Harvest social for malt barley

An unusual harvest scene was marked Saturday when two combines began cutting a 90 acre field at Hubbard, across Highway 195 from Papé Machinery. Bill Myers of Colfax and other family proprietors of Joseph’s Grainery were showcasing the harvest of Baronesse Barley with the assistance of local area brewers who use the grain.

Tent shelters were located along the top part of the hill, and area brewers served samples of their products which had been made from Joseph's 2016 harvest of Baronesse. The variety of barley was developed 30 years ago in Europe for a malting barley, but it never caught on there.

Bill Myers continued to produce Baronesse and craft brewers in the Spokane area, working with Palouse Pint Malt of Spokane Valley, have taken to Baronesse because of its flavor.

Myers said they have harvested about 240 acres of Baronesse this year for the growing market. The 2016 crop, source of barley for the brews on sample Saturday, has been stored in bags in a hangar at the Colfax airport.

Saturday's reception on the hill, which featured the Colfax band Tone Sober, drew approximately 80 invited guests, most of them connected with craft brewing and distilleries in the state that are also using Baronesse.

Two combines harvested the Baronesse Barley by circling the field below the hilltop celebration. The reception was to showcase the barley harvest off Danaher Road. The site was across Highway 195 from Papé Machinery at Hubbard.

Prince Leonard, left, and Dan Dvorak were serving for the Black Label Brewing Company of Spokane. Their brew for the harvest scene was Palouse Extra Special Bitter.

Members of the Colfax band Tone Sober performed on a truck trailer with a hilltop view of Steptoe Butte in the background. From the left are Jonathan Buri, R.J. Reynolds, Nick Wright and Daniel Tate.

Taylor Dietz and one-year-old Noah from Big Barn Brewing of Mead pick up the beat to the Tone Sober band.