Get your fill in CdA

There’s a new growler fill option on the north side of Coeur d’Alene, with a bigger one still to come.

The Fred Meyer store on Kathleen launched its growler station today, with 10 taps serving an assortment of local and regional beers and ciders.

And a mile to the south, North Idaho’s first Growler Guys outlet is expected to open the week before Thanksgiving on Appleway just off Highway 95.

About two dozen Meyer stores throughout the Northwest have added growler stations since the first three went into operation in Portland in January 2014.

“Our customers have been asking for it, and it’s great to be able to provide it for them,” says Darin Gerimonte, the Coeur d’Alene store director.

The plan is to pour eight beers and two ciders, says wine steward Mark Cooke. “We’ll be carrying things you can’t normally get in six-packs,” he says.

The opening lineup includes Laughing Dog’s Grapefruit Pale, River City’s Huckleberry and No-Li’s Spin Cycle Red, along with two Southern Idaho selections – McCall’s Say Wut! Coconut Porter and Crooked Fence’s Evil Harvest Pumpkin Ale – and three more from Washington: Iron Horse Mocha Death, Georgetown Lucille IPA and Mack & Jack’s African Amber.

There’s only room for sixth-barrel (five-gallon) kegs in the store cooler, so offerings will rotate frequently, Cooke says.

The Growler Guys at 225 W. Appleway (behind the new Chipotle Mexican Grill) will have 48 wall taps for beer, cider, sangria, cold-pressed coffee and craft sodas, plus a few more for kombucha.

Laura Nelson, who’s opening the store along with her husband, Doug, grew up in Bend and became familiar with the franchise, which started there three years ago, during visits with family.

After moving to Coeur d’Alene from Boise last year, she says, “We wanted to bring a bigger variety of beer to the area.”

At least a few locally brewed beers will always be on tap, Nelson assures. “We’re excited to become part of the brewing community here,” she says. “We’ve talked with some of the local brewers and they’re awesome people.”

Like many Growler Guys locations, including the two in Spokane, it will carry Crowlers – 32-ounce cans that are filled and sealed on the spot – along with regular glass growlers.

Like some others, including the North Spokane store , it will also serve beer to drink onsite, in both pints and taster flights, along with a limited food menu of pizza, wings and breadsticks. There will be seating for 40 people, and a giant Jenga game for entertainment (entry limited to 21 and older).

“There are some beers where you just want to have a pint, and that’s it,” Nelson says, “nice, quality sipping beers that might be too expensive for a growler.”

Unlike the Spokane stores, it will offer a drive-through window for fills (which is illegal in Washington).

“If you don’t want to get out of the car in your pajamas in the middle of the night, you can just drive through,” says Nelson. And with the Crowlers, she says, “If people forget to bring their growlers, they can just grab something and go.”

The project is on track for a Nov. 20 opening, Nelson says. “The push is for before Thanksgiving, we have our fingers crossed,” she says. “People need good beer to take home and be with their families, right?”