The Grain Shed

Located in the Perry District in Spokane. Cool Texas country vibe. Small number of taps, but the quality of the beer is great. Cooperative brewery, cafe and bakery. Very cool space that I almost didn’t stop at, but I’m really glad I did.

this is one of the coolest breweries i have been to in a long time, the concept is amazing, a collaborative effort between a brewer, a baker, and a grain farmer (or a few of them), if i have the story straight, and the space serves as a small brewery, a wood fired bakery, and a neat little restaurant and cafe space, although i think they have moved most of their production elsewhere recently, not totally sure. its a neat little building, looks like an old house, with the bakery right there when you walk in, and the brewery up a step to the right, minimal seating but some more space in the back. the place is employee owned and works like a cooperative, which is a neat arrangement, and they are making low alcohol, grain forward beers to showcase some super unique locally grown and malted heritage grains. all the beer is in service of the malt, and while we often think that hops and fermentation profiles are the frontiers of new flavor in beer, these guys are demonstrating that we dont know anywhere near all there is to know about grain and what different varietals can do in beer. they had a small but intriguing list of beers when i was in, and the dude was super happy to walk me through them, talk to me about the relationship between the breads in the bakery and the beers on tap, and share some samples as well. i was so impressed with the ideas that inconsistent execution from a technical brewing standpoint was easily overlooked. the recipes were so creative. i was most enamored with the wasted loaf series, which basically uses bread ends, old loaves, whatever, and mashes them, making kvass essentially, but with really cool artisan bread. they had a purple egyptian one and a dark munich one while i was there and both were excellent. i also really liked a braggot done with the purple egyptian grain, and a citrus forward sonora wheat session type ale. all were fun and all were different, even if a little room for refinement is left. i think the idea here is amazing, bake with and brew with these special grains, turn people on to the full potential of malt in beer, and do it sustainably. i am stoked on this place, was blown away by the sandwich i had here on their bread, and cant imagine a trip back to spokane without coming in here for lunch and a couple of beers. i heard they do pizza once a week too! this place is one of a kind, maybe the most unique in town, definitely get in here and check them out if you havent yet!