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

Irvin returns with Bennidito’s

Rick Bonino

Spokane craft beer pioneer Mark Irvin is getting back into brewing after an almost two-year absence.

Irvin, who founded Northern Lights in 1993 and later helped build it into the current No-Li Brewhouse before leaving in April 2015, has signed on to brew at Bennidito’s Brewpub.

He replaces Zach Shaw, who’s moving to Montana to work with startup Ruby Valley Brew in Sheridan and also will continue consulting for other breweries.

For now, Irvin is brewing as needed on a part-time basis for Bennidito’s. His first effort, an unfiltered wheat beer made with honey malt, is expected to be released next week.

He’ll be updating core offerings like Checkerboard Pale and Tin Roof IPA while producing a series of specialties, says Bennidito’s owner Chris Bennett.

At current production levels, Bennett says, “We don’t need a full-time person, so it works out really well for us. He’ll decide how much he wants to work. Mark can stay on as long as he wants, as long as he’s happy.”

The 52-year-old Irvin left No-Li to spend more time with his family and regroup after getting caught up in that brewery’s rapid growth. He’s also been working in sales with Yakima Quality Hops, which he’ll continue.

“It kind of brings me back to my roots a little bit,” he says of the smaller Bennidito’s situation. “It allows me to do something I like to do, with no stress.

“What I moved out of was high-pressure, trying to manage 15 different brews going on at once. It’s a monster that starts consuming everything around it.”

Irvin plans to brew once or twice a week at Bennidito’s, depending on demand. He’s looking at a brown ale next, and possibly a hoppy red that could serve as a winter seasonal.

He’s also starting to update the brewery’s procedures, switching to a house yeast that ferments more completely and produces drier beers.

“It’s kind of a neat little brewery,” he says of Bennidito’s 10-barrel, two-fermenter system. “It’s all pretty good equipment. It has everything you need to brew really great beer.”

While he’s open to becoming more involved with Bennidito’s, Irvin hasn’t ruled out starting his own brewery again someday if the opportunity was right.

“If it turned out a great location popped up, I would consider it,” he says. “I’ve been keeping an eye out for something that wouldn’t require blowing the bank to get into. I would like to keep the money that I’ve got.”