No-Li's Source of Origin Matters, Gets Federal Approval for New Beer Style: "Spokane-Style"

Discussion in 'Northwest' started by Todd, Apr 10, 2013.

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  1. Todd

    Todd Founder (13,254) Aug 23, 1996 Finland
    Staff Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    No-Li not only gets nod from feds, national retailers sign on for Spokane-Style

    SPOKANE, Wash ... Because No-Li knows source of origin matters to its loyal and continuingly growing customer base, the brewery just announced federal approval for a new style and classification of beer called Spokane-Style. As the name suggests, ‘Spokane Style' beer must be brewed and packaged in Spokane and use all ingredients exclusively from the region. And, of course all of No-Li Brewhouse styles are 100% Spokane-Style.

    With craft beer drinkers driving the trend, source of origin is important to both customers and retailers. The craft vs. crafty beer wars have recently made this a central issue. Source of origin is driving increased demand for No-Li across the United States with regional chains. No Li can now be found in Washington, D.C., Whole Foods Markets; the top largest liquor stores in Colorado; Safeway, QFC and Top Foods in its home state of Washington; and Super 1, Yokes, Rosauer's and Safeway Stores in Northern Idaho.

    "No-Li's brewing origin is the Inland N.W., and as we like to say, it's zero miles from here!" said Damon Scott, No-Li's new lead brewer. "Actually, all ingredients are from within 300 miles of the Brewhouse. No-Li has etched ‘local' into its core. And, as the American craft beer consumer demands source of origin, Spokane-Style represents something bigger than the city itself."

    No Li Crystal Bitter ESB is first on tap at the home of the Seattle Mariner's SafeCo Field while Born & Raised IPA is being poured at Century Link Field, home of the Seattle Sounders FC and Seattle Seahawks.

    No-Li ended 2012 impressively, earning accolades as a top brewery to watch in 2013 by Draft Magazine and Crystal Bitter named one of 21 top US Beers of the Year and Best of the Northwest by the Seattle Post Intelligencer, according to Mark Irvin, No-Li's brew master and co-founder. The brewery also earned several international awards. In its freshman year, Irvin and No-Li beers earned a gold medal at the 2012 Great American Beer Festival, gold and silver medals at the 2012 Japan International Beer Competition, two silver medals at the 2012 Brussels International Beer Competition and a bronze medal at the 2012 European Beer Star Competition.

    About No-Li Brewhouse
    What was formerly known as the Northern Lights Brewing Company was renamed No-Li Brewhouse last April. Co-founder and master brewer, Mark Irvin, and craft beer industry veteran, Bryant, both with deep roots in Spokane, are the force behind the company. In addition to Spokane, No-Li is now distributed in Colorado, Maryland and Washington D.C. No-Li's Born & Raised spirit reflects a deep-seeded connection from the nation's capital, to the Front Range of Colorado and across the Continental Divide into the great Pacific Northwest.

    No-Li produces 22-ounce bottles as well as draft brands in five styles: Silent Treatment Pale, Born & Raised IPA, Crystal Bitter, Jet Star Imperial IPA and Wrecking Ball Imperial Stout. For more information, visit http://www.nolibrewhouse.com.

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  2. Eriktheipaman

    Eriktheipaman Initiate (0) Sep 4, 2010 California

    Next will we see an American beer related AOC?
     
  3. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,441) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I wasn't aware that federal approval was needed to designate beer styles, but this carries the strong smell of marketing gimmick. I like No-Li's beers though.
     
  4. BuckeyeOne

    BuckeyeOne Initiate (0) Mar 9, 2008 Washington

    Well, technically, vinella said it was one of the best of the NW, not the P-I. Vinella's blog is a reader blog and the P-I clearly states that they take no responsibility for its content.
     
  5. leedorham

    leedorham Initiate (0) Apr 27, 2006 Washington

    Agreed. Gimmicky.

    Attitudes toward No-Li are kind of curious to me. They seem to get more love the further from Spokane you get. Mention them to most Spokane BA's and you get a decisive "meh", renowned Seattle blogger-novelists love them, they win awards at GABF, and apparently impressed the hell out of the Swedes.

    What's the opposite of homer hype?
     
  6. checktherhyme

    checktherhyme Pundit (890) Apr 8, 2008 Washington

    I think this is really cool for Spokane and I personally cannot wait to make my own interpretation of the style. My problem is that the guidelines for the style are too vague in my opinion. "Spokane Style" could be a stout, ipa, wild ale, etc... and nobody would even know it from anything else. You cannot taste the local packaging or terrior from local ingredients.

    We should have used a specialized yeast (i.e. California Common), to make it more of a recognizable style, imo.

    Sorry for the rant. I do think it is really cool and I'm proud of No-Li. They are doing great things for our area.
     
  7. ShogoKawada

    ShogoKawada Initiate (0) May 31, 2009 Pennsylvania

    so what styles do you have on tap?

    Well, we have a nice IPA, which is Spokane-Style, and of course the Bitter, which is naturally a Spokane-Style, and we feature both a regular and barrel-aged stout, which are Spokane-Style and Spokane-Style, respectfully. Don't forget to try the Spokane-Style Pilsner, and we've just put on the Cherry Wheat, which, believe it or not, is also a Spokane-Style beer.
     
  8. leedorham

    leedorham Initiate (0) Apr 27, 2006 Washington

    I'd also like to point out that if you draw a circle with a 300 mile radius and Spokane as its center, you get two of the largest hop growing regions in the world (Yakima valley, WA & Treasure Valley, ID) and two of the largest North American barley growing regions (SE WA & Southern Alberta).

    So yeah, this would be harder to do in, let's say, Florida.
     
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  9. SatlyMalty

    SatlyMalty Initiate (0) Sep 12, 2012 Washington

    Anti-homer! This is completely douchey. I'd rather have them start working on Consistent-Style.
     
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  10. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,441) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I wouldn't say I was blown away by any of their beers, but they've all been solid and well-crafted, if a little boring. I'd rather have that any day than some over-the-top, extreme beer that disappoints horribly.

    Besides, I blindly accept our favorite beer blogger's opinion as gospel; after all, he's spit out more beers than I'll ever hope to swallow, so his palate is naturally superior. That's just the way it is.

    So basically, it turns out that most breweries in America are in fact brewing Spokane-style beer almost exclusively. They just didn't know it until this press release came out.
     
  11. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,282) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I wonder if the press release was scheduled for 9 days ago?
     
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  12. devlishdamsel

    devlishdamsel Initiate (0) Aug 1, 2009 Washington

    This totally sounds like something that would only happen here in Spokane. I can't wait for spokompton style sours to be released!
     
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  13. ggfunk

    ggfunk Initiate (0) Mar 29, 2010 Oregon

    Too bad their service isn't on the same level of renown.
     
    woemad likes this.
  14. woemad

    woemad Grand Pooh-Bah (5,145) Jun 8, 2003 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    AMEN!
     
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