The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

WAITSBURG – Waitsburg's Laht Neppur Brewing Company walked away with the People's Choice "Best Cure for Cabin Fever" award for the third year in a row at the Palouse Cabin Fever Brew Fest at the Palouse Community Center on Sat., Feb. 13.

Laht Neppur won top honors with their Hot Chocolate Strawberry Porter and earned second place with their Bluewood Barley Wine. Third place went to Paradise Creek Brewery's Berliner Bar. Paradise's Invective Stout tied with Black Label Brewing Company's Piper's Pilsner for fourth place. Trickster's Brewing Company took fifth place with their Juice Box IPA.

Laht Neppur Co-Owner Katie Ruppenthal said the Hot Chocolate Porter is a "brand, brand new beer. It's very chocolaty with a little cayenne pepper for the 'hot.' It's a nice little beer," she said.

"Our Bluewood Barley Wine was brewed in January of 2014 so it was over two years old at festival time. 10.8 ABV with about 88 IBU's. Sounds hoppy but age balances it," said Brewmaster Court Ruppenthal.

At last year's Fest, Laht Neppur won the Best Cure award for their Waitsburg Winter Warmer with The Moscow Brewing Company running a close second with their Spruce Porter. Their first year at the Palouse Cabin Fest Laht Neppur won "by a landslide" with their Spiced Peaches 'N' Cream Ale.

"It was fun to go, fun to win, fun to be there. It's a great festival. I'm sure we'll be back again," said Katie.

Laht Neppur is no stranger to coming in first. They have won gold medals for their beers at the Washington Beer Awards in 2013 and 2014, The North American Brewers Association Awards in 2010, and People's Choice Awards from the Ellensburg WinterFest in 2008, the Strange Brewfest in Port Townsend in 2010, the Washington Beer Commission's Winter Beer Festival in Seattle 2012, as well as taking top honors in Palouse the last three years running.

News of the brewery has even reached the east coast. Katie said they were recently mentioned in The New York Times after columnist Mike Seely and his wife dropped in for a pizza and a brew earlier this month. A link to the article titled "Reinvention in Walla Walla's Wine Country" can be found on the Laht Neppur Brewing Co Facebook page.

Laht Neppur offers year-round weekly specials for locals who want to give their award winning brews a try. Every Tuesday is "Tightwad Tuesday" and pints are $3.50 all day. Growlers are filled at a $2 discount each Wednesday.

The Brewery is ten years old this year and Court says they have set the anniversary party date for the weekend following the Fourth of July. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for updates.