The Bonsai Story
Meet the people behind the past, present, and future of this handcrafted legacy
From a Homegrown Dream to a Whitefish Favorite
In 2025, Bonsai began its next chapter with Daniel and Jordan Wright, along with Daniel’s business partner and aunt, Charlotte Lubert. What started as a vacation stop in 2017 soon became something much bigger: a chance to carry on a beloved local institution.
They believe deeply in what makes Bonsai special: community, creativity, craft, and the easygoing vibe that has drawn locals and travelers for more than a decade.
The plan was never to reinvent Bonsai, but rather to honor it, keeping the classics people love, supporting the staff who make this place what it is, and inviting in new ideas where they fit. With the help of head brewer, longtime Montana brewer Marty Vollmer, the focus is clear: Keep the magic. Grow thoughtfully. Brew great beer. Stay true to Whitefish.
The Origins of Bonsai: Graham and Keela
Bonsai was the passion project of Graham Hart and Keela Smith, who spent more than twelve years building one of Whitefish’s most beloved gathering places. Born and raised locally, they infused Bonsai with humor, creativity, and a laid-back spirit that welcomed strangers, families, dogs, and friends alike.
After more than a decade of hard work and countless shared memories, Graham and Keela chose to pass the torch to caretakers who would honor what they built. They remain part of the valley, still chasing new adventures and cheering Bonsai on.
Their legacy lives on in every pint.
The Brewery
The original brewhouse was built piece by piece. We turned wine tanks into fermenters, kegs into vessels, and hand-cut redwood into cladding. Over time, the system grew into the 7BBL setup used today, with only a few of the original parts remaining as a nod to Bonsai’s scrappy, inventive beginnings.
What hasn’t changed is the creative, independent, and unpretentious spirit.
The Barrel House
The Barrel House is a dedicated space for mixed-fermentation ales, wild projects, and barrel-aged beers. Barrels once used for wine, whiskey, rum, gin, tequila, and other spirits lend depth and character to each beer. This is where Bonsai gets experimental, funky, fruity, complex, and occasionally weird, giving life to limited-release bottles.
What’s always changing is what’s aging back there, and you never quite know what might come next.
Our Connection to Whitefish
Bonsai is a product of its surroundings. The trails, the rivers, the people, the dreamers, the dogs, and the community that make Whitefish feel like home.
We respect this land and the people who have cared for it long before us, and through that, we practice and encourage stewardship. Leave no trace, pack it in, pack it out, protect our paradise.
Whitefish raised Bonsai, and Bonsai is proud to give right back.
Keep the Good Times Pouring
Because the best moments are brewed right here in Whitefish — with cold beer, warm vibes, and mountain air.
