frequently asked questions

Do you have Food at the Garden City Taproom? (aka the Brewery Taproom)

Yes! We are partnering with Joker’s BBQ Food Truck five days a week (Wednesday thru Sundays) with occasional rotating trucks on Tuesdays (see Event Calendar). Joker’s BBQ is a locally owned and operated business (just like Barbarian) and operates independently of Barbarian.
Joker’s Hours:
Wed – Fri 4-8pm
Sat 12-8pm
Sun 12-4pm

Are kids and dogs allowed at the new Garden City Taproom?

Kids are allowed, but please remember we are Barbarians and our furniture & decor is not kid friendly. We are an adult drinking establishment.

Dogs are allowed inside but must be on leash and well-behaved.

Why are minors NOT allowed at the Downtown Beer Bar?

The Downtown Beer Bar does NOT produce/brew beer on-site, therefore, we are classified strictly as a “bar” according to the Idaho State Alcohol Beverage Control and are not allowed to let minors on the patio or in the Taproom/Beer Bar. No exceptions this rule, not even babies.

Do you have Food at the Downtown Beer Bar?

We do not have a kitchen or food truck on-site at the Downtown Boise Beer Bar. BUT- we have partnered with our neighbors, Calle75 Street Tacos, for online ordering and tableside delivery to your table at Barbarian. We have menus on all our tables to easily order food through Calle75.

Where can I find your beer around Boise?

You can find our beer in both of our Taprooms and, occasionally, we will be on draft at a few restaurants or bars in town. We are a small brewery operating on a 10 bbl brew system, so most days we just brew enough beer to keep our taprooms supplied. Luckily, our Garden City Taproom is open 7 days a week and our Downtown Beer Bar is open Tuesday thru Sundays.

Can I buy your beer online?

Unfortunately, not at this time. Our town elders won’t let us dance…or sell beer over the interwebs.

What's with all the wolf names?

We like wolves….But here’s the real story. The owners of Barbarian have a Siberian Husky named Conan and he was named Conan because it’s Gaelic for “Little Wolf.” The scientific name for hops is “humulus lupulus” and lupus is the diminutive of lupus (wolf). So we called the first IPA we made Little Wolf IPA and the wolf names started flowing with the rest of the IPAs: Big Bad Wolf, Beta Wolf, NeoWolf, Space Wolf, Wolf’s Bane, etc.

How do you sour beer?

We make two types of sours here at Barbarian: Kettle sours (quick turn around) and Barrel-aged Sours (months in the barrel!)

Kettle Sours – The wort is created and bacteria, lactobacillus, is added before it is brewed. The beer is then boiled, hence killing the bacteria, fermented, carbonated, kegged and ready for draft in 2-3 weeks.

Barrel Aged Sours – The wort is made like a normal CLEAN beer, transferred to the fermenter, where it ferments until the desired alcohol percentage is reached, then it is transferred to an oak barrel. The brettanomyces/lactobacillus are then added to the barrel for a SLOW, ORGANIC transformation of the beer. This process could take 3 months to 2 years depending on if the barrel is brand new to us or the desired outcome of the beer. Once James determines its readiness, fruit/spices may be added, then it will sit for another month or two and then kegged and bottled.

Can der drink morvan fre yer bers an stil strand uprit?

Well, our beers our a little higher in octane that most places here in town, so you should probably call an Uber or Lift if you plan on staying a while.