Hopheads can get a delicious dose of craft beer and captivating conversation at Pullman’s first and only microbrewery.

Established last fall, the Palouse Falls Brewing Company has already developed a loyal customer base. Owners Jeff and Linda Greene attribute their success to a very simple business plan – make a high-quality brew and give customers a great environment to drink it in.

The brewery, located on SE Bishop, is only one of many outlets providing locally produced food and beverages on the Palouse. Though the eating local trend has recently become popular, for now, the Greenes provide the only local micros.

“There’s nobody in town brewing,” Linda said. “We can honestly say ours is the freshest stuff. Pullman needs more things to draw people to come and visit.” Things were not always so simple for the Greenes, though.

A WOEFUL WORT In August 2009, the Greenes cut ties with their original brewing partner, the Strangford Lough Brewing Co. in Ireland. The original plan was for Palouse Falls to be the first U.S. distributor of the company’s beer, but when the Greenes received the wort – a malt extract used to brew the beer – they had issues with its quality.

“The expertise and competency that they brought to the table was a little lacking for us,” Jeff said. “So we had to kind of drop back, re-evaluate and actually align ourselves with another brewing partner.” THE NEW BREW That new brewing partner was the Northern Lights Brewing Co. in Spokane. After teaming up with the company’s owner, Mark Irvin, the Greenes were able to make sumptuous suds — suds they were proud to put their name on.

The wort batches are made in Spokane and brought to Pullman, where the Greenes put it through the final steps to turn it into beer, such as adding hops and letting it ferment.

The result is five frothy flavors: Crimson Pride, Idaho Gold, Kamiak IPA, Steptoe Stout and a seasonal, Spring Thaw.

“The whole idea for us is to have a regional identity,” Linda said. “It’s a unique factor for Pullman. It’s something they can identify with.” Charles Kelsey II, a senior medical sciences major, said he would recommend the beer to visiting family and friends.

“It would definitely give them a chance to try something from the area,” he said. “They definitely have good beer there. It’s just different.” A DIVERSE GROUP OF FANS The Palouse Falls Brewing Co. attracts a variety of patrons, from local farmers to medical and business professionals, to professors and graduate students, Jeff said.

The broad range lends itself to some very interesting and stimulating conversation, he said. Beer is a common denominator that allows people from all walks of life to connect.

“We’ll have a discussion at the bar, for instance, on everything from Tiger Woods to microbiology in the scope of 20 minutes,” he said. “It’s just the dynamic of the company and everyone contributes. Everybody seems to be engaged.” A LOCAL LOVE Both Jeff, 50, and Linda, 47, grew up in eastern Washington.

For almost 30 years, Jeff, worked in various manufacturing positions. Linda worked administrative jobs. When Jeff’s contract was up with the company he was working for in Wisconsin, he and Linda had the chance to consider a career change.

They knew they wanted to be close to family in Pullman. As they began to look for business opportunities in the area, they saw potential in Pullman for a brewery.

“When we started looking into microbrewing, we knew immediately that there was a significant void here on the Palouse that was unfulfilled,” Linda said.

Opening the brewery in Pullman, versus a larger city like Spokane, has allowed them to focus on the “localness” of the product rather than the wholesale component, Jeff said.

In the future, the Greenes would like to feature locally made foods alongside their brew.

“We really envision that this will be a really great opportunity to get a taste of the Palouse,” he said. “There’s just something unique about the Palouse. It’s a different pace. It’s a different experience. There’s no question about it that you breathe a little deeper here.”