Yes, Jackson Hole has some amazing breweries, a winery and a vodka and gin distillery and we encourage you to visit all or some during your visit to the Tetons. However, another side to the Teton Range is just over the Teton Pass: Teton Valley, Idaho, and the towns of Victor and Driggs. There you will find several breweries/brew pubs, a world-class vodka distillery and an exciting and impressive cidery. These businesses might be competitors by some standards, yet they are also comrades, rooting each other on and extolling the vibrancy of Teton County, Idaho.
Grand Teton Brewing
The award-winning Grand Teton Brewing was founded in 1988 by Charlie and Ernie Otto as Otto Brothers’ Brewing Company and was the first modern “micro” brewery in the state of Wyoming. In 1989, the brothers discovered a long-forgotten container, a European lidded tin pail known as a “growler” and reintroduced it in a modern, 64-ounce glass jug version. Growlers are now sold at breweries throughout the nation and Otto Brothers’ Brewing Company enjoys the credit for having recreated this novel and environmentally friendly idea.
In 2000, the Otto Brothers’ Brewing Company changed its name to Grand Teton Brewing and moved its facility from Wilson (Wyoming) to Victor, Idaho.
“We’re Idaho’s beer and we’re proud to make it,” said Dylan Johnson, the brewer, adding that all the beers are made entirely of Idaho ingredients, from the water (from the glacial run-off of the Teton Mountain Range’s granite), to the malting barley to the hops.
“We’re Idaho’s beer and we’re proud to make it.”
A 30-barrel brewhouse, Grand Teton Brewing is the largest brewery in Eastern Idaho and Teton Valley. There are 12 beers on tap at all times; the brewery creates roughly 20 beers a year. Signature beers include the 208, Teton Breeze and the seasonal Black Cauldron Imperial Stout.
Facts: Located at 430 Old Jackson Highway in Victor. Hours are noon to 9 p.m. daily. Call 888-899-1656, or visit grandtetonbrewing.com.
High Point Cider
Brothers Alex and Andrew Perez, Highpoint Cider’s owners—who grew up in New England on their family’s apple orchard—founded the popular cider house in Victor in 2021. Of its origins, Alex said: “Someone needs to bring some cool cider to the Mountain West. Why not us?” And so they did!
Highpoint positions its hard cider as a craft beer alternative, bringing to Idaho small-batch craft cider grown from a variety of apples grown in Washington state. In addition to Idaho, their product is distributed in Wyoming, Colorado and Utah.
The large, airy taproom where the half-dozen low-sugar, gluten-free and unfiltered ciders are on tap, is vast yet intimate at the same time. There are also picnic tables outside at which to savor the hard cider of your choice. The taproom doesn’t have a restaurant but serves chips and guacamole.
“Nomad”(with zero grams of sugar) is Highpoint’s strongest cider from an APV standpoint and “Transplant” contains just 6 grams of sugar. Kenny Flannery (who filmed the video that accompanies this story) tasted Highpoint’s “Tram-line” cider which is dry-hopped with mosaic hops. After the first sip, he declared, “Every part of that is awesome!”
Facts: Located at 7565 Lupine Lane, Unit D in Victor. Hours are 1 to 9 p.m., seven days a week. Call 208-240-3287, or visit highpointcider.com.
Citizen 33 Brewery
Born in 2019 along State Highway 33 in the town of Driggs, Citizen 33 was created to celebrate the people and community that make up Teton Valley, Idaho. Over four short years, the brewery and restaurant (which boasts a locally sourced and diverse menu of food) has successfully made itself a destination brewery.
The seven-barrel brewhouse gets its hops from Mill 95, an Idaho hop processor. The base malt barley is grown and malted in the Snake River planes west of Teton Valley near Idaho Falls. Citizen 33’s Teton Valley IPA is brewed from 100% Idaho ingredients. Nine flagship beers are always on tap, with seven seasonal rotations.
“We want people to come here and have amazing beer,” said John, the brewer. “We’re small but that keeps it fun and keeps it creative.” Mission accomplished!
Facts: Located at 364 N Main Street in Driggs. Hours are Friday through Tuesday from 4 to 10 p.m.; closed Wednesdays and Thursdays. Call 208-354-2073, or visit citizen33.com.
Grand Teton Distillery
An award-winning, family-owned and operated craft distillery, Grand Teton Distillery uses the mineral-rich, pure glacial snowmelt from the Tetons and famous Idaho potatoes in its vodkas and whiskey.
Located in Driggs with a background of the Teton range, the distillery’s owners, John Boczar and his wife, Karyn, are extremely proud of what they have built over the past 12 years and of the high quality of the vodkas and whiskeys. John is also the head distiller.
The vodka is distilled the equivalent of 20 times in small batches with every step carefully monitored. It is then freeze-filtered six times through charcoal and garnet crystal sand to provide the cleanest, softest and highest quality spirit possible. Grand Teton Potato Vodka is the only vodka to win a double gold medal in the United States two years consecutively from the San Fransisco World Spirits competition. The vodka is distilled the equivalent of 20 times in small batches with every step carefully monitored.
The distillery recently announced the release of its Private Stock American Single Malt Whiskey. Aged in used bourbon barrels for seven years, this release is one of the longest-aged American single malts on the market.
Tours of the distillery are given every hour and cost $5 per guest 21 and over; under 21 is free. There is a maximum of 8 guests per tour group. Tastings are free and are available up until 30 minutes before closing. No booking is required for tastings, however, priority and available seating is given to tour guests.
The distillery recently opened a new 2,000-square-foot tasting room and retail space.
Facts: Located at 1755 ID-33 in Driggs. Hours are Monday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call 208-354-7263, or visit tetondistillery.com.
Tiger Taproom/Teton Thai
Teton Thai restaurant—serving Pan-Asian and Thai cuisine— is located in Driggs, and has been a favorite dining destination for people living in and visiting both Teton Valley and Jackson Hole for years. And in 2019, the eatery opened the adjacent Tiger Taproom and has never looked back.
Brewed in a one barrel-sized system by Jackson Hole native Caelan Munz, who now calls Teton Valley (Idaho) home, there are usually four craft beers on tap, two of which are house beers —Session Pale Ale and a British Pale Ale called “Moneypenny” in a nod to James Bond. There is a focus on low-alcohol ales (lower APV; Alcohol Per Volume). Caelan uses European ingredients in the beer he brews, sourcing the best German grain on the market.
The Taproom can accommodate 20 or so patrons (there is also a small outdoor area for patrons), with a food menu that includes yummy takes on General Tso’s chicken, Nomad egg roles, a Kimchi burger and lettuce wraps with chicken or tofu.
Facts: Located at 18 North Main Street, Suite 120 in Driggs. Hours are Thursday through Sunday, from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Teton Thai is open daily for dinner from 4:30 to 9 p.m. Call 208-787-8424, or visit tetonthai.com/tiger-taproom.
Other Breweries/Taphouses
Victor is also home to two other breweries and one taphouse.
Wildlife Brewing is a pizzeria and small independent craft brewery offering microbrews made on-site and is located at 145 So. Main Street. It opens at 4 p.m. daily.
Refuge Taphouse is known for curating an ever-changing beer selection. There are local beers on tap such as kegs from Citizen 33 and Guidepost Brewing as well as Roadhouse Brewing, but it’s the selection from elsewhere that keeps folks coming back. Refuge is located at 2 No. Main Street and is open from 3 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 2 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Guidepost Brewing offers innovative, small-batch, handcrafted beers. The brewery, taproom and eatery is located at 175 W. Center Street, a new facility that opened in December 2023.
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