Uinta's Tinder Rauchbier

Smoke Beers or Rauchbiers ("rauch" is German for smoke) are without a doubt an acquired taste in the beer world. I don't think I've ever come across a style of beer that has such a fervent following - while others have no use for it at all. I fall into the "Pro Rauchbier" camp. When they're made properly they are thing a beauty - imparting robust qualities from the smoke while providing spiciness and even brisket notes.

Its origins date back to the 1500's in the town of Bamberg, Germany. They typically have a dark ruby color and have similarities of Märzen biers. Green malts are dried over an open fire of beech wood, imparting a unique smokiness to the malt.

That's why I was happy to hear that Uinta's newest addition to their Crooked Line is to be a nice smoked lager. It's not a conventional choice, it's got a narrow audience, but the Crooked line isn't about conventionality. Tinder is made with German smoked malt from Bamberg; the beer will likely have notes of vanilla, coffee and toffee malts beneath the smoke - as well as slight earthy tastes, but the smoke will always be the star of the show.

Tinder is lagering as we speak and should be making it's debut in January, 2014. What are your thoughts?

Other great local Rauchbiers include RedRock's Bamberg Rauchbier and Desert Edge's Inversion.

Prost!

No, New Beer Friday....

It looks like it's another New Beer Friday, without any new beer. There are some nice returning favorites though, so at least we have that going for us.

Epic - Barley Wine: A nice mix of sweet malts, caramelized brown sugar with some grapefruit and pineapple bitterness. The end is a mix of toffee dark fruit and grapefruit with a hint of molasses and booze in the finish. @Epic

Squatters - Specialty English Pale Ale: A nice, highly quaffable English pale ale with floral and pine notes. @Squatters

Desert Edge - Holiday Raspberry Stout: This year Santa Haas made the stout with 145 pounds of raspberries and 15 pounds of cocoa nibs. It really has a nice balance between stout roastiness, raspberry aroma and flavor and a delicate chocolate flavor. @Desert Edge

The Firkins today at the Bayou and Poplar St. Pub are courtesy of Squatters. This week's offering is a Peach Witbier. If it's not too sweet and "peachy" I'll be all over it!

Cheers! 

Today, Utah Gave Us Back Our Beer

There's a nice Op-Ed piece in the Salt Lake Tribune today about Utah's role role in putting an end to Prohibition. Please raise a glass today, weather at home or your favorite watering hole. Yeah, it's ironic - I guess that's what makes it so cool.

Cheers!

The Hop Bombshells' Holiday Fundraiser

Join the Hop Bombshells and celebrate the holidays by giving back! The areas only ladies home brew club invites you all to stop by Hoppers Grill & Brewing Co., to participate in a fundraiser to help the YWCA of Salt Lake City, The Road Home and the Utah Food Bank.

The Hop Bombshell's have put together a new 2014 pin-up style calendar, featuring some of the members of the club. $20 gets you a calendar signed by the Bombshells or you can bring in a bag of food, a blanket, or a jacket to receive $5 off the calendar. These donations will go to above mentioned charities.


That's not all, in addition to calandars the Bombshells are also raffling off a brand new, in the box electric "kiddie" Chevy Camaro. Be the hero this Holiday as you introduce the toddler or "mini person" in your life to the joys of being a full-on motorhead.

The event is at Hopper's on Sunday, Dec. 8 from 4-7 pm. There will obviously be beer and food. This event is open to the public so invite your friends and help the ladies give back to the community. 

Cheers!

Uinta Brewing Company's Brighton Revolver IPA

There's a nice trend happening at our local ski destinations this year. Some of the resorts along the Wasatch Front & Back are teaming up with local breweries to produce unique beers - custom designed for the specific resorts. As of right now there are three ski resorts (Alta, Snowbird, Park City) and one ski lodge (Montage Deer Valley) with beers made from the Utah Brewers Cooperative. Now we can add one more destination getting into the beer game, Brighton Ski Resort.

If you happen to make it to the Bayou last Friday, you may have gotten an opportunity to try Brighton's new beer via Firkin. The new beer made by Uinta Brewing is called, Brighton Revolver Session IPA. This new brand is designed to be a rotating Session IPA that will change in hop profile throughout the ski season.
 
The first release, or “season opener”, was brewed with Mosaic and Cascade Hops which give it a bright,
floral & citrus essence. Full of ripe, fruity notes - I think it occupied my glass most of the night, it's damn tasty. The next rotation in the series is still being formulated, when it makes it way around we'll let you know.

It's available at Brighton Resort and a few tap handles around town, not in bottles or cans. If you see it, tell us where and tell us what you think.

Cheers!

The Sugar House Distillery

Today's post is not exactly beer related but it's a sign of where we are headed in the pursuit of locally produced adult beverages.

Great news! It looks like Utah has another small batch distillery on the way. The Sugar House Distillery, SLC's newest producer of adult beverages received it's federal permit two months ago on September, 23rd and is awaiting it's state permit to begin operations in the coming weeks. The distillery is planning to be up and running by Jan 1st if everything goes as planned in the Dec meeting with the State of Utah and will start off by making a vodka and will be releasing a honey whiskey shortly after opening.

While we're waiting for the new distillery to go online, SHD could use your help in deciding what their Logo should look like. Check out these options and visit their Facebook Page to lend your support. 

The Sugar House Distillery will be located at 2200 south and West Temple in Salt Lake City.

We'll bring you updates on their progress and specifics of the operation in the coming weeks. Welcome to the family!

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 11/22/13

When local beer geeks heard that New Belgium Beers were hitting the market, the first question people asked was, "are we gunna get more than just Fat Tire"? Well we all hoped that would be the case, today I can say, that is the case! - and the Beerhive just got quite a few regular and seasonal beers from NB. Here they are.

New Belgium: Lips Of Faith - Cigar City Collaboration (Ale Brewed With Chilies) - The nose is spicy with cinnamon fresh chiles. The taste starts with apple and a bit of roasted chile meat. An earthy bitterness comes next with spicy Belgian yeast rounding out the end. Interesting, but a little thin and light to hold my attention.

New Belgium: Hop Kitchen - Fresh Hop India Pale Ale - A nice nose of citrus, pine, grapefruit mingled with earthy New Belgium yeast. The taste follows the aroma. Citrus, bitter pine with floral hops that meld with a plain caramel malt flavors. The end is dominated by earthy yeast, citrus and floral hops. The finish is semi dry. Nice beer but it won't be so nice in a couple of weeks so drink it now.

New Belgium Rampant IIPA: The nose is primarily citrusy hops, followed by some sweet grainy malts. The tastes starts with citrusy hops with some bready caramel malts. Caramel and toasted malt tend to dominate in the middle. the end has hints of lemon and pine. Not too complex, malts tend to dominate over the hops.

New Belgium: Abby - The nose is of banana, maple syrup and some dark fruit with mild alcohol. Caramel and syrup in the beginning with notes of banana, some fruitiness. Spicey esters come next with toffee and a mild alcohol warming at the end. The flavor was left lingering on the taste buds for a nice long while along with the mild taste of alcohol. This is a really nice full bodied Abby style ale.

New Belgium: Trippel - The nose full of floral notes, clove, coriander, and some strong banana character. The taste starts ripe with banana and cookie dough. Corriander, and clove come next with as juicy citrus hops round out the finish. The alcohol is very well hidden. Again a nice interpretation on the style, very nice.

New Belgium: Lips Of Faith - Wild2 Dubbel (Ale Brewed With Schisandra) - The nose starts with raisins, molasses and some spicy banana. The taste follows with Belgian yeast, fig, raisin and gingerbread. The end is peppery and yeasty. Faint hints of sour funk appear in the finish. I don't normally gravitate to Dubbels but I like this.

Kona: Pipeline Porter - The nose is straight-up coffee. The taste is coffee with some cocoa, cola and some smoke in the finish. This is a straight forward coffee porter. If you like 'em you'll love this.

Pelican: Silverspot IPA - A nice hoppy nose with a light maltiness and a hint of spicy yeast. The taste starts sweet with malt and hints of toffee. Nice, floral and citrusy hops come next with a bit of earthiness. The hops are not as strong as they are in the nose, but the balance is nice. Quite a tasty example of the English style.

Wasatch: Park City Golden Anniversary Ale - I haven't tried this one yet, anyone? @ Beer Store - Squatters/Wasatch bottleshops. 

All of these are available at the Beerhive, get before they dissapear!

Cheers!