GROWLER FILL STATIONS.....Everyone's Got One!!!

My first experience with a Growler Fill Station was in Bend, Oregon last Summer.  We were headed back to Idaho after spending two days visiting every Brew Pub and Brewery in Bend.  We did the Bend Ale Trail and were awarded Silipints at the end. We had a trunk full of craft beer not available in Idaho.  After visiting every bottle shop in Bend and not finding any Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA, we stopped to fill up with fuel for the trip back to Idaho at the Shell Gas and Growler Guys Fill Station.  I was blown away buy the selection and low and behold, they were pouring Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA for $9.99 for a Growler fill.  I got two.

Upon our return to Boise, we raved about Bend, their breweries, bottle shops and Growler Fill Up Station.
We heard the rumour that Boise would have a Growler Fill Station in the near future.  Then a few weeks later the PreFunk Grower Fill Station opened on Front Street in Boise. It was only the beginning.

Fast Eddys Growler Fill Station opened a few months later in three Boise Area Locations and PreFunk recently announced that they would open a Nampa location in the Summer of 2014.  The Gem Stop on Middleton Road in Nampa Idaho added a Growler Fill Station.

Now the Idaho based Albertson's Grocery Chain has announced their first Growler Fill Station inside their store on 36th and State.  It will be the first of many Growler Fill Stations in their stores.   Rumor is that the Boise Area Fred Meyer Stores will also add Growler Fill Stations.  M&W Markets, Chevron Gas Stations, Jackson and Stinker Station Convenience Stores are all adding Growler Stations.

Soon, most of us will live within a few miles of our nearest Growler Fill Station.

A Partial List of  Current Treasure Valley Growler Stations:

  The Growler Stations listed here are all part of The Growler Station Franchise

Gem Stop - Nampa 1520 S. Middleton Road , Nampa, Idaho 83687 P: (208) 467-9908	Fast Eddys - Ustick 770 West Ustick, Meridian, Idaho 86346 P: (208) 898-0034	Fast Eddys - Ten Mile 750 North Ten Mile, Meridian, Idaho 83642 P: (208) 884-8822
Fast Eddys - Locust Grove 770 West Ustick, Meridian, Idaho 86346 P: (208) 898-0034	Jacksons Food Store - #7 Boise, ID 3110 W State St, Boise, Idaho 83703 P: (208) 343-6926	M&W Market 1835 Warm Springs Ave., Boise, Idaho 83712 P: (208) 342-1744
Beacon Light Chevron 12795 Highway 55, Garden City, Idaho 83714 P: 208-939-2340	Stinker Store 32 1620 N. 13th Street, Boise, Idaho 83702 P: 208-387-0430	Albertsons, Boise - 36th & State 3614 West State Street, Boise, Idaho 83703 P: (208) 426-9614
Gowen Chevron 6450 S. Eisenman Road, Boise, Idaho 83716 P: (208) 342-1006

WELCOME BOISE BREWING (IDAHO BREWERY #41) TO DOWNTOWN BOISE

It has been a whirlwind ride for Collin Rudeen over the last two years since he started a kickstarter project to build Bogus Brewing somewhere in Boise.  The official opening of the BOISE Brewing Brewery will be next Friday, June 13th, with their Grand Opening on June 21st.  Boise Brewing will become the 41st Idaho Brewery and the 14th Boise Area Brewery.   Read the Michael Deed's story to see the story about how Bogus Brewing became Boise Brewing here.

John Lemp owned and operated the Boise Brewery from 1864 to 1907 on Main Street between 3rd and 4th street.  This new incarnation will be roughly 5 blocks away south and west of that location at 512 West Broad Street, Boise, Idaho 83702.  It will also be Boise "Brewing", not Boise "Brewery".  The original served beer and cold cut sandwiches to their patrons. Boise Brewing will be a Brewery with a tasting room similar to Payette Brewing and will not serve food.

Visit the Official Boise Brewing Website here.  It may take several months to change the name on all the website/facebook and other other social media and of course the name on the building and all the glasses, shirts etc.   But by the time ski season rolls around, Bogus will only refer to the Ski area.

Boise Brewing on Twitter

BOGUS BREWING.....NUMBER 40.....NOT SO FAST

Over the last few months, Idaho has been of the verge of 40 Breweries.  Seems like every time we get to number 40, we lose a brewery.  First there was the closure of Biplane Brewing in Post Falls.  The latest is the closing of the landmark Table Rock Brewery in Boise.

We were waiting on the opening of Bogus Brewing in Boise to become Number 40 when we received the unexpected news that there will be no Bogus Brewing.  Latest casualty in the Craft Beer/Brewery Copyright wars is "Bogus" Brewing. Apparently, the Bogus Basin Ski Resort has issues with a brewery using the name Bogus.  So in an agreement to appease the Ski Resort People, the Bogus Brewing Owners will change their name.  You can have input on the new name...click here.

I guess this will make all those growlers, beer mugs, t-shirts and stickers with the Bogus Brewing logo instant collector items.

This will make their June 13th Grand Opening very suspenseful.  Come to the Opening to try their beer and to find out the name of the Brewery!!!!!

GOODBYE TABLE ROCK - BACK TO 39...WAITING ON BOGUS BREWING

I remember going to the opening of the Table Rock Brew Pub back in 1991 with my wife.  We were in the first group that came thru their door and one of the first to order and sample a beer.  We hung out at Table Rock for a few years.  We knew the owners, Mike and Peggy Fitzgerald and the Head Brewer, Terry Dennis.  It was great to be able to drink beer in Idaho made by Idahoans from mostly Idaho Ingredients.

Table Rock was our restaurant of choice.  Loved their Bangers and Mash  and their Scottish Egg.  Really like the TD's Brown Nut Ale and their Shillelagh Stout. My wife's favorite was the Orange Blossom Special.  When family and friends came to town, we always took them to TR.  Spent many birthdays there.

We will always have our fond memories of the times we spent there, but it really was time to go. It seemed apparent that the management was more concerned with the restaurant side the the business to the detriment of the brewery side of the business.

So now we drop back to 39 breweries in Idaho, but only for a few weeks.  Bogus Brewing is on the verge of opening with expected opening dates of June 13th or June 20th from reliable sources.

There is a bright side to losing Table Rock.  We will gain another Brew Pub at the same location.  Rick Boyd of Brewforia and The Grind will opening another Brewforia and The Grind around September 1st.
I am thinking the will once again have some great food and great beer at 705 West Fulton.

P.S.  We may even get to drink some Simian Beer there.....

IDAHO BREWERY #40 PARAGON BREWING - COUER D'ALENE

Looks like Bogus Brewing in Boise Idaho will NOT be the 40th Brewery in the State of Idaho.
Paragon Brewing in Couer D'Alene is now open for business..
Paragon Brewing is a full service Brewpub.
Here is there webpage: http://www.paragonbrewing.com/

For a full list of Idaho's 40 Breweries and the list of Breweries slated to open in the future, Click Here.

Big Brew Day at HomeBrewStuff - New Breweries coming to Garden City

My Wife and I had a great time at Big Brew Day sponsored by HomeBrewStuff.com on Saturday.
The smell of boiling wort permeated the area with lots of homebrewers brewing their beer and some of the homebrewers talking about taking the next step and opening their own Breweries.

There were four Brewers offering their samples there that plan to open new Breweries in the Area. We got to sample beer from CountyLine Brewery, Haff Brewing, Powderhaus Brewing and BearIsland Brewing.

Both Haff Brewing and Powderhaus Brewing plan to open the Breweries in Garden City within the next 5 months.  They would become the 15th and 16th Craft Breweries in the Area.

I enjoyed talking to Tyler Schmidt about his new Powderhaus Brewery which will be located in a building that will be built on a vacant lot in Garden City.  He had a one barrel brewing system at the Big Brew Day that will be their R&D Test system in the new brewery.

Brian Haff was pouring his Lucky Peak Ale with Citra.  He was very excited about hiring his new head brewer, Derek Anderson.  Derek is well know in the area with brewing experience both at The RAM and Table Rock Brew Pub.  I look forward to drinking the beer at Haff Brewing next August.

We had a great time meeting Beth from BearIslandBrewing.  She would become the third female brewmaster in the valley when she opens her brewery.

I plan to divulge more information about these new area breweries in upcoming blogs.

In the mean time, check out the latest additions to the breweries list the the BoiseBeerCulture Website.

CLOUD 9 NANO BREWERY

This 4 BBL Nano Brewery is a Classic Neighborhood Pub situated within walking and biking distance of the North End AND Downtown.  Talked to owners Jake and Maggie Lake on Sunday about their brewery.

They remind me of proud parents and Cloud 9 is their baby.  

We arrived about 11:30 and there were about 6 people in the place.  Good thing we got there early, because the place was full by 12:30.  We order a flight of beer.  All their beer was good and their Salted Caramel Stout is excellent.  Also enjoyed their Never Say Never IPA.  But their Double IPA is even better.

I went back to the Brew Room and visited with Jake Lake while he was watching over a batch of boiling wort.  He said they are selling their beer as fast as they can brew it.

And they have food too.  They try to use local ingredients and everything is fresh.

Great atmosphere in a place that has a coffee shop atmosphere (Not a big surprise as they are in a former coffee shop location).  No TV or loud music here.  You can sit and visit with your friends without a lot of background noise.

Jake and Maggie are going to be very successful.  This is the only Brew Pub in Boise that has a neighborhood Pub feel.  We will return!!!!

WILL BOGUS BREWING BECOME IDAHO'S 40TH BREWERY AND TREASURE VALLEY'S 14TH BREWERY???

It looks like Bogus Brewing Will Open in late April or Early May 2014.  Collin Rudeen and Lance Chavez working long hours to make sure that it happens.  Most of the Brewing Equipment has arrived and is being Installed.

Bogus Brewing are stilling looking for local investors.  For $1,000 You can become a Brewery  Owner.

Boise Weekly Story

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MAKE THAT 39 BREWERIES WITH CLOUD 9 THAT OPENED ON ST. PATRICK DAY.

Statesman Video

And what is with the video....I thought the Statesman was a NewsPAPER.

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Webpage

Congratulations to Jake and Maggie Lake  on your New Brewery!!!!!!

IDAHO BREWERY COUNT RETURNS TO 38 WITH THE OPENING OF THE MAD BOMBER BREWERY IN HAYDEN, IDAHO.

I dropped into a new brewery in Hayden, Idaho last Friday.  It is in business and pouring beer.
Could not stay long, I was late for another appointment, but I thought I would update everyone with the news.

They are currently pouring six beers:

1605 Rye

Fatman IPA
, 
Saint Nicholas Pale
, 
Lonely Walk Brown
, 
MK84 Porter

, 
Powder Keg India Brown.

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AND THE IDAHO BREWERIES COUNT DROPS TO 37

Sad to report that the Bi-Plane Brewery in Post Falls, Idaho has closed it's Doors.

I was going to visit this Brewery in this March, but alas, it is no more.

Owner Doug Martindale put the Brewery up for sale several months ago.  Asking price $180,000. Sadly no takers.

Hopefully the Cloud 9 BrewPub and Bogus Brewing both in Boise can open soon to move the number of Idaho Breweries closer to 40.

And the Idaho Brewery Count reaches 38

Long Time, No Blog.....

Sometimes, life gets in the way, but since my last blog, many new Breweries have arrived in Idaho bringing the number of Idaho Breweries up to 38 with 12 of them in the Boise Area, 13 if you count Beer Valley in Ontario, Oregon just across the Border, but still in Treasure Valley.

Woodland Empire Ale Craft Brewery and Tap House opened this week.  And the Edge Brewpub will open by the end of January becoming the 38th Brewery in Idaho.

I have updated the BoiseBeerCulture and IdahoBreweries Web pages to add the latest breweries.

We visited the Woodland Empire Ale Craft Brewery yesterday and sampled their current 4 beers on tap.
Really liked 3 out of the 4 beers and especially their City of Trees IPA.

Their current offerings are
1 - City of Trees IPA
2 - In The Morning English Mild Ale
3 - Gold Days Belgian Triple
4 - Rabbit Fighter ESB