New Beer Friday 1/23/15

January has been brutally slow in the local beer world, but we've managed to put together a nice list of local options to help get the weekend started. Sadly, I've been "on the wagon" for most of the month so many of these beers, I have not tried. I have had a few from previous tastings, but those I've not tried are prefaced with "described as", these are the descriptions of the beer's producers.  

Bonneville Port Matcher Porter - Described as having sweet caramel malts and chocolate malt work together to give this dark English ale notes of bread, toffee and a hint of raisin. 4.0% ABV @ Bonneville, All Star Lanes and places with Bonneville seasonal handles.

Wasatch Rescue Dog American Brown Ale - Couldn't find any tasting notes on this one. If you've had it, please share your thoughts. 4.0% ABV @ Wasatch locations and where Wasatch has seasonal taps.

Alameda Barn Owl Imperial Brown - Is described as being brewed in the style of southern English brown ale, only much stronger (7.9% ABV). A myriad of specialty malts impart a smooth, layered flavor with notes of chocolate, caramel, and biscuit shining through. The perfect beer to celebrate the beginning of spring. @ Slackwater

New Belgium Yuzu Imperial Berliner Weisse - Pours a hazy, orange straw color with a small to moderate head. The nose is yeasty with Apple and Chardonnay. The taste is mostly yeast with some tart vine berries. Not as sour as I was hoping for. A bit more tartness would have made the fruit really shine. Yeast notes come next with a hint of floral hops. Somewhat dry finish. 8.0% ABV

Payette Pale Ale - Pours a semi-hazy amber/orange with a bright frothy head. The nose is floral with grapefruit and lemongrass notes. Malty notes way in the back. The taste is typical of a pale ale: graham cracker sweetness followed by floral and citrus hops. Finishes moderately dry. It's not a brilliant pale ale by any means, try Payettes's Rodeo Rye instead. 4.8% @ Slackwater

Payette North Fork Lager - Pours a very clear golden straw color with an average amount of head. The nose has herbal hops with a bit of toasty malt in the back. The taste starts with toasty crackers then transitions to herbal and grassy Euro hops. The hop bitterness is a little more subdued than I prefer in a lager but it's crisp and refreshing non the less. Still, it finishes with a nice lingering dryness. 4.4% ABV @ Slackwater


Returning Favorires

Uinta Tinder Rauchbier
Bohemian Grätzer
Avenues Proper Ro-Rye


Just in case your not aware Kyle Tremmel, Beer Consultant and former local brewer has suddenly disappeared and gone off the grid. Kyle is known for helping to get the Beer Bar off the ground and is currently contracted with Ogden's Barrelhouse as their Beer Consultant. Kyle failed to show up for work at the Barrelhouse earlier this week and has deactivated his mobile phone and suspended all of his social media accounts. This move is out of character for him, his family and we his friends are understandably concerned for his well being. There's a chance he may have left for the the North West. Kyle drives a black Subaru Legacy with the plate number X473CU. Any info should be directed to South Salt Lake Police 1-801-412-3600.

New Beer Friday 8/8/14

Yesterday was International IPA Day - which was appropriate because we got in a shload of hop bombs delivered into the market.  

Avenues Proper Patersbier: Mostly pilsner malt with a healthy dose of flaked oats and a good amount of German Tettnanger hops, the complexity really comes from the fermentation. This yeast produces complex notes that compliment the dry, slightly bready body. This beer is highly carbonated for a crisp, refreshing finish. 4.0% ABV @ Avenues Proper

Base Camp Ripstop Rye Lager: The nose has a nice blend of floral and grass with some nice rye spiciness. The starts with the slight caramel and toast. The rye comes in next adding spice and a slight tartness. The end wraps it all up with Noble hop spiciness. Nice rye lager. This finish is dry, clean and refreshing. 5.7% ABV @ Beer Bar

Base Camp In-Tents IPL: The nose is grassy, piney with slightly floral notes. The taste starts with  biscuit and apple notes. Grassy herbal hops comes next with a bit of pine resin. The end has a touch of bready sweet malt. It finishes somewhat dry and clean. It's a nice IPL. I'm really digging this style. 6.8% ABV @ Beer Bar

Base Camp Celestial CDL: Deep brown in color with a big juicy citrus and roasty nose. The taste starts with roasted malt and chocolate. Grapefruit and orange peel comes next with sweet, spicy dough rounding out the end. Finishes moderately bitter. 5.1% ABV @ Beer Bar

Base Camp Lost Meridian Witbier: The nose is full of lemon, sweet citrus and wheat. The flavor starts lemony with wheat and hints of clove. Orange and champagne like dryness round out the end. Quenching and refreshing. 5.0% ABV

HUB IPX Ahtanum: The nose is citrusy with tropical fruit and floral hops. The flavor starts with mild malt and toast. light grass and citrus rind come next and turn slightly herbal. The end is slightly fruity and dry. Nice and very drinkable it has a moderate to thin body. 6.0% ABV @ Beer Bar

HUB Ace of Spades: The nose is all orange and grapefruit. The taste starts with a bit of caramel malt and quickly transitions to big tropical and citrus fruitiness. Sticky pine resin comes next with a hint of pineapple in the end. Slightly boozy finish. 9.2% ABV @ Beer Bar

HUB Pig War White IPA: Bright citrus in the nose with pine needles. A hint of dough and pineapple as well. The taste starts with light grapefruit and tangerine. Caramel malt and bubble gum come next with more of those doughy bread notes. The end has a slight hop spiciness with hints of crackers. Finishes slightly dry. A nice mix of Witbier and IPA. 6.0% ABV @ Beer Bar

Payette Ales of No Return (Mutton Buster): Very clear brown color. The nose is nutty with toast and caramel. The taste starts with hazelnut and pretzel. Cocoa notes come next with earthy/piney hops rounding ou the back. Finishes dry with a lingering bitterness. 4.0% ABV @ Beer Beer

Alameda El Torero Organic IPA: The nose starts out with big juicy citrus and resinous pine. The taste follows, starting with grapefruit Lots of biscuity malts and leafy tea. Earthy hops come in next with sweet caramel and a touch of citrus rounding out the end. It has a creaminess as it warms and it's fairly malt forward. 7.1% ABV @ Beer Bar

Cheers!