Ronan Cooperative Brewery a first in Montana
RONAN — The energy in downtown Ronan was almost giddy during opening week of the new Ronan Cooperative Brewery just off Main Street on 4th Avenue. And it’s not just the beer making them happy. It is also pride of ownership.
When the community was surveyed in 2016 to determine what types of improvements they would like to have in the downtown, with an eye to revitalizing Main Street, the top suggestion was a microbrewery. So they built one.
The shiny new microbrewery is the first cooperative brewery in Montana. The group is approaching 400 member-owners, people in the community and beyond who ponied up $250 each to be a part of Ronan’s future.
“We were selling a dream, an idea,” said a proud Bob Hungerford, president of the cooperative. “Now we are selling a reality. We are selling beer.” Four kinds, for starters – IPA, German amber ale, Kolsch-style ale and a stout. All were made with Montana malts and hops.
Whitney Cantlon, facilitator of the Ronan Community Roundtable downtown group, is among the excited new owners.
“I was practically skipping down the street,” she said as she met with friends at the new site. “I was saying, ‘I’m going to have a beer at my brewery.’’
“We’ve got great community support,” board member Jesse Gray said. “That’s what drives it. This is what the community wanted, and what we could get excited about. A lot of people just wanted to say they have a part of this. We made it. You feel like it’s home — our brewery.”
That “home” atmosphere may be enhanced by Montana law, which limits brew pub patrons to 48 ounces of beer per visit. Like other breweries, the Ronan Co-Op is family-friendly, and even includes shelves of games for kids to enjoy as families gather.
Besides hundreds of locals, friends and family, people from all over the country have purchased memberships.
Jerry Williamson drove over from Billings to celebrate the opening of “his” new brewery. He had read about the membership drive in a magazine over two years ago.
“They wanted to promote Ronan; they wanted to have the first cooperative brewery in Montana,” Williamson said. “A lot of these little towns are having a hard time. But if you can get someone to anchor, then you can bring other people and businesses in. Hey, I’m for that.”
He has offered to bring some kegs to an annual brew fest in Billings.
“I don’t have a dog in the hunt, I’m from Billings. I have nine breweries there I can drive to. But this is beautiful. They’ve got some state-of-the-art brewing here. I just thought it was a good thing to do.”
Head brewer Jim Myers has been involved since the steering committee days, as a board member, serving on several committees, and working with the architect and contractors during construction. He has worked closely with board member Bob Hall, an avid home brewer for 30 years and a grand master 2 BJCP beer judge, to develop delicious craft beer recipes.
A downtown business owner himself, Myers said continued downtown revitalization “is going to take people rethinking what they want from their downtown.” He said people might not shop the way they used to but want downtown to perhaps be more of an “experience centered around community,” where people gather for events, go out to dinner, have coffee, even get their hair done. The brewery, he said, is a way for Lake County to invest in itself rather than only relying on tourism revenue.
Memberships in the co-op are still available. They come with special members-only discounts, events and tastings. Each member is allowed one vote in the cooperative for board elections and other decisions. Members also can purchase “preferred stock” at $200 a share, which will earn dividends when the brewery pays off its loans and starts making a profit. Information on membership is available at ronancoopbrewery.com.
Ronan Cooperative Brewery is open 3 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and noon to 9 p.m. Friday through Sunday at 23 4th Ave. SW. Visit their website or Facebook page for more information or call 676-HOPS.
