The 3rd Annual Grace Bier Brauen

Home Brewed beers entries are now being accepted for the 3rd annual Grace Bier Brauen. Follow this link (www.gracebierbrauen.com for registering, entry fees, etc.) and beer may be dropped off at Salt City Brew Supply until September 5th. (during regular business hours)

This year's competition will be using 2015 BJCP Style Guidelines for judging and is an AHA/BJCP sanctioned competition. The beer competion is apart of Grace Lutheran's annual Oktoberfest celebration that takes place on September 19th from Noon to 9:00 and is fun for the entire family. Look for German food, beer and music, local vendors, games, silent auction, and helicopter rides, this event fills Sandy, Utah with the sights and sounds of a Bavarian extravaganza!

Prost!

Squatters Black Forest and Vienna Lagers

Squatters has released two new takes on two old brews. If you've spent any time at Squatters you'd be familiar with their Black Forest Schwartbier. It's been a staple at the downtown pub for what seems like decades. The original 4.0% has a long list of accolades making it one of the breweries most acclaimed beers, now it's getting a 6.0% upgrade and will soon be  finding it's way into liquor stores around the state.

It pours a near black color with a dense tan colored head. The nose is of roasted malt, ash, and semi-sweet chocolate. The taste follows the aroma with nice roasted malt, followed by coffee and chocolate flavors with a slight metallic dryness. The finish has a light malt bitterness. At the UBC's Beer Store now and will likely be at Squatters Bottleshop later today or tomorrow. DABC in a week or two.

The other Beer going from the pub to the bottle is Squatters Vienna Lager. This beer has won Gold at the World Beer Cup and was the first beer concocted by former Squatters Brewer Jennifer Talley.

This lager pours a clear light bronze color with a sturdy foam cap. The nose has a nice hop spiciness with hints of sweet Munich grain. The taste starts biscuity with lots of vanilla-esque malt flavors. Spicey and floral hops come next balancing out the malt sweetness. The finishes is bready a bit of lingering earthy hops. Light in body, but smooth on the tongue.This one should be popping up on grocery store shelves in the next week or two and is current available at the UBC's Beer Store and likely at squatters locations later today or tomorrow.

Also, if you looking to participate in the Grace Lutheran Bier Brauen the registration deadline has been extended to today - Tuesday, the 9th at 5:00 p.m. The Bier Brauen home brew contest is part of Grace Lutheran Church and School’s annual Oktoberfest. Bier Brauen, is one of only two officially sanctioned home brewing contests in the state of Utah. Register at www.gracesandy.org. Once registered, contestants can drop off their beers at Grace Lutheran Church located at 1815 East 9800 South in Sandy. Contestants can also drop off at Salt City Brew Supply, 750 E. Fort Union Boulevard, in Midvale and The Beer Nut at 1200 S State Street in Salt Lake City.

Prost!

The Bier Brauen Home Brew Competition

Homebrewers, add another event to your calendars, the second American Homebrewers Association sanctioned home brew competition in the state is in the planning stages so listen up! Most, if not all of you are aware of the Beehive Brew-off, which is slated to occur on August 3 - 4, 2013 at The Bayou (Registration for the Beehive Brewoff will open June 1, 2013 and will close on July 30th, 2013).

This new competition called the Bier Brauen and it's part of Grace Lutheran Church's annual Oktoberfest celebration, on Friday and Saturday, September 20th and 21st. Event organizers will be accepting home brew entries from September 1st through September 14th at Grace Lutheran Church, 1815 East 9800 South in Sandy. The awards ceremony will be Saturday night (21st) at 6pm when the beer will be flowing and the German band is crank'n.

The emphasis will be on German-style brews, but many other beers will be accepted for judging as well. The limited categories that are in accordance to the BJCP 2008 Style Guidelines, are as follows.

Light Lager (1D and 1E only)
Pilsner (2A and 2B only)
European Amber Lager (3A and 3B)
Bock (5A, 5B, 5C and 5D only)
Kolsch (6C only)
English Pale Ale (8A, 8B, and 8C)
Stout (13A, 13B, 13C and 13E)
German Wheat and Rye Beer (15A, 15B, 15C and 15D)
Belgian and French Ale (16A, 16B, 16C and 16D only)
Dark Lager (4B and 4C only)
Amber Hybrid (7A and 7C only)
American Pale Ale (10A only)
India Pale Ale (14B and 14C only)
Specialty Beers (23A)

For more info contact Kevin Bartel; Bier Brauen Coordinator

Grace Lutheran's Oktoberfest is obviously a family friendly event. There will be a huge kiddie carnival, German food and beers, the band and a German marketplace. The day is set to wrap up with a professional fireworks show.


Michael Jackson mentioned in his New World Guide to Beer, that Martin Luther preferred homebrew over beer from commercial breweries, finding the latter to be “a curse for Germany.”

"Whoever drinks beer, he is quick to sleep, whoever sleeps long, does not sin; Whoever does not sin, enters Heaven! Thus, let us drink beer!"
-Martin Luther

Hmmm, sound like he's talking about me.....except for the no sin part.

Prost!