Tamarack

The Tamarack is a variety of larch tree.  Up until a few months ago, I had never heard of a 'Tamarack', but this year I have visited Tamarack Cellars, in Walla Walla(highly recommend their Firehouse Red), The Tamarack a pizza place in Republic(next to the Republic Brewing Company, and most recently Tamarack Brewing, which has a place in Missoula to go with their original place in Lakeside, Mt.

Over dinner last night, I was trying to discuss why this might be with my wife.  In the end we both decided that it was a good name...slightly unique, but deffinetaly having a slightly nouveau west feel to it.  Kind of the slightly hipper 'We Do Too Have Culture' and 'Anything the East Coast can do We can do Better' crowd. 

Let me start by saying Tamarack Brewing didn't blow me away.  There was nothing unique or special about it...a fairly standard representation of the Brew Pub Genre.  I have nothing to complain about, but also nothing that would cause me to eat here a second time before trying out some of the other places in town.  From Yelp research, Missoula has at least 7 or 8 breweries, but not all of them serve food.  Kit recommended I check out Bayern, but with swinging into town on Sunday afternoon, a lot of the choices were already closed, or would have needed me to ditch my family.  Maybe when I swing back through on the 4th...

Positives: Nice looking place.  Friendly Wait Staff.  The beer, especially after two days on the road was good.  Between my wife and I we tried three of them.  The cheese pizza my kids split was good...nice crispy crust.  My wife had a Baked Brie Salad she liked...plenty of bacon, walnuts, spinach and house vinagrette.  My beer batter french fries were also good.

Negatives: My Reuben.  It looked VERY promising...a thick pile of pastrami, lots of slaw...but it was very very peppery.  First, there were bell-peppers diced up in the cole claw...kind of neutral on that one...but the pastrami was very, very peppery.  Distractingly so.  It would not have made my top 10 reuben list. 

Beer: Like I said, my wife and tried 3 of them: The Wakeboard Wit, an Amber Ale, and an Oatmeal Stout.  I tried to get the Sip and Go Naked Apricot Ale, but they were out.  They were all pretty good, and tasted like beers should taste.  I'm not going to try to describe the individual flavor notes...can't do it wine, can't do it with beer.  I found the stout to be the most pleasing. 

 Don't expect a similar review of the Wingate's Continental Breakfast...