Montana's Best Brews Ranked and Rated

Montanans pride themselves on local craft beer. When boasting about the awesomeness of this state, the plethora of microbreweries comes in somewhere just below national parks and trout-choked rivers. While we still rank third nationally for craft breweries per capita, we wear our beer-lover status like a badge of honor and challenge anyone in the country to make a better pint. But attempting to rank Montana's best beers can seem like a fool's errand. How do you argue in favor of one sudsy gem over another? The Indy did its best, factoring in distribution, name recognition and awards won regionally, nationally and internationally. Even then we found ourselves at odds as to which should be first or fifth or even 30th, entering into fierce debate when the data came up even. It was an intense process, one that left many bottles and cans and heated words in its wake. This list may stir controversy, but we're hoping it also sparks conversation and prods drinkers to sample pints they've not yet tried. In the end, that's exactly the point: To inspire everyone to broaden their palates, talk amongst themselves and maybe, just maybe, brew another beer we can all be proud to brag about.

MORE>>>Missoula Independent

Shocking! Tesla Superchargers in Montana

Tesla superchargerBozeman is set to become one node in a network of Tesla Motors Supercharger stations that will allow Tesla sedan owners to travel across the country for free.

Plans for the four-bay charging station’s installation at the Hilton Garden Inn were approved by the city planning department last week. The plans are now in the hands of the building department and must garner approval there before the station is built.

Tesla is building stations along major traffic corridors to let owners of its Model S electric sedan, the first mass-produced electric sedan, travel cross-country for free, said Alexis Georgeson, the California company’s spokeswoman.

Superchargers can replenish half a charge in 20 minutes, she added. The stations only work with the Model S sedan and are free for the vehicle owner. The company pays the electric bill at each station. A typical charge in a regular power outlet takes over an hour.

MORE>>>Bozeman Chronicle

Top of the Tech Universities. In Montana, it's...

Montana State UniversityIn order to stop the brain drain of graduates and other talent from Montana, Montana State University developed its technology transfer program in 1990. The University is now equipped with incubators and accelerators to foster entrepreneurship and innovation, and grants students access to state of the art facilities and mentorship. Through the program TechLink, students are given opportunities to develop start-up companies or conduct research with funding from the Defense Department, NASA, and other government buyers. The University’s technological advancements have successfully turned university-level innovation into local companies and jobs.

MORE>>>#26 at Great Value Colleges