Chris Gass started concocting beer recipes in the early 2010s as a hobby in the garage of his Pullman home.
As a data analyst at Washington State University, he spent his days examining information and evenings and weekends behind a 10-gallon homebrewing pot.
"It was a way to experiment with new styles and make beer I like to drink," said Chris. "Eventually, it got to be pretty good, and my brother and I thought we could turn the hobby into a career." Fittingly, while enjoying a few beers in a pub, Chris and his brother Jason launched their own commercial brewing business.
They found a 4,000-square-foot space on Montgomery Avenue in Spokane Valley and completely transformed it. In Fall of 2019, after eight months of extensive renovations and with five beers on tap, YaYa Brewing Company opened as a brewery and tasting room.
The company’s unique name is more than just a catchy hook, too. It honors the brothers’ late sister, Lara, who died in a car accident in 2014. As a child, Jason couldn’t pronounce her name correctly, calling her ‘YaYa’ instead. The nickname stuck and makes the space extra special.
Since opening, Chris has expanded his beer repertoire by traveling the country, sampling different brews, and keeping his brewing hobby alive. Using ingredients sourced from regional farms, YaYa now offers 14 beers on tap, from pale ales to stouts and everything in between.
"I try to have a varied tap list," said Chris. "We want to make our beers very approachable so anybody can come in and find something they'll enjoy."
Dave Sanchez is a YaYa regular who enjoys the brewery’s rotating tap selections.
"All of it is pretty darn good,” said Dave “I've changed favorites about six times. My new favorite is the Big Zipper Pilsner."
Dave considers YaYa ‘his neighborhood pub’. "I always know somebody in there," said Dave. "Everybody is friendly. When I come in, they know you. That doesn't happen anywhere else."
The community at YaYa is important to Chris and co-owner Mike Zandt, who joined the operation after Jason left to pursue other ventures.
It’s evidenced in Angel Wings, a program YaYa started to pay tribute to Lara’s memory. It supports local charities like Second Harvest Food Bank, Big Table and Partners INW with a percentage of tasting room sales from their flagship beer, Angel IPA.
"Over the last few years, we've donated over $6,000 to area nonprofits," said Chris. "We want to be an integral part of our community and give back."
Thanks to recent updates, YaYa offers an even more inviting space to nurture community.
Over the last eight months, Chris and Mike have updated the tasting room, adding big-screen televisions, colorful murals, and a 950-square-foot outdoor patio. They’ve also expanded their flavor palate by partnering with Sauced!, a Detroit-style pizza shop that opened in June.
During the remodel, a local contractor approached Chris about upgrading his lighting and encouraged him to apply for Avista's small business direct-install lighting program. The 50-year-old building qualified for the program, so Avista covered the entire $7,966 lighting project cost. Inefficient fluorescent lighting was replaced with energy-saving LEDs and fixtures.
"It was completely seamless," said Chris about the experience. "It improved the ambiance and lighting in our warehouse and production area. The lights in the warehouse tend to be on 12 to 14 hours a day, so it made a big impact."
With updated lights, YaYa offers brighter opportunities for connection. Lower energy usage and a boosted bottom line help, too; especially for a company dedicated to making a difference in their community. Washington and Idaho Avista small business customers can easily qualify for lighting upgrades like this. Plus, Avista typically covers 100% of the project costs.