Beertown, USA
Spokane’s always liked a tall, cold one. There was the Schade Brewery in the pre-Prohibition days; in the ’90s we had a new wave of craft brewers like T.W. Fischer’s. Since 2012, the No-Li Brewhouse has been putting its stamp on the local beer scene — only now we call it “Beer Culture.”
Beer culture is bigger than beer, says No-Li owner John Bryant. It’s community, it’s excellence, and it’s never pretentious. Strong beer culture makes every local tasting room a happy place. It’s overarching — a vibe — and unifies all kinds of different people.
It’s time for Spokane to take its rightful place among the world’s best beer towns. That means epic events — like those in Leavenworth and Munich that inspire No-Li’s own Oktoberfest.
“It’s more than a standard beer fest,” says Bryant. “People are looking for more engagement — an experience.”
It does all start with beer, and luckily for the Inland Northwest we’re just a morning’s drive to the world’s best hops farms. On Sept. 3, the No-Li team made the pilgrimage to Oasis Farms in Prosser. The harvest started at the crack of dawn; by 11:30 am, all 500 pounds of those hops were in the boil in Spokane. It doesn’t get any fresher than that.
“That’s beer culture,” Bryant says, “fresh hops.”
Don’t miss the crisp, fragrant Fresh Hop IPA at No-Li’s Oktoberfest.
Their trip to Munich’s legendary Hofbrauhaus during Oktoberfest was a light-bulb moment. Not only did the team use the Hofbrauhaus as the design inspiration for their own Bier Hall, but they also knew they had to bring back to Spokane all they had witnessed — thousands of beer lovers celebrating the good life together.
And so, at those joyful tables half-a-world from Spokane, where the steins runneth over, No-Li Oktoberfest was born.
A Taste of Germany
Experience an authentic Oktoberfest right here in Spokane, at the No-Li Brewhouse from noon to 3 pm on Sept. 21 and 28, 2024. Already one of the city’s top events, taste just how good Spokane beer can be, as No-Li will be pouring two exclusive brews — a Simcoe Fresh Hop IPA and a German Lager. Your $20 ticket gets you an Alpine Feather Hat and a half-liter “das boot” to keep (each boot fill is an additional $8). There’s a legit oompah band, a DJ spinning on the riverside patio, feats of strength and cash prizes for the most wunderbar costumes. Don’t forget to brush up on your German drinking toasts!
