Orlison headed downtown

Lager specialist Orlison is looking to become a bigger player in local beer by opening a taproom in downtown Spokane.

The Airway Heights brewery has secured the former Luxe coffee shop space at 1017 W. First Ave., in the Odd Fellows Building just west of Scratch restaurant. It takes possession of the property July 1 and hopes to open later this summer.

“We’ll get noticed more and play a bigger role in the Spokane beer scene,” says brewmaster/co-owner Bernie Duenwald. “It will be good to have a recognized outlet.”

Duenwald launched the brewery as Golden Hills in May 2009. When it rebranded as Orlison in July 2013, new co-owner Orlin Reinbold said a Spokane taproom was being considered, but the brewery also wanted to focus on expanding distribution around the Northwest as one of the few craft breweries specializing in lagers.

“We’ve been making some progress in regional distribution, but it hasn’t really been growing as fast as we want it to,” Duenwald says. “Maybe this will help grow that as well.

“You’ve got to stay in people’s minds,” he adds. “There’s so much competition out there, if you’re not in the forefront of their minds, they’ll go out and get someone else’s product.”

The new taproom will have a rustic feel, Duenwald says. The 16 taps will allow for more experimental beers from Orlison’s half-barrel pilot system – such as the India pale ales it recently released, its first non-lagers – as well as guest handles.

Production of Orlison’s canned and draft products will remain at the 30-barrel Airway Heights brewery.

The move is the latest piece in an expanding downtown beer picture. Iron Goat is preparing to move to the west end of downtown, in the former Jones Automotive Engines building around the corner from River City, while No-Li has been looking at locations in the downtown area and beyond for a new production facility.

And the brewery incubator project – in which small startup breweries will share production equipment and a taproom – plans to launch this summer at the former Spokane Public Market, not far from Black Label, which recently opened in Saranac Commons on East Main.