New Beer Friday 1/24/20

There's a nice round selection of styles this week. There may not be a lot, but the flavor factor here, more than makes up for it.

Red Rock - Juicy Pale Ale: Juicy hop aromas dominate this hazy pale ale. Oats and barley are used to create a big silky body that can hold up the round juicy, berry-citrus, white-pine hop profile. definitely more hop fruitiness than bitterness happening here. 5.0% - Available at Red Rock location and at Harmons.

Toasted Barrel - Barrel Aged Sour with Grapes: This beer was aged for 18 month in French oak. The beer/wine hybrid definitely has a vinous quality with doses of balsamic vinegar from the funkified barrel. 7.5% - Available at Toasted Barrel.

Toasted Barrel - Cranberry Sour: This lactobacillus sour has a moderate amount of sweet and sour going on. The tartness from the cranberry, really fights for your affections as it dukes-it-out for dominance over the base beer's sourness. 5.0% - Available at Toasted Barrel    

Shades - Kveik Cherry Pie: The newest incarnation of Shades' Kveik Series features cherries, vanilla, cinnamon, graham cracker and lactose for sweetness. Look for tart pie cherries with that signature graham cracker crust toastiness. It tastes like a desert beer but drinks like an everyday ale. Non-vegan friendly. 6.3% - Available at Shades and your better beer pubs.

UTOG - Red Eye: This new imperial red ale is bright with fruity malts that take you into berry territory. the hops a a bit of citrus, but it's pine that drives the majority of the hop profile and bitterness. 8.3% - Available at UTOG.

Bewilder - Fresh Sesh IPA: The new IPA from Bewilder is hopped with Warrior, Citra and  Mosaic Hops. I havn't tried this one yet as it will be tapped later this afternoon. If you want to try this, call first to find out if it's on or not. 5.0% - Available at Bewilder. 

Cheers!

Desert Edge to Package Beer

Desert Edge Brewing Co. has been a staple in Utah's beer scene since 1995. Hell, The Pub portion of the business has been in operation since 1972 - few establishments can claim that kind of longevity. In all of that time of making and serving beer, the draft only brewpub has never got into the packaging game... until now.

Through a little digging, I came across what appears to be a new label for a 'high point" IPA called Pando. The label art feature a tranquil, water color scene of aspen trees and appears to be designed for a 12 ounce can.

Desert Edge's head brewer, Chad Krusell makes some of the best pale ales in the state, I have high confidence that this 7.1% India Pale Ale will make the Trolley Square brewpub (and the state) proud.

More info on this endeavor will follow, as it comes my way. 

Cheers!

Image found at Labelvision.com

New Beer Friday 1/17/20

Congratulations, your having a New Beer Friday! Fruit is a heavy influencer this week, and 99% of them are local. Have an excellent weekend.

Avenues Proper - Charleston Cherry: This new farmhouse ale is made with local tart cherries from Woddyatt Farm. This brettanomyces beer is more fruit forward with a subtle yeast profile that brings the cherry into the foreground. Proper is on a roll right now, If you love Brett beers I'd get your hinies to Avenues Proper Sooner than later. 5.0%

Avenues Proper - Blood Orange Blizzard: This is a kettle soured IPA with blood orange added post fermentation. More tart than sour, look for a nice citrus twang with tangerine bitterness. 5.0% - Only at Avenues Proper.

Proper- Fonzie’s Jacket: A milkshake IPA made with Citra hops and lactose. Reminds me of a hoppy Orange Julius. Despite the fruit this is not a vegan friendly beer. 5.0%

Epic - Big Bad Yankee: This is the newest variant in Epic's Big Bad Baptist line-up. 'Yankee' is aged in Yankee Spirits' whiskey and rye barrels. This actually an imperial porter aged (not a stout) made with coffee, cacao, hazelnuts and vanilla. This is a very small batch, and only available at Epic's Salt Lake brewery starting this morning.

Epic - Lemon Bomb Tart n Juicy: This sour IPA is dosed with lemon juice to compliment the hop selection that is already citrus forward. No lactose in this one! 5.0% Available at Epic in growlers.

Hopkins- Deseret Dunkel: The aroma is described as malty sweet and bready, while the flavor profile is rich and complex, displaying notes of toasted bread, chocolate, and graham cracker. Bitterness is minimal. The flavor is reminiscent of Golden Graham cereal. 5.0% - Available at Hopkins.

Strap Tank - Nelson/Mosaic Hazy Pale Ale: This made with a couple of my favorite hops right now. The Nelson hops will add a berry-like component, while the Mosaic hops bring fresh pine, mango, blueberry and citrus. 5.0% - Available at both Strap Tank locations.

Strap Tank - Witbier: Look for high level of wheat with coriander and orange peel. 5.0% - Available at both Strap Tank locations.

Strap Tank - Blueberry Lime Smoothie Sour: . This one shines with tartness from the blueberry and lime, this gives it a sherbet or sorbet quality. 5.0% - Available at both Strap Tank locations.

Kiitos - Fruit Milkshake Ale (Berry Pomegranate): Made with real raspberry, blackberry, blueberry and pomegranate juices, They also reworked the base beer to make it 5%. Despite the fruit this is not a vegan friendly beer. On draft now at Kiitos.

Melvin/Arc'teryx collaboration - Son of Apocalypse IPA: This brand new IPA by Melvin debuted in SLC last Wednesday (1/15). Look for big citrus peel, pine and tropical fruits from this 70 Ibu ale. 5.0% - Available at Beerhive, Bayou.  

Returning Champs

Epic - Oak and Orchard Cherry Vanilla: This foeder aged sour reminds me of cherry sorbet with a hint of Balsamic vinegar. 6.5% - Available in crowlers at Epic.

Wasatch - Kick-back Series - Oatmeal Stout: Silky smooth chocolate, espresso and vanilla all wrapped up in a bow. 6.0% Available at Park City's brewery and the West Side Tavern.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 1/10/20

It looks like the breweries are back in their grooves and the suds of 2020 have begun to flow. There's a strong variety of of new stuff this week along with a new east coast brewery's entry into the market.

2 Row - Galaxy Juice: This is the first new NEIPA to come out of 2 Row in a while. This one features galaxy, Simcoe and El Dorado hops. Look for flavors of honey malts, followed by juicy citrus, stone fruit and tropica hops which impart a light amount of bitterness which fades away almost instantly leaving lingering tropical citrus hop flavors. 7.0% Should be available as soon as the doors open thius morning.

Hoppers - Oat Brown Ale: This is and American style brown ale. It has a supper toasty grain profile with a good dose of hops that lean into the piny end of the spectrum. The oat addition gives in a nice silky feel. 5.0% - Available at Hoppers.

Roosters - Mountain Hazy: Obviously hazy in appearance with earthy mango dank pine and cantaloupe in the aroma. Taste-wise you get damp florals, sappy pine and a hint of cannabis. Overripe papaya. Candy sugar sweetness with an earthy bitterness. 5.0% Available at Roosters

Roosters Downhill Munich Dunkel: Missed this one. Look for a lager full of rich caramel and and toasted malts. 5.0% Available at Roosters.

TF Brewing - Pomegranate and Blackberry Berlinerweisse: Smells of pulpy pomegranate and black berry lactic sourness. Taste has the berries up front quickly being joined by the mild lactic sourness, doughy grain and light must. More tart than sour in the feel, bit of chewiness as well.

Jester King - Omniscience and Proselytism (Blend 4): This sour ale was re-fermented in oak barrels with Strawberries. The berries were matured then allowed to ferment to dryness. There's a refreshing lactic acidity, followed by earthy yeast and strawberry jam. Sweetness emerges as it warms, but remains bone dry and crisp in its finish. 5.0% Found at Slackwater.

Sierra Nevada - 40th Hoppy Anniversary: Pours a bright amber with a nose of grapefruit and pine. Taste follows suit. This is quite appropriate; seem like a throwback to what made Sierra Nevada great. If you love SN's pale ale and celebration ale you will like this. 6.0% Found at DABC.

Brooklyn Brewery -  Bel Air Sour: Brooklyn Brewery is brand new to the market. The Aroma is full with of muted lemon and mild funkiness - Tastes sour for sure, definitely a vinous quality - Feels light and dry with a puckering chardonnay like finish. 5.8% - Available at Select DABC.

Prost!

New Beer Friday 1/3/20

Welcome to 2020! Utah's craft beer scene had a strong decade and it looks like the 20s will be equally progressive. Thanks for sticking with the Utah Beer Blog as we enter our fifteenth year of Utah specific beer nerding  - I wouldn't have lasted this long without all of your support. Here's your first New Beer Friday of the year.

Bonneville - Cool Fuzz: This new 'hazy' IPA is hopped with Cashmere. There's a good dose of lime and tropical fruits that provide high fruitiness with low bitterness, due to the late hop editions. This one is super fresh and only available at the source in Tooele. 5.0% 

Fisher - Life Throws Melons: The hop profile in this pale ale generates big flavor with assertive bitterness, adding significant citrus zest and cantaloupe fruit character. Lemongrass and herbal tea. Bitterness round it out. Nice pale ale. 5.0% - Available at Fisher.

Kasteel - Rogue: The aroma is mostly tart cherry that implies sweetness is coming. The taste confirms it with sweet pie cherries and a medium tartness. There's a hint of a malt floating around in the background. For a quad it feels a bit thin, though it is easy to drink. It's a little more fruit forward than I was expecting, but it's still tasty. 8.0% - Found at Beer Bar.

Don't forget that we have New Beer Friday this afternoon at 2:30pm on KBER 101, with Mick and Allen.

Cheers!

Beer Zombies SLC Opens Today

A Las Vegas staple in craft beer has it's cloudy eyes locked on SLC - starting today you get to experience Beer Zombies SLC. Starting at 5pm today (12/31/19), this new concept in craft beer will offer a wide variety of mostly local craft beers on draft, in cans and in bottles.

Located at 153 s. Rio Grande Street, Beer Zombies will be part of the new HallPass food hall. Joining its sister company SkinnyFATS, the 11,000-square-foot 'gastropub' will anchor the southern end of the Gateway Complex.

You'll find beers from 5.0% to 'whatever' from breweries from all over the area. Beer Zombies is currently in soft opening mode, so keep that in consideration upon making you visit.

Cheers!

Photos Courtesy: Beer Zombies SLC

New Berer Friday 12/27/19

I hope the holidays treated you well. It's not like you were suffering from lack of beer this week, but just in case you're jonesing for something new, I did manage to find a few new things to keep the end of the decade fresh.

RoHa - Project Porter: Roasty malt is strong on the nose. There's a lot of chocolate in the taste, and there's a rich creaminess, too. A touch of hop bitterness to balance (or is it char?). Its body is rich and substantial, a lot like a stout. 5.0% - Available at RoHa.

Kiitos - West Coast IPA: The aroma started with citrus peel somewhat bitter with an underlying sweet to bitter pine to blend. The taste was moderately bitter with an underscore of bitter piney-ness. There’s a lingering bitter piney aftertaste leading into a slight dry sweet citrus finish. 5.0% - only on draft at Kiitos.

Pipeworks - Close Encounters: This Black IPA has a bright citrusy nose with subtle cocoa and roasty malts. The taste is bitter up front with citrus rind and earthy notes. The roasted malt followed closely behind with coffee, char , and a hint of licorice. I've kinda fallen off of the BIPA bandwagon, due to a lack of well executed recipes. This one is pretty solid. If you're a fan of the style, check this one out. 6.0% - Found at Slackwater. 

Pipeworks - Normcore: This brown ale has a good amount of roasty and toasted malts for a nutty caramel flavor that feels just right for this time of the year; not to sweet, just enough to compliment the toast. It's balanced by a restrained dose of Bramling Cross hops - an obscure U.K. variety that adds fruity notes of lemon, blackcurrant and pear. A solid English style brown ale. 6.0% - Found at Slackwater.

Cheers!