This brewery’s taproom closed. It’ll reopen with food — and beer that ‘tastes’ like Boise

A nearly decade-old Boise brewery is becoming a “brand new” version of itself — with a renewed passion for its Idaho roots.

It’s adding food to the equation, too.

Woodland Empire Ale Craft, 1114 W. Front St., closed its taproom about three weeks ago to remodel, co-owner David Roberts said in a phone interview.

Observant drinkers have noticed that the brewery recently revised its logo and unveiled a few new beers in cans.

It’s all part of a rebrand for Woodland Empire, which changed ownership last year. Local beer aficionados will enjoy “a brand new Woodland Empire,” according to the brewery’s Instagram account.

When the taproom reopens — in a couple of weeks or so, Roberts estimated — it will be upgraded with a food menu. Woodland Empire is taking over the adjacent kitchen space formerly used by Manfred’s Kitchen, which closed last year. The restaurant concept will be counter service, Roberts said, and “it’s still more about the beer than the food.”

The initial menu will feature “drive-in style” cuisine, he explained. “Burgers, fried chicken sandwich, french fries, some salads. I think it will develop over time, but our goal is to keep it really simple at first.”

‘Place-based’ beers

Opened in 2014, Woodland Empire was sold last year to Roberts and three business partners: Dave Krick and Jami Adams, who own Bittercreek Alehouse, Diablo & Sons and Red Feather Lounge in downtown Boise; and Jake Black, owner of Lost Grove Brewing, which has two Boise locations.

Woodland Empire’s beer primarily is distributed in Idaho but also in Oregon and Alaska. “Our focus is very much on selling beer in Idaho,” Roberts said.

That Gem State spirit will permeate future Woodland Empire beers, he said, in ingredients and recipe philosophy.

“I think that Boise, Idaho, and Idaho in general have this unique potential to have beers that are very place-based,” he said. “Our goal is to increasingly push forward in that direction.

“Our beers can taste like the place they’re from. That’s part of what makes beer so interesting to me. Because historically, beer always tasted like wherever you went.”

New beers

Here are some of the new releases:

▪ Long Ride Premium Pilsner — With roots dating back to the pandemic, this is a “German pilsner with identity of the Pacific Northwest,” Roberts said.

▪ Bicycle Picnic — A rotating series using seasonal ingredients, Bicycle Picnic’s current formula is a saison described as a “dandelion ale,” Roberts said. It’s a collaboration with the Boise Parks and Recreation Department, which had volunteers pick dandelions in local parks, he said. The next version will be a fresh hop ale this fall.

▪ Juicy Royale — Woodland Empire’s hazy IPA series comes in three versions with increasingly higher alcohol content: Petite Royale (out now), Juicy Royale (rolling out soon) and Grand Royale (a double hazy that will appear this winter).

▪ Big Catalpa — City of Trees IPA is Woodland Empire’s flagship IPA. Big Catalpa, a West Coast double IPA, essentially “is like a bigger City of Trees,” Roberts said, in flavor, aroma and alcohol strength.