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

Your weekly roundup

Rick Bonino

Catching up with more news from the week in craft beer:

• Trickster's Juice Box IPA has advanced to the title game of its bracket in this year's National IPA Championships presented by the Brewing News.

It topped Breaking Bud from Knee Deep Brewing in Auburn, California in judging this weekend and next goes up against the Hop Baller from Canteen Brewhouse in Albuquerque, New Mexico. That winner and the winners in the competition's other two brackets will meet to decide an overall champion.

• Tickets are on sale for a pair of upcoming beer dinners:

– A five-course Iron Goat dinner March 27 at Clover will be accompanied by Paul's Pale, Trashy Blonde, the unfiltered Buzzsaw McThunder and imperial Impaler IPAs, and Goatmeal Stout. Tickets are $65; call (509) 487-2937 for reservations.

– Remedy presents a four-course Lagunitas dinner March 29; tickets are $50 (includes tax and tip).  

• Among the newly announced specials at area breweries and craft beer stores:

Big Barn is selling bombers of its bottled beers for $4 through March at the brewery (excluding barrel-aged Black Dog stout).

Downdraft will offer an all-day happy hour every Wednesday, with $1 off pints.

Pilgrim's in Coeur d'Alene is taking $1 off growler fills on Thursdays.

• Finally, the Brewers Association has released its annual list of the 50 largest craft breweries in America and four Oregon brewers again made the cut, though their rankings dipped slightly.

Deschutes placed 10th based on production in 2017, down from No. 8 in 2016, after being passed by Stone and the Oskar Blues-led CANarchy collective. Full Sail again was 29th, followed by Rogue at No. 32 (previously 30th) and Ninkasi at No. 38 (previously 33rd).

The Craft Brew Alliance, which includes Widmer and Redhook, was 12th on the overall breweries list (craft and other), down from 10th in 2016. It doesn't qualify as a craft brewer because it's partially owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev. 

Deschutes was 20th on the overall list, Full Sail 39th, Rogue 42nd and Ninkasi 48th.