The Beers of Summer

Envision your ideal summertime day in the Tetons. Are you hiking one of the surronding mountain ranges? Rafting down the Snake? Fishing one of our many well-stocked rivers? Now picture what’s in your cooler. There is a good chance it is cold beer. Now, there is something to be said about a PBR every now and again, but summer is short, you might as well enjoy it with good beer. We set off to get some expert opinions on the subject from Jackson’s top breweries.

snake-river-brewing-company_54_990x660Snake River Brewing has a long history of serving up suds for locals and tourists since 1994. While enjoying a beer at their brewery on Milward is always great, their fully stocked range of canned beer at local liquor stores, along with growlers and most recently Crowlers (32 ounce canned beer fresh from the tap) is a great way to get your kicks on the go. A backyard barbecue is always a great choice for a summertime brew. Krissy Zinski, marketing manager for Snake River Brewpub, expands on the finer points of grilling and beer selection. “I like a blonde or Kolsch when grilling corn or veggies,” she said. “For meat I think our lager is the best bet. The session IPA goes great with everything. It cuts that barbecue smoke flavor and complements grilled steak or burgers perfectly.”

Her favorite SRB summertime beer is the Hoback Hefe. And her favorite place around Jackson to enjoy a beer? “Most popular is on top of Josies Ridge,” she said. “My personal favorite is on the river, tubing South Park to Astoria or going down the canyon.”

IMG_2464-copy-2-702x336Down south, Melvin Brewing is blowing up. The nano-brewery from Jackson has exploded with a new 20,000 square foot location in Alpine. Distribution has spread from their home at Thai Me Up in East Jackson to multiple spots in six states across the country. Keep posted on their new Alpine tasting room coming this summer along with 15-plus Melvin Brews at their TMU location. While Melvin Brewing is known for their award winning IPAs, they also embrace lighter styles. Jamie Morris, general manager of Thai Me Up, fills us in on a few things coming our way this summer. “Besides IPAs we do a lot of Belgiums in the summer, and are really getting into fruit beers.” Watch out for a shandy with pineapple or grapefruit juice this summer when they have a light beer that isn’t too hoppy.

His favorite TMU summertime beer? “For me it’s always the IPAs. You can never go wrong with the ChChCh Cherry Bomb. But I am partial to the Morris.” And his favorite place around Jackson to enjoy a Melvin brew: on the golf course.

urlRoadhouse Brewing has stormed onto the scene in Jackson, snatching up awards at the Great American Beer festival and other events soon after coming onto the scene. You can find their full selection of brews at the Q Roadhouse along with dozens of other locations around Jackson. While filling growlers has always been encouraged as a way to take your Roadhouse suds on the go, stay on the lookout for their bottled beer coming soon. Head Brewer Adam Chenault keeps his beer rotation geared up for the busy summer season, weaning away from the heavier stouts and leaning toward the lighter side of their robust beers, such as their new brew Innocent and Pure. This sessionable Belgian blonde is derived from its much stronger counterpart Avarice and Greed, which comes in at a respectable 8.9 percent alcohol.

Chenault’s favorite Roadhouse summertime beer is Curtain Wit, brewed with a little coriander and orange peel. And his favorite place to enjoy it: floating down the river with his wife, dog, and friends.

Chris Hogberg

Food and cooking has been a great travel buddy for Chris, finally taking root in Jackson. Originally from Seattle, Chris enjoys rainy walks to get coffee, cold dark beers, and cozying up in a warm restaurant kitchen. He has a background in marketing but has spent most of his days working in fine dining behind the line. Now you can find him selling hummus, perusing the farmers markets, or mountain biking behind his Aussie Shephard, Zephyr.

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