New Beer Friday 8/25/23

This classic magazine cover from National Lampoon was respectfully repurposed this week to draw you into this week's New Beer Friday. Did it work? It's a full weekend of new beer and a good variety too. Have a great weekend!

Our guest on Beer Nerd Radio this afternoon is David Jimenez of Tastmasters fame. We'll cover podcasts, influencers, social media and of course beer. Check us out today at 2pm on 99.9fm KUAA.   

Epic - Hopsters: This tastes like Epic stole all of hops on the planet and artfully crammed them into this can. Chewy hops and cannabis-notes. Dank and resiny with a massive citrus zest punch, combined with melon and berries. It’s a Double WCIPA with some haze so the bitterness is full but not obscene. This alcohol is present, but it is a DIPA, so mission accomplished. Finishes dry for the most part because of the Amarillo, Centennial, Magnum Terps & Hopburst. Not for the NEIPA crowd. This was fun to drink. 9.5% - Available at Epic starting today.

Red Rock - Bending Branch: This Peach Hefeweizen features 650 lbs of real peaches. it has an orange hue with a moderate haze and effervescence. Head poured a finger of creamy white foam. Light aroma with a little bit of wheat and peach. Not much in the way of hefeweizen esters. Still, it's a refreshing aroma. The peach is a little more pronounced in the flavor than in the aroma, which in this case is good thing. Otherwise, it's much more like an American pale wheat ale than a German hefeweizen. which works just fine. Medium body with a nice carbonation and creaminess. Not bad. This is a nicely refreshing brew on a hot day like today. Connoisseurs of fruit beers will love this one. 5.0% - Exclusive to Harmon's Grocery Stores.

Red Rock - Quite Frankly: This American-style Pilsner features Incognito, Lupomax hops. In the aroma I get herbal/floral quality along with lemon, fruit rind, and bread crust. The flavor is nice. Earthy, herbal, a bit of hop resin/oil, and of course bready. Some bright lemon, as well. The feel is medium body but still drinks like a typical bready lager. Dry and with full carbonation. A nice little surprise. 5.0% - Available at Red Rock Locations.

RoHa - Lighthouse Rules: They're calling this a "foggy IPA". It features Citra and Mosaic hops and and it looks like a witbier.  Two of my favorite hops in one classic combo. Citrus pops with some hints of pine, berry & melon. It’s all simple. I’d call it a “white pale ale”, due to the mellow malt bill & the overall Basic hops/malt bill. Soooo nice! 5.0% - Available at RoHa

Proper - Riled Up Red: Brewed in honor of ESPN 700's Bill Riley, this unofficial Utah Utes football inspired ale is a classic American red ale. I'm definitely getting those Cascade hops. Malt profile is solid and not thin. The overall balance is excellent. Haven’t had an old school red like this in a while. 🤘Go Utes! 🏈🙌

Uinta - Euro Pils: I'm not sure if this is the actual name, but this hits taps for the first time today. 5.0% - Only at Uinta.

SL Brewing - Slippery Otter: This nitro vanilla porter has aromas of dark malts along with hints of chocolate and vanilla. The taste has flavors of dark malts with notes of cola and light vanilla, the latter of which are most noticeable towards the finish. It feels just about medium-bodied and very smooth on the palate. 5.0% - Only at SL Brewing. 

Beer Zombies - Hwhip (Double Blueberry Double Cherry): All of the goddamn tarts are happing here. The base beer is sour. Then pile-on Blueberries & Cherry. It doesn’t say anything lactose sugars on the can, just “vanilla”, so I assume it’s safe for non-lactoids. That being said, it’s decadently berry forward 8.0% - Only at Beer Zombies.

Beer Zombies - Vrykolakas: This Triple IPA Light citrus aroma. Quite fruity compared to Epic’s Hopsters which was a hoppy beast. This is different kind of beast with more soft fruity notes: citrus, pineapple, melon etc. big malt profile - stone fruit comes to mind. Finishes fruity & boozy. Oy! 10.5% - Only at Beer Zombies.

Mason - Sand and Sound: This classic WCIPA is made with Stratta, Citra and El Dorata hops. Look for cannabis aromatics with a palate of sage, grapefruit and passion fruit flavors. 6.5% - Found at Slackwater.

Mason/Kings Brewing - Three-Peat Re-Peat: This collaboration TRIPA features Motueka, Mosaic and Cashmere hops. Look for a ton of stone fruit and citrus peel. 10.5% - Found at Slackwater 

Mason/Seek Brewing - iPOP! Tropical: This collaboration fruit beer features guava, passion-fruit and strawberry. Light and crisp. 5.5% - Found at Slackwater. 

Boulevard - Bob's '47 Oktoberfest: Missed this one. 

Brewery Ommegang - All Hollow's Treat: By the name you'd think this was a pumpkin beer. Nope. What we have here is a more of a Reese's Peanut Buttercup clone in beer form. Look for dark chocolate, creamy peanut butter and vanilla. 7.6% - Found at Slackwater.

Here are this week's Small Batch Beers from Hopkins Brewing.

Cheers!
 

New Beer Friday 8/18/23

Not only is it New Beer Friday, it's a Utah Beer Fest weekend. For info on the fest, please see below. Also this weekend in SLC is the 2nd annual Kensington Street Festival is on August 19th. Kensington will be closed from Main to Major street (in front of RoHa) with live music, food trucks, artists, live muralists and more.

Beer Nerd Radio gets into donut pairing heaven as we welcome Dolly's Donuts to the radio pub. Dolly's is the only donut shop that I'm aware of that sells beer alongside their confections. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.

RoHa - Skippers Delight: This amber lager opens with a firm fig undertones as it parses through notes of nutty brown bread and toasty bread crusts over the middle; a touch of caramel brings a deft sweetness lingering into a close of white bread and honey. Taste brings forth stewed fig and brown bread upfront, with floral hops and a touch of minerality over the mid-palate into honeysuckle, light cereal grain, and honey fading with the finish. 5.0% Available at RoHa

Salt Lake Brewing - U-Da-Ho: The mixture of fruity, piney and green hop aromas with no single aspect sticking out the most. The taste seems to be similar to the aroma, but much lighter and it starts off with a medium amount of sweetness with the hops still being the first to show up and they impart the same aspects that they did in the aroma. the finish there's a medium amount of bitterness with a equal amount of hoppy and malt flavors in the aftertaste. 5.0% - Only at Salt Lake BC.

Uinta - Killing Time: This small batch hoppy Kolsch has great toasty malts with some fruitiness from the yeast. Hops here are big. Slightly citrusy, mostly herbal. It’s a great combo and it all works quite well here. 5.0% - Only at Uinta.

TF - Circus Series Foeder Aged Yuzu and Budah's Hands: This beer utilizes 12 different Brett strains. This one of the more approachable Brett beers I've had in some time. This is presented in a clear bottle - no hops happening here. The nose is lightly bretty with some vague citrus aromas. Upon first swig, you get a mix between a tangy lemon, bitter grapefruit and sweet orange. The best description that I can come up with for what comes next is "ocean". It's not briny but a trick from the funk and the fruit. It ends with more barn funky and yeast spices. Defintely Brett forward. The Buddha’s Hand fruit and yuzu doesn’t taste strong at all. 7.5% - Available at TF starting today.

Offset - Thiols Terps & Love: This new lager features a combo of New Zealand hops: Nelson Sauvin, NZ Cascade and Peacharine. Oh my. This is a full-on-sensory assault. The dank. The fruit. Oils… the cannabis-ish rawness of the hops. Then you add thiolized fruit component from the yeast: full of berries melon. Goddamn! This is fun to drink The ABV is perfect at 6.0% BRILLIANT! Available at Offset now, also at The Bayou.

Saltfire - Mobius Trip (Farmhouse Brett Saison): This is the first release from Saltfire foeder #2. Some funk, wheat and light balsamic. The saison yeast is still present and the sour level is a solid medium. There’s a good dose of wood and peachy notes, along with some floral qualities from the old world hops. Really tasty. I’m curious to see what this is like in a year. 

SaltFire - Deep Dive Series Pils: This is a smaller version of NZED. NZ hopped Pils with nice citrus & herbal qualities. 5.0% - available now at Saltfire.

SaltFire - Deep Dive Series Hefeweizen: 5.0% - Nice. Traditional German style. Clove & banana, in that order. available now at Saltfire.

SaltFire - Deep Dive Series Summer Session: Smell is citrus and p[ale malts some baked bread. Taste is floral and tropical some herbal hops with a nice malt finish. Earthy clean hoppy and malty.5.0% - available now at Saltfire.

SaltFire - Deep Dive Series Stout: A little acrid. Some molasses & roasted malts. Lacks the smoothness of of an Irish-dry stout. 5.0% - available now at Saltfire.

Helper - Total Rise Hazy IPA: Pours a hazy golden orange. Lots of citrus in the nose, including oranges, lemon peel, and grapefruit, and some tropical fruit like pineapple. Very light malt presence. Lots of juicy citrus up-front, slightly unsweetened. You get orange variants, lemon and lime peel, mango, pineapple, and then grapefruit comes in on the back end along with a little bit of malt. Stays on the very slightly bitter side of the spectrum, but only slightly. You get some good drying on the finish that helps keep the bitterness well under control. 7.5% - Available at Helper Beer.

Helper - Slow Fade: Missed this "big tart beer". 9.0% - Available at Helper Beer.

Salt Flats - Oktoberfest: New recipe and it’s brilliant. Think it’s too early for autumn beers?… You’d be wrong! Drink them as soon as they hit, and you’ll be the better for it. This Viennese is toasty, slightly nutty with a hint a malt sweetness. Hops are grassy/herbal and spot on. 5.0% - Available at Salt Flats and Garage Grill locations.

The Utah Beer Festival is happening this weekend. Saturday, August 19 and Sunday, August 20 at Granary Live and Granary Square. Located at 742 S. 500 West. Look for over 200 different beers, ciders, hard seltzers and kombuchas available to sample as well as several draft varieties. https://www.utahbeerfestival.com/

Roosters Brewing Company announces the launch of Summer Fest, a sensational celebration of craft beers and seasonal pairings at the following locations: Ogden 25th St, Ogden B Street (21+), and Layton. From August 15 until Labor Day, the community is invited to join us in this flavorful experience focusing on four distinct beers accompanied by perfectly matched seasonal food pairings.  

As the summer winds down, there's no finer way to savor the remaining days of the season than by sipping on refreshing craft beers. Roosters has curated a unique lineup to cater to every beer lover’s palate. Summer Fest is set to bring people together in a relaxed and inviting environment, offering a perfect opportunity to explore and indulge in the world of craft brews and their fresh seasonal food pairings.

"Summer Fest embodies our dedication to crafting exceptional brews and creating memorable dining moments," said Kim Bowsher, the CEO of Roosters Hospitality Group. "We can't wait to welcome our community to join us in experiencing the flavors of summer."

Highlights of Summer Fest include:

The Beer Lineup:

1. Razzle Dazzle Pils: A classic Czech-style pilsner finished with a burst of raspberries, creating a harmonious blend of refreshing and complex flavors.
2. Identity Crisis Cold IPA: Discover a unique twist with this Session West Coast Style Hazy Cold IPA, where hoppy notes meet a cool, crisp finish.
3. Little Wit of Citrus: Delight in the refreshing Witbier brewed with lemon and bitter orange peel, offering a citrusy zing that perfectly complements summer vibes.
4. Mexican Tamarind Gose: Experience the fusion of the classic sour Gose profile with an intriguing touch of tamarind and subtle smoky hints of chipotle peppers.

Savor the Pairings:

1. Arugula & Grilled Peach Salad: A perfect mix of arugula's spicy kick and the sweetness of grilled peaches, enhanced by Beehive Cheese’s award-winning Seahive cheddar cheese & basil balsamic vinaigrette.
2. The "BLT" Burger: Featuring a thick-cut pork belly ("B" for belly), this mouthwatering burger comes with the local Uinta beefsteak tomato, bibb lettuce, and a side of crispy fries.
3. Fried Chicken Basket: A classic comfort favorite, this buttermilk fried half bird is paired with cut-buttered summer corn & crispy peppered slaw. 

Join us at one of the Roosters locations including our family-friendly brewpubs in Ogden and Layton or our 21+ taproom B Street. Enjoy the Summer Fest experience until Labor Day. For more information and to find the nearest Roosters restaurant, visit https://fb.me/e/14cWFZuet. 

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 8/4/23

It's a teensy New Beer Friday with two new IPAs going on sale. Both of these are delicious and are on point. 

On the heels of IPA Day yesterday Beer Nerd Radio is coincidenatlly doing a deep dive on IPAs today at 2pm with Bewilder's Cody and Steven. Hit us up at 99.9fm in SLC or stream the hell out of us at KUAAFM.org/

   

Offset - HBC586: Quite zesty IPA for sure. It's mostly citrus with an emphasis on orange and lemon. Definitely a west coast stvle with broad caramel & some vague herbs. I'm glad I let it warm a bit, getting the full-on sensory assault with this one. 6.5% - Available at Offset, The Bayou.

Bewilder - Brew- Lab IPA #3: Mango and orange off the bat. A little melon comes next with a bit of peach rounding it out. Bitterness is low but detectable. Nice & round in the mouth as well. Excellent stuff! 6.5% - Available at Bewilder.

Cheers!