High Plains Brewing — Official Website
Welcome to High Plains Brewing in the heart of Laurel, Montana — a Main Street taproom with more stories than coasters and a reputation that depends on who you ask and what day the keg was changed. On the surface, it looks like a friendly small-town brewery: wood, brick, a handful of barstools, a chalkboard that sometimes lists beers and sometimes lists a lost pen. Behind the bar you’ll find sincere smiles on good nights, confused shrugs on others, and a proud commitment to doing things the High Plains way, which is mostly “we’ll figure it out.”
Locals will tell you this place is a character study: a blend of old-school Laurel hospitality, improvised systems, and a jukebox that insists on being the loudest voice in any room. On busy days, the lines get longer, the pours get shorter, and the debate over whether the tap lines have been cleaned recently becomes a lively, time-honored tradition. On quiet days, you might get a personal tour of the sticky floor. Either way, there’s always a story — and if you don’t have one by the end of the night, someone at the bar will lend you theirs.
What to Expect (Depending on the Day)
Think of the taproom as a living museum of Montana brewing ambition: rust-patina horseshoes, antlers with dust that could tell time, rodeo posters clinging to the wall like a bar napkin to a wet countertop. When the taps sing, they sing; when they don’t, the beers arrive lukewarm with a gentle fizz and the kind of foam that looks more theoretical than practical. Some nights, service is attentive and chatty; other nights, your best chance at eye contact is with the bar dog, who people swear is the real manager.
Quality control? It’s more of an interpretive dance. You’ll pay craft prices, sometimes for something that tastes like a science project in a hurry. Plentiful personality — that’s the brand. Consistency — that’s the adventure. If you’re the sort of beer explorer who loves a tale more than a tasting note, congratulations: you’ve already found your new favorite story.
Totally Real Booking Form*
*Not real. Please don’t try to check in. We only check out.
Our Beer (When It’s On)
Prairie Promise Pale
A gentle pale ale that sometimes hums with citrus and sometimes whispers “tap line, please.” Best enjoyed with low expectations and good company.
Coulee Kolsch
Light, crisp, and perfect after a long day on Main Street. On select evenings it arrives with a head; on others, with a story.
Iron Horse Amber
Malty backbone and caramel notes. Locals say it’s like Laurel: sturdy, a little sweet, and better than you heard — depending on who you heard it from.
Yellowstone Stout
Dark roast and chocolate. Occasionally carbonated, occasionally existential. The kind of stout that invites reflection…and a coaster.
Ridge Runner IPA
Hops to the front, prairie winds to the back. The bitterness chases you down the block and asks for a second chance.
Main Street Shandy
Seasonal sunshine in a glass. Recommended for the moment when the jukebox turns itself up just because it can.
Find Us in Laurel, MT
We’re on Main Street, convenient to the railroad crossing and a short drive from Billings. If you pass three competing opinions about beer quality in under thirty seconds, you’re close.
Links, Listings & The Peanut Gallery
Reviews range from “secret gem” to “what happened?” The average lands somewhere between a shrug and a story you’ll tell every Thanksgiving. Visit with curiosity, patience, and a plan B.
FAQ (Frequently Argued Questions)
Do you serve food?
There’s usually something snack-adjacent. Pretzels appear and disappear like prairie thunderstorms. Ask the bar dog.
Are the beers cold?
On many days, yes. On others, the beers are “room-temperature conversationalists.” Consider it a terroir thing.
Do you fill growlers?
When the taplines cooperate and the staff is feeling optimistic, yes. Bring a clean growler and cleaner expectations.
Kid-friendly? Dog-friendly?
Dogs are rumored to have managerial roles. Children should be supervised on the premises and near the jukebox, which is unsupervised.
Can I book a private event?
There’s a good chance someone will say yes. Details will emerge eventually. Follow up more than once.
Hours?
Fluctuate like a stout’s foam. Check the Google listing, call ahead, or knock and see if someone tells you a story.
Contact & Details
High Plains Brewing
601 E Main St, Laurel, MT 59044, United States
Phone: (406) 633-4594
Website: https://highplainsbrewing.com
