IDAHO BREWERIES: A LOOK BACK AT 2025: NEW BREWERIES REPLACING OLD BREWERIES
By Bob Hubler
In 1888, there were 33 different Breweries in the State of Idaho, which were the most breweries that were open in the state at one time prior to prohibition.
Although National Prohibition started in 1919, Idaho started their own state wide prohibition in 1916. There were no breweries in Idaho from 1916 to 1934.
A few breweries came back in Idaho after 1934 when prohibition was lifted, but by 1961, they were all gone. The last one to close was the Bohemian Brewery in Boise.
Idaho was without any breweries until Tim Batt started the first modern brewery in 1984. He called it Snake River Brewing.
Idaho had more than 33 breweries for the first time in history in 2014. Eleven new breweries opened in 2014 bringing the total of active Idaho breweries to 41.
Idaho hit an all time high with 101 active breweries in January 2024. It was downhill from there with 24 Idaho Breweries closing and only 7 breweries opening in 2024.
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When I started writing this blog in 2013, it was to add a narrative to my List of Idaho Breweries website. There were only 31 breweries in Idaho in 2013. Idaho had 45 breweries that opened between 1984 and 2013, but 14 had closed in that time. It only took 11 years for Idaho to get to 101 active breweries. It will a long time till Idaho ever approaches 100 active breweries again.
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Idaho began 2025 with 84 breweries! Five breweries closed in 2025 and two breweries opened which leaves Idaho with 81 Breweries at the end of 2025. Three breweries plan to open in the first part of 2026.
The recent breweries that have opened and plan to open in Idaho have one thing in common: They have all opened or plan to open in prior brewery locations!
- Ruckus Brewing opened in the former Loose Screw Garden City location
- The Martlet opened in the former Star Route location in Pocatello
- Knucklehead Brewing opened in the former Mad Bomber Brewing location in Hayden
- Belmont Brewhouse opened in the former Twisted District location in Garden City
- Mountains Walking Brewery in Bozeman, Montana plans to open an Idaho location in the old Laughing Dog Brewery in Ponderay
- Wild Frontier Beer Project will open in the Mad Swede Brewery location in Boise in 2026
- Gather Brewing out of Texas will open in the Spring Creek Brewing location in Avonmore in 2026
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The
The
MISCELLANEOUS IDAHO BREWING NEWS
Payette Brewing production has returned to Idaho from a short stop at Upslope Brewing in Colorado. Mother Earth Brewing in Nampa will handle of the brewing for Payette Brewing in 2026.
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