Two Helena breweries, Lewis and Clark Brewing Company and Copper Furrow Brewing, received awards at the World Beer Cup. Lewis and Clark won gold with their Miner’s Gold Hefeweizen American wheat beer, while Copper Furrow took home a bronze award for their Tmavé international dark lager. These accolades have raised the bar for craft beer in the area.
Over 2,000 breweries submitted over 9,000 beers for the competition, with judges awarding around 300 prizes in 100 categories. The recognition from expert beer judges has significant value to these breweries and their head brewers. Nick Diehl of Copper Furrow emphasized this point as he expressed his excitement about winning a medal at the World Beer Cup for the first time. He noted that Tmavé is a dark Czech lager with a rich and slightly roasted taste, similar to a pilsner but with more complexity. This makes it an excellent go-to beer for any occasion.
In addition to Helena’s winners, two other Montana breweries also received awards: Sacred Brewing Company in Kalispell won a bronze medal for their Stout Belgian Abbey Ale, while MAP Brewing Company in Bozeman earned recognition with their Pilsner Czechvar Style Lager. These awards showcase not only the high quality of craft beer being produced in Montana but also its diverse range of flavors and styles.