A Little Rye on Rye Action

The Beer Yogi, Kevin Templin and the RedRock Crew have simply outdone themselves on their newest release, Secale (Se*ca"le).

This new creation is a 100% local collaboration between RedRock and the High West distillery. Secale, latin for rye is hybrid Dopple Bock/Rye Beer aged in High West Rye whiskey barrels for over three months. The combination of complementary styles and and wood character creates a beer full of personality and depth.

Pours a dark ruby color with a moderate two fingers of off-white head. The nose has a dry roasted malt aroma along with a light rye spiciness. It's rounded out with a mild caramel malt and vanilla aroma. The taste starts with Caramel malts and toffee. Chocolate covered raisins come next come next with a dry rye spiciness. Hints of vanilla and whiskey come next in the end, as well as a subdued hop bitterness that balances the malty sweetness in the finish. The body is full and the whiskey notes become a bit more pronounced as it warms. The 8.5% abv is well hidden but sneaks up you quickly.

This one damn fine lager. It has an outstanding aroma with a great taste and smoothness. It is a good traditional representation of the Bavarian style with a nice blend of rye malt - that is there, but not overly done - Traditional, yet unique. Highly recommended! In 500ml bottles. Available at starting today at RedRock locations. As always, call first.

Prost!

Golden Halo: Reborn

Remember Golden Halo Blonde Ale from RedRock Brewing? It arrived nearly a year ago to mixed reviews. Some loved the extreme blend of Nobles hops and Pils malt, while others found the bitterness and earthiness too overwhelming.

Personally I liked it, but that damn label really made for some sleepless nights.

Beer Yogi, Kevin Templin has re-invented Golden Halo Blonde Ale and RedRock's art department has provided us with a more tranquil bottle to stare at.

The all new Golden Halo has a bright golden color with subdued malty character and Nobel hop aroma. Its crisp, clean flavor comes from a balance between German malt and Czech hops. It comes in RedRock's perfectly sized 500ml bottle with a 5.8% abv.

The reborn Golden Halo will debut today (10/18/11) at 5pm at RedRock Place (Fashion Place Mall).

Cheers!

Four!

I think it's safe to say, that Utahans have really come to embrace the Belgian Saison style of beer. This light and simple but very complex style of beer (when done properly) owes many of their fruity and earthy esters to the yeast.

In most Saisons the yeast is the star and if you want to get a good idea of how a properly used yeast strain can make a beer special, RedRock's Le Quatre (The Four) Saison is the perfect guide.

Beer Yogi, Kevin Templin and his talented crew have concocted a modern version of this once endangered style of beer. Le Quatre has starts with fruity tones with, mild to moderate tartness. Next comes lots of spice and is moderately hoppy. This refreshing ale boasts a modest abv of 6.2% and comes in RedRock's perfectly sized 500ml bottle.

Le Quatre will debut at RedRock's new location at Fashion Place Mall on Thursday, August 4th at 8pm.

RedRock is also pouring a 4.0% Saison at their downtown brewpub for a short time. Get some! I killed a growler of this by myself one afternoon and could have killed another no problemo.

In more RedRock related news; Remember Golden Halo? It got mixed reactions when it debuted and had problems finding a wider audience. Some were confused by the label, others were overpowered by the intense hop profile. I liked it... the taste I mean. That label still makes my sphincter pucker like a lemon sucking on a cigarette. Anyway, Golden Halo will soon be resurrected with a new look and new taste. More info to come.

Cheers!

All Rêve'd Up for Summer

The photo in yesterday's post was such a hit that we are considering a "Men of RedRock Calendar". Nothing brings back the sexy like a shirtless man in knee high rubber boots being sprayed with sticky wort.

To ensure these Adonises stay lean and mean they're going to have keep hoisting those big oak casks full of yummy beer. So I urge you to get out and spend some of those hard earned Quatloos on some of RedRock's annual release of Rêve Belgian Style Triple. I had a sample at the Mountain Brewers Fest and this batch seems to be the best one yet.

Aged one year in oak, This beer pours a light golden honey color with a moderate fluffy white head that dissipated to a very thin froth. The nose is a little boozy with banana, cloves malt and ripe mango. The taste is very much the same starting with candied sugar and cloves that transitions into toasted malt, peaches and banana. The end is sweet and oaky. The alcohol is warming and welcomed, masked well by Rêve?s full body. It adds a whole new dimension to the beer. You really get a good sense of the oak in the finish.

I recommend cellaring some of these. They tend to age very, very well.

Cheers!

Ele-What?

You may or may not have noticed this but RedRock Brewing Co's. Elephant Double IPA has undergone a name change. The new "Elephino" label will be in circulation soon and give some corporate hack the satisfaction that they beat-up on a small-ish, non-corporate brewpub. Don't worry the beer inside stays the same.

Well at least that bottle in your fridge is now a collectible. Retire some along with your old St. Provo Girl bottles.

Cheers!

Griswald's Big Holiday

It might seem a little early to be talking about Holiday beers, but if you take a look outside you realize that the holidays are not too far off.

So here in the waning days of October we offer you, your first glimpse of some winter warmers, alla Utah.

The first beer announced is from RedRock Brewing Company's Beer Yogi, Kevin Templin. The name may be somewhat familiar but this is an entirely new beer. As the name implies, Griswald's Big Holiday is bigger version of Redrock's Holiday staple Griswald's Holiday Ale.

The original Griswald's poured a clear golden amber color with a nose is mostly of nutmeg and cloves and a touch of maltiness beneath. The taste started big and malty then the spices kick in. Nutmeg and Clove were very pronounced then transitions into a Cinnamon spiciness. The finish was bright and piney.

I assume Griswald's Big Holiday will be similar in taste except with a 8.5% abv punch. It should be available the week of November 15th and will be around 'till it ain't.

There are more holiday beers coming down the pike, but I ain't allowed to talk 'bout 'em yet! Stay tuned.

Cheers!

Elephant IPA and Other Beer News

Earlier this year RedRock Brewing Co. erected a new brewing facility to help expand their brewing operations out side of the pub and give the boys in the brewhouse a little extra elbow room.

Designed primarily for the commercial aspects of the business the new brewery has for the most part been helping to keep up with their kegging demands and storage of oak barrels.

Now the new brewhouse is finally moving into high gear. With addition of a new bottling line RedRock is moving forward with new beers to add to the new Utah beer landscape.

To christen the new bottling line RedRock "Beer Yogi" Kevin Templin has developed Elephant a new Imperial India Pale Ale that's big on hops without stripping the enamel off your teeth.

Imagine plucking a tangerine off tree, ripping it open and... and just crushing in your mouth. That's how juicy the hop profile is on this som' bitch! Medium to full bodied malts and an 8% abv will get you to your happy place pronto. Should be available next week sometime at around $5 a 16 oz. bottle.

RedRock also has a great Saison on-tap a the brewpub right now. This one is all thirst quencher. Great spicy notes up front with a huge lemony finish - all thanks to a brilliantly blended yeast cocktail. Very limited, only ten barrels made - won't be around for more than a few days.

And if that wasn't enough from the RedRock camp, plans are underway for a third RR Brewpub to be located at Fashion Place Mall, near the Cheese Cake Factory. No set open date yet, possibly by years end.

Okay, as you can see the RedRock guys have been busy. Squatters has got some good beer news going on as well.

Starting today (Friday July 30) Squatters is selling their Big Cottonwood Amber at the downtown pub. Out the door sale will be done at the bottle shop (brewery door).
The bottle shop hours will be Monday, Wednesday and Fridays noon - 3pm. Jenny appoligizes for the limited hours, but they have to make them work around the brew schedule for now. $5/22 ounce. 1 case per person per visit.

This is part of their Small Batch Series so the quantity is limited. Right now their just selling the Big Cottonwood, but starting September 1st they'll be selling 529 and Fifth Element for $12.95/750ml.

In other beer news batch #4 of Epic's Hopulent IPA is in the breweries cold case and the Bayou is selling Hoppers' Double Black Lager.

Have I given you enough?!

Cheers!

Come Celebrate the Historic Fisher Brewery

In the early 1870s a man named Albert Fisher immigrated from Germany to the United States and eventually settled in Salt Lake City. Albert was a brewer by trade and he quick put his skill set to work shortly after arriving in Utah.

In 1884, Albert Fisher purchased 15 acres of land on 200 South on the east bank of the Jordan River (1206 West) where he established the A. Fisher Brewing Company.

The Fisher Brewing Company quickly became the largest brewery in Utah and in 1893 he constructed a grand residence adjacent to the brewery along the banks of the Jordan River.

Salt Lake City, which now owns the historic mansion will be hosting an open house May 15, 2010 from 5 – 9 p.m . The Fisher Family and Red Rock Brewing Company will host the Albert Fisher Beer Garden on the mansion grounds. This is a great opportunity to get to know this great piece of Utah's beer history while enjoying great German food and local craft beer on the beautiful riverside mansion property.

All proceeds go to Celebrate the City 2010 and to the Salt Lake City’s Historic Preservation Fund. The Fund supports restoration and preservation of the City’s historic buildings and places. Come Celebrate the City is an annual community event celebrates Salt Lake City’s grand historic buildings and the eras they were built.

Cheers!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

"Tour de Brewtah"

If You love you love your beer and your bike I have great news for you. The inaugural "Tour de Brewtah" charity ride, which will bring together bicycles and beer to raise money for Utah charities, will be held on May 8 in Salt Lake City.

From a starting point at the Live Green SLC! Festival in Library Square, bike riders will follow a downtown route marked by local breweries - Red Rock, Uinta, Desert Edge and Squatters, scene of an end-of-the-ride party. Participants also receive a commemorative pint glass. Gotta put that beer in sumthin'... right?

Up to 200 riders of all abilities are being invited. Registration forms are available at www.ridemybike.com/rides/view/id:346. The cost is $30 before May 6 and $50 the day of the race - if space remains.

A brilliant idea!

Cheers!

The Beer Yogi is At It Again.

Just days after the last last of the Rêve went away RedRock's Beer Yogi, Kevin Templin has already began laying down next years batch to bed, in oak. That's cool, but not this cool.

But what really made my ears perk up was mention of the Double IPA that he's working on. What's going to make this one different from the others currently floating around the market is that this one is made with a Belgian yeast strain and is currently vacationing in oak, until it "want's to be done". So, when it's ready he'll tell me and I'll tell you.

Also in the works, Kevin is putting together an "amped up" version of RedRock's popular Harvest Ale. I love this beer, can't wait to see what he does with a bigger version of it.


New beers available to you this week are Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale from Boulevard Brewing's Smokestack series(Bayou).

Pike's Double IPA(Bayou,Beerhive).

The following beers should be available in liquor store within the next week or so.

PIKE NAUGHTY NELLIE GOLDEN ALE
DESCHUTES RESERVE SUPER JUBEL ALE'
MACTARNAHAN'S SUMMER GRIFTER IPA??? *NOT SURE*
SAMUEL ADAMS' COASTAL WHEAT

More discussion available on the Utah Beer Forum.

Cheers!

Rêve Returns Today

That's right, it's been over year since RedRock's award winning Belgian style triple has been around and this years batch is said to be the best one yet. 1500 bottles will go on sale today at both RedRock locations - as well as the Bayou and most likely the Beerhive. These are available for take home. Two bottles - per person - per day.

Pours a light golden honey color with with a moderate fluffy white head that dissipated to a very thin froth. The nose is a little boozy with banana, cloves malt and ripe mango. The taste is very much the same starting with candied sugar and cloves that transitions into toasted malt and banana. The end is sweet and oaky. The alcohol is warming and welcomed, masked well by Rêve’s full body. It adds a whole new dimension to the beer. You really get a good sense of the oak in the finish. It’s barrel aged for one year. Don’t get me wrong it’s got a kick. It’s 10.2% abv is more than enough to warm your inner beer geek.

RedRock Rêve is more proof that that Utah beers are much more than just 4.0% anomalies. Earning the bronze medal at the ’06 Great American Beer Festival and the silver medal in ’07.

Cheers!

Abyss is Finally Here

I have "good news" and "not so good news". After a delay of far too many months Deschutes' Abyss is finally here! That's the good.

The not so good... it looks like your going to have to jump through the same ol' hoops to get it - you know, as your currently going through to get Uinta's Bourbon Barrel Barleywine. Which, by the way is at the downtown wine store (thanks for the heads-up Christian).

So here are your options. You can get the Abyss right now at the Bayou & the Beerhive. They got ten cases each. The rest are allocated to a hand full of liquor stores and there will most likely be a 3 bottle limit.

So, if you don't live in or near SLC it looks like your about to get "boned" once again.

On a brighter note. Kevin Templin Brewmaster at RedRock just bottled 1500 Reve. They should be done conditioning around February 22nd.

Cheers!

The Beer Boomerang of Love

Building on the huge momentum of a great beer year, Utah's local brewers are full of enthusiasm and optimism for the coming year. It's a great time for a fresh start and a chance to reboot the old processes.

There will be a lot of great craft beer success stories to come this year, of this I have no doubt. Every time a new seasonal beer rears it's head, people are literally lining up for them. In some cases even before Bartenders/servers even know they're for sale. Seriously this happens!

One of the most enthusiastic brewers you will ever meet is RedRock's Kevin Templin. Weather he's eyeballing a new batch of yummy bugs in his microscope or taking delivery of oak barrels it's hard not to get swept up in this beer yogi's groove.

"I am excited and privileged to be in the middle of a brewing orgasm!!! The Utah beer scene is blowing up and if I was not a part of it I would be Bummed. New beers everywhere, people pushing for exotic perfection... It's nuts"!

This "beer boomerang of love" that Kevin is lobbing out to us means great things for you and RedRock's first quarter.

Twenty brand new casks of new French and Classic American oak have just arrived to house some new craft beer creations.

Rêve, Redrock's oak aged Belgian style Triple is said to be the best it's ever been and will be bottled by the end of the month in 750ml bottles. So look for it late February early March... Christ, I'll just tell ya when it's out.

Kevin says he's also sitting on a new unnamed sour beer that'll be ready "Whenever it wants to be ready".

Fresh off the success of Paardebloem, talks of acquiring the early sweet greens for the Paardebloem's sequel are already in the works.

And most of all the RedRock crew is excited about putting on the gloves for a Knock-out double IPA in 1/2 liter bottles for an early spring release.

"I am stoked for all my bro's that are being inspired to move forward and try new things. We will just keep trying to make high quality beers and keep our nose to the rock". Templin says. I say, Amen to that!

Cheers!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Two Big - New Releases

Today there are two big debuts on the Utah craft beer scene, so lets get right to it.

First off, we have RedRock's long awaited version of their collaboration beer Paardebloem (Flemish for Dandelion). This beer was brewed earlier in the year at RedRock & New Belgium breweries. While NB's version was released soon after brewing RR's went into American oak barrels for aging.

Inspired by the great hop shortage of 2008, dandelion greens were used as they have a natural bittering effect much like hops. The result is a blond ale brewed with toasted pilsener malt, flavored with fresh picked dandelion greens and grains of paradise.

Paardebloem is hazy and light gold in color with peachy/lemony nose. It has a unique floral bitterness with a big malty backbone. There is a touch of added sourness(intentional)that the New Belgium version lacks. This provides a nice balance for the big spicy/sweetness the ale carries.

The ABV is at 8.8% and sells for $15.00. Most importantly there are only 150 bottle available! So I don't have to tell you that this won't be around for much more than a couple of weeks. Only available for "in house" sales at RR's downtown SLC location.
Next we have Outer Darkness. This is the first commercially produced Imperial Stout brewed in Utah.

This beer is big all around. Big espresso notes, big cocoa, Big roastiness and big alcohol. 10.5% abv to be exact. This may put Outer Darkness very close to being Utah's strongest beer ever.

Squatters has 800 bottles and they will be $14.99 for sale at the table or out the door. For the best Outer Darkness drinking experience Brewmaster Jenny Talley recommends warming it to 45f before opening and pour the beer directly down the center of the glass without any tilt. This beer is big enough that it can be cellared for 1-3 years before resurrecting.

For sale at Squatters Pub downtown SLC and at Squatters Roadhouse Grill in Park City.

Cheers!

RedRock's New Brewery Goes On-Line

RedRock's new brewery is finally up and running. Last Tuesday Eric Dunlap and Brewmaster Kevin Templin flipped on all the switches - got out their mash paddle and started making beer.

If your expecting the inaugural beer to be something grand and momentous; like some ancient beer/mead hybrid made with a six thousand year old yeast strain... I'm gunna have to disappoint. It was their good 'ol Hefe... Hey these boys still have a schedule to keep!

All the beer coming from the new facility will be kegged for distribution out side of RedRock. So start looking for their beer to start appearing on more taps around the state. RedRock's brewpub brewery will still be making their award winning beers as usual. Congrats Guys!

Here's a video commemorating the facilities first brew day.

Congrats Guys & Cheers to you!

RedRock Brewer's Select

Early last month we showed the RedRock crew harvesting hops from the High Desert Hop Farm. Today the fruits of their labor hits the taps in SLC.

RedRock Brewer's Select is a fresh hop beer that Kevin came up with. The CTZ hops used in this beer were off-the-vine and in the kettle in less than 24hrs.

The hop profile is said to be huge. I hope to know first hand this afternoon. I don't imagine it'll last long.

Cheers!

Photo Courtesy: Hobocline

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

RedRock's Oktoberfest

If your into German beer & food, RedRock is the place to be.

Each year RR celebrates with a selection of German inspired beer and food to help you find your autumn groove. Kevin and crew have brewed up six German style beers to enjoy this week.

Autumn Fest is a Marzen-style lager, amber in color, is lagered for five weeks. It has an emphasized malt flavor, is smooth with a clean hop bitterness. Backed by Crystal and Munich malts.

Bamburg Rauch Bier Rauch Bier translates in German as “smoked beer”. Drying over an open Beechwood fire imparts a smoky character to the malt. Inspired by many trips the brewers have taken to Bamberg, Germany where the Rauch Biers are world famous.

Black Bier is a German style dark lager, very smooth, medium body, low hop bitterness. Eight different malts and thirty-five days of lagering give this classic Schwarz-style beer it’s unusually dark color and remarkably smooth flavor.

German Pilsner is a Classic German Pils. Very light straw to golden in color. Head should be dense and rich. Red Rock’s version is well-hopped, brewed using Noble hops such has Saaz, Hallertauer and Tettnanger. Lagered for five weeks and filtered bright.

Munich Dunkle is a smooth, rich and complex, but without being heady or heavy. They boast brilliant ruby hues from the large amounts of Munich malts used, and these malts also lend a fuller-bodied beer.
Bitterness is often moderate, with just enough to balance out any sweetness.

Organic Zwikel Bier is a rather old, rare, and unique German beer style, Kellerbiers are unfiltered and unpasteurized lagers that date back to at least the Middle Ages. The beer is lagered. The final product is a smooth, naturally cloudy beer that's rich in vitamins (from the yeast). Hop bitterness is a compliment to the soft malt character.

These beers are only expected to be around 'till October 11th.

Also available on tap are RR's Honey Wheat, Hefeweizen, Amber Ale and Oatmeal Stout.

I also got a tour of RedRock's new production Brewery. Brewmaster Kevin Templin is hopeful he'll be online by the end of the month.This new facility will take RedRock's capabilities to a whole new level.Prost!

Utah's 2009 GABF Winners

Sorry this has taken so long, but I'm still in vacation mode. Here is a list of the breweries that came home with medals at this years Great American beer Festival.

The showing was not as strong as past years, even though there's been some incredibly delicious stuff coming out of Utah these past few years.

More GABF news coming. Cheers!

Bronze Red Rock Organic Zwickel Bier
Bronze Red Rock Blonde Ale
Silver Cutthroat Pale Ale
Bronze Winterfest 2008

Photo: Chris and Kevin from RedRock Brewing "sport'n" their medals.

Pick'n & Grin'n

It's harvest time! And with that comes harvest beers. And there's no better way to ensure the freshest possible taste in your harvest beers, then to pick your ingredients yourself.

That's what the RedRock crew got the opportunity to do this past weekend at Utah's newest hop farm High Desert Hops. Head brewer Kevin Templin his crew and some family members spent the afternoon picking High Desert's inaugural batch of hop cones for some of their yet undisclosed fall beers.
High Desert is growing three varieties right now. Cascade - Galina and Columbus. For a first year crop these hops are huge, fat and full of resiny goodness. The RedRock guys were picking the Galina, as you can see from the pics their damn near perfect.

At some point High Desert may open up their organic certified farm to the public and even "pick your own" sales. How cool would that be homebewers?

As soon as their ready, they'll let me know and I'll post all the details.
Cheers!

The Book of Brew

A reading from the the Book of Brew. Chapter 11, verse 9 through 21. "And St. Arnold raised his barrel upon high saying 'Oh lord, bless this - thy Divine Keg, that I may shatter it's bung with thy heavy mallet in thy mercy'... And the lord didth grin. And the droves of people were showered with all manner of beer both dark and light". Well...it doesn't technically say that in the book... Something to think about for the second edition.

What the bloody hell am I talking about? Well The Book of Brew is RedRock Brewing Company's bible, per say. It chronicles most every one of the 40+ beers that Red Rock has brewed over the past 15 years.

Inside are descriptions of each beer, along with any awards they may have won. Short bios for each of their brewers, and a little bit about the brewing process. It has been available on all tables since the 4th of July and is also available for sale.

RedRock is hoping to be able to push ahead with a second edition when they run through the first. Amen!