Two new companies offer brewery tours

This summer two separate businesses have sprung up, each hoping to ride the coattails of the burgeoning craft beverage industry in the Flathead Valley by shuttling people from brewery to brewery on paid tours.

The competing businesses, Big Sky Brews Cruise and Montana Brew Bus, are both locally owned and operate largely similar tours with only small differences.

Both sets of owners got the idea from similar businesses they observed while spending time in larger cities. They realized that with the wealth of locally produced alcoholic beverages, there was opportunity to recreate the business in their hometowns.

Big Sky Brews Cruise is owned and operated by Jody McLeod and Britteny Jones. They can drive up to 11 people in their passenger van to all the breweries in Kalispell, Whitefish, Columbia Falls, Lakeside and Bigfork.

“We were on a road trip and out of nowhere we were like, ‘We should start a brewery tour,’” McLeod said. “It was something we were interested in and seemed like a good business opportunity.”

Sherry and Christopher Mayeaux, former owners of The Shak barbecue restaurant in Whitefish, own Montana Brew Bus. It is a 14-passenger handicap-accessible bus that makes stops at local breweries, distilleries and wineries. Sherry grew up in California, where she said tour services like this are commonplace.

“I was taught that life was an experience,” Sherry said. “I wanted to create experiences.”

Tours with both companies make three or four stops, and beer samples at each location are included in the ticket price. Both vehicles are also stocked with coolers to keep any growlers purchased cold for the duration of the tour.

With Big Sky Brews Cruise, customers get a flight of four samples of beer at each stop. With the Montana Brew Bus, customers are treated to either a free pint or four-sample flight at each stop, depending on the brewery.

Each company also incorporates opportunities to learn more about the product they are drinking.

McLeod and Jones drive the passenger van themselves, and also give presentations at tour stops about how different styles of beer are made and what makes different beers within a style distinct. Jones said their passenger van also features “fun tunes.”

The Mayeauxs hired a driver for their bus, and usually line up an employee at each brewery to give the presentation about the brewing process. They also feature some games on the bus ride.

Prices for most tours with Big Sky Brews Cruise are $55 per person. Montana Brew Bus charges $65 for their three-stop tour and $80 for their four-stop tour. Tour stops are determined beforehand, but both companies also book private and corporate events where they will take requests for brewery stop preferences.

Big Sky Brew Bus departs from Whitefish while Big Sky Brews Cruise has different departure locations depending on the tour.

Justin Meccia recently took a tour with Montana Brew Bus and said that, even as a local, the experience was enjoyable. He said he could go to a brewery anytime he wants, but the behind-the-scenes attention the tour provided was great.

“We got a great tour from the Tamarack [Brewing Company] folks and learned a little about their process,” Meccia said. “They kind of opened up their stories on a personal level.”

Tour booking information and contact information can be found on each company’s website. Big Sky Brews Cruise info can be found at www.bigskybrewscruise.com and Montana Brew Bus at www.montanabrewbus.com.

Reporter Peregrine Frissell can be reached at (406) 758-4438 or pfrissell@dailyinterlake.com.