The Columbia Basin Herald conducts a reader poll each year: Best of the Basin. For 2024, Moses Lake Taproom ranked number one in the Best Bar and Best Beer Bar categories. It’s not surprising, given the taproom’s dedication to the community and great beer. Today, I am happy to introduce the two-year-old business to you as our newest sponsor.
A Focus on Craft Beer and Community
Moses Lake Taproom opened in March 2023 and recently celebrated its second anniversary. When one of the Taproom’s owners reached out, I was curious and asked some questions. “We are family-owned and operated,” explained Connor Stakelin, one of the folks behind Moses Lake Taproom. “The owners are Will (father), Claudine (mother), Connor (son), Dylan (son), and Carley (wife of Dylan).”
“Will is retired from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, which is how roots in Moses Lake were initially established in the 90’s. Connor and Dylan were born in Moses Lake, and we have all spent time living on both sides of the Cascades. However, our heart and passion brought us back to Central Washington post-COVID. The opportunity as a family to pursue this venture was simply a dream at first and one we could not pass up on when the opportunity arose. We are blessed to have the opportunity to build the Taproom together as a family.”
The Vision
There was a clear vision behind the Moses Lake Taproom and apparently a need for what it offers. What does it offer? An impressive, rotating selection of draft beers.
“Our vision was to open a Taproom that provided that unique space in Moses Lake where people could gather and enjoy some of the very best products the PNW has to offer,” said Connor. “This allows for people to gather for a variety of reasons, one of which is to have people enjoy outstanding smaller, craft beer while supporting local non-profits, community groups and charitable organizations through our strategic monthly fundraising efforts targeted at giving back.”
As for the beer, Moses Lake Taproom takes that part of the equation quite seriously. “We wanted to do something different and expand the beer culture in Moses Lake. Outside of what Ten Pin Brewing does, most other establishments in town always offer the same ol’ beer… Coors Light, Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, Elysian Space Dust, etc. with very little variety and definitely not much that rotates.”
The Realization
To realize its vision and bring otherwise unavailable beers to the community, Moses Lake Taproom knows it must rely on good distributor relationships and hard work. That means sourcing the beer itself. They don’t necessarily wait for the beer to come to them; they go get it. The result is a rotating lineup of beers folks seldom find around Moses Lake.
“We set out to be unique in Moses Lake and use that uniqueness to expand the beer culture in our Central Washington community,” Connor continues. “We wanted to offer a safe and welcoming environment where people can gather and enjoy the best craft beers that the PNW has to offer. This means not only partnering with a few distributors (large and small) but as a family, dividing up the state and trucking product back ourselves that otherwise would not be on tap not only in Moses Lake but maybe have never seen the east side of the Cascades. It is that part of what we do that makes us so unique and not just another Taproom.”
“Consistently rotating taps was very new for Moses Lake, and we always strive to have some of the best products rotating through our lineup,” said Connor. He also said that Moses Lake Taproom is one of the only places in Central Washington where you might find beers from esteemed breweries like Russian River Brewing.
The Accolades
Especially impressive for such a young business, Moses Lake Taproom recently earned some notable awards and accolades. Best of the Basin rated it the number one Bar and number one Beer Bar in the Columbia Basin in 2024; it was rated in the Top 5 Washington Taprooms by exploreyourbrewpnw (Bloggers and Dru Bru Ambassadors); and speaking to its commitment to the community, the Moses Lake Taproom received a Coin of Appreciation award from Grant County Sheriff Joe Kriete in acknowledgment of all it has done to give back to the community. In 2024, the Taproom hosted fundraisers that earned a total of $65,000 for local nonprofits.
Next time you’re in Moses Lake, or even if you’re just passing through, check out Moses Lake Taproom.
Moses Lake Taproom
530 W Valley Rd Unit N
Moses Lake, WA 98837
MAP
moseslaketaproom.com
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