Event Information

Ah, the yeasty thrum of purpose! The scent of barley-charity and hop-forward hope! On this fine, foam-laced afternoon, Dick’s Brewing Co. once again transformed itself into a cathedral of community and suds-soaked generosity for its 4th Annual Beer for a Cure, a raucous ritual for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life of Lewis County.

There was barely a place to perch a pint—or your finely aged denim backside—as Littlerock, a country band with more twang than tact, rattled the rafters and massaged the mash tuns with songs of heartbreak, pickup trucks, and the occasional boot scootin’ manifesto.

The crowd, a joyous mix of beer geeks, civic saints, and raffle whisperers, descended upon a glimmering sea of silent auction treasures, including the now-legendary “Super Raffle”: three theater chairs so absurdly on-brand they might as well have been upholstered in Seahawks feathers, Mariners pinstripes, and Sounders chants. Oh, and don’t forget the 20-person rager at Dick’s chic new brewpub downtown—because nothing says “fundraiser” like a private stout-and-pizza soiree in the heart of Centralia.

But let us not forget the true golden goblet of the event: the exalted Homebrew Competition, a blind-tasting melee judged days before. In years past, this very competition midwifed the birth of Top Rung Brewing when winners Jason Stoltz and Casey Sobol went pro and never looked back. This year? The chalice went to Pete Hausman, whose oak-aged stout slapped palates and whispered smoky dreams into the judges’ collective ear. His reward? A brew day on the hallowed tanks of Dick’s Brewing itself, and a celebratory tap release in all three Dick’s outposts—Tasting Room, NW Sausage & Deli, and the downtown brewpub.

Let us raise a goblet (oak-aged, ideally) to Dick’s Brewing, now 21 glorious, unapologetically Centralian years strong. Long may its lagers ferment and its tap handles pour forth healing, laughter, and beer-fueled benevolence.