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Billings Montana Breweries You Should Visit

Where to quench your thirst in Billings, Montana

Montana has two main nicknames. “The Treasure State” because of its rich mineral reserves and our favourite, “Big Sky Country.” On a trip to Montana, we were delighted to discover its wide open spaces and take in its beautiful scenery.

Big Sky Country Montana.

Our home base was Montana’s largest city, Billings. After a day of sightseeing and road-tripping, it’s nice to sit down and have a cold drink. Whether you enjoy wine, cider, spirits or craft beer you will find them all in Billings.

I reckon when you think of Montana, you think of wide-open spaces and cowboys riding into the sunset. Billings is the largest city in this northwestern U.S. state. Visit the downtown, hike the surrounding mountains, take a trip out to the plains or enjoy activities on the Yellowstone River. When you get thirsty, Billings has an easy solution to that situation.

Brewery Tour Map

Six Billings Montana Breweries on the Billings Brew Trail

This self-guided tour made up of six breweries, two distilleries and one cider house are located along a 1.5-mile route, in the heart of the historic downtown.

The iconic location of Thirsty Street at the Garage as the name implies, is a renovated garage. They offer a variety of 14 styles of craft beer from light to dark-colored ales, hoppy ales, gluten-reduced ales, and sours. The Garage is also a live music venue, hosting local and traveling bands.

Located in a former warehouse, Last Chance Pub & Cider Mill boasts a floor-to-ceiling German-style fireplace that adds to a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The regionally sourced artisanal food is served with cider handcrafted and made at the on-site mill. Beer from their sister company, Red Lodge Ales, is also served along with select wines. Try Full Montana, Pearfection or Hiphopopotamus to start your tasting adventure.

Last Chance Pub & Cider Mill cider in a bottle

With a name like Asylum Distillery, you know there has to be a story here. Initially, the owners were going to renovate an old asylum for their new distillery, but it wasn’t to be. They kept the name and opened it elsewhere, even adding a giant electric chair in the corner of the tasting room. They handcraft small batches of high-quality spirits. Creative names like Montana Moonshine Apple Pie and Straight Jacket Vanilla Rum are but two of the innovative offerings here.

Group Cheers at Überbrew Courtesy of Visit Billings

Überbrew is the only brewery taproom and gastropub in Billings. “Uber” means “superlative”, and that’s what they strive for. Their team consists of award-winning brewers, chefs and beer stewards serving a wide variety of food alongside beer such as White Noise(wheat beer) and Pink Slip(fruit beer), to name a few.

Beer names like De-Railed India Pale Ale, Black Magic Porter or Train Wreck Imperial IPA, might give you a clue to the theme of Carter’s Brewing. Located in a building previously used for railroad storage, tracks running by the back door, not to mention the railroad theme throughout this award-winning family-owned microbrewery, make it a unique place to stop for a pint or two.

Housed in the 100-year-old Montana Power Company building, you will find Montana Brewing Company. Here they combine a small brewery, saloon and restaurant. Enjoy wood-fired pizza and local beer such as Custer’s Last Stout in the expansive restaurant or on the patio.

Thirsty Street Brewing Co is a microbrewery serving beer with names like Bear’s Delight Honey Wheat and Rhymes with Orange, all-natural and unfiltered, along with a variety of snacks. While you are here, you can enjoy the pool table and shuffleboard at this family-friendly establishment.

Last but not least on our list of Billings Montana breweries is Angry Hank’s. Initially founded in an old gas station and then moved to a 1916 carriage house, this microbrewery does not offer food for sale but does provide free snacks for patrons. Beer names like Dog Slobber Brown Ale, Anger Management Belgian Wheat and Street Fight Irish Pale Ale are begging you to ask the story behind them.

Off the Brew Trail

Billings Montana has more than just breweries. For those of you who prefer other beverages, we’ve included some additional options for you.

Trailhead Spirits is a craft distillery located in the west end of Billings. They create gin, vodka and whisky from as many Montana-made products as possible. The source for their grain is the farm that has been in the family of owner Casey McGowan for over 100 years. Family is a theme here; their award-winning gin named Healy’s, named after the owner’s great-grandfather, a well-known bootlegger during the Prohibition Era, is an award winner. Visit for a tour, a sample or buy some bottles to take home.

Trail Head Spirits Building on the Billings Montana breweries tour

Courtesy of TrailHead Spirits

Winemaking and Montana in the same breath may seem uncommon, and it is, but that didn’t stop Clint Peck from founding Yellowstone Cellars & Winery. Their tagline is “Serious Wines from Big Sky Country”. They produce wines from premium vinifera wine grapes handpicked from small family vineyards in the Yakima Valley of Washington. The grapes still on the stem, are then transported to Billings.

Yellowstone Cellars and Winery Door

The magic happens on-site from the fermentation, pressing and cellaring to bottling. You can take a tour, participate in a barrel tasting, sample wines, order food from their deli menu, order a glass of wine to enjoy there or take a bottle or case home.

Yellowstone Cellars

Montana Rules

Always check the opening and closing times of these and other establishments that serve alcohol. Montana has some very confusing rules regarding opening hours and the serving of food.

With so much to see and do over and above visiting these establishments, you can be confident you will never go thirsty at this stop at Montana’s Trail Head.