Rating:

0.0 (0 votes)

MISSOULA- One of the newest breweries in town is combining two of Missoula's favorite things-beer and biking.

Draught Works hosted the first Chain Reaction event on Saturday to celebrate sustainable transportation, and with the help of cyclists, bike enthusiasts and volunteers, the brewery crafted 30-kegs of fresh-hopped ale.

The event featured a relay-style race to get hops from Corvallis to the brewery and a member of the winning team says she pushed it full-speed to the finish.

"It was really stressful," MT Alpha Cycling member Kristine Akland said. "We had a pretty good gap from the three other girls who raced so the whole time I was just hoping I wasn't going to get caught. But I didn't get caught so it was really fun."

People at the brewery helped grind 1,000 pounds of malted barley by powering a bike-operated grain mill. And the owner says it was a huge success.

"A lot of people were really eager to volunteer and other businesses and non-profits were really eager just to be a part of it," Draught Works owner Jeff Brand said. "It was really cool."

Proceeds from the event were donated to Free Cycles and Adventure Cycling, two local nonprofits dedicated to sustainable transportation.

Since biking is a popular activity in Missoula, participants say beer is a good way to bring people out for a cause.

"There is kind of an overlap between bikers and beer drinkers but it's cool to see both communities come together for two awesome things," Akland said.

Brand hopes to see Chain Reaction become an annual event during the first part of September.

(Photos from the Draught Works Facebook page.)