On Tap: V Twin brings together brewer’s two loves

V Twin Brewing is all about the bikes and the beer.

The new Valley brewery, in a business strip across from McDonald’s just south of Argonne and Montgomery, is named after a type of motorcycle engine. The L-shaped taproom, which wraps around the southeast corner of the building, is done up in Harley-Davidson colors with orange walls and black trim and tables (chalkboard-topped for doodling).

Motorcycle parts and memorabilia hang on the walls, and silver metal inlays of the brewery’s stylized Harley logo accent the black bartop.

“It’s about riding bikes and having a beer, for the people who work hard, put their blood and sweat into it – it’s something for them,” said owner/brewer Barry Black, who likes to get out with wife Kim on the 2007 Heritage Softail Classic they got five years ago for their 20th anniversary.

But with all the work getting the brewery up and running, he said, “I’ve barely been able to ride my Harley this year. It’s been sitting in the garage crying.”

It all started when Black accompanied a friend to a liqueur-making class at a local homebrew store some 10 years ago. “I went there with no idea of homebrewing, but it just kind of fascinated me,” he said.

Kim got him a beer-making kit that Christmas, and he quickly progressed to all-grain brewing. He started winning medals in homebrew competitions and received some public exposure pouring at a First Friday event by his former employer, Numerica Credit Union, and then the Spokane District Dental Society Foundation’s Pop a Cork for a Cause fundraiser.

“Everybody kept saying, ‘You’ve got to sell your beer,’ ” Black said.

Now he is, brewing two barrels (four kegs) at a time on a shiny new electric system. The initial six core offerings are based on some of his most popular homebrew recipes.

There’s a straightforward, filtered Wheat Glide, after the Harley Street Glide (5.7 percent alcohol by volume, 42 International Bitterness Units); a single-malt, single-hop SMaSH & Grab (6.9, 31) with rich Maris Otter malt and spicy Chinook hops; a Rye Open (6.5, 33) with hints of pepper; a dryish, somewhat hoppy I Pee Ale amber (8, 80); and one of Black’s favorites, a lightly roasty Brake Line Brown (6, 40) which may see some smoky malts in future versions.

Most distinctive is the Suicide Shifter IPA (7.5, 138), the third-place winner at last year’s local Battle of the Homebrews, which gets some smoothness from honey and a complex, lingering hoppiness from a combination of Simcoe, Columbus, Chinook, Centennial and Amarillo.

The small-batch Thumpin Punk-Kin and vanilla-accented KB Porter that were on for last weekend’s grand opening will be gone by the time you read this, though the porter (5.6, 24), which finished fourth in 2014’s Battle of the Homebrews, is scheduled to return as a full batch. Black also brewed a hefeweizen this week that will be ready shortly.

And in case beer’s not your ride, cranberry and crisp apple ciders from nearby One Tree round out the 10 taps for starters.

Brewery watch

V Twin’s opening follows the recent launch of Badass Backyard Brewing’s new taproom to the south on Argonne, and they could have company to the north before long.

Millwood Brewing still is awaiting a building permit for its project in the former Cunningham Studio on Frederick west of Argonne. It hopes to begin interior remodeling soon with an eye toward opening by next spring.

Farther east, work is progressing at Sun Mountain Brewing on Greenacres Road. No opening date has been projected.

Belgian-themed Selkirk Abbey is launching a new label, Northern Cross, to broaden its appeal by offering more familiar styles. First up is an old-school, Northwest-style IPA hopped with Cascade and Centennial, due early next month; an amber and robust Russian porter are in the works.

Freshly tapped

Back for fall is River City’s Midnight Marmot Imperial Stout (9 percent alcohol by volume, 78 International Bitterness Units), full of espresso, chocolate and dark fruit flavors with a dry, roasty finish.

Orlison is pouring a Snowplough Imperial Chocolate Stout (8, 45) brewed with Dominican cocoa nibs.

Daft Badger’s Bourbon Stout (10, 11) is a version of its regular Josiah’s Revenge imperial stout conditioned with smoked, whiskey-soaked oak chips.

Both Perry Street and Slate Creek are serving big, malty Scotch styles: Perry’s lightly smoky Scotch Ale (7.4, 25) and Slate Creek’s Fly’N Kilt (7.2, 30).

Both Slate Creek and New Boundary have released rye beers brewed with fresh hops contributed by customers: Slate Creek’s Backyard Harvest Rye IPA (7, 70) and New Boundary’s Rye Pale (6, 40).

Waddell’s SpoLite (4, 22) is a more flavorful take on the typical mass-market light lager.

Save the date

Nu Home Brew & Bottles celebrates Learn to Homebrew Day on Nov. 5 with a brewing class and demonstration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., while Bellwether hosts a taste-off from 2 to 5 featuring variations on a base pale ale recipe by members of the Inland Brewers Unite club.

Downdraft has its second anniversary party Nov. 5 (details to be announced).

Your first beer is free at Mad Bomber’s customer appreciation day Nov. 6.

Perry Street again prepares for ski season with its third annual Pray For Snow party Nov. 10, including classic ski films, a vintage ski attire contest, vendor booths, raffles and merchandise giveaways.

Send beer news, comments and questions to senior correspondent Rick Bonino at boninobeer@comcast.net.