COLLABORATION BEER WITH PAYETTE BREWING & BEAR ISLAND

DUBBEL CAR GARAGE // BELIGIAN DUBBEL

By: Sydney Mendenhall

About a month ago, I was able to experience something slightly different than the everyday operations here at Payette Brewing Company. Payette Production Manager and Head Brewer, Matt Watterson, teamed up with another Boise local brewer named Beth Betchel and her husband Steve. Beth owns and operates Bear Island Brewing Company out of an old firehouse on Liberty street here in Boise. They are 100% owned and ran by veterans. They were proud to serve their country and now they are proudly serving delicious beer to their community.

The beer that Beth, Steve and Matt created together is called the “Dubbel Car Garage”. This name is inspired by the beer being a Belgian Dubbel and the fact that it was brewed in Beth and Steve’s double car garage, where the original brewery still operates before they 100% move to their new firehouse facility. With Matt’s background and Beth and Steve’s experiences in going to Belgium, this beer has everything a traditional dubbel would. Perfect malty sweetness and the aroma of dark fruits all while including Idaho potatoes for body.

All of the Bear Island brews are brewed in Beth and Steve’s double car garage. They turned the garage in their home into a brewery, home of their 3.5 barrel brewing system and the capabilities to ferment 7 barrels at time for double batches. Their set up left me without words, it was a home brewer’s haven. Beth told me they would love it if this collaboration with Payette could become the first of many collaborations in Boise’s beer market bringing some of the ‘larger’ breweries back to their roots and showing the community that we are still small and proud. Beth called this idea the ‘Garage Series’ and we hope to see a lot more of them in the future! We had an incredible time brewing with them that day and now our Belgian Dubbel is not only in our Tap Room but at Bear Island brewing as well. Go check them out and give that delicious beer a taste!