Made in the Northwest: Perry Street Brewing
SPOKANE, Wash. – As it approaches its seventh anniversary, Perry Street Brewing has become a neighborhood defining craft brewery and pub. When owner Ben Lukes and his wife moved to Spokane from Missoula, that’s exactly the niche they were hoping to fill.
“So we came here searching and luckily found Perry Street,” explained Lukes. “And I feel so lucky that this is the spot we landed. The heart of this little community on the lower South Hill has embraced us.”
Perry Street Brewing makes a wide variety of beers, including sours and hazy IPAs, but Lukes takes special pride in his West Coast style IPAs.
“I think we’ve come to be known as sort of a West Coast, big hop forward brewery.”
In October, it’s flagship IPA won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival, beating out over 350 other beers.
“We’d been working on that beer for a long time and been super proud of it,” said Lukes. “And it’s just sort of an affirmation that, ‘Hey, we’re putting out some pretty awesome beers here.'”
That national recognition turned a COVID slowdown for the brewery into a pandemic boom.
“All of a sudden, that happens and the whole place just starts popping and we’ve been jammed ever since,” said Lukes. “So it came at the right time.”
For the first few months of the COVID lockdown, Lukes said Perry Street Brewing got by selling beer to go in 32 oz. crowlers.
“Just opening only one day a week on Saturday and slinging endless amounts of crowlers out of here just kept us going through the really tough times.”
Perry Street Brewing was one of the first places to take advantage of the City of Spokane relaxing its rules for outdoor seating. The eight new tables along 11th Ave., in addition to the previously existing patio off of Perry St., have been a big boost for its business.
“We couldn’t be happier about it and we’re excited to be able to have it after the pandemic as well and just able to add to the experience here.”
Lukes also can’t wait to have the taproom full again once the pandemic restrictions are lifted.
“We’re going to be ready to rock and we’re working on a brand new menu to unleash the day we can have full capacity in here again.”
And while it may start canning more beer based on the IPA’s new popularity, the goal for Perry Street Brewing remains the same.
“Be that neighborhood gathering place that we intended to be all along.”
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