Breweries with the most highly ranked beers in Montana

Written by:
September 10, 2025
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Breweries with the most highly ranked beers in Montana

After an explosion of growth in the craft beer industry, the market is undergoing a shift, causing beer lovers to stay alert to keep track of their favorites.

The last decade saw an explosion of craft breweries that operate on a smaller scale and offer a wider, and sometimes more experimental, selection of beer. In 2024, there were a total of 9,496 craft breweries in the U.S., a 104% increase from 2015.

However, that growth is tapering off. According to the Brewers Association, 2024 was the industry's worst year for brewpub, microbrewery, and taproom closings, with 519 drawing their last pint.

Changing consumer preferences may be contributing to this trend. While beer and cider still have the largest market share of alcoholic drinks, consumers are reducing their alcohol consumption. Gallup found that between 2023 and 2025, the percentage of people who consumed alcohol within the last 24 hours dropped eight percentage points to 28%, while the percentage who hadn't had an alcoholic drink in over a week increased eight percentage points to 40%.

Brewers are also facing another enemy: Climate change. Rising temperatures and drought have caused shifts in the growing season and decreased production in noble hops, an essential beer ingredient. Researchers predict that by 2050, climate change could cause an up to 18.4% decrease in hop yields.

Still, all is not doom and gloom. Although the craft beer industry is facing challenges, new brewpubs, microbreweries, and taprooms keep opening—428 opened in 2024—and brewers keep flexing their creative muscles to develop new beer flavors with the best ingredients they have.

Stacker compiled a list of the breweries with the most beers ranked in the top 100 in Montana using data from BeerAdvocate as of August 2025. Any ties were broken by the highest-ranking beer.

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BeerAdvocate

#30. Philipsburg Brewing Company


- Number of top beers in Montana: 1
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #100. Haybag American Hefeweizen (Hefeweizen)
2 / 30
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#29. Katabatic Brewing Company


- Number of top beers in Montana: 1
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #73. IPA (American IPA)
3 / 30
siamionau pavel // Shutterstock

#28. Neptune's Brewery


- Number of top beers in Montana: 1
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #55. Latte Stout (American Stout)
4 / 30
BeerAdvocate

#27. Mighty Mo Brew Co.


- Number of top beers in Montana: 1
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #54. Lip Ripper (American IPA)
5 / 30
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#26. Blacksmith Brewing


- Number of top beers in Montana: 1
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #26. Pulaski Porter (American Porter)
6 / 30
BeerAdvocate

#25. Blackfoot River Brewing Company


- Number of top beers in Montana: 1
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #7. Single Malt IPA (American IPA)
7 / 30
BeerAdvocate

#24. Harvest Moon Brewery


- Number of top beers in Montana: 2
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #95. Pigs Ass Porter (English Porter)
--- #86. Beltian White (Witbier)
8 / 30
Bernardo Couto // Shutterstock

#23. Beaver Creek Brewery


- Number of top beers in Montana: 2
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #82. Rusty Beaver Wheat (American Pale Wheat Beer)
--- #74. Red Headed IPA (American IPA)
9 / 30
BeerAdvocate

#22. Highlander Beer


- Number of top beers in Montana: 2
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #97. Highlander Strange Haze IPA (New England IPA)
--- #67. Highlander Devil's Hump Red Ale (American Amber / Red Ale)
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DavideAngelini // Shutterstock

#21. Outlaw Brewing


- Number of top beers in Montana: 2
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #90. Summit Dog Double IPA (Imperial IPA)
--- #59. Yuppie Hammer (American IPA)
11 / 30
BeerAdvocate

#20. Higherground Brewing Co.


- Number of top beers in Montana: 2
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #75. Hula Hopped (American IPA)
--- #57. Flash Flood Milk Stout (Sweet / Milk Stout)
12 / 30
BeerAdvocate

#19. Madison River Brewing Company


- Number of top beers in Montana: 2
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #50. Black Ghost Oatmeal Stout (Oatmeal Stout)
--- #45. Dropper IPA (American IPA)
13 / 30
Alexey Andr Tkachenko // Shutterstock

#18. Montana Brewing Company


- Number of top beers in Montana: 2
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #52. Custer's Last Stout (Foreign / Export Stout)
--- #39. Sharptail Pale Ale (American Pale Ale)
14 / 30
BeerAdvocate

#17. Bayern Brewing, Inc. / Edelweiss Bistro


- Number of top beers in Montana: 2
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #68. Face Plant (Weizenbock)
--- #35. Doppelbock (Doppelbock)
15 / 30
BeerAdvocate

#16. Imagine Nation Brewing Co.


- Number of top beers in Montana: 2
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #94. Freedom Fighter IPA (American IPA)
--- #30. Lupujus 7 (New England IPA)
16 / 30
BeerAdvocate

#15. Bozeman Brewing Company


- Number of top beers in Montana: 2
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #31. Hopzone IPA (American IPA)
--- #24. Bozone Plum St. Porter (American Porter)
17 / 30
DisobeyArt // Shutterstock

#14. MAP Brewing Co.


- Number of top beers in Montana: 2
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #32. Strange Cattle (American IPA)
--- #20. Midas Crush (American IPA)
18 / 30
Henrik A. Jonsson // Shutterstock

#13. Carter's Brewing


- Number of top beers in Montana: 2
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #89. Black Magic Porter (English Porter)
--- #5. De-Railed IPA (American IPA)
19 / 30
BeerAdvocate

#12. Red Lodge Ales


- Number of top beers in Montana: 3
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #79. Oktoberfest Lager (Märzen)
--- #66. Summer Daze (Weizenbock)
--- #53. Dos Goatees Doppelbock (Doppelbock)
20 / 30
BeerAdvocate

#11. Tamarack Brewing Company


- Number of top beers in Montana: 3
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #58. Switchback Stout (American Stout)
--- #47. Rye Sally Rye P.A. (American Pale Ale)
--- #37. Hat Trick Hop IPA (American IPA)
21 / 30
BeerAdvocate

#10. Jeremiah Johnson Brewing Co.


- Number of top beers in Montana: 3
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #41. Citra IPA (American IPA)
--- #29. Mountain Man Strong Ale (Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy)
--- #12. Mountain Man Scotch Ale (Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy)
22 / 30
BeerAdvocate

#9. Lewis & Clark Brewing Company


- Number of top beers in Montana: 3
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #38. Prickly Pear Pale Ale (American Pale Ale)
--- #17. Big Belt Weizenbock (Weizenbock)
--- #2. Tumbleweed (English IPA)
23 / 30
BeerAdvocate

#8. Bridger Brewing


- Number of top beers in Montana: 4
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #78. Lee Metcalf Pale Ale (American Pale Ale)
--- #44. Ghost Town Coffee Stout (American Stout)
--- #40. Vigilante IPA (American IPA)
24 / 30
BeerAdvocate

#7. New Hokkaido Beverage Company


- Number of top beers in Montana: 4
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #85. Beringia Pilsner (Japanese Rice Lager)
--- #77. Daruma (American IPA)
--- #27. Yamabiko (Japanese Rice Lager)
25 / 30
BeerAdvocate

#6. Draught Works


- Number of top beers in Montana: 4
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #61. Gwin Du Oatmeal Stout (Oatmeal Stout)
--- #49. My Ruca (American Pale Ale)
--- #10. Scepter IPA (American IPA)
26 / 30
BeerAdvocate

#5. Bitter Root Brewing


- Number of top beers in Montana: 6
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #36. Single Hop Pale Ale (American Pale Ale)
--- #33. Bitter Root IPA (American IPA)
--- #11. Last Cast Black IPA (Black IPA)
27 / 30
BeerAdvocate

#4. Meadowlark Brewing


- Number of top beers in Montana: 6
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #43. Mob Barley (American Barleywine)
--- #21. Black Steer's Tookus (Oatmeal Stout)
--- #9. Teddy Roosevelt American Badass (Imperial IPA)
28 / 30
BeerAdvocate

#3. Big Sky Brewing Company


- Number of top beers in Montana: 6
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #18. Ivan The Terrible Imperial Stout (Russian Imperial Stout)
--- #15. Olde Bluehair Barley Wine (American Barleywine)
--- #1. Ivan The Terrible Imperial Stout - Barrel-Aged (Russian Imperial Stout)
29 / 30
BeerAdvocate

#2. KettleHouse Brewing Co. (Southside Taproom)


- Number of top beers in Montana: 7
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #46. Snowblind White Stout (American Stout)
--- #23. Old Bongwater Hemp Porter (American Porter)
--- #22. Cold Smoke Scotch Ale (Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy)
30 / 30
BeerAdvocate

#1. Mountains Walking Brewery


- Number of top beers in Montana: 21
- Highest ranked beers in Montana:
--- #6. Dessert Cart - Hazelnut, Coffee and Vanilla Bean (American Imperial Stout)
--- #4. Mosaic Cloud Curtain (New England IPA)
--- #3. Double Grazing Clouds (New England IPA)

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.

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