Bozeman Brewery Hop

Bozeman Brewery Hop is more than a round of drinks. Rich Higgins turns two brewery visits into a compact beer class, covering tasting, ingredients, brewing, and beer history while you work through eight small pours. The one-block walk between stops keeps the evening simple and local.

I like the personal guidance and the generous sampling: you get 32 ounces of beer in total, but in small pours that let you compare styles without ordering blindly. I also like the mix of hands-on brewing information, a hot appetizer, and time to sit in each taproom.

The main thing to consider is the pace. Ninety minutes goes quickly when one stop includes a brewery visit, ingredient samples, a flight, and food. This suits curious beer drinkers best, though the tasting guidance can also help someone who usually sticks to water or tea.

Key details of the Bozeman Brewery Hop

• Eight beers in 4-ounce pours: Choose four beers at each brewery, or let Rich suggest a flight based on your tastes.
• Two different brewery settings: Visit Bozeman Brewing Company, then walk about one block to Mountains Walking Brewery.
• Brewing education included: See the tanks, handle barley malts and hops, and learn how beer ingredients shape flavor.
• A hot appetizer is part of the price: Mountains Walking provides food from its kitchen during the second stop.
• Small-group format: The group is limited to 12 people, which gives Rich room to answer questions.
• Simple evening timing: Meet at 5 p.m. at 504 N Broadway Avenue, and finish back at the same meeting point.

Why Rich Higgins makes this more than a brewery crawl

The strongest feature here is the guide. Rich Higgins is not simply taking you from one tap list to another. He explains how to taste beer, how to read a menu, and how to make a sensible choice when a brewery offers more options than you can reasonably try.

That matters because beer menus can be confusing. A list may include styles you know, styles you do not, and playful names that tell you little about the flavor. Rich helps connect the label to the actual experience in your glass.

He also uses a spreadsheet to explain the beers and their differences. That is a practical touch, especially if you are new to craft beer. You can focus on what you smell and taste instead of trying to remember a long string of brewery terms.

Rich brings a broad command of brewing, beer production, and beer history. The tone appears to be relaxed rather than formal, so you can ask basic questions without feeling that you need prior beer knowledge.

That makes this a good choice for a mixed group. One person can be an experienced beer fan, another can be trying a flight for the first time, and both can get something useful from the same stop.

Stop one at Bozeman Brewing Company

The first 40 minutes take place at Bozeman Brewing Company. You go into the taproom with Rich and choose four 4-ounce beers, or ask him to build the flight for you.

The format gives you room to compare. You are not committing to four full pints, and you do not have to guess which beer will suit you based only on its name. If you already know what you like, Rich can help you explore around that preference. If you do not, his recommendations can give the flight a clear direction.

The small pours also make this a better fit for a tasting-focused evening than a standard bar stop. You can pay attention to differences in aroma, body, bitterness, sweetness, and finish. The goal is not to drink quickly. It is to notice why one beer works for you and another does not.

Some specific beers mentioned during the experience include Fiesta at Bozeman Brewing Company. Pineapple-aru, with the spelling sometimes shown differently, is associated with the Mountains Walking stop. These names show the range of choices you may encounter, but your own flight depends on the tap list and your preferences at the time.

Rich’s menu advice is especially useful here. If you are unsure about a style, ask him to explain what to expect before you choose. You can also let him know what you normally drink, since a preference for light, fruity, bitter, dark, or malty beers gives him a useful starting point.

The drawback is that 40 minutes is not a long time. You have four samples, instruction, and conversation packed into one stop. If you want to linger over each beer at length, the schedule may feel brisk.

The short walk to Mountains Walking Brewery

The two breweries are about one block apart, a walk of roughly two minutes. You do not need a bus, car, or rideshare between stops, and the route keeps the experience centered in Bozeman rather than turning it into a transport-heavy outing.

That short walk also provides a natural break between the two tastings. After the first flight, you have a moment to reset before the second brewery.

The experience ends at the same meeting point where it begins, at 504 N Broadway Avenue. Since the activity starts at 5 p.m., it fits neatly into an evening plan, though you should avoid scheduling something immediately afterward because the stated duration is approximate.

Inside the brewing area at Mountains Walking

The second stop lasts about 45 minutes and adds more than another flight. Rich leads you into the brewery, where you can see the brewing tanks and learn how the beer is made.

You also get to sample barley malts and hops. This is one of the most useful parts of the experience because it connects raw ingredients with the finished drink. Malt and hops are not abstract terms in this setting. You can taste and examine them while Rich explains their roles in brewing.

The lesson gives you a better way to think about beer. Instead of treating every beer as a separate mystery, you begin to see how ingredients and production choices affect the result. A beer can feel sweet, bitter, crisp, fruity, or full-bodied for reasons that connect back to what went into it and how it was made.

Rich used to work at Mountains Walking, which adds a personal connection to this stop. He can show you the brewery with familiarity and explain the process in a way that goes beyond pointing at equipment.

You then sit in the taproom for another flight of four 4-ounce beers. Again, you can choose the beers yourself or ask Rich to recommend a set based on your tastes.

The food makes the second flight easier

A hot appetizer from the Mountains Walking kitchen is included. That is a small but important detail. Eight samples add up to a substantial amount of beer, and having food during the second stop makes the experience feel more balanced than a tasting with no bite to eat.

The supplied information does not specify the appetizer, so you should not book this expecting a particular dish. One particularly enthusiastic personal account praised the pizza at Mountains Walking, but the included item is described more generally as a hot appetizer from the menu.

The food also gives the second stop a different rhythm. You are not only moving from sample to sample. You can sit, eat, ask questions, and compare the two brewery settings.

If you have dietary restrictions, ask about the appetizer before booking or at the start of the experience. The available details do not list ingredients, substitutions, or allergy policies.

What you actually receive for $88

The price is $88 per person. That buys eight 4-ounce beer samples, a hot appetizer, an English-speaking guide, brewery education, and access to Rich’s tasting advice.

The beer alone is not the whole value. You are paying for a small-group session with a guide who explains what you are drinking and how to make better choices on your own. If you would normally order four full beers at each brewery, the price may look reasonable once you account for the food and instruction, though the experience is not designed as an all-you-can-drink outing.

The 4-ounce format is also part of the value. You get variety without being locked into eight large servings. That is useful if you want to sample local beer but still keep your evening manageable.

The group limit is 12 people. That is large enough to feel social, but small enough that questions should have a fair chance of being heard. A smaller group may make the conversation more personal, while a full group could feel less intimate.

I would compare this with the cost of arranging the same evening yourself. You could visit both breweries and buy your own flights, but you would lose the brewing-area visit, the ingredient lesson, the menu guidance, and the structure that keeps the tasting focused.

Who will enjoy this most

This experience fits beer fans who want more context than a taproom visit provides. You will get the most from it if you enjoy asking why beers taste different, how breweries work, and how to choose something unfamiliar.

It also works for beginners. One person who rarely drinks beer described the tasting guidance as helpful and enjoyed trying new flavors. You do not need to know beer vocabulary before you arrive. Rich explains the basics as you go.

A birthday outing, date, or small group evening could work well here, especially if your group has mixed levels of beer interest. The food gives non-specialists another reason to enjoy the second stop, while experienced drinkers can use the session to test their palate.

This is less suited to anyone looking for a loud party, a long dinner, or a broad tour of many Bozeman breweries. You visit only two places, and the purpose is focused tasting and education.

It is also not the right booking if someone in your group wants wine, seltzer, or additional alcoholic drinks. No seltzer or wine is included or allowed, and the experience provides the specified beer samples rather than open-ended drinking.

Timing, meeting point, and practical planning

You meet at 5 p.m. at 504 N Broadway Avenue in Bozeman. The activity returns to that same location when it ends.

The stated duration is about one hour and 30 minutes. Since the experience includes conversation and brewery operations, allow some flexibility around the end time if you have evening plans.

The activity is offered in English and uses a mobile ticket. Confirmation is provided when you book. The group can include up to 12 people, and most people can take part. Service animals are allowed.

The experience is often booked about 35 days in advance on average. That does not guarantee that every date will sell out, but it is a useful reason to plan ahead if your Bozeman visit has fixed dates.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations or changes made within 24 hours are not refunded or accepted, and the cut-off follows local time.

How the beer education improves your own future tastings

The real payoff is what you can use after the evening ends. Rich’s advice about reading a beer menu gives you a simple method for future brewery visits.

Instead of ordering by an appealing name, you can ask about the style, ingredients, bitterness, and flavor profile. You can also order a smaller sample when available, then choose a full serving only after you know what you like.

The malt and hop lesson adds another layer. When you taste a beer later, you may have a better sense of where sweetness, bitterness, citrus, fruit, or a fuller body might come from. You do not need to become a brewer. You simply leave with a sharper way to describe your own preferences.

That is why the experience can work for someone who is not already a beer enthusiast. It treats beer as something to understand, not just consume.

Should you book the Bozeman Brewery Hop?

Book it if you want two local brewery stops, guided tasting advice, eight controlled samples, and a real look at brewing ingredients and equipment. Rich’s expertise is the main reason to choose this over visiting the taprooms on your own.

Skip it if you want a long, unstructured night of drinking, a full meal, or a wider selection of breweries. The 90-minute schedule is compact, and the alcohol offering is limited to the included beer flights.

For most curious drinkers, $88 is a fair price for the combination of beer, food, instruction, and access to two breweries. The best reason to book is not simply the number of samples. It is leaving Bozeman better able to understand a beer menu and choose a beer you will actually enjoy.

FAQ

How much does the Bozeman Brewery Hop cost?

The price is $88 per person.

How long does the experience last?

It lasts approximately one hour and 30 minutes.

What time does the experience begin?

The start time is 5 p.m.

Where does the Bozeman Brewery Hop begin and end?

You meet at 504 N Broadway Avenue, Bozeman, Montana 59715. The activity ends back at the meeting point.

How much beer is included?

You receive 32 ounces total, made up of four 4-ounce samples at Bozeman Brewing Company and four 4-ounce samples at Mountains Walking Brewery.

Can I choose the beers?

Yes. You can choose four beers at each brewery, or ask Rich to recommend beers based on your tastes.

Is food included?

Yes. A hot appetizer from the Mountains Walking kitchen is included. The specific appetizer is not stated.

Can I cancel for a refund?

Yes. You can receive a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations and changes within 24 hours are not accepted or refunded.