In honor of Cougar Football Saturday’s kicking off this weekend, fans had the opportunity to help name a new Coug-inspired beer at Common Language Brewing Company.

Dallas Hobbs, Common Language Brewing Company co-owner, announced the name of the pale ale as ‘Palouse Posse’ last week. Entries opened on Aug. 12th and closed on Aug. 19th.

Fans entered a name online they thought would best fit the Coug-inspired beer, Hobbs said. The winner received beer naming credits, tickets to the first Cougar Football Saturday, a WSU autographed football and an entry into the beer release party at Flatstick Pub. 

Hobbs said the name ‘Palouse Posse’ was chosen by both the Common Language Brewing and the Flatstick Pub team after looking through over 70 names.  

Ryan Kurth, a 2008 WSU graduate, was the first person to enter the name of the winning pale ale.

“I was just thinking through WSU football names that might roll off the tongue with a pale ale and that’s where it came from,” Kurth said. 

The Palouse Posse were known as the most relentless and ruthless players in WSU football history, he said. 

Hobbs said the two Coug-owned businesses, Common Language Brewing Company and Flatstick Pub, worked together to create the Coug beer fundraiser where all proceeds go towards the Cougar Athletic Fund. 

The entry fee was $5, but fans could donate up to however much they desired, he said. 

Hobbs said they ended up raising $530 to help support the Cougar Athletic Fund, and hope to continue this fundraiser bi-yearly where they can host it during both the Fall and Winter. 

The beer will be sold at Flatstick Pub and at the Common Language Brewery in Spokane, but the teams are working to expand to more locations, Hobbs said.  

“[It was] a fun opportunity where you get the chance to name a Coug-inspired beer and also give back to the Cougar Athletic Fund,” he said.