Hot poker beer in German 'beer spiking' tradition at Billings Heights brewery

As snowflakes drifted over Billings on Saturday, locals gathered around a fire pit at 105 Brewing in the Heights to partake in a unique St. Patrick's Day weekend event: the centuries-old German tradition of bierstacheln.

This practice, known as beer spiking, involves plunging a red-hot iron into a glass of dark beer. The intense heat causes the beer to foam and caramelize, transforming its flavor and temperature.

“This weekend is a celebratory weekend for many different reasons, and we thought we'd give this a shot,” said Travis Zeilstra, founder and head brewer at 105 Brewing.

Zeilstra, who has over 20 years of brewing experience, has long wanted to introduce this tradition to the brewery and hopes it will become an annual event.

The origins of bierstacheln date back hundreds of years. According to Zeilstra, during cold winters, people would warm their beer by inserting a hot poker from their stove or fire pit, making the drink more palatable.

The hot iron rapidly heats the beer, creating new flavors within seconds.

“Adding the hot poker changes the flavor components, warms up the beer, and creates a caramelized sugar or toasted marshmallow flavor,” Zeilstra explained. “You get a second beer experience in the same glass.”

For many attendees, it was their first encounter with this technique. Heights residents Brenna Moloney and Anne Genereux decided to try it after hearing about the event.

“I thought it sounded different and interesting and a nice thing to do. Cozy on a snowy winter day,” said Moloney. “I’ve never heard of this before.”

“It was cool. It was super fun,” added Genereux. “It tastes good.”

While the beer spiking drew curiosity, many patrons said the bigger reason they keep coming back is the sense of community the brewery has created in the Heights.

Since opening last year, 105 Brewing has hosted trivia nights, dancing, and weekly meetups for groups in the community.

“The Heights has really embraced us ever since we opened, and we're really thankful for that,” Zeilstra said. “It's been challenging, like all retail and service industry, and we're getting a really good foundation, and we're excited for the future.”

While the beer may start out cold, the traditions and community around it are quickly warming up in the Heights.