New Beer Friday 10/12/18

I don't see what the big deal is. I mean brewers are artists; they create works of art that are immediately put through our own personal shredders, which are then (usually) discarded unceremoniously away from prying eyes. I submit to you the following works of art for you to do as you will. I'd recommend drinking them.

*Just added  Uinta Saddleback Brut IPA: light hay in color very clear with a hint of chill haze. The aroma is mostly light tangerine peel with floral notes. Very little in the way of malt sweetness, but you can tell it’s there. The bitterness is mostly citrus peel with more herbaceous hops and a hint of pine in the finish. Very dry, with prickly carbonation. 4.0%. Just released at Uinta’s pub in cans and on draft.
  
Toasted Barrel - Fresh Hop IPA: Sadly I missed this new fresh hop. I guess they used four pounds of fresh local hops in the whirlpool plus a healthy dose in dry hopping. The hops were provided and grown by James at Solstice Malt. It's described as a "very light, fresh and hoppy ale". 4.0%. Available at Toasted Barrel.

Toasted Barrel - Young Bruin: This sour brown ale is not your typical Oud Bruin, hence the name. The tartness has a lemony citrus twang with a moderate dose of toasted and caramel malts. It's not as fruity as you'd expect, but it does provide an adequate balance of tart malt. 5.9%. Available at Toasted Barrel, Beer Bar.

RoHa - Fuzzy Pucker: I missed out on this one. This a peach sour ale. 4.0%. I will have tasting notes for you later today at 3:30pm on KBER101 with Mick and Allen.

RoHa - Tile of Life: This is RoHa's Pale ale with Mosaic hops. As with the Fuzzy Pucker I'll have tasting notes at 3:30pm on KBER101. 

Talisman - Nut Brown Ale: Aroma is of toasted, nutty malt, chocolate, cacao and some piney hops. Body is light and slightly crisp. Taste is similar to aroma. Finish is long and semi-dry. Good session ale. Only on draft at Talisman

Squatters - Juicy IPA: I found this on draft at Beer Bar yesterday. It starts out like any other Juicy IPA with lots of nice tropical flavors then it switches gears with creamy milk sugars adding sweetness and body. I guess it's more of a milkshake IPA. Very tasty. 4.0%. 

Shades - Kveik #4: This is similar to Shades' gold medal winning Kveik #1, however this one was made with Galaxy, Mosaic and Citra hops vs #1's Nelson Savin hops. It also slightly sweeter which gives it a little more balance between malt and tart. Very nice sour. 6.3%. Available at Shades.

Boulevard - Love Child #9: Peppery cherry with balsamic sourness mixed with a medley of various berries. It's semi-dry, puckering and nicely balanced with a good dose of oak in the finish. Sour fans will like. 8.4%. Available at Beerhive and Bayou. 

Boulevard - Whiskey Barrel Stout: There’s a good dose of chocolate and roasted malt up front with slight coffee notes. The Barrel has a nice presences with complimenting vanilla. There is a bit of alcohol heat in the finish. Nice. 11.8%. Found at the Bayou.

Great Divide - Heyday Modern IPA: Citrus sweetness with a medium amount of caramel provide a nice platform for a generous amount of tropical and grapefruit bitterness. Finishes dry and slightly bitter with resinous pine. The alcohol is a comfortable 5.8%. Available at the Bayou.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday the 13th Part Deux

Be warned, I'm feeling a little ornery on this New Beer Friday morning. I desperately need a little attitude adjustment. Any suggestions?

2 Row Breakfast Stout: The newest entry from 2 Row has a nice aroma of coffee and some herbal hops. The Taste follows with some smoked molasses added and cocoa as well. The end is surprisingly hoppy and herbal. It's slightly over-hopped which seems to muddle the coffee flavors in my opinion. It looks like it's quite a hit. Don't wait too long, it moving fast! 7.8% ABV  Available at 2 Row and your better beer bars and restaurants.

Lagunitas Eroica: Th is new beer from Lagunitas pours a light amber color with little head retention. The nose tart and oaky with a bit of vinegar. It tastes mildly tart with oak-y red wine and tart cherry. A bit of vinegar in the end as well. It finishes dry with lingering sour notes. It's light and tasty, though I'm note sure what this beer is trying to be. Fuck it. Let it just be a tasty, tart beer. 8.0% ABV. Available at  Dick n Dixie's, Beerhive with more places being added.

Firestone Walker 2017 Helldorado: This "light barley wine" has notes caramel, vanilla and bourbon. Big malt sweetness hits right off the bat. with nutty cereal and caramel. Some honey flavors try to push out next but it's soon overtaken by oak-y bourbon. Most of the bitterness seems to come from the wood rather than hops. Seems to lack some of the balance it had from previous years. Still; a fine barley wine in any regard. Available at Dick n Dixie's and Beer Bar.

Talisman Witches Brew: I haven't hooked up with this witch yet. This is a Kolsch at it's base. And it's brewed with cranberries, orange peel and typical fall spices. 6.1% ABV. Available at Talisman's Brewery.

Mother Earth Four Seasons Autumn: I haven't had this one yet. I just couldn't commit to 22 ounces of 11.7% beer, solo. This is a barrel aged version of their Sin Tax Peanut butter Stout. I'm currious to see how this one works out. Have you had it? Please share, if you have. Available at Beerhive, Beer Bar, La Ferrovia, The Bayou.

Park City Oktoberfest: Caramel sweetness, a little nutty with Nilla Wafer notes and some grassy herbal hops. A nice seasonal offering from Park City Brewery. 4.0% ABV. Available at PCB's Brewery and Beer Bar.

Great Divide Chai Yeti: This new edition to Great Divide's Yeti series has dark chocolate and bitter cocoa notes with smooth chai and autumn spices rounding it out. It has some sweet latte qualities that chai fans will love. 9.5% ABV.  I found it at Beer Bar.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 2/3/17

My self imposed beer exile is finally over - And just in time, because there a shload of new stuff covering the board this week.

RedRock India Red Lager - Haven't tried this one yet. Look for Fruity caramel malts with big citrus hops. 4.0% ABV @ RedRock Downtown

RedRock Lady Ga Gose - Lemon tartness with a moderate amount of sodium bite. A nice Gose. 4.0% ABV @ RedRock

Ballast Point Red Velvet Nitro - Not tried this one yet. The deep red color comes from beets, which add a rich, earthy character that complements the chocolate flavor and aroma. The foamy head of the nitro pour is the “icing”, adding a creamy smoothness to the mouthfeel. But this liquid dessert still finishes like a beer – not sweet, but just as satisfying. 5.5% ABV @ Beer Bar, Slackwater

Ballast Point Manta Ray - The nose has lots of tropical fruits. Mango, papaya, passion fruit, and some citrus. The taste is more citrusy with some tropical fruit notes. Bitterness at the end with some pine. A bit boozey. Some toasted malts. 8.5% ABV @ Beer Bar

Deschutes Black Butte XXVIII - The nose is a blend of coffee, raisins, chocolate, bourbon, prune and alcohol. The taste is a complex blend of chocolate, coffee, bourbon, oak, raisins, apricots, pine and vanilla. Very nice addition to the series. 11.5% ABV  @ DABC, BeerHive

Desert Edge Waimea IPA - This is a session IPA brewed with Waimea hops from New Zealand and a bit of citra in the dry hop. The aroma is mango and citrus. The flavor is the same with underlying grassy and botanical flavors with a hint of ripe melon. The malt flavor has just enough bready malt and light caramel to balance the hops. A firm bitterness keeps all the fruity flavors in check for highly drinkable session IPA. 4.0% ABV @ Desert Edge

Melvin Lambda3 - Brewed with 4+ lbs of Simcoe and Mosaic hops per barrel, then double dry-hopped. Flavors of peach, stone fruit, and herbal forest. 11.0% ABV @ Beer Bar, BeerHive, Slackwater

Melvin Drunken Master - The nose has pine resin with peach, melon and mango. The taste is slightly sweet with mild hints of toffee/caramel, heavy tropical fruits, hernal hops finishing with a moderate hop bitterness. @ Beer Bar, BeerHive, Slackwater

Melvin Citradamus - A lot of tangerine and grapefruit happening here with a good deal of tropical fruits as well. Malts subtle and caramely  9.0% @ Beer Bar, BeerHive, Slackwater

Great Divide Barrel Aged Yeti -  The Nose has chocolate, roasted malt, toffee, raisins, plums and figs. The taste is similar with the addition of a very sweet base. It tends to take away from the barrel that is already a bit subtle. Needs more of those bourbon/vanilla/coconut flavors that you want in a BBS. 12.5% ABV @ Beer Bar

Sierra Nevada Sidecar - This beer has a pop of bright orange flavor that emphasizes the natural citrus-heavy character of Cascade, Equinox and Mandarina hops. Brewed with orange peel added directly to the kettle, and all the classic hop flavor you'd come to expect from our all-new take on the hop-forward fruit beer. @ Beer Bar 

Sierra Nevada Tropical Torpedo - Mmango, papaya, and passion fruit dominate this version of Torpedo. 6.7% ABV @ Beer Bar

Squatters Outer Darkness Cans  Not new, but it is in new packaging. Handy-dandy 12 oz. cans!

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 10/7/16

It's the week of the Great American Beer Festival! Which means I'm suffering through this ocean of craft beer - Toiling! Just to bring you all, news of what great beerie things may be making it's way to our little Utah shaped corner of the universe. As I'm writing this from out of state, I'm assured the following yummy new beers are stocked and ready to go. If I missed anything please share the "beer love".

Please tune into KBER 101 at 3:30pm for my New Beer Friday and GABF reports. Also please follow me on Twitter (@utahbeer) to see how Utah's craft beers fare in the ultimate national competition.

One more thing. Keep a look out on the Utah Beer Facebook page for live drunken check-ins from the festival and various exclusive parties. My wife guarantees that I'll be an embarrassing gooey mess. Plus it'll be great blackmail ammo for all of you to use against me. Let's begin!

Let's begin!

2 Row Sour Saison - This beer was just bottled yesterday and I can't wait to try it! New Head Brewer, Clay Turnbow designed this This kettle sour beer made with a new saison base that features a a French saison yeast strain and is hopped with citrusy American hops. Look for that signature lemony tartness to back it up. 6.0% ABV @ @ Row's Bottleshop.

Robinson Brewing/Iron Maiden Trooper - Described as having caramel malt flavors and citric notes from a unique blend of Bobec, Goldings and Cascade hops dominate this deep golden ale with a subtle hint of lemon. 4.7% ABV @ Slackwater

RedRock Marvella - Peach and bubblegum dominate this Belgian style Tripel. This is the first real Tripel to come out of RedRock. (Reve is technically a wild ale).

Mother Earth Righteously Hopped Red - The malts have a nice berry fruitiness that plays well with the citrusy hops. Has a slight hoppy/nutty finish. 6.0% ABV @ BeerHive

Great Divide Claymore Scotch Ale - Big toffee malts with very little in the way of hop character. It all rounds out with very subtle smoke baking it all up. Medium to full body. Very tasty! 7.7% ABV @ Beerhive.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 6/24/16

There's way too much happening. Let's get to it!

Great Divide Brewing out of Denver Colorado has quietly slipped into our market and they've brought with them quite a few of their very popular brews. Some of these will start popping up around the Wasatch Front as soon as today. If you start to see them appear, please share where you saw them. Woot!

Great Divide Titan IPA
Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout 
Great Divide Colette farmhouse 
Great Divide Hoss Oktoberfest lager
Great Divide Oatmeal Yeti
Great Divide Barrel Aged Hibernation

Strap Tank/Proper Brewing Collaboration - Properly Tanked: Have not had this one yet. It's only available at Strap Tank Brewing Co. 4.0% ABV

New Belgium - Tart Lychee: The nose has soft fruit - strawberry, lychee, musty yeast. The taste has some lychee sour/tart tropical fruit flavors with a almost wheat like malt taste balancing it out. Slight cinnamon taste as well in the finish.7.5% ABV @ Beer Bar, BeerHive

Shades of Pale - German Pils: Just released yesterday. Have not tried it. 4.0% ABV @ Shades of Pale

Shades of Pale - X36 Pale Ale: Released tomorrow and will only be available at the Hill Airforce Base's Air Show 7.5% ABV

Ska - True Blonde: The nose has grainy malt, grassy, lemons. some yeast. The taste has light lemon, sweet grainy malt. Yeasty and dusty. No hops to speak of. Finish is short and on the sweet malty side. A little cardboard as well. 5.3% ABV @Slackwater

Ska - Decadent Imp IPA: The nose has sweet caramel toffee and resiny hops. Flavor is similar, heavy and sticky caramel with a moderate hop bitterness and plenty of heft to it. Alcohol starts to creep out a bit towards the end. 10% ABV @ Slackwater

Ska - Modus Mandarina IPA: The nose has mandarin orange, caramel and floral hops. Tastes of  grapefruit and mandarin orange. Orange zest bitterness on the finish. Caramel makes an interesting but complimentary companion to the citrus. It subtle enough to let the fruit shine but strong enough to give this beer some body and character. 6.8% ABV @ Slackwater

Selkirk Abby - Saint Stephan: Saison. Not tried this one yet. 7.9% ABV @ Slackwater

Selkirk Abby - Infidel: Imperial Belgian IPA. Not tried this one yet. 8.2% ABV @ Slackwater

Selkirk Abby - Guilt: Belgian Coffee Porter Not tried this one yet. 8.3% ABV @ Slackwater

Selkirk Abby - Deacon: Belgian Pale Ale Not tried this one yet. 5.5% ABV @ Slackwater

Selkirk Abby - Saint Augustine: Rye Saison. Not tried this one yet. 6.7% ABV @ Slackwater

RedRock Tangerine Grapefruit Pale Ale: Tastes great, though not much of a pale ale. It does have a nice acidic quality which is nice. Grapefruit tartness and leafy citrus hops. Nice beer to help beat the heat! 4.0% ABV @ RedRock., The Bayou

La Trappe Isid'or: Nose of caramel malt, stone fruit, Belgian yeast and spicing; hints of banana and plum. Classic Belgian strong ale flavors, caramel malt, light and dark stone fruit, Belgian yeast, very light clove. Medium creamy body. A bit lighter in taste intensity compared to other Belgian pales, but very pleasant and well made. 7.5% ABV @Slackwater

Cuvée des Jacobins Rouge: The nose has sour cherries, lemon and a wild yeastiness. Tatse starts with a hit of lemon juice sourness, quickly progressing to a fruitier balance of sour cherry and unripe berries and aged red vinegar. A nice mild funkiness gives depth and balance, even a hint earthy herbs. Worlds of flavours here. There is a hint of sweet fruit but finishes dry. 5.5%ABV @ Slackwater

Cheers!