Bright forecast for Bellwether

Bellwether Brewing turns two this weekend amid a major growth spurt.

The North Monroe brewery is preparing to upgrade to a 10-barrel system to meet taproom demand and begin distributing more beer in Spokane and beyond.

“I’m excited for the future,” says co-owner Dave Musser. “Seeing our overall growth patterns, this is kind of a no-brainer.”

But first, there’s a party to throw on Friday and Saturday – and some special beers to pour.

Friday from 3 to 10 p.m. will mark the debut of Gru-It Ourselves, an herbed beer (gruit) brewed with contributions from customers’ gardens.

“The herbs came through really nice,” says co-owner/brewer Thomas Croskrey, with catnip and lemon balm leading the way and accents of chamomile. At 5.5 percent alcohol by volume, he says, it’s dark brown but not particularly malty, with a mild bitterness from hops and some of the herbs.

There also will be some Seawolf braggot, a 7.9 ABV honey beer, that was brewed when Bellwether first got its license and has been aging for more than two years. Half the keg was poured for last year’s anniversary party, with the rest saved for this time.

Croskrey says he hasn’t tasted it since last year, when it came off a bit richer but not thicker, with a more pronounced honey character.  

Those will be joined on Saturday from 1 to 10 by a fresh hop beer dubbed Luposlipaphobia (after an old Far Side cartoon), brewed with Cascade, Centennial and Chinook from the farm at Big Barn Brewing (where it also will pour for Saturday’s fresh hop festival). It’s 6.2 percent with a reddish tint from Red X and Crystal Rye malts.

The weekend also will include treats, raffle drawings and the launch of this year’s Pint Club; for a $35 fee, you get a metal, double-walled imperial pint glass (20 ounces), fills for the year at regular pint prices and access to special events.