one of our Bigfork cabins, you’re not that far from Kalispell. Kalispell is one of Montana’s largest towns (still a town clocking in at a population of around 20,000 people) and has a variety of breweries and beer bars to experience after a day of shopping and exploring here.
Bias Brewing
(About a 30 minute drive from the resort into Kalispell)
Bias Brewing has a wide variety of standards in its line-up, but also pushed the boundaries with hard seltzer, hard tea, and even slushy beers. They also have a backcountry growler that is essentially a heavy-duty bag with a lid instead of a glass growler to make it easier to take off-grid on an adventure. Bias also has a full food menu and is kid friendly, hosts live music, and other community oriented events.
Bias Brewing is one of three great Downtown Kalispell breweries that are within walking distance of one another. The others are Sunrift Beer Co. and Kalispell Brewing Co.
Sunrift Beer Co.
(About a 30 minute drive from the resort into Kalispell)
Sunrift Beer Co. has a quaint taproom with roll-up doors right next to the brewhouse. They typically have a solid line-up with enough variety for just about any style you prefer, including some forays into Belgian and German styles. Right next to SunRift’s taproom is their full restaurant. So you can go sit down in the restaurant for a meal, SunRift beer or other drink options if you prefer more of a restaurant feel. Or you can stay in the taproom and still order food from the restaurant if you want the brewery vibe.
Kalispell Brewing Co.
(About a 30 minute drive from the resort into Kalispell)
Kalispell Brewing Co. is a two-level brewery that also has a rooftop patio to soak up the views of the Montana Mountains. They brew several traditional German styles that you won’t find often at other breweries. Styles like Dunkel, Doppelweizen, German Pilsner, and others are frequently on tap alongside their latest IPA, Stout, or Kolsch. You’ll also see some unique finds on the taplist, like barrel-aged sours and fruited beers.
Kalispell Brewing Co. doesn’t serve food – they like to focus on their beer – but they do have a permanent on-site food truck with occasional guest food trucks. They also have live music most weekends and many weekdays, as well.
Sacred Waters Brewing Co.
(About a 35-40 minute drive from the resort at the north end of Kalispell)
Sacred Waters Brewing Co. is a little bit further of a drive from the resort than the three downtown breweries, but it’s well worth it. And if there is one brewery that you want to spend an afternoon, this is it. Sacred Waters has huge indoor and outdoor spaces. They also have a wide variety of beers and lengthy tap list to choose from.
They’re also good neighbors! Sacred Waters is nestled up next to the Fork in the River Kitchen if you want to get your grub on at the brewery and they also encourage people to visit their neighbors Rough Cut Cider and Glacier Sun Winery, which are located on the same property. And now with Sacred Eats, their own kitchen, food choices and drink choices in this little community seem almost endless.
Sacred Waters Brewing is another local brewery that hosts tons of local musical acts, regularly has a trivia night, as well as hosts other special events.
Inside the bustling taproom at Sacred Waters Brewing
Other good beer finds in Kalispell
Brass Tap
Excellent food. Tons of taps! What else could you ask for? If you want to try a variety of different beers, not just from Montana, but from around the country and the world, Brass Taps is an excellent choice.
First Avenue Taphouse
If you’re looking for a taphouse with the Montana vibe, look no further than First Avenue Taphouse. They’ve got 48 taps that are largely dominated by Montana brews. First Avenue Taphouse also carries a full slate of high-end pub fare and has live musical acts about twice a week.
Moose’s Saloon
Definitely not a brewery, Moose’s Saloon is a quintessential Montana beer bar, complete with Wild-West style swinging doors. They have most of the American standards on tap, as well as a number of local and regional craft beer selections. They also have a full bar and are renowned for their pizza.
Food and beer go well together. Click here for Flathead Valley Restaurants and Eateries
BREWERIES IN COLUMBIA FALLS & WHITEFISH
Whether on your way to Glacier National Park or just tooling around the Valley, Columbia Falls and Whitefish are a must stop for breweries, classic downtown strolling among shops, cherries galore, and so much more. Montana breweries are just the ticket to entry into the beauty that is Flathead Valley and all of Montana.
Backslope Brewing
(About a 35-40 minute drive from the resort into Columbia Falls)
Western Montana simply delivers on breweries in general, but the Flathead has a wealth of variety. You might not hear Columbia Falls mentioned much alongside Bigfork, Kalispell, and Glacier National Park, but Backslope Brewing is worth a visit.
This small brewpub packs a serious punch with a wide variety of beers that ranges from the usual American styles to Belgians to knock you over Russian Imperial Stouts to Saisons and Barleywines. Their variety coupled with a vast food menu make this a great stop.
Bonsai Brewing Project
(About a 45-50 minute drive from the resort into Whitefish)
If you’re touring the Flathead Valley Breweries, DO NOT MISS Bonsai Brewing Project. Our local beer gurus, Kenny & April of LivingAStoutLife.com, love all the Flathead Breweries for one reason or another, but Bonsai Brewing Project has consistently been on their list as one of their favorite breweries in the country since they first visited it.
Bonsai Brewing Project has a quaint taproom that is fantastic for hanging out on those chilly, rainy days, but they knock it out of the park with their beautiful outdoor space. From the huge trees scattered across the property to the beautiful flowers and pants in the middle of the yard, Bonsai is the place to be on a warm sunny day in the Flathead … well, after coming off the lake, of course!
They brew some of the most creative beers alongside consistent, high quality flagship styles, including several unique barrel-aged, bottled options. From traditional styles to big, bold double IPAs to tequila barrel-aged sours and more, Bonsai has something for you, no matter what your palate prefers.
Though the beer and ambiance are reason enough to make the trek to Whitefish, Bonsai also has a flare for fine food with a hand-crafted menu that includes pickled vegetables, hummus, their own smoked meats, and much more. Bonsai is very proud of their local roots, hosting numerous community events, live music, and other gathers.
Jeremiah Johnson Brewing Co.
(About a 45-50 minute drive from the resort into Whitefish)
In 2022, Jeremiah Johnson Brewing teamed up with Blackstar Restaurant opening a brewery and restaurant in the old Great Northern Brewing space in the iconic three story building in downtown Whitefish. This is Jeremiah Johnson’s first actual taproom space in Montana making for some happy people, us included. A well-known brand in both Montana and Idaho, it’s exciting to have them alongside Bonsai in Whitefish.
With handcrafted fare such as burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, and more, alongside Jeremiah Johnson traditional brews and unique batches, Whitefish has a new contender in town.
What a perfect couple hanging out on the Bonsai Brewing Project lawn!
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HANGOUTS IN THE FLATHEAD VALLEY?
Though we’re doing our best to point you in the right direction, there are so many wonderful beer friendly stops around the Flathead Valley that we haven’t been to them all. So if we missed something that you fell in love with, a particular hot spot, drop us a line and let us know. We’re always looking to uncover more of the hidden gems!
Meet our guest writers. Ken and April of Living a Stout Life are craft beer and travel lovers. They live and work from their 24 foot RV, while traveling to drink good beer, visit Mother Nature, and mountain bike. “We want to do everything and visit everywhere. We know that this is impossible, so in order to help you experience as much as you can in the time you have, what we experience, we pass onto you to give you guidance to create your own adventures. Happy travels!”
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG
We live and play here, so we can help you get the best experience out of your stay. For hiking, biking, breweries, restaurants, camper stories, and more, visit Outside Glacier, our blog created for you, our guests. It’s almost like your very own personal concierge.