‘Drink the Reader’ Matchwood introduces community can fundraiser supporting the Reader

By Ben Olson
Reader Staff

As far as dreams go, having a Reader-themed beer can sold in our community is right up there at the top of the list. Matchwood Brewing Co. is making that dream a reality with the release of a community can called “Drink the Reader.” The Reader crew will be on hand from 5:30-8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 20 for a release party at Matchwood. Everyone is invited to come down and taste the beer, meet the brewers and Reader staff, and take home some cans to support the newspaper. Rumor has it that John Reuter and Chris DeCleur — who along with Zach Hagadone founded the Reader in 2004 — will be on hand to help launch the can. Former Editor Cameron Rasmusson and former News Editor Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey will also attend to share the mirth. 

Photo by Soncirey Mitchell.

“Drink the Reader” is Matchwood’s fourth community fundraiser can — a program in which proceeds from the sale of the cans are donated to an organization or cause of Matchwood’s choosing. 

Their first was “Save the Sled Hill” to support Kaniksu Land Trust’s effort to purchase the sled hill on Pine Street. The second can, “Shred Sesh for POP,” earned money to support the Tiny Woods bike pump track at Travers Park. The third can was the “Panida Beer of the Century,” with funds supporting the theater’s Century Fund. 

“Matchwood was founded on this idea of a neighborhood brewing and community hub,” said Andrea Marcoccio, who owns and operates Matchwood with her husband Kennden Culp, and aims to release one to two community cans every year. 

“When we started this community can concept, we founded it on the ‘pillars of our community’ concept,” Marcoccio said. “‘Why is Sandpoint so special?’ ‘If these things didn’t exist, would Sandpoint be the same?’ That’s our threshold for how we make that decision.”

For Marcoccio, it’s these “unique and special” parts of Sandpoint that Matchwood strives to shore up with the can fundraiser.

“There are really unique and special weird things in Sandpoint, like the sled hill or the youth pump track or the Panida — I mean, how many small towns of our size have a 100-year-old theater run as a nonprofit?” Marcoccio said. “If these things went away, Sandpoint would be just another Inland Northwest town.”

Marcoccio informed the Reader that it would be the recipient of the next community can fundraiser in the spring, and the two organizations collaborated to develop concepts for artwork and beer style.

“Drink the Reader” cans waiting to be filled. Photo by Soncirey Mitchell.

“It takes over a half year of planning to select the pillar of our community, do preliminary meetings and make sure the collaboration is mutual,” Marcoccio said. “The reason we selected the Reader is because having a weekly independent newspaper is special. It’s not common anymore. It’s super expensive to create every week. We want to do our part in keeping it going.”

The can design concept was developed in concert with Matchwood and Reader staff members, utilizing the typewriter as a central theme, since the Reader office houses anywhere from a dozen to 25 antique typewriters at all times. 

Artwork on the cans were hand-drawn by Snack Plate Creative, a design firm that only works on craft beverage designs. Sisters Megan Bailey and Lauren Bailey are responsible for creating the “Drink the Reader” artwork.

“They’re awesome,” Marcoccio said of the designers. “They’re beer people and it really reflects. They know our brand and they know Sandpoint so well.”

“Drink the Reader” is a classic American pale ale with tasting notes highlighting a “combo of Mosaic, Simcoe and El Dorado hops” that give the beer an “aromatic, smooth and well-balanced” taste with an “assertive bitter finish.” 

The beer will be sold in four-packs of 16-ounce cans for $20 each, with proceeds donated to the Reader. Customers may purchase four-packs or drink pints on tap at Matchwood Brewing Co. The first run of 25 cases has already been canned; and, if it sells, Matchwood will brew another batch to keep the brew going.

Brewer Cole Hooper cans Matchwood’s newest beer. Photo by Soncirey Mitchell.

“If the community responds and buys it, we’ll make more,” Marcoccio said.

Also, local beer sellers interested in offering “Drink the Reader” at their venues are invited to contact Marcoccio at Matchwood.

Special thanks go out to Andrea and Kennden for honoring the Reader with this can, and a huge thanks to our community for their ongoing support of our independent, free weekly newspaper. We hope to see you all at Matchwood on Friday.