Fills on the fly

Coeur d’Alene’s new Growler Guys gives a whole new meaning to beer to go.

Opening tomorrow at 225 W. Appleway, just off Highway 95 behind the upcoming Chipotle Mexican Grill, it will have a drive-through window for fills.

“If you don’t want to get out of the car in your pajamas, you can just drive through,” says Laura Nelson, who owns the Oregon-based franchise’s newest location along with her husband, Doug.

Whatever they’re wearing, the first 1,500 customers for the grand opening Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. will receive a free glass growler along with their first fill.

There will be plenty of choices, including such specialties as the Sorry Not Sorry imperial IPA collaboration between Bale Breaker, Stone and 4 Hands brewed with pureed peaches and experimental hops, Ommegang’s Three Philosophers quad, The Bruery’s 8 Maids-a-Milking imperial stout and Anderson Valley’s Bourbon Barrel Stout.

Avery’s The Beast also reportedly will be on tap, but only for 5-ounce taster pours. Along with growlers (and canned Crowlers ) to go, the store serves beer for on-premise consumption in tasters and pints, with seating for 40 people.

Close to half the beer offerings are local, including Daft Badger’s All Souls Autumn Ale; Downdraft’s Anonymous Amber; Iron Goat’s Spo-Hop community fresh hop; Laughing Dog’s Two-One Niner pilsner; Mad Bomber’s Project Classified hoppy black ale and Community Fresh Hop; No-Li’s Born & Raised IPA and Crony brown; Paradise Creek’s Huckleberry Pucker; Selkirk Abbey’s Chapel witbier, Infidel Belgian IPA and 8 Degrees dubbel; Slate Creek’s Norse Nectar; Twelve String’s Mango Mambo and G-String Blonde; and Wallace’s Huckleberry Shandy (a brewery rep will be on hand Friday from noon to 2).

Besides beer, the 48 taps also are pouring five ciders (including One Tree Caramel Cinnamon and Lake City Hopped), a mead, both regular and hard root beers, cold-pressed coffee on nitro and two kombuchas.

A food menu features pizzas, wings, breadsticks and both beer and root beer floats. Entertainment options for those who drink and dine in include a pair of TVs plus cornhole and giant Jenga games. (Only 21 and older are allowed inside.)

Hours are Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The phone number is (208) 930-4382.

And for last-minute holiday fills, they’ll be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving.