BILLINGS- Businesses nowadays must get creative to accommodate for the changing economy and to keep up with trends.
In that spirit, Carter’s Brewery in downtown Billings is cultivating a hop yard directly on Montana Avenue, hoping to reap the benefits for beer making.
“We just finished our 16th year in business,” said owner Michael Uhrich. “We have a pretty loyal following."
Urhich is busy keeping that following thirsty heading into another weekend in Billings.
“Today I am brewing a bock for fall, got our Oktoberfest ready yesterday,” he said.
But in between all of that, he’s been practicing his green thumb with a little urban farming.
Maybe you’ve noticed them: hops on a trellis next to the parking lot of Carter’s on Montana Avenue.
“We have had hops growing on our property for about five years, and now I am deciding to train them,” he said.
Rope now lines this stretch of Montana Avenue and soon those hops will climb. They achieve a couple of things for Carter’s, by polishing up Montana Avenue and also taking those IPA’s to the next level.
“I think it will be aesthetically nice to look at,” said Uhrich. “And we will get the fruition of using the hops every year.”
Fresh hops could be ready this year, and Carter’s is partnering with another popular brewery in town, Thirsty Street. According to Uhrich, it's to showcase the harvest.
It's a sight we’re not used to seeing in downtown Billings, but one that he says will spur questions.
“If you drive up to a brewery and you see a hop farm, a small hop trellis growing, it’s just nice to see that it makes it full circle.”
And from a business standpoint, it all makes sense.
“IPAs are still the most dominant beer. It’s very hop forward.”
