New Beer Friday 10/21/22

Tomorrow it will likely start feeling more like autumn...err maybe winter. Regardless, there's a nice balance of dark barrel-aged beers to counter bright and hoppy ales and lagers. autumn is a great time to be a beer lover. 

On today's Beer Nerd Radio, we welcome Nils Imboden from Wasatch Beers. We'll pick his brain about helming Utah's original craft brew house and what's coming from Wasatch/Squatters. that's at 2pm on KUAA 99.9fm.  

Hopkins - Aroma Therapy: The double dry-hopped blonde ale base was made with a blend of Cascade and Citra hops, leaving an intense floral/citrus aroma and a low perceived hop bitterness. Light enough to still be considered a blonde ale, but with an aroma similar to a pale ale or IPA. Malt body features bread-forward characteristics and mild malt sweetness, making this a truly unique experience for the senses. Brewed with 100% locally grown and malted Solstice Malt. 5.0% - Available at Hopkins

TF - Après For Snow: This new IPA features a super chewy & dank aroma that showcases a nice hop salad. The taste however is much more subtle and balanced. with moderate to light maltiness and big citrus and berry notes. Finishes on the piney side. 6.7% - Only at TF starting today.  

Epic - Big Bad Baptist (Gingerbread Baptist):I thought this one does a nice job at capturing that Gingerbread likeness for sure. I get loads of spiced molasses cookie here and this is pretty ginger forward which looks to be polarizing for some. Other flavors play more of a supporting role to the ginger snap. Modest dark roast and whiskey. Suggestions of dark fruits and baked bread in the end. 11.5% Available at Epic starting today.

Epic - Big Bad Baptist (Rum Barrel Aged BBB): plenty of pleasant aroma starting with vanilla, nougat and sure enough, rum. Taste follows a different path as chocolate, toasted marshmallow and finally roasted malt and coffee dominates prior to a bold rum alcoholic finish leaves in front of dryness and a lingering, cloyingly sweet aftertaste. 12.2% - Available at Epic starting today. 

Offset/New Image - Stivot: This collaborative beer was made with Arvada, Colorado's New Image Brewing. This LIPA fearures Simcoe, Waimea and Idaho 7 hops. 5.0% Available at Offset. 

Heber Valley - Vista Lager: Both of these new beers from Heber Valley feature the same fresh Vista hops and due to their individual malt bills and hops scheduling you get two very different flavors. The lager comes across more herbal with light citrus notes. 5.0% - Available at Heber Valley.

Heber Valley - Vista Pale Ale: This version has a brighter and more fruity profile that is aided by yeast and sweeter malts. 5.0% - Available at Heber Valley.

Bewilder - Ahhhroma SMASH: Big Hallertau-esque spiciness with chewy grapefruit peel. Malts are light & Pilsner-ish with light cracker & honey. Firm, fresh bitterness lingering in the back. Fuck yeah. 

Bewilder - Fresh Hop (Mosaic): Very aromatic with citrus and berries. Taste follows with with additions of melon and a nice hop bite. A very nice and expressive pale ale. I love this time of the year. 5.0% - Available starting today at Bewilder.

Proper - Monochromicorn: This Baltic Porter was aged in Ogden’s Own Rye Whiskey barrels for 7 months. The dark fruit flavors (prune and date) appear first, followed by the Rye barrel and chocolate flavors; after the swallow, the whiskey lingers in the aftertaste, bringing with it some vanilla elements. 10.6% - This goes on sale today at Proper and at Craft By Proper. 

Proper - Shadow Portal: This bock The aroma had some dark breads, light cocoa powder, a whiff of semi-sweet grassy tones, and a touch of dark fruits.

The flavor presented some of those prior mentioned aromas sweetly and left out the grassiness. Mild dark fruit to dark bready aftertaste.

The mouthfeel was almost medium bodied, seemingly sitting just a touch under and having a pretty good sessionability about it.

Mountain West - Citra Wet Hop Cider: This has a much different flavor profile than MW's Cottonwood Hop cider. This one is a little more tangerine forward and it works quite well with the dry apple tartness from the base cider. Very nice stuff. 

Fresh Hop Fest

This event features many of the wet and fresh hop beers that have been producedover the last few weeks. You'll find all of these beers, games and Barbecue at the West Side Tavern. If you like your suds fresh and hoppy this is a must for you. Here's some of what you can expect. 

Wasatch - Clothing Hoptional 

Strap Tank - Kawa-Strata

Bewilder - Fresh Hop 

Roha - Freshies

Level Crossing - Wet El Dor-Rye-Do

TF Brewing - Mr. Hand Fresh Hop

Offset Bier - Wet Hop (Mosaic)

A fresh hop firkin is also being worked on by the Wasatch/Squatters and possibly a ninth fresh hop my be offered tomorrow. You won't want to miss this. Much thanks to Libby Taylor for putting this badass Fresh Hop Fest on! 

Cheers!