The Valley is blessed with breweries
By Mike McKenna
If you’re a beer fan, well then the Wood River Valley is the place for you. We are lucky to have three terrific local breweries. Between the Sawtooth, Sun Valley and Warfield breweries, we’ve got a pint—or a few—for every taste bud.
Since April is Idaho Craft Beer Month, here’s an update from our local breweries. Just please remember to drink responsibly.
Opened in 2011, the Sawtooth Brewery has taprooms offering fresh beer, tasty food and even kombucha at their locations in both Hailey (on River Street) and Ketchum (just off North Main Street). To help celebrate Craft Beer Month in the Gem State, Sawtooth is excited to announce that their Mountain Time Golden Ale is now available in 12-packs and that their first barrel-aged bottled beer, Sheeptown Saison, will be released soon. They’ve also introduced a “Hop Box,” which includes a variety of four of their most popular hoppy beers. They make the perfect companion for a sunny spring day in our hoppy heart of Idaho.
“We’ve got a great local beer scene because you can stop by all three breweries in one trip,” said Kevin Jones of Sawtooth Brewery. “Even retailers are starting to get into the craft beer scene and are bringing in lots of good stuff. It’s been really fun to see things change.”
Considered the oldest continuous brewery in Idaho, Sun Valley Brewing Company was founded in 1986 and their White Cloud Ale was once the most popular microbrew in Colorado. Located on Main Street in Hailey, Sun Valley offers a popular pub and has a near-cult following for their Cranky Über IPA and their seasonal Blood Orange IPA. To help celebrate Craft Beer Month, Sun Valley is releasing their new 5B Honey-Weizen, which is made from local honey. Using local and Idaho-grown ingredients is a big part of the process for all the local breweries.
“The beer scene is booming locally and in the whole state and it’s great to see,” said Sean Flynn of Sun Valley Brewing Co. “High-quality barley and wheat for brewing have been grown in this region for a very long time.”
Founded in 2015, Warfield Distillery & Brewery on Main Street in Ketchum may be the new kid on the block, but it hasn’t taken long for their tasty brews and spirits to make a name for themselves. Home to Idaho’s only brewery and distillery, the Warfield is currently expanding its facility, but is still open for drinks and delicious lunches and dinners. To help celebrate Craft Beer Month, the organic-based brewery is releasing fresh batches of its warm-weather favorite, Magnanimous Lager, and a new Fiesty Wee Number IPA.
“We make good beer locally, using only the best ingredients,” said Alex Buck of the Warfield. “And we’re happy to be part of a thriving local beer scene.”
Mike McKenna is the executive director of The Chamber – Hailey & The Wood River Valley. He can be reached at Mike@ValleyChamber.org or by calling (208) 788-3484.
