2010 Utah Beer Year in Review

Welcome to 2011 and the Utah Beer Year in Review. Over the next few days I'm going to try and give an overview of the highs and lows of the 2010 Utah Beer scene.

January: We started out with a big stumble as Utah ran out of liquor licences. Last year Law-makers stated that there would be no new licences to be made available. This legislative session it's defiantly going to be looked at.

February: Uinta's Bourbon Barrel Barleywine second release made it back to Utah liquor stores with more hoops headaches. Deschutes' Abyss made to the state for the first time and the DABC celebrated by requiring the beer faithful to perform circus tricks for it as well. Squatters' 529 debuted. The most unique beer made in Utah to date. blending the oak aged 529 with a two month old 529 to marry the acidity and malty sweetness to produce one quaffable sour ale.

March: Started with the release of Hoppers Brewing's first bottle release, Double Black. Brewmaster & Secret Agent Donovan Steele first "high abv" beer came in at 6.4% abv. Dono calls this lager a Schwartz-Bock due to it's higher than normal abv for the style. The Wasatch brew pub got licencing to sell their High ABV brands out the door. Epic Brewing fired-up their brew kettle for the first time and started making beer on March 26. And Ommegang Abby Ale found it's way onto the shelves of the Foothill Liquor Store. No one has taken advantage yet of the open door this created for distribution. Hint-Hint.

April: We launched the Utah Beer forum. If you haven't used it, please check it out. Polygamy Porter, Black Forest Schwarzbier and Cutthroat Pale Ale won medals at the 2010 World Beer Cup. The inaugural "Tour de Brewtah" charity ride, which will brought together bicycles and beer to raise money for Utah charities was a huge hit. Look for it to be bigger and better this year. Roosters celebrated 15 years in it's historic 25th street Location And Epic beers went on sale for the first time.

May: The Fisher Family and Red Rock Brewing Company hosted the Albert Fisher Beer Garden on the mansion grounds. To celebrate the Historic Fisher Brewery. it was a great opportunity to get to know this great piece of Utah's beer history while enjoying great German food and local craft beer on the beautiful riverside mansion property. Uinta Brewing Released their Crooked Line series of beers. Debuting with Labyrinth Black Ale, Cockeyed Cooper Bourbon Barrel Barley Wine and Detour Double India Pale Ale.

June: Moab Brewing turned Fourteen. Utah Brewers killed-it at 2010 NABA Competition. Apa Sherpa broke his own record climbing on his Twentieth ascension on Mt. Everest and took Bohemian Brewery's Pils and Viennese with him. A first for craft beers! Wasatch released the little slammers and Squatters Provo Girl got a new look.

To be continued.