On Tap: Brewing up relief for Camp Fire victims

Hundreds of breweries across the country – including six in Spokane – are showing their Christmas spirit by coming to the aid of Northern California fire victims.

More than 1,200 breweries worldwide have joined forces with Sierra Nevada to brew a beer to benefit those affected by last month’s devastating Camp Fire, which killed 88 people and destroyed 10,000 homes.

Resilience Butte County Proud IPA (6.8 percent alcohol by volume, 65 International Bitterness Units) is an old-school recipe that includes pale and caramel malts along with Chinook, Centennial and Cascade hops. All proceeds from sales of the beer will be donated to Sierra Nevada’s Camp Fire Relief Fund.

Locally, Twelve String tapped a limited cask of its rendition Tuesday, to be followed by the regular version next Tuesday. Also look for releases at Humble Abode on Saturday, Big Barn next Wednesday, Iron Goat on Dec. 22 (with live music and Sierra reps on hand) and Badass Backyard on Dec. 27.

No-Li plans to brew its version in January after finishing this month’s Get Frosted fundraiser, which includes specialty beers each week plus a souvenir ornament being sold for $10 to benefit SpokAnimal.

Other Inland Northwest breweries participating in Resilience include Hunga Dunga (Moscow), Paradise Creek (Pullman) and Riverport (Clarkston).

Good Daft deeds

Daft Badger is making charitable contributions a regular part of its culture through “Daft Gives Back.”

For happy hour from 2 to 5 p.m. each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the Coeur d’Alene brewery is offering $1 off pints and also donating $2 from each sale to a designated charity each month. First up is the St. Vincent de Paul warming shelter for the homeless.

Save the date

As if your holiday calendar isn’t already crowded enough, check out these craft beer events:

The downtown Steady Flow Growler House has a tap takeover by four of its favorite breweries – Crux, Firestone Walker, Fremont and Payette – on Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. There’s also a white elephant gift exchange and a holiday movie costume contest with merchandise prizes.

Trickster’s celebrates its sixth anniversary Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. (rescheduled from Dec. 1). The first 100 customers receive free food from the Iverson’s Smokin Pig BBQ truck, and everyone is invited to participate in the white elephant exchange (limit $15 per item).

The Valley Steady Flow Growler House hosts its third annual Barrel Aged Cornucopia on Saturday from 2 to 6 p.m.

Post Falls Brewing’s Holiday Jingle on Saturday starting at 6 p.m. will feature DJ music, door prizes and pizza for sale by Pi-Idaho Artisan Pizza. Wear your ugliest Christmas sweater, festive pajamas or other favorite holiday attire.

Santa visits Waddell’s Brewpub for photos on Sunday from noon to 5 (cost is $6, with $5 going to the Yoke’s Season of Giving Food Drive; canned food donations also accepted), then picks up Mrs. Claus and heads to Millwood Brewing from 5:30 to 7 with treats for the kids.

River City’s Marmot Fest returns for a “Day of Darkness” on the winter solstice, Dec. 21 from 5 to 10 p.m. with infused, vintage and barrel-aged versions of the brewery’s seasonal Midnight Marmot imperial stout. Tickets are $21, which includes four 8-ounce pours; order in advance online at www.ticketsource.us/river-city-brewing and get a souvenir tulip glass.

Freshly tapped

Iron Goat’s Belsnickel (7.5 percent ABV, 28 IBU) – named after the German Christmas figure who carries treats for good children and a switch to beat bad ones – has a complex maltiness with dark fruit flavors and spicy hop notes.

Millwood Brewing’s HookieBob Winter Ale (5.8, 28) is lightly sweet with accents of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg.

Back for the season is Hopped Up’s big, malty Destroy My Sweater (8.5, 40), finished with homegrown spruce tips for a subtle evergreen character.

Mountain Lakes has tapped two new holiday beers – Bubbie’s Mandel Bread (7, 35) with cinnamon, almond and lemon, and That’a Boy Clarence (7.2, 30) with cinnamon, maple, pumpkin and chai spices – plus a Cook & Baker brown (6, 21) flavored with charred white oak.

Badass Backyard wraps up its 12 Beers of Christmas today with a hearty No Snow Below winter warmer (13, 70).

The latest in Whistle Punk’s ongoing series of seasonal releases is a Holiday Saison (5.9) conditioned on cranberries and orange peel.

Big Barn is pouring both an orange-accented Holiday Stout (7.1, 28) and some of last year’s spiced White Out Stout (9.4, 25) that’s been aging in wine barrels.

English Setter is serving a smooth, chocolaty, “Game of Thrones”-themed Nymeria Dire Wolf imperial stout (8.2, 62).

This year’s Winter IPA at Bennidito’s Brewpub (7.8, 65) was brewed with Centennial hop pellets from this year’s crop and dry-hopped with fruity El Dorado hop hash and powder.

Bellwether has tapped a Golden Nuggz hazy IPA (5.3) brewed with Golden Naked Oats, El Dorado hops and lactose for extra body and sweetness, along with a Cascadian dark ale dubbed 4:30 at Sunset (5, 57).

Post Falls Brewing is pouring a My Pony New England-style IPA (7, 65) double dry-hopped with Simcoe and a crisp, easy-drinking She’s Crafty lager (4.9, 19).

Daft Badger weighs in with its juicy Coast to Coast NEIPA (6.5, 80).