Bikes and beers go together like bacon and eggs, Batman and Robin, or hot summer days and ice cream cones. Like most ski town dwellers, Sun Valleyites have a penchant for cold brews, especially after a long, hot bike ride in one of the surrounding five mountain ranges. Sun Valley and the surrounding areas offer a plethora of places to quench a hard-earned thirst with local beers. So grab your bike and make your own Strava segment to and from these thirst-quenching locales. For the ultimate tour de suds, we suggest starting in Ketchum and making your way to Hailey.
Sawtooth Brewery
The Sawtooth Brewery has two convenient locations: the Public House in Ketchum and the Brewery & Tap Room in Hailey. Start off in Ketchum by Warm Springs Road and sample one, or a few, of the 25 house-crafted beers on tap, inspired by the surrounding mountain ranges. In addition, the brewery also serves wine, cider and kombucha. Try out a Flow Trail Pale Ale after a long pedal, or maybe the False Summit Amber Ale is more your style after a day in the saddle. Either way, the drafts at the Sawtooth are a great way to wind down after a day in the mountains, or when simply riding bikes from brewery to brewery.
Warfield Distillery and Brewery
The Warfield Distillery and Brewery is located on Main Street in Ketchum. Crafted with organic malt and whole leaf hops, the beers at the Warfield are made in similar fashion to those from olden day breweries – without automation. Cask ales, for example, are aged for a month in cellars to achieve flavor perfection. Park your bike and take a seat on the Warfield rooftop deck and wet your whistler with a Toothy Grin British Bitter or Thorny Thistle Scottish Ale.
Power House
The tour de suds continues 12 miles south in Hailey. Take a casual cruise down the Wood River Trail, a bike path that connects Ketchum with Sun Valley and Hailey. Exit the path at Myrtle Street and make your way over to the Power House on Main Street. The Power House, while not a brewery on its own, is the perfect spot to grab a bite to eat and cool off with a unique, hard-to-find beer. Twenty beers on tap include River Bend, brewed right in Hailey, as well as local favorites from Orgeon and distant cousins from Germany and Belgium. Need a little more air in your tires or a quick tune? The Power House also offers a full service bike shop. Enjoy a few lawn games and maybe a plate of Idaho Nachos (French fries smothered in chili, goat cheese, green onions and cheddar) before pedaling off to the next destination.
Sun Valley Brewery
Serving twelve seasonal and locally made beers alongside delicious pub fare (including pizza and wings), the Sun Valley Brewery is yet another ideal location to sit back and relax with a house-made ale. White Cloud Ale, an Amber English Ale, is the original recipe from 1986 and still a crowd favorite. Feeling adventurous? Try the Vanilla Rum Porter, you’ll taste notes of whole vanilla beans steeped in Dark Spiced Rum.
Not-to-Miss Addition: Grumpy’s
While not a brewery or boutique beer destination, Grumpy’s in Ketchum is a highly recommended additional locale that warrants a visit after an epic day in the mountains, or during an afternoon booze cruise. Decorated wall-to-wall in old license plates, slightly inappropriate signage, stickers and ski memorabilia, Grumpy’s is a not-to-miss establishment offering the ultimate thirst-quencher, the schooner. Paired with a Fowl Burger or Corn Dog and fries, you simply can’t go wrong with this large and economical draft. Always a crowd pleaser, Grumpy’s also offers gluten-free options: Mike’s Hard Lemonade.
After a long day of biking and beer sampling, we suggest taking the Mountain Rides bus back to Ketchum. Equipped with bike racks, the Valley Route will safely bring you back from Hailey for only $3. Find route information here: https://www.mountainrides.org/valley-route/
