Montana Breweries Team Up To Create “Last Best Pale Ale”

There was the Avengers. There was the Justice League. And now, there's the Montana Brewers Association, gathering together a group of Montana's best breweries, coming together for the greater good: to create more beer.

Nineteen breweries across Montana have been working together to create what is now known as the "Last Best Pale Ale," made exclusively from Montana-grown hops and malts  The idea to to use it to help raise money for the Montana Brewer's Association, who will use it for scholarships for students in MSU's Barley Breeding Program.

The Last Best Pale Ale will be available at every brewery that helped develop it, which include four here in Missoula: Draught Works Brewery, GILD Brewing, Highlander Beer, and Kettlehouse Brewing. It varies from place to place, but it's available at Draught Works and Kettlehouse now, GILD will get it on March 24th, and Highlander Beer doesn't have a date yet but says it's "coming soon."

Oh, and here's the cool thing about it - every brewery worked from the same guidelines, but each was free to have their own unique take on the beer. That means, even though they were largely made from the same ingredients, you may be tasting four slightly-different beers if you try out all the ones available in Missoula.

I think this is such a cool idea, and a great way to bring breweries in the community together on something fun in a time when beer fests aren't happening nearly as much as they used to. Think you'll be checking out the Last Best Pale Ale? Which brewery will you be stopping at?