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

Apps and maps

Rick Bonino

Your phone is about to become a lot smarter when it comes to regional beer. A pair of new apps put you in virtual touch with breweries across Washington and North Idaho:

– The new Inland Northwest Ale Trail map quietly trickled out last week during Craft Beer Week, and this time it’s accompanied by an app (available only for Apple devices, though an Android version may be added later).

You can trace the route and collect virtual “stamps” from breweries along the way, without having to remember your printed map – though you’ll miss out on such aesthetic touches as Black Label’s stylish wax seal (which would not be good for your phone at all).

Whether you opt for paper or pixels, you’ll need 12 stamps from participating breweries to earn a souvenir 32-ounce growler. There are 44 of them on this year’s map, up from last year’s 41, stretching from Ellensburg on the west to Wallace on the east.

Newcomers include Little Spokane, Post Falls Brewing, Rants & Raves, Square Wheel, V Twin, Whistle Punk and Young Buck.

– The Washington Beer Commission just released an app (available for both Apple and Android) that provides plenty of information about the more than 350 breweries statewide.

You can find breweries nearby (and create personalized tours), view listings of a brewery’s beers (and rate them) and share photos of your travels. There’s also a calendar of brewery events and a section on the various festivals the commission puts on around the state.

Since the commission relies on individual breweries to report their information, the database still is a work in progress that’s likely to become more comprehensive over time.

Like the Ale Trail app, this one serves as an electronic replacement for the paper passports used by Washington Beer Lovers (WABL) members, who can check in to breweries and receive stamps that can be redeemed for prizes.