We visited Bonsai Brewing Project in Whitefish, MT twice while we were in the area and they do not disappoint! They have an amazing outdoor space, the Beer Garden, where families with kids and furkids can hang out, enjoy the brews and food in a shady open space (or find a table in the sun if you prefer). A lot of thought and care went into creating this outdoor space to create community. Even the doggos feel the chill vibe and you can fill up their own little bucket of water to bring to your table for them. Diesel gives this place 5 paws up and so do we!
The food from The Kitchen is great! We tried the brisket blend Bonsai Burger during our first visit which was perfectly grilled and served on a grilled ciabatta bun – yummy! We also tried one of their Soul Bowls of which they have several. We decided on the Ahi for Real, delicious seared, rare Ahi over rice and greens with a delicious cilantro-lime dressing and a garnish of carrots, green onion and lemon. Perfect on a warm day when you are trying to balance healthy eating and consuming lots of beer! On our last visit we opted to share a generous serving of chips with their homemade salsa verde and tomato salsa (yeah, not doing the healthy eating balancing thing that day) – both were quite good and went well with our flights!
Now for the Beer!! So. Much. Good. Beer.
We can say that we have tasted almost everything they had on tap during May and June and only found one that we didn’t really care for, but it was a sour beer, and we are not huge sour beer fans, but we keep trying. Here is their current beer list and it is updated every few weeks or so.
Lil Blonde Honey is made with Montana Honey and is a slightly sweet, light blonde ale that we both liked and found refreshing. I was expecting more of a sweet, honey taste but that’s just me. The subtle sweetness is probably perfect for the rest of the world.
My favorite was their red India ale, Due North. It is a light, deliciously hopped beer with a big flavor. It paired well with the Bonsai Burger!
Blues Brothers is their delightful blueberry shandy that is quite fruity but in a very good way. It’s full of flavor and perfect for a lazy summer day at the lake, by the pool, or just hanging out with friends.
John really liked Big ‘Ol Poppa. He loves barrel-aged stouts and porters but found this bourbon barrel-aged double IPA quite tasty with a great bourbon finish. Great with the burger!
John’s favorite at Bonsai Brewing Project is Sheriff John Brown (I like it a lot too!). Sheriff John Brown is an American brown ale that is deliciously malty (with 6 malts!!)
The strong hop flavor of Swingin’ combines with a bright citrus finish in this very enjoyable hazy IPA. The hazy gold color reminds me of a warm summer day.
Tunnel’s End is a light-bodied stout full of flavor with a coffee finish. It’s a great gateway stout for those who are a little afraid of dark beer – this one will get you hooked!
Initiation is a refreshing, light, single hop pale ale with a crisp finish. It screams summer!
Gossip was a yummy rosé ale made from hibiscus, rose hips, and rosé must. This is a flavorful light beer with a slightly sweet finish. It was on tap when we had it but it’s not in the tap line-up as of this writing. They do have it in a 22-ounce bottle!
Much like dark beer, sour beer is an acquired taste, and we just have not acquired it. We keep trying them but so far, it’s a no-go for me. John has had a few he might drink again. For those of you into sour beer, Bonsai Brewing Project has several. We tried the two they had on tap, one is aged with not one, not two, but three different types of barrels! Check their beer list for more sours they have in 22-ounce bottles.
The Retrospect sour is aged in tequila, white and red barrels. The sour on this is subtle and we both got more of the tequila flavor from the barrels than wine.
Basket Case definitely steps it up on the sour meter – it’s a true sour beer! This one is aged with marionberries and raspberries in white wine barrels for 11 months and in bourbon barrels for 23 months! John liked the flavor on this one (duh, bourbon barrels!) and said he might just order a pint next time.
living my best life.
We still need to try Riverside and Let’s Go on our next visit and anything new they have!! We really enjoy the vibe there and will go back again and again – give us a shout-out if you’re there and see us with Diesel!
Bonsai Brewing Project is located just outside of charming downtown Whitefish where you’ll find lots of great shops to browse and they have a nice farmer’s market on Tuesday evenings during the summer (no dogs allowed at the market). You can find Bonsai Brewing Project at 549 Wisconsin Ave, Whitefish, MT 59937 – 406.730.1717 and they are open Tuesday through Sunday, 12 – 8 pm