Bayern Brewing
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Brewing |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Founder | Trudy Schulte, Reinhard Schultz, Donald Gamer |
| Headquarters | Missoula , United States |
Area served | Montana, United States |
Key people | Jürgen Knöller (owner and master brewer), Thorsten Geuer (master brewer) |
| Products | German-style beers and German cuisine |
Bayern Brewing, Inc. located in Missoula, Montana holds the distinction of being the oldest brewery in the state, established in 1987 by Trudy, Reinhard Schultz, and Donald Gamer. Drawing its name from Bayern (Bavaria) in Germany, the brewery focuses on German-style beers and cuisine while embracing sustainable environmental methods.
Establishment 1987-2002
Trudy Schulte, hailing from a family with Bavarian brewing heritage, introduced German brewing traditions to Missoula. The Schultes launched their brewery alongside a bar and restaurant on leased land. However, Montana’s regulations at that time required Bayern to distribute its beer through a third party even for their own establishment, preventing it from functioning as an official brewpub. Initial obstacles included obtaining essential ingredients such as yeast. Nonetheless, favorable currency exchange rates between the euro and dollar made importing premium German brewing machinery financially viable. Following German reunification in 1991, the Schultes sold the brewery to pursue investments in former East Germany.
Since 1991, ownership and operation of Bayern Brewing have been under Jürgen Knöller, a Bavarian Master Brewer educated at Doemens' Masterschool in Munich. Knöller initially joined Bayern as Master Brewer in 1987 and acquired the business from the founders four years later. The brewery strictly follows the Reinheitsgebot (Bavarian Purity Law), employing only water, hops, malted grain, and yeast in its beer production.
Growth
In 2002, Knöller brought on master brewer Thorsten Geuer after his apprenticeship at Hasbro Früh brewery in Cologne, Germany, internship experience at Bayern Brewing, and formal education at Berlin’s brewing institution VLB Berlin, where he earned a bachelor’s degree.
Bayern Brewing has operated from three different sites within Missoula to accommodate expansion. Starting near the train depot on N. Higgins Avenue, it subsequently relocated to 2600 S. Third St. W., and its current facility is situated at 1507 Montana St.
Montana law previously limited craft brewery production to 10,000 barrels annually, restricting Bayern’s capacity. The enactment of House Bill 541 in 2017 increased this cap to 60,000 barrels, allowing for greater production growth. Governor Steve Bullock signed this legislation at the Edelweiss Bistro. That same year marked Bayern’s introduction of canned beer and the launch of a 32-ounce “crowler” can option.
Community involvement is a key focus for Bayern Brewing; local artist Monte Dolack has been commissioned to create label artwork showcasing native wildlife and landscapes. Dolack designed labels for prominent beers such as Doppel Bock, Pilsner, Dancing Trout, Maibock, and Oktoberfest.
Edelweiss Bistro
To diversify income sources, Bayern Brewing opened Edelweiss Bistro in 2015. The bistro serves traditional German dishes inspired by Bavarian culinary heritage, including käsespatzle, curry wurst, schnitzel, and sauerkraut. Knöller ensures pork is sourced locally from humane farms and emphasizes premium ingredient quality consistent with the brewery’s sustainability principles.
Environmental Initiatives
Under Knöller’s leadership, Bayern Brewing enhanced its environmental efforts by implementing glass bottle recycling since 2010 and introducing cardboard “eco-packs” designed to promote bottle returns. Customers receive a five-cent refund per bottle when returning them using these eco-packs, which require a one-time $3 deposit and are reusable. The eco-pack specifies acceptable bottle types. To facilitate this program, Knöller invested in a specialized bottle washing machine. According to Master Brewer Geuer, recycled glass comprises "between 30 and 60 percent" of their glass usage. Furthermore, Bayern donates spent brewing materials to nearby farmers for use as livestock feed.
In 2007, Bayern discontinued using the "Trout Slayer" name for one of its best-selling beers due to trademark licensing fees controlled by Kalispell entrepreneur Brian Beck. The beer was renamed “Dancing Trout” to better reflect Bayern’s ecological values. Dancing Trout became Montana's Trout Unlimited Official Beer Sponsor and contributes part of its sales toward trout habitat conservation efforts. In that same year, Big Sky Brewing Co. introduced a new Trout Slayer Ale featuring a distinct recipe.
Products
Knöller sources hops exclusively from Germany, ensuring that numerous beers follow authentic German brewing techniques. Bayern offers an assortment of German-style brews, such as Pilsner, Doppel Weizen, Hefeweizen, and Dark Marzen, all meticulously produced in accordance with traditional German methods.
Awards
| Beer | Category | Medal/Award | Year | Awarding Body |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakken Bock | German Bock | Silver | 2019 | US Open Beer Championship |
| Bayern Helles Lager | Helles Lager | Silver | 2013 | North American Beer Awards |
| Dark Doppelbock | German-Style Strong Doppelbock | Gold | 1999 | North American Beer Awards |
| Doppelbock | German-Style Strong Doppelbock | Silver | 2001 | North American Beer Awards |
| Doppelbock | Gold | 2012 | North American Beer Awards | |
| Doppelbock | Bronze | 2010 | North American Beer Awards | |
| Dopple/Strong Bock | Gold | 2015 | US Open Beer Championship | |
| Dopple/Strong Bock | Bronze | 2020 | US Open Beer Championship | |
| Dragon's Breath Dark Heff | South German-Style Dunkel Weizen/Weissbier | Silver | 2010 | US Open Beer Championship |
| Judges Award | 2010 | US Open Beer Championship | ||
| German Wheat | Silver | 2012 | US Open Beer Championship | |
| Dump Truck | German-Style Heller Bock/Maibock | Bronze | 2010 | US Open Beer Championship |
| Face Plant | German Wheat | Bronze | 2012 | US Open Beer Championship |
| German Wheat | Bronze | 2014 | US Open Beer Championship | |
| German Wheat | Bronze | 2016 | US Open Beer Championship | |
| German Wheat | Gold | 2017 | US Open Beer Championship | |
| Belgian-Style Wit, Kristall Weizen, Dunkelweizen Weizen Bock | Bronze | 2022 | North American Beer Awards | |
| Eisbock | Strong Lager | Gold | 2024 | Montana Brewers Association |
| Maibock | German-Style Heller Bock/Maibock | Silver | 2000 | North American Beer Awards |
| German-Style Heller Bock/Maibock | Silver | 2003 | North American Beer Awards | |
| Bock | Gold | 2012 | US Open Beer Championship | |
| Bock | Silver | 2013 | US Open Beer Championship | |
| Montana Helles Lager | Helles Lager | Bronze | 2015 | North American Beer Awards |
| Munchner Helles | Bronze | 2013 | US Open Beer Championships | |
| Pilsner | German Lager/Pilsener | Bronze | 2012 | US Open Beer Championship |
| Schwarzbier | German-Style Schwarzbier | Silver | 1999 | North American Beer Awards |
| Schwarzbier | Bronze | 2015 | US Open Beer Championship | |
| St. Walter Hefeweizen | German Style Hefeweizen | Bronze | 2022 | World Beer Cup |
| Bavarian-Style Hefeweizen | Gold | 2022 | North American Beer Awards | |
| Wheat Ale | Gold | 2024 | Montana Brewers Association |
See also
Other breweries located in Missoula, Montana:
Taproom-only establishments: