New Beer Friday 6/28/24

A slow day of beer research yesterday, which is fine. More time to catch-up with fellow beer nerds on a Thursday afternoon. I did find some new stuff at 2 Row Brewing though, along with some returning favorites. Happy New Beer Friday.

Beer Nerd Radio welcomes Nils Imboden of Top of Main fame. What is Top of Main? I guess you'll need to tune in to 99.9FM KUAA at 2pm or stream us at KUAAFM.ORG today to find out. 

2 Row- Elderberry Blonde: Nice malty base for a blonde. The berry is subtle, but fruity & not overly tart. Drinks quite well & it’s perfect for a hot day.

2 Row- Artificial Intelligence: Designed by AI (with a little nudging from owner, Brian Coleman). This beer features Ekuanot, NewZilla, Citra and Galaxy hops. How did the AI do? Comes across as a WCIPA. Lotsa citrus, peach & cactus fruit. Medium bitter finish. Avail to go only - til Sat

Returning Favorites

Level Crossing Cosmic Saunter: Has a hazed golden color with a tall puffy white head. Strong nose with  highly aromatic hops of grapefruit and citrus. Lesser scents of pine and wood plank. In other words it smells like you would expect a good IPA to smell. Tropical scents and the malt exists as a big scent of pineapple juice. Mild trace scents of dank herbs. The taste starts out dry and fruity with citrus peel on the tongue. This is backed by a low dose of resiny pine. Mildly bitter and quite herbal in the mouth, this does taste like they slipped some dank herbs to spice it up a little more. Tastes like it smells bit it isn't harsh at all. If you like the fruitiness of NEIPAs But need more bitternes from your ale this is the one. 8.0% - on sale today at Level Crossing.

TF - Imperial Mango Gose: This 11.2% Gose is pretty dangerous due to the heavy amounts of mango and the pleasant levels of tartness. This all hides the huge alcohol content. Very tasty stuff and you can buy it starting today. Only at TF Brewing.

Hopkins - Pine Mountain Pale Ale: This West Coast-Style

IPA is brewed withChinook, Simcoe, Cascade and Centennial hops – along with fresh hand-picked local spruce tips to accentuate the piney, earthy, and resinous hop profile with a nice firm bitterness on the finish where the spruce flavor is layered in. 5.0% - Only at Hopkins.

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

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 6/21/24

"Not recommended for children under 6". If you're 6 years old or older, I guess you're free to spark-up! New Beer Friday is also not recommended for children under 6 (multiplied by 5) – but if you are, some brilliant beers await you.  

Beer Nerd Radio is back (with Steph) and we'll be chatting with Steve Brown of Fisher Brewing fame. We'll get into Fisher's new expansion and of course their beer. hit us up at 2pm Fridays on 99.9FM KUAA. 

Desert Edge - Ay Caruba!: Warning! This is a warhead-level lemon sour. Not for the meek. 5.0% - Only at Desert Edge.

Prodigy - Rainbow Riot: Missed this new Milkshake IPA. 5.0% - Only at Prodigy.  

Bewilder - Cheers 6 Years: This collaboration between HandleBar SLC and Bewilder Brewing is a Raspberry Sour that features Warrior hops. Medium sourness with a good dose of fresh tasting raspberry flavor. 7.2% - Exclusive to HandleBar SLC.

Uinta - Lavender Vanilla Dream: Mostly vanilla aroma. Taste starts the same, mostly vanilla with some lavender in the back. It’s very much a vanilla driven beer - I’d rather it be overly vanilla than lavender for sure. Some bitterness in the finish keeps it from coming off too sweet. 5.0% - Only at Uinta.

Policy Kings - Get Up!: Missed this new West Coast IPA. 5.0% - Only at Policy Kings. 

Heber Valley - Willa ťje: missed this new Belgian Golden Strong Ale. 8.4%

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

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 6/14/24

Post Wild West Collab Fest has things a little slow on the New Beer Friday front. There's still some tasty brews out there to help you beat the heat this weekend. 

The summer of epic travels continues. To fill the gap Steph and I are offering up another "best of" episode of Beer Nerd Radio to fill the void. See you next week with a fresh episode on 99.9FM KUAA. 

Bewilder - Bewilder Blue Ribbon (BBR): This is Bewilder's take on an American Light Lager.  it’s got a good dose of corn, could almost pass for a Mexican lager. Grainy, lightly sweet biscuit & grassy hops. Perfect for a 100° day in SLC.

TF - Daisy Chain: Oh baby, I may have another favorite coming from TF. Nice fruity aroma that leads into the tropical side. At first swig you're met with big melon flavors that transition into nectarine and berries. Rounding out the flavor punch, you're met with tangerine that takes you into the finish. No bitterness or hop burn. It's all due to a good dose of Anchovy hops. 7.3% - Available at TF starting today. 

Helper - Idea Shower: Citrusy. Nice citrus either way some slight grassiness. I don’t think I need to bore you with much more than that. This beer is firing on all cylinders and is another perfect “scorcher of a day” beer. Prost! 6.8% - Available at Helper Brewing - found mine at the Bayou.

Offset - Polotmavý: Missed out on this new Czech Style Amber Lager.  

Revision - What What: Straight up, this is a very nice WCDIPA. All the hops, along with the malt bill take this to 2011. If you were drinking these beers back then (and liked them) this’ll make you happy. If you weren’t? Then wake the fuck up & try it. 🖖😆

SLUG Mag's Brewstillery arrives tomorrow!  Brewstillery celebrates Utah’s breweries and distilleries by offering tastings of local beer and spirits. Featuring local food trucks, local artisans and crafters and local music—this all ages event has something for everyone to enjoy. It’s a family-friendly event with kids 12 and under free. Get your tickets Here are this week's Small Batch Beers from Hopkins Brewing. https://www.24tix.com/events/3bkj4iwfarhezd7hvpb4eyurxe 

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

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 6/7/24

Ummm... You can only pick one of these from the photo above, please share your choice. However, New Beer Friday is a completely different story. Every damn new lager, ale or hybrid available this week is fair game, enjoy all you want. Speaking of Enjoying all you want tomorrow (Saturday 6/8) is the 2024 Wild West Collab Fest. This festival features collaborative beers from inside and outside of the state of Utah – along with beers from many local breweries that you may not get a chance to to try. If you need tickets, the link is above. A list of all the collaborations has been provided below. 

To get you ready for Wild West Collab Fest, Steph and I will have the Grand Poobah of the Utah Brewer's Guild, Teri Mumm on Beer Nerd Radio to get you dialed in to what you need to know to navigate tomorrow's beer fest. We start at 2pm on 99.9FM KUAA.

Grid City - “Coming Out” Coffee Cacao Nitro Honey Cream Ale: This cream ale with cacao, and “Cold Brew Style” with coffee from Old Cuss. Nice peppery coffee comes across prominently at first swig on this nitro-only beer. The cocoa picks up the heavy lifting from there creating a great one-two punch with the Java. Not sweet at all, just simple coffee and cocoa in cream ale package. It's on top of a smooth, pillowy Nitro Cream Ale. 5.0% - Only at Grid City.

Saltfire - Eddy Out: This is a clean crisp Imperial Pilsner that features citrus & melon aroma. Same on the palate, but it bounces between the citrus & melon. There’s some nice bitterness too. An overall fruity & aggressive lager that doesn’t come across as one. 6.3% - Available at Saltfire.

Saltfire Rainbow Cult: Vague berry aroma. Subtly tart with with a nice berry profile that come across as slightly unripened blackberry. I love that this in NOT one of those enamel stripping sour ales. 5.0%

Saltfire - Deep Dive Series (ESB): A floral & piney aroma. Taste backs it up with a good malt backbone. Some copper comes next with a nice floral punch. Another well made & very traditional tasting ale. 5.0% - Only at Saltfire.

Saltfire - Deep Dive Series (Red Ale): Nice malty aroma. Taste is Irish traditional - with a medium amount of maltiness, some floral hops & light grass. Really clean and solid. 5.0% - Only at Saltfire.

Epic - Small Batch Series (Nectaron Juice): Nice amber color that you don't see anymore from IPAs makers. Pungent citrus and tropical aroma.Taste follows with more of an emphasis on stone fruits, peach in particular with some nectarine. Good malt profile that adds caramel and vanilla to the mix. Tangerine rounds it out with some faint berries too. Medium bitterness in the end that isn’t too lingering. Mikey Likey. 7.7% - Available at Epic starting today.

Salt Flats - Hoppy Kolsch: Toasty grains, minimally sweet - some slight fruitiness from the yeast. After that it’s all hops. Herbal & grassy with just enough intensity. A slight lingering bitterness as well. Good hot weather Kölsch. 5.0% - Available at all Salt Flats locations.

Bewilder - Rice For The Cure: A portion of the proceeds from this "new school rice lager" will be donated to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Whoa! That’s crisp. Minimally sweet with perfect dryness. This is a no effort beer if ever there was one. Not a perfect beer, but it’s damn close for this hot Thursday. Mikey Likey! 4.9% 

UTOG - Love Punch: Missed this this orange and peach infused hefeweizen. 5.0% - Available now at UTOG.

Shades - Blueberry Cheesecake: Same Kveik base that we’re fond of. It works well with the blueberry for sure. The berries taste plump and ripe, but there’s an uncanny cheesecake thing happening too. Combine that with graham cracker & you have a nice dessert combo. A great pie beer! 6.3% - Available at both Shades locations.

Policy Kings - Chocolate Milk Stout: Missed this new stout. 5.0% - Only at Policy Kings.

Zion Brewing - Zion Ultra Light: Missed this American-Style Light Lager. It's described as a

Low calorie, low carb Lager brewed with Amarillo and Mosaic hops.100 calories and 5 g carbs per pint! 

Offset - The New Feels: Missed this new IPL. 5.0% - Available at Offset, Bayou, Slackwater.

Fisher - The End of Knowledge: Missed this new pale ale from Fisher. 5.0% - Only at Fisher.

Kiitos - Blue Corn Cerveza: Missed this new cerveza. 5.0% - Only at Kiitos.

There will be many more beers to choose from at the Wild West Collab Fest – These are just the collaboration beers 

1. HopTog Common

○      Type: Steam Beer

○      Description: Crisp lager characteristics with rich ale flavors, featuring a smooth, slightly fruity profile with mild hop bitterness and a toasted malt backbone.

○      Breweries: Hopkins Brewing Co., UTOG Brewing Company

2. Helles Better with Friends

○      Type: Helles Style Lager

○      Description: A smooth lager with light-bodied cracker malt and a floral hop.

○      Breweries: Vernal Brewing Company, Ogden Beer Company

3. Samarbejde

○      Type: Danish Style Lager

○      Description: A crisp and refreshing Danish Lager with a nice hop balance created with traditional brewing techniques.

○      Breweries: Helper Beer, Ogden Beer Company

4. Cometh the Storm

○      Type: West Coast Lager

○      Description: From female-led breweries, this bready pilsner body packs a punch of West Coast hops.

○      Breweries: Strap Tank Brewing Co., Ogden Beer Company

5. Cascading Dark Ale

○      Type: Dark Ale

○      Description: A rich dark ale featuring light roast and heavy piney hop flavors.

○      Breweries: Salt Flats Brewing Co., Epic Brewing Company

6. Arrr Knee

○      Type: Cream Ale

○      Description: Brewed with lychee black tea, fresh lemon juice, and Motueka hops from New Zealand—refreshing and thirst-quenching.

○      Breweries: Moab Brewery, 2 Row Brewing

7. Steamy Boi

○      Type: California Common

○      Description: A steam beer with a fun twist on the name "crispy boi."

○      Breweries: RoHa Brewing Project, Heber Valley Brewing

8. Journey West

○      Type: West Coast Session IPA

○      Description: Features hop HBC-638, HBC-522, and HBC-522 hop hash, offering tangerine, mango, peach, and green tea notes.

○      Breweries: Chappell Brewing, Salt City Suds

9. Trits Up!

○      Type: Honey Triticale Kolsch

○      Description: Single decocted Kolsch brewed with triticale and orange blossom honey, light, crisp, creamy, and bready.

○      Breweries: Grid City Beer Works, Solstice Malt

10. Look at this Photo Graf

○      Type: Snakebite beer/cider (Graf)

○      Description: A unique hybrid beer-cider blend combining the best of both worlds.

○      Breweries: Proper Brewing Company, Second Summit Cider

11. Blue Corn Cerveza

○      Type: Lager

○      Description: A distinctive lager brewed with blue corn for a unique flavor profile.

○      Breweries: Kiitos Brewing, Desert Edge Brewery

12. Caramel Apple Cider

○      Type: Cider

○      Description: Rich and sweet with caramel flavors, made by boiling apple juice and fermenting it with a special yeast strain.

○      Breweries: Mountain West Cider, Fisher Brewing Company

13. Mother Earth, Wind & Beer

○      Type: Sour IPA

○      Description: A tart and hoppy sour IPA with complex flavors.

○      Breweries: Uinta Brewing, Mother Earth Brewing

14. Bird

○      Type: West Coast IPA

○      Description: Hopped with Nectaron, Simcoe, and Chinook, featuring a modern pilsner malt grain bill.

○      Breweries: Templin Family Brewing, Breakside Brewery

15. Eleventh Hour

○      Type: Hoppy American Wheat Pale Ale

○      Description: Brewed with 100% Amarillo hops, crisp citrus finish, 5% ABV, 35 IBU.

○      Breweries: Prodigy Brewing, Roosters Brewing Co.

16. Purple Drank

○      Type: Cream Ale

○      Description: Brewed with ube and butterfly pea flowers, berries, cream, herbal, earthy vanilla, and hints of sweet orange.

○      Breweries: Chappell Brewing, Wasatch/Squatters

17. Fogging Up the Windows

○      Type: Dry Stout

○      Description: A dry stout with spicy, smoky, and chipotle flavors.

○      Breweries: Level Crossing Brewing, SaltFire Brewing Company

18. Spin the Bottle

○      Type: Sweet Stout

○      Description: A sweet stout brewed with cocoa nibs for a rich, chocolatey flavor.

○      Breweries: Level Crossing Brewing, SaltFire Brewing Company

19. Party of 1  Silver Reef

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

Cheers!