The 7,600-foot Montana Snowbowl looms over Missoula, beckoning powder hounds; back downtown, there’s beer calling.

by Susie Walls

1. Warm up with body heat in KettleHouse Brewing’s packed taproom, where you will be challenged to find a barstool without a tear, but guaranteed to find Missoula’s most experimental beers. Melt into a pint of their signature Olde Bongwater Hemp Porter brewed with industrial hemp pellets to give it a robust nutty flavor.

2. Need money to pay that pesky heating bill? Visit Big Sky Brewing, where you won’t find pints, or chairs, but you will find four free samples of cold-weather brews. Choose wisely and definitely include Powder Hound, a dark winter ale with an unexpected hoppy punch.

3. Tamarack Brewing chases away winter blues with fun pub food and an extensive list of original beers. Pack on essential calories with Alehouse Fish and Chips coated in crisp Bear Bottom Blonde beer batter and wash it down with Yard Sale Amber Ale with hints of chocolate and caramel.

4. It’s always Oktoberfest at Montana’s oldest microbrewery as German-style lagers flow freely in Bayern Brewing’s lively taproom. Order up a steaming brat to pair with Groomer, a dark winter Marzen, and cap it off with a warming 8%-ABV Dopplebock, a necessity when trying to survive the long winter.