SigMT

SiG MT 14 GREAT FALLS, MONTANA KELLERGEIST: Where Germany Meets Montana 111 Central Avenue, Great Falls, MT arnishes don't come any fresher than those served in cocktails at the KellerGeist Pub eater. Matthias Schalper handcras each concoction, clipping mint for your mojito from the upstairs herb garden. Schalper, a former engineer from Birkenfeld, Germany, offers an enticing list of signature cocktails as well as 30 German beers at his Great Falls pub. Crowd favorites include Kölsch from Cologne, which Schalper says is "similar to a pilsner but more robust" as well as Weihenstephaner—"the world's oldest beer, from a Bavarian monastery. ey've been brewing beer since 1040, the time of the Holy Crusades." Other house specialties include Glühwein, red wine mulled with sugar and traditional Christmas spices including cinnamon and cloves. e popular Ghost in the Cellar cocktail comes with some fanfare: A frosted glass is smoked with freshly burned cherrywood before the bourbon-based shaker contents are added. e smoky, fruity aroma intoxicates the senses before the first sip. With a current capacity of 15, KellerGeist has a friendly, welcoming neighborhood vibe. Schalper plans to expand the bar in the next year, eventually offering simple German food and adding a small theater for occasional musical acts, standup comedy, and independent films. URBAN AFFAIRS Neighborhoods G An extensive selection of beer includes Bitburger, Pinkus Ur pilsner, as well as several Montana brews on tap. An engineer by trade, Matthias Schalper first came to Montana to study and measure wind. He now toasts Great Falls from the KellerGeist bar. The KellerGeist ("Cellar Ghost" in German) is located in a historic building that Schalper hopes to restore to a classic 1920s look.

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