New Beer Friday 12/29/23

As we bid farewell to 2023 we saw a year with new local breweries popping up and and some old favorites find their way back into the arms of their original owners. I know more breweries are in planning for 2024, and it looks to be another brilliant year for Utah's beer lovers. Cheers and have a safe and happy New Year.

Speaking of the New Year, we have a guide to help you find some celebratory beers today on Beer Nerd Radio. Troy Higgins from Park City Brewing and Dani Archuleta from Epic Brewing will help Steph and I find the right beers for you. Look for us today at 2pm on 99.9fm KUAA.

Epic - Barrel Aged Imperial Vanilla Porter: Pours pretty dark with a tan head that holds a nice lacing. On the nose, big bourbon notes with some vanilla. Taste is a little vanilla up front followed by a moment of strong bourbon notes and finishes with some hop bitterness. Feel is somewhat thin but is to be expected with a porter. Overall, it's pretty nice. 9.0% - On sale today at Epic.

Salt Laker Brewing - Smoked Porter: Aroma is charred oak, maplewood and, some caramel malt. The smoke is median to light. The body is a complex mix of maple, smoky charred barrel, and caramel malts, almost like a good smoky barbecue. Interesting and tasty, with a bitter body that brings out the flavor well. 5.0% - Only at SL Brewing.

Bewilder - I Love Juicy: This version is made with Cryo-Sultana, Citra & HBC 586.Ccreamy white froth and a billowing bouquet of peach, tropical fruit, melon and citrus. A light cereal sweetness kicks off the taste with notions of honeysuckle, angel food cake and vanilla wafer. As those hope open up, the radiant aromas turn fruit to taste with a stone fruit  and mandarin orange character and is backed with pink grapefruit and lime. With pineapple, mango, passionfruit and papaya coming in next, the middle palate is rife with fruit cocktail flavor. Trending juicy with honeydew, the late taste comes with a balancing bitterness with hints of juniper, currant, hemp, hay and green tea. 8.0% - Available starting today at Bewilder.

Prodigy - Brewed Awakening: Missed this new coffee stout brewed with beans from Cafe Ibis. 5.0% - Only at Prodigy.

Equilibrium - Einstein's Little Favorite: The nose with candied orange and vanilla cream. With a backdrop of tea, botanical herb and fresh spruce. Taste mirrors nose with a bit of a pastry type flavor due to the addition of a little lactose. Very smooth and finishing with orange zest/peel. Nice feel and overall. 4.8% - found at the Bayou, Handlebar, Slackwater.

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

Cheers!