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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Two by two

Rick Bonino

Local craft beer releases seem to be traveling in pairs these days:

- It’s actually been a week or two since recently opened Black Label released its Session Spring (5.6 percent alcohol by volume, 47 International Bitterness Units), a pale ale brewed with late hop additions of Centennial, Simcoe and Amarillo (also used for dry-hopping) for lots of hop character without much bitterness.

Now it’s been joined by the truly sessionable SMaSH (5, 53), a lighter-bodied single malt and single hop (hence the name) made with rich, nutty Maris Otter malt and piney, herbal Chinook hops from the brewery’s own garden.

Look for that to be poured through a Randall full of fresh Chinooks on Monday. The downtown brewery plans to have a Randallized selection that day every week from now on.

- Up in Kettle Falls, Northern Ales tapped two quite different specialties this week.

The Copper Bock (4.8, 23) is sort of a session version of the typically rich, strong German lager style. The dark copper-colored beer is fairly dry with a bit of breadiness and malt sweetness, and a lightly hoppy finish from British-bred Goldings.

A Single Summit IPA (7.5, 105) showcases that distinctive hop variety, with additions every 10 minutes throughout a 90-minute boil plus dry-hopping. The full-bodied beer starts out with Summit’s trademark garlic and onion notes before finishing more spicy and citrusy with a lingering bitterness.

“It sounds like onion and garlic would be a real turnoff, but it’s not when you drink it,” says owner/brewer Steve Hedrick.

- And in Spokane Valley, Twelve String plans to introduce its own twofer next Tuesday.

Owner/brewer Terry Hackler describes the Batch 201 IPA (7.4, 79), hopped with Columbus, Amarillo, Simcoe and Citra, as “a complete departure from our other IPAs.”

It will be joined by the annual Spring Reverb (5.9, 43), a single-hop seasonal. This year it’s Galaxy, an Australian varietal known for its citrus and passionfruit aroma and flavor.