BOISEBEERCULTURE: NORTHERN IDAHO BREWERY TOUR

by Bob Hubler

HUNGA DUNGA BREWING

While Nelda and I were visiting Rants and Raves Brewery, Neil Marzolf talked about the Moscow, Idaho Brewing District. He said that it started with Lucas's "Moscow Brewing". Rants and Raves is just a couple of blocks south of the now closed Moscow Brewing. He continued to tell me about the newest brewery in Idaho, Hunga Dunga Brewing which is across the street and about a block north of R&R. Although Hunga Dunga Brewing was not going to open for another hour, we stopped to take a look at Idaho's 52nd brewery.

Hunga Dunga Brewing Website Hunga Dunga Brewing Facebook

We stopped at Hunga Dunga Brewing, Idaho's newest brewery as of mid July, about 3:00 PM (about an hour before they were officially open for business). This brewery is built in a Quonset hut. We told them that we came up from Boise to visit the breweries in northern Idaho and they told us to come in and they gave us a tour.

We met Graham Lilly/Co-owner and Brewer. He showed us around the place. Nate Suhr is the other owner. Graham told us that they had only been open 10 days.They have a 30 BBL system which is huge for a new brewery. Graham told me that they plan to service a wide area including Spokane and they need the big system to do that. He also told us that the name, Hunga Dunga comes from a Marx Brothers movie called Animal Cracker. Nelda even remembered the scene from the movie.

Like Rants & Raves, Hunga Dunga is a brewpub with a complete menu. We wish we could have stayed longer and tried some of their food specialties - Menu. Bartender Norman Embry told us the food was getting rave reviews from the Moscow residents.

Norman also told us that we had to taste their beer, so we were "forced" to try a few samples of what they had on tap. My favorite was their Oatmeal Pale Ale. They also had a Summer Session Ale, a Red Rye and a Black IPA. Their Black IPA was a little light for my taste, yet it was a good beer that fit the category. Their Summer Ale was your classic lawnmower beer, light and refreshing.

Nelda and I came away from Moscow very impressed with their new "Brewing District"! The last few trips north, we never stopped in Moscow, but we will be back. Moscow, Idaho is on the Craft Brewery Map with the addition of Hunga Dunga and Rants & Raves. Both fine establishments well worth a visit from all those southern Idaho craft beer fans when they head north.