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

Your weekly planner

Rick Bonino

UPDATE WEDNESDAY 7/29: Great American Beer Festival tickets sold out at 10:18 a.m.

A look ahead at the upcoming week in local beer:

– It’s not exactly local, but tickets go on sale Wednesday at 9 a.m. for this year’s Great American Beer Festival, Sept. 24-26 in Denver. Cost is $80 per session, which includes a commemorative cup and 1-ounce samples from among more than 3,500 beers.

But you’d better be quick; tickets sold out last year in 32 minutes, though expanded space this year will allow attendance to grow to 60,000 people from the previous 49,000.

Laughing Dog and Orlison are the only Inland Northwest breweries scheduled to pour at this year's festival.   

– Nectar Wine and Beer in Kendall Yards hosts a Belgian-style beer tasting Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. pairing two different versions of three classic styles – saison, gueuze and quad/strong dark – from breweries in both Belgium and the U.S. Cost is $10, which includes cheese samples.

And starting Saturday, Ballast Point moves in as Nectar’s brewery of the month for August, with six offerings on tap including the Spokane debut of Calm Before the Storm, a cream ale infused with coffee and vanilla (like the Victory at Sea imperial porter, which also will be pouring).

– Badass Backyard Brewing in Millwood has its grand opening Saturday from 2 to 8 p.m. The tiny (10-gallon), home-based brewery plans to open the first Saturday of each month and eventually add the third Saturdays, with growler fills by appointment at other times.

– The Enoteca wine and beer shop in Post Falls will temporarily close after Sunday to prepare for its upcoming move around the corner to 702 N. Spokane St. Stop by and get 20 percent off on all draft beer (pints and growlers) over the weekend.

And as always, keep coming here for more info on everything that’s happening throughout the week.