The old beer game

Local beer and local baseball crossed paths last September when the Inland Northwest Craft Beer Festival moved to Avista Stadium, home of the Spokane Indians.

Now No-Li Brewhouse is teaming up with the Indians to brew a special beer in honor of this summer’s inaugural Northwest League/Pioneer League All-Star Game, which will be played at Avista on Aug. 4.

No-Li All-Star Game Golden Ale is set for release in 22-ounce bottles in mid-June, which is when fan voting begins for the all-star teams. The bottles will include information on how to vote.

“We wanted to help them build some notoriety, get as many Spokane Indians into the game as possible,” says No-Li’s John Bryant.

Only 120 cases of the bottles will ship to select locations, so they won’t last long, Bryant says. The beer also will be on tap at the brewery, and at Avista the night of the all-star game.

No-Li also plans to host an event for visiting players and team personnel from the two leagues.

“If all these people have a great time, it’s going to help everyone, the hotels, the restaurants. They’re going to come back,” Bryant says. “It’s all part of the tourism piece we’re trying to build.”