On Tap: Ballpark expands lineup of flavors with craft offerings
There are some promising new names in the Spokane Indians lineup this season – the beer lineup, that is.
The draft roster at Avista Stadium features eight newcomers – all craft styles – from the likes of No-Li, Firestone Walker and Sam Adams. That brings the regular rotation to 22 flavors at the stadium’s 70 taps.
“If I put Coors Light and Bud Light on every handle, it’s going to sell, but we’re going to sell more if there’s something new out there,” said Justin Stottlemyre, the Indians’ director of concessions and operations.
“What people ask for more than anything – they don’t say, ‘What do you have on tap that’s craft,’ they say, ‘What do you have on tap that’s local,’ ” he added.
Until last year, the only answer to that question was Clem’s Gold lager from Orlison. Then midway through the season, Stottlemyre added No-Li’s Born & Raised IPA, which was a big hit.
This season, it’s joined by the brewery’s light but flavorful Poser pale (available only at the Grotto concession stand in right field) and the strong, orange-accented Brass Monkey (in the members-only Diamond Club).
No-Li also has released a special bottling of its new golden ale (see Freshly Tapped below) to commemorate the inaugural Northwest League/Pioneer League All-Star Game, coming to Avista on Aug. 4.
India pale ales dominate the rest of the season’s newcomers, including three from Firestone Walker: the sessionable Easy Jack, regular Union Jack and, on occasion, the imperial Double Jack. Those are joined by the Rebel IPA from Sam Adams and the White IPA by Coors’ Blue Moon label.
The other new addition is Adams’ Illusive Traveler grapefruit shandy, which could do well given the previous success of Leinenkugel’s lemony Summer Shandy. That has shot to No. 2 on the Avista sales chart, Stottlemyre says, behind Coors Light and ahead of Bud Light.
As part of a promotion with the Washington Beer Commission, punch cards will be available listing the stadium’s craft selections. Drink them all (no, not at once), and completed cards can be entered in drawings for prizes including tickets to the commission’s Inland Northwest Craft Beer Festival, which returns to Avista in October.
Get your hops on
Area breweries also are teaming up with another local sports institution, Hoopfest.
Black Label, Iron Goat, No-Li, Orlison, Perry Street, River City, Steam Plant and Twelve String are pouring at today’s Hopfest at Hoopfest, part of the new practice session on courts along Post Street next to City Hall from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. There also will be cornhole games and DJ and live music.
Admission is $10, which includes two drink tickets (you get a 5-ounce taster for one ticket, 12-ounce pours for two). Additional tickets are $3 each or $5 for two.
Valley tidings
Two new beer-related businesses are taking shape in the Spokane Valley.
Steady Flow Growler House hopes to open by the end of August at 328 N. Sullivan Road (behind Shari’s Restaurant). Along with three dozen taps, it will have 15 seats and serve beer on-premises.
And Sun Mountain Brewing Co. has filed for a microbrewery license at 202 N. Greenacres Road. The planned seven-barrel brewery hopes to open this fall.
Freshly tapped
• Hopped Up’s Valley Pilsner (6.5 percent alcohol by volume, 50 International Bitterness Units), a hearty ale version of the classic lager style, is lightly sweet and fruity with a dry finish.
• A Blood Orange Ale (5.6, 19) infused with organic oranges is back for the summer at the Steam Plant.
• No-Li’s easy-drinking All-Star Golden Ale (5, 15) replaces the previous cream ale as a regular draft offering at the pub.
• The Tiny Saison (4.4, 15) at Perry Street is flavorful for its strength, with subtle spice and fruit notes and a bone-dry finish.
• Iron Goat returns a pair of seasonal offerings: the light, citrusy Shin Kicker (formerly Lawn Mower) India session ale (4.8, 58), and tart Blackberry Apricot Sour (6.5, 16), fermented with a new yeast this year for some balancing fruitiness and sweetness.
• Downdraft’s India “Rad” Ale (7, 83) floats citrusy, herbal hops over a rich red malt body.
• On the barrel-aged side, look for the limited-release Imperial Coconut Porter (8.3, 49) from Jamaican rum barrels at Twelve String, and a blend of River City’s Huckleberry Ale (5, 6) after four weeks in Barrister merlot, shiraz and sangiovese barrels.
Save the date
• Europa Restaurant and Bakery is hosting a five-course brewer’s dinner featuring No-Li beers on July 10. Cost is $55; call (509) 455-4051 for reservations.
Honor roll
Five Inland Northwest brewers took home medals from the third annual Washington Beer Awards at last weekend’s Washington Brewers Festival in Redmond.
Gold went to No-Li for Spin Cycle Red, Twelve String for Crescendo Series Valley Red and Pullman’s Paradise Creek for Scottish Stovepipe. Paradise Creek also took silver for Invective Stout, as did English Setter for Field Point Brown and River City for Congratulator Doppelbock.