(SpoCOOL) A Spokane Blog

A couple of weeks ago we made a mention of the Bon Jovi Arena debacle (seriously, who thought that name was a good idea?), an impassioned response from Mr. Spokane, and... Well, this is hardly the first time we've touched on Spokane's puzzling inferiority complex, but here we are again. To really drive that point home, we got a good reminder how bad this actually is when we saw this at Boo Radley's...

"Spokompton" and "Spokanistan" are not new monickers, and the products donning them have been around for a good while. And that's kind of the point. Not kind of, that is the point: It's 2013, and putting the city down like this -- with all respect to the places the monickers are playing off of -- has gotten old, dumb, and kind of sad.

(There are those who will claim this all to be a sense of self-irony, and that we should laugh at ourselves, and all that, but come on... There's not even a fine line between that and the Spok-whatever.)

Spokane has come a long way over the past few years, and it's still evolving, mostly in a positive direction. There is still work to be done, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

So, skipping past a further rant about all of this, we will instead direct you to some sources of positivity. We all need just a few reminders of some of the awesome, strange, and cool things we have here in Spokane. Some apparent, some not. Like...

We literally have a new brewery opening every other hour. OK, so not literally, but it's positive to see breweries popping up every month. (Almost literally.)

Get Lit! We are positively well-read, and have a first rate festival to prove it.

Spokane Doesn't Suck: A nice little Tumblr site which, as the name suggests, is very positive.

We do in fact have quite a few websites, all filled with positivity. And twitter accounts too.

Manito Tap House: Because not only do they do awesome food and beer, they also strive to take green to the next level, which we find positive. 

Hot wings with Pop Rocks? It won't win any Michelin stars, but it's such a positively odd thing.

Dawn of the Donut: Technically they don't quite exist yet, but it's positive to see somebody coming up with creative ideas like a zombie themed donut shop.

We have what probably is the most decked out grocery selection of any gas station you've ever seen.

The Garbage Goat: I mean, come on, it might be a bit of a local joke, but do you know of a cooler trashcan? And properly disposing of your trash is very positive.

That's just a small sample, but what else should be included in that list? Tweet @SpoCOOL with positive Spokane things we left out!

SpoCOOL: We are all about being positive, except when we're not.

Did you know Stone's RuinTen IPA is released today? I didn't either, but it is, and I found it somewhat surprising I got a bottle of it last week. Either way, here it is, this year's version of the Ruination Tenth Anniversary IPA (which I didn't try) and a rather glorious beer it is.

This is for the most part exactly what you'd expect it to be: a kicked up Ruination based around a "10" theme. ABV? 10.8%. IBUs? 110. Part of me wished it came in 10 oz bottles, but alas, you can't have it all.

It pours a deep amber color, with about a finger or so of a creamy, lightly tan head. Sniff, and you'll close to literally have your nose kicked in by the hops. It's an initial shock, but as soon as you get over it you'll also find a good helping of citrus and just a pinch of spices. The RuinTen definitely has it going on as far as the nose goes.

And surprise, surprise; the flavor follows suit. The hops dominate again, but a melange of pineapple, orange, and malts balances the palette out just at the right time. Equally well-constrained is the booziness -- it pushes it to the breaking point, where it retreats perfectly in time for the spices to make a cameo.

A lot of stuff is happening here, then, and that's how we like it.

Really, this is how a double IPA should be done. There is not a drop in the RuinTen that will let you down if you are a fan of the style. It is, of course, not a summer session ale, but then, isn't it better to shut yourself in, close the blinds, and enjoy a heavier beer? No? Give the RuinTen a shot -- it might just make you change your mind.

The #SpoBREW Classic Art contest is back, and this time the rules are about as simple as they can be:

1. The art has to be beer related.
2. It has to be something we, in any which way, can hang on a wall.

And that's it. Some suggestions for possible entries are beer labels, beer posters, beer poems... As long as it can be hung on a wall, it's good to go. Of course, it doesn't have to be print; you definitely have a chance to be creative with your contribution here.

The contest will be audience judged, so come up with something that will dazzle them. 

But stop reading this! Run and sign up! This is your chance to call yourself a bona fide artist with your #SpoBREW art!

(Sign up!)

Slate Creek is a fairly recent addition to the current brewing explosion spreading through the Inland Northwest like the Bubonic plague. We had a chance to visit their tap room, and a good little spot it is.

The beer that stood out to us was their Norse Nectar. It's a relatively mild pale, weighing in at 5.7% ABV and 25 modest IBUs. The origin of the name? This is a kicked up version of an old juniper based Norse recipe, hence the Norse Nectar moniker.

And the juniper adds a lot to the palette. In fact, you can notice it right on the nose. You'll pick up on the fruity scent right there in between the malts and hops. It adds just that little extra to the typical pale nose, just a hint that something special is about to happen.

Sip, and special-ness occurs right away. Sure, the refreshing flavor of a good pale smacks you on the tongue, but you will find a lot more as the beer tangos through your mouth. The juniper adds a fruity flavor, certainly, but doesn't stop there. Spiciness tickles the roof of the mouth, where it lingers, with a finish that is dry as sand. Tasty, tasty sand.

It's interesting, that juxtaposition of a refreshing start and dry finish. You don't see it very often, but here it is. It's out there, and it's loving it.

We really enjoyed Norse Nectar. I don't think you can find it in Spokane yet, and that's too bad. For now, head over to Coeur d'Alene and check Slate Creek out. It's well worth the trip. Their Facebook page holds all the information you need.