Imagine Nation Brewing – Missoula, MT
A little over 4 years ago a small brewery called Imagine Nation Brewing opened up in Missoula, Montana. They were the first combination brewery and Center for Community Transformation; they were looking to be more than just a place that makes beer. It could be very easy for the folks at Imagine Nation to just be satisfied making good enough beer. This is where the other first comes in. Imagine Nation was the primary brewery in Montana to really focus on New England style IPAs, and they are great at it. Their Lupujus series would often sell out within the week for the first couple of years (the Lupujus 8 NE Double IPA still sold out in less than 2 weeks this year).
After working over two decades in conflict zones, Robert Rivers and Fernanda Menna Barreto Krum decided to come back to Montana. They wanted to create a space where people could gather and discuss issues concerning the community. Starting a brewery seemed like a good way to bring people together. Coming from a background in education and psychology, it’s clear to see why their vision is very different from your typical microbrewery. Their ideas and goals for their brewery might seems like a stretch, but Imagine Nations taproom feels more like somebody’s home, and a lot of that comes from their great staff.
As I mentioned before, Imagine Nation Brewing were really a head of the game with their early adoption of New England style IPAs in Montana. Most other breweries in the area looked at NEIPAs as more of a fad than the groundbreaking style that would take over the U.S. craft beer world. Having that vision and head start to embrace and hone their recipes really put them on the map, and left their competition clamoring to catch up and cash in their success. In that time, they have created some amazingly delicious flavorful beers. Even today, their New England beers are quite a bit better than many I’ve tried and can easily compete with the “big names” in that style.
Full disclosure. I am totally biased, I LOVE Mosaic hops, they are my favorite!
Liminal Space from Imagine Nation is an all Mosaic hopped New England India Pale Ale with a lot going for it. First off, a warning if you don’t like fruity smells, do not put your nose anywhere near opening of the can! When you open the can and start pouring, it fills the space with a wonderful fruity aroma. For those that don’t know, or don’t really pay attention, Mosaic hops have a very citrusy scent and aroma. They can be described as Mango, stone fruit, piney, tropical, grassy, earthy. Anyway, they’re juicy and delightful, haters can leave and go drink a wheat beer! The appearance is a hazy straw color with not much head, and this would be my only real slight with this beer. The carbonation was inconsistent between the two cans I sampled, but I chalk this up to the fact that they just started canning a few weeks ago. The flavor, like the scent, was amazingly fruity and amazing. Overall, this is a solid beer in the New England style with a good aroma and strong flavor.
Happy Exploring,
Tim – Fermented Explorer