A growling good start

After a sluggish start this morning, it didn’t take long for Spokane’s second Growler Guys to start filling up in its first day of operation.

The store on South Grand didn’t see its first customers until the noon hour, after opening at 10 a.m. But before long people were lining up, sometimes two deep, for samples and fills from the 48 taps.

The initial lineup was heavy on locals, including Iron Goat’s Farmhouse French Saison and Blackberry Apricot Sour; No-Li Born & Raised IPA and Wrecking Ball Imperial Stout; Ramblin Road’s Honey Wit; River City Red and Girlfriend Golden; and Selkirk Abbey’s Huckleberry Chapel Wit, Deacon Pale and Infidel IPA.

Representing the broader region were Alpine Hefeweizen from Oroville, Bootjack IPA from Leavenworth and Iron Horse 509 pale from Ellensburg.

A handful of winter seasonals included Double Mountain Fa La La La La, Hopworks Abominable, New Belgium Accumulation, Pelican Bad Santa and Sierra Nevada Celebration.

And there were several specialty offerings such as Stone’s latest Enjoy By IPA (12/26), which was moving fast; a deceptively light-colored imperial golden stout from Stone, dubbed Master of Disguise, flavored with cocoa and coffee beans; Anderson Valley’s Wild Turkey Bourbon Barrel Stout; Midnight Sun’s dangerously drinkable Panty Peeler Tripel; and the legendary Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA.

Five ciders – including local One Tree Cinnamon Caramel and Cranberry – offered an alternative, along with root beer from Portland’s Crater Lake Soda.

Growler Guys glassware, accessories and clothing make up the merchandise, as well as Boneyard Beer Bars beer-infused soap from Bend, where the franchise chain got its start.  

And speaking of glassware, don’t dally; the first 1,000 customers get their growlers for free (the containers, that is, not the beer).

Twelve String Growler Club: Speaking of growlers, Twelve String Brewing has gone mug clubs one better by launching a Growler Club.

The $75 membership fee includes a special growler, 25 percent discounts on fills through 2015 (the first one’s free), special-release barrel-aged beers when available and a 10 percent discount on glassware and apparel.