Black Star Beer

The Great Northern Brewing Company is a craft brewery founded in 1994 and headquartered in Whitefish, Montana, within the Flathead Valley region. Established by Minott Wessinger, a fifth-generation brewer and great-great grandson of Henry Weinhard of the historic Blitz-Weinhard Brewery, the company was built on a deep family legacy of brewing spanning multiple generations. The Wessinger family's brewing heritage traces back through the Blitz-Weinhard Brewery in Portland, Oregon, which was sold by the family in 1979 before Minott and his father Fred returned to the craft over a decade later to found The Great Northern Brewing Company.

The brewery's flagship product is Black Star Double Hopped Golden Lager, a handcrafted lager distinguished by its double-hopped brewing process. This product represents the company's commitment to producing premium, carefully crafted lagers using quality ingredients including select hops and barley. Black Star is the primary focus of the brewery's production efforts and has developed a strong regional following in Montana and the Flathead Valley.

The brewery facility itself was designed by renowned architect Joe Esherick and constructed using a traditional Gravity Flow arrangement, a time-honored brewing design that leverages gravity to move ingredients through the brewing process. Despite being considered one of the more complex brew houses for its size in the United States, the operation is largely automated. The facility also features an open and spacious fermenting and packaging area known as the Cellar, which is designed to accommodate multiple simultaneous brewery operations, reflecting a thoughtful approach to production efficiency.

To meet growing regional demand for Black Star, the company has extended its production through a contract brewing partnership with an established brewery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This partner brews Black Star using the same hops, barley, and production standards as the original Whitefish facility, ensuring product consistency across both brewing locations. This dual-location production model allows the company to scale supply while maintaining the quality standards associated with the brand.

The Great Northern Brewing Company celebrated its 15th anniversary of first brewing on February 6th, 2010, underscoring its longevity and continued relevance in the regional craft beer market. The brewery positions itself within the handcrafted lager segment, targeting consumers in Montana and the broader Northwest region who value artisanal brewing traditions and quality ingredients.