Spokane Beer News (2021)

4-Eyed Guys Brewing is now open for takeout beers.
Here's a little blurb from the Spokesman in September re: the space.
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2020/sep/27/the-dirt-four-eyed-guys-brewing-co-renovating-spac/
Looking forward to checking out their taproom when such a thing is legal again. It's the second brewery in the Emerson-Garfield neighborhood, joining Bellwether Brewing just a couple blocks away.

 

Popped by Golden Handle. Beautiful day for a Small Business Saturday:

The taplist:

 

Some new developments re: local breweries and the most recent Covid-19 mandates:

Whistle Punk is back open for limited seating under the new rules (25% capacity, with windows open).
Lumberbeard is apparently opening up space in the brewery itself (which is relatively huge by Spokane standards) for seating as well.
More updates as I hear them (or if anyone else wants to chime in about them).

 

Grabbing a So Easy at Lumberbeard now, as a matter of fact.

 

Iron Goat is now among the breweries allowing indoor seating. With several roll-up doors, they are equipped to do this.

Per social media, it looks like Hidden Mother has erected a large tent outside to supplement their outdoor tables and heaters.

 

Looks like YaYa brewing, in Spokane Valley, is open for seated guests now as well.

 

In the unhappier news dept., it appears The Lantern has permanently closed. It was the main watering-hole in Spokane's Perry District, just down the street from Perry Street Brewing Company. Apparently the business had been for sale for some time, something which did not materialize, ultimately, and covid-19 was the final nail in the coffin. I generally didn't get there that often, mainly due to hours that I work and distances involved, but it was an enjoyable spot, and it will be missed in the beer culture of Spokane.

 

Pints Alehouse has announced they are transitioning into a full fledged brewery, to be called Hop Chaos:
https://www.facebook.com/290710721009799/posts/3723589381055232/

 

Paid a long overdue visit to Snow Eater, in Liberty Lake, last night. Another local brewery that is doing open air seating.

While nothing I had there truly blew me away, all three of their beers that I had were enjoyable. They also do food. Definitely worth checking out if out that way. I will be back.

 

Right now Golden Handle are doing flights of three beers brewed with Kveik yeasts (tried to post fb link but it's not working). They've got a new Amber, plus a Helles and (I believe) their Golden Bearded Goat Ale (brewed in collab. w/Lumberbeard and Iron Goat), all brewed with a Kveik yeast strain.

In other local flight news, Community Pint is doing flights of BA stouts & barleywines. I popped by yesterday and had one of those beers, myself (Bruery's cherry pie stout; perhaps has since sold out, as it's not mentioned in the post below) and the board of available beers looked pretty good. Deets:https://www.facebook.com/686144198223954/posts/1740852316086465/

 

My gut reaction would be Nectar, in Kendall Yards. They don't really do food beyond hors d'oeuvres plates, but they'll let you bring in food from at least the outstanding pizza place next door to them. I'm about to grab a couple beers with at least one vaguely foodie-ish friend and I'll see if I can come up with a couple more reccomendations that do both beer and wine at a decent level.

 

Well, most places with a better local selection tend to come up short where either food or wine is concerned, or they're still shuttered with little sign of what they'll be like going forward.

Another establishment you might consider is Prohibition, a "gastro pub" north of downtown. They have some pretty good food, including some of the best burgers around, have a small but nice tap selection, sits in a location that's about 3-4 minutes walk from two breweries with open taprooms, and has a decent enough wine list that my enophile parental units didn't complain when I took them there a month ago.

Of course, there's also location to consider. Do you know yet what part of town you'll be staying in and when?

 

Prohibition is a nice dinner spot. There's also a place a little up the street called Elliott's that has potential, but I haven't been there yet.

It's a pity your downtown lodgings aren't a few blocks further west. You could go to Iron Goat for dinner and beer, and drink wine a block east at Barrister Winery. Most of the breweries or bars with an emphasis on local brewers seem to be on the west end of downtown, and I'm guilty of not paying much attention to their wine lists when I'm there.

 

No, the Troll Crushers were a one-off project, and they're getting low on them as I understand it. They do also have a BA version of Goatnick, their Imperial Stout, however, and that might be likely to still be around when you're here. When are you going to be in Spokane, anyway?