The HB51 Beers Debut Today

One of the great things about living in this area is the great sense of community. There are very few places around the world where competitors actually enjoy collaborating with each other on their crafts.

All of the brewpubs that participated in the brewing of the HB51 beer have kegged their individual interpretation on the collaboration amber ale. And as promised they are all very different.

Wednesday evening the participating brewers gathered together at the Desert Edge brewpub to show off their brews. Desert Edge offered it's unfiltered version - Hoppers aged it with oak - RedRock had it's filtered version - Squatters added Amarillo hops via a hopback and Wasatch dry-hopped with nine pounds of Amarillo.

As promised they were all very different and unique. A perfect example of how an individuals personal touches can make a common beer somewhat special.

The HB51 beers are available starting today at the brewpubs listed above. The Utah Brewers Coop will also have the Wasatch version available. All brewers encourage patrons to try every version.

Note: The Bohemian Brewery was slated to participate but for some reason had to opt-out.

And speaking of Bohemian, some sad news. Owner/Brewermaster Joe Petras collapsed earlier this week and is said to be in serious condition at an area hospital. No specifics available right now.

Let’s all send our best wishes and prayers for Joe's recovery.

1842 in 2009

In 1842 the world was changed forever. The citizens of Pilsen in the Czech Republic not only built a new brewery but also hired Josef Groll, a Bavarian brewer to brew an experimental beer using bottom fermenting yeast. Groll had been experimenting a long time with new recipes for bottom-fermented beer and on the 5th of October 1842, Groll produced the first batch of Urquell beer, which was characterized by the use of soft Bohemian water, very pale malt, and Saaz hops.

The Beer industry in the United States was basically built on this beer. Due to it's drinkablity and it's longer storage life. Today, nearly 90 percent of the worlds beer is a variation of this original golden beer,
making pilsner most popular beer style in the world.

Last Tuesday at The Bohemian brewey in Midvale, Utah Brewers tried to replicate as an
authentic recreation of the original 1842 Czech Pilsner as close as possible, using truly authentic
imported Czech floor malt, from Weyermann Malting co. Mashed using a true triple decoction,
long 2 hr boil, three hop additions all with Czech Saaz hops, and fermenting with Bohemian's
Czech lager yeast.

The Floor Malted Bohemian Pilsner malt from Weyermann(R) is actually Hand Crafted in the last floor malting facility in the Czech Republic. It is produced from Tolar and Hanka barley varieties which have their genetic roots in Hanna barley, which was the variety used by Josef Groll to brew the first Pilser Urquell in 1842. The malting process used to produce this malt is very labor intensive and traditional and produces as an authentic "old" malt as you can find today.

So between the malt used and the mashing, brewing and fermentation method, it's as authentic of the Original Czech Pilsner from 1842 as they can recreate. Bohemian's 1842 Pilsner, should be more bitter and have more hop aroma than their normal Pilsner. It will ferment and lager for about 5-6 weeks and should be available around the 15th of May. Prost!

The HB51 Beer

To help celebrate the signing of HB51, local brewpubs in Salt Lake City and its surrounding areas have decided to create a special beer to commemorate the legalization of home brewing in Utah. As well as to salute our local home brewers, all the while having a little fun in the process.

Desert Edge, Hoppers, Red Rock, Wasatch, Bohemian and Squatters brew pubs will be brewing the same beer but with one very specific variable either altered or added. All malt, hops, water, and timing will be identical, but each brewery will integrate one different variable to show their customers, especially the local home brewers, what changing one important factor can do for a beer.

The brew is a session amber ale and will be on tap at all 6 brew pubs. The Desert Edge version will be unfiltered, Hoppers will be aging with oak, Red Rock will offer it filtered, Wasatch will dryhop, Bohemian is going to ferment it with lager yeast and Squatters is making it
with whole Amarillo hop flowers added via hopback.

The release date of the HB51 beer is May 1st. it coincides with the Big Brew National Homebrew Day, May 2nd. Those interested can pick up a recipe sheet at each of the 6 brew pub locations.

I'm not sure if the official name of the beer is HB51. I'm sure all appropriate suggestions will be considered. But one thing is certain this will be a great thing for Utah's growing beer culture. Cheers!

Photo Courtesy: Chris Detrick/The Salt Lake Tribune

Utah's 2008 GABF Medalists

Well we made it. After three sessions and hundreds of ounces of beer, our yearly pilgrimage to Beer Mecca has concluded. What did we learn?... Well, no matter how beered-out you may think you are; pouring another fine American craft beer down the ol' pipes brings you right back to square-one. Also, Utah's brewers still know how to represent. Below are this years winners at GABF. All should be available for purchase right now. I recommend getting out sampling these fine brews and congratulate our local brewers for the fine jobs they do. More to come....

2008 GABF

American-Style or Belgian-Style Ale

Bronze-Fifth Element-Squatters Brewing

Category 35: German-Style Schwarzbier

Silver-Cherny Bock-Bohemian Brewing

Category 56: German-Style Altbier

Bronze-All The Way Alt-Desert Edge Brewing

Category 58: German-Style Wheat Ale

Bronze-Wasatch Hefeweizen-Wasatch Brewing

Category 59: Belgian-Style Wit

Silver-Belgian Wit-Red Rock Brewing

Bronze-Squatters Wit-Utah Brewers Coop