Beer Bar and Dick n' Dixie's to Offer Barrel Aged Beers.

A few of the bars around town have been venturing out to distilleries around the country and buying their own unique barrels of spirits to sell in their their respective establishments. This gives you the ability to sell a unique - one of a kind beverage that the bar can call it's own. Last year SLC's Beer Bar did this with Buffalo Trace. The Bourbon barrel they chose is quite nice and if you have the opportunity I recommend stopping by Bar X or the Beer Bar to sample some (if there's any left).

The distilleries not only provide custom bottles of the spirits but the also give you the barrel(s). And what do true beer loving beer geeks do when the have spent whiskey barrels? Yup, you age beer in them. Not long after receiving their barrel from Buffalo Trace, the Beer Bar guys struck a deal with Epic Brewing to fill their barrel with Big Bad Baptist and age it at the brewery. The result was a true one of a kind beer for a one of a kind bar.

It's a year later and it looks like they're about to do it again. This year Beer Bar will be teaming up with the Utah Brewers Cooperative to age some of Squatter's Outer Darkness Imperial Stout in their newly acquired Eagle Rare Bourbon barrels. Called Lightening Punch, this beer will have an ABV of 12.73% and will only be for sale at Beer Bar.

Add Lightening Punch to the collaboration beer that is coming from Proper Brewing/Beer Bar and I predict that the holiday's will be very bright.

SLC's Dick n' Dixie's located on the corner of 300 s. 500 e. is getting in on the barrel aging game as well - laying down some of Wasatch's Polygamy Porter in one of their recently acquired Buffalo Trace Bourbon Barrels. This beer is called Thunder Punch and will dial in at 7.76% ABV. Both of these beers will be packaged in 12oz. bottles. If you've never been to Dick n' Dixie's, they've got a better that decent beer selection along with a Bourbon collection that'll make any whiskey nerd happy.

Both bars are hoping that these beers will be approved by the DABC by the end this week. If that's the case, I'll let you know. These beers have been approved and will go on sale later this afternoon (11/17/16).

Cheers!

Epic's Double Barrel Baptist & Big Bad Baptista are Here!

Epic's highly anticipated additions to their Big Bad Baptist line are finally here and will go on sale this morning at 11am. These two new beers will stay true to their predecessor yet retain enough of what makes them each unique.

First let's get into Double Barrel Big Bad Baptist. Hotbox Coffee Rosters out of Longmont, Colorado has a unique process for some of their coffees in which they take their green coffee beans and age them in used spirit barrels. The bean soak up the aromas and flavors of their environment. If you put them in a used whiskey barrel, you’ll get notes of toffee, vanilla, oak, and campfire alongside the beans natural fruity and roasted flavors.

Epic selected Hotbox's single origin Ethopian Yirgacheffe for its bright blueberry and pomegranate flavors. It’s a major departure from the classic Columbian and Central American flavor profile Epic  normally selects for Big Bad Baptist. With the additional flavor contribution from the whiskey barrel and Hot Box’s careful roasting, the coffee comes to the forefront of the beer and really showcases the unique process.

Double Barrel Big Bad uses equally creative and maliciously crafted cacao nibs from Solstice Chocolate - a small artisan chocolate maker based out of Salt Lake City. They specialize in sourcing exotic, organically grown cacao from around the world. Each single origin cacao is roasted in house to bring out its inherent characteristics.

Next up is Big Bad Baptista. Inspired by traditional Mexican coffee, Café de Olla, which is served with cinnamon and piloncillo, an unrefined sugar. The Cinnamon adds another layer of complexity and accentuates the earthy character of Mexican Coffee, but more importantly, it captures the essence of a place and its culture. 

Big Bad Baptista is a combination of Vanilla, Cinnamon, Mexican coffee roasted by Blue Copper, and Solstice Chocolate cacao nibs. It’s luxurious to say the least, with a pleasant warming sensation generated by the cinnamon and alcohol. The interplay of chocolate, malt, oak, and spice make this beer perfect for the coming cold weather months. 

Epic made plenty of these, so you you don't have to beat their door down immediately this morning, but I wouldn't wait until next week either - due to the simple fact there's no limit on how many you can buy. Consider yourselves "baptized".

Skol!

Uinta Beer Trailers for the Week of 11/15

We have more cool things coming our way from Uinta Brewing Company. First off is a new series of beers that are dedicated to our nation's national parks. The first release in the Rotating Park Series pays tribute to Yosemite and prominently features the park's iconic Half Dome. This beer will be a Golden Ale and it will be packaged in 12oz. bottles.

The other Uinta beer on the horizon is Hopscuusion Brett IPA. This style of beer Brett Beer isn't necessarily sour. These tend to be young beers that take on more of the doughy, funky yeasty qualities of the brettanomyces yeast. Brett IPAs and Brett Pale Ale are quickly become one of my favorite styles. I'm ecstatic to have one being made in our town! Look for this one in Uinta's corked and caged 750ml bottles.

Finally, Uinta's Rise and Pine is here! This Dark Ale is brewed with Juniper and hops that have a more piney flavor profile. Think Black IPA with a fruitier edge. Avaible today at Uinta's Brewhouse Pub and bottle shop. 7.5% ABV


As always, you'll hear it first when these and all locally available beers go on sale. Stay close!

Prost!

Labels found at Shipcomplient.com

New Beer Friday: 11/11/16

It's been a strange week for sure. That darker dimension has defiantly crept into our lives. I've found not only new beers but new breweries to our market - many are courtesy of SLC's Beer Bar. Strap in there's a lot to talk about. Enjoy your New Beer Friday!

Remember, Liquor Stores are closed today for Veterans Day.

Shades of Pale Hog's Head Reserve #3 - The bourbon and rye flavors are still quite prominent and these flavors do work rather well with the sweet Tripel Ale base. Look for notes of honey and raisins and a bit of sweet pineapple. On the back end, you have a skosh of butterscotch sweetness with light vanilla from the wood. Nicely complex. The ABV is 11%.

Melvin Brewing Killer Bees This one is very reminiscent of breakfast cereal to me The nose is grainy and grassy with a dry, vague, toasty Honeycombs cereal taste. Not Melvin's flashiest beer but it's pretty drinkable. 5.0% ABV @Beerhive, Beer Bar, Slackwater 

Ex Novo Dynamic Duo - I haven't had this one yet. It's described as having big hop aroma of pine, grapefruit, and pineapple with a very light body. Extremely drinkable and aggressively hopped with Citra and Chinook for a clean, bitter finish. 8.0% ABV @Beer Bar

Ex Novo Eliot IPA - The nose has citrus zest, pith and tangerine aromas. The taste is much the same with citrus zest, tangerine juice, and tropical fruit flavors in the finish. The bitterness is moderate to high. This is a great IPA, drink 'em up while their fresh! 6.6% ABV @ Beer Bar

Ex Novo The Most Interesting Lager in the World - I haven't had this one yet. It's described as being mildly hoppy and earthy with a little lemon. Some doughy, grainy malt, mildly cereal and straw like. These notes are replicated on the palate, an inoffensive, light bodied, cleanly fermented lager with a mild fruitiness from the yeast, a little bit of hop flavor(lemon, grass) and some grain. 5.0% ABV @Beer Bar

Ex Novo Liquid Sweater Winter Warmer - I haven't had this one yet. It's described as having an aroma and taste of molasses spice, toffee and dark fruits. Malty taste but with a nice bitter hoppiness. Light boozy finish. 7.0% ABV @ Beer Bar

Oakshire Gose to 11 - The nose has tart lemony citrus, coriander and salt. The taste starts with wheaty with tart lemon flavors that finish dry with subtle salt and barely perceivable coriander. Some lingering acidity on the tongue. Nice gose. 4.0% ABV @ Beer Bar

Oakshire Hellshire VI - I haven't had this one yet. It's described as having a nose of chocolate, some vanilla some oak. Look for caramel and chocolate in the taste, with notes of bourbon and some coconut in the finish. 12.0% ABV @ Beer Bar

Ecliptic Spica Pilsner - I haven't had this one yet. It's described as being brewed in the Un-filtered Keller bier style. Pale malt is used exclusively to give the beer a nice malt body and light golden color. Sterling hops add a rich herbal character. The yeast left in the beer works with the hops to add a nice spicy flavor. 5.5% ABV @ Beer Bar

Ecliptic Orbiter IPA - I haven't had this one yet. It's described as having Chinook and Columbus to create a formidable IPA. Bright and citrusy hop flavors shine in a medium body with caramel malt character. Dry hopped to amplify the hop aroma and flavor 7.4% ABV @ Beer Bar

Ecliptic Carina Peach Sour - The flavors here are mostly unripened peach. Some hops are detectable on the back end but for the most part this beer is peach and lemon driven. Nice beer. 5.5% ABV @ Beer Bar

Ecliptic Filament Winter IPA - I haven't had this one yet. It's described as having nice caramel up front with a citrus end and subtle hop bite. Fairly light mouth feel.7.2% ABV @ Beer Bar

Ecliptic Third Orbit Anniversary Ale Imperial Porter with Cherries - I haven't had this one yet. It's described as having an aroma of dark toasted malt with mild char, cocoa and a hint of cherry. Flavor is dark toasted malt with a little smoke, almost a hint of peat; milk chocolate and a touch of cherry. Finishes with some char and residual chocolate. Nice medium creamy body. A rich, very well integrated porter, bordering on stout territory but smoother and better balanced 9.0% ABV @ Beer Bar

Ecliptic/Fort George Collaboration JH² (JH Squared) IPA - I haven't had this one yet. It's described as having a nose of  massive citrus fruit and hints of wine they meld nicely! Palate...brisk, bright and bitter with hop resin and grapefruit pith and skin. The mid palate is quite dry and smacky and the finish is sharp with citrus and very long and oaky. 7.2% ABV @ Beer Bar

Magic Hat Circus Boy - I haven't had this one yet. It's described as unfiltered and unfettered, Circus Boy is a unique and refreshing American-style Hefeweizen. Is he a who? Or a what? Or perhaps some of both? Be amazed by the flavorful haze of this wonderful wheat beer. 4.5% ABV @ DABC

Magic Hat #9 - I haven't had this one yet. It's described as being a beer cloaked in secrecy. An ale whose mysterious and unusual palate will swirl across your tongue and ask more questions than it answers. A sort of dry, crisp, refreshing, not-quite pale ale. #9 is really impossible to describe because there's never been anything else quite like it. 5.1% ABV @DABC

RedRock's Secale returns today at all RedRock locations - however, for take home you'll have to wait til tomorrow morning (11/12) at 11am. This beer is a bock at it's base, but has the addition of rye malt and is aged in High West Rye Whiskey barrels. Secale 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.

We'll discuss these beers further later today with Mick and Allen at 3:30pm on KBER 101

Cheers!

Shades of Pale Hogshead Reserve #3

Shades of Pale has released it's newest offering in their new Hogshead Reserve series of barrel aged beers. The newest entry to their lineup is a Belgian style Tripel which has been aged in High West Whiskey Barrels. This being the second run on the barrels, the recipe was chosen to specifically capture and blend with oak in the barrels rather than with strong bourbon and rye flavors. 

The bourbon and rye flavors are still quite prominent and these flavors do work rather well with the sweet Tripel Ale base. Look for notes of honey and raisins and a bit of sweet pineapple. On the back end, you have a skosh of butterscotch sweetness with light vanilla from the wood. Nicely complex. The ABV is 11%.

This is a very limited release - available right now.

Cheers!

Proper Brewing and Beer Bar Collaboration Ale

Proper Brewing Company and Salt Lake City's Beer Bar have combined forces to brew a unique brew exclusively for the Beer Bar. The Beer Bar Blonde will be a dryhopped Belgian style blonde ale that will use a rotating dryhop selection that will be different with every batch. The staff at the Beer Bar will also be instrumental with the various hop selections used. Just look to the window on the lower right of the label for current dryhop selection.The ABV is still to be determined.

This beer is not available yet - when it is, we'll spread the word when it debuts at the Beer Bar.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 11/4/16

Let's face it. We're all winners when New Beer Friday is involved.

Squatters Solstice Saison - Light coriander and clove round out subtle chocolate flavors in this deceptively light looking - but flavorful "spiced" saison. 4.0% ABV @ Squatters

Uinta Jack Rabbit Barrel Aged Saison - Pine, juniper and a bit of oak compliment this lightly phenolic saison. Some cereal flavors as well along with a slightly boozy burn. Finishes with a tiny bit of tartness. 9.3% ABV  @ Uinta, Bayou, Beerhive

Roosters Daily Rise and Shine - Definitely coffee forward. The base is semi-chocolaty which compliments the coffee flavors well. Made with Layton's Daily Rise Coffee. If you like Java stouts? it's worth your time. 4.0% ABV  @ Roosters

Strap Tank Dirty Politician - an American brown ale with notes of milk-chocolate and Reese's peanut butter cups. 4.0% ABV @ Strap Tank

Lagunitas Born Yesterday Fresh Hop Pale Ale -  The nose on this is like fresh fruit salad full of peach, mango, pineapple, grapefruit, caramelized bready malt, with dank earthy herbal grass and spicy resinous pine. The taste is far more citrusy with notes of orange, tangerine and subtle grapefruit pith. There are also some sweet mango notes, followed by peach and pineapple. Not much malt but it's present. Fantastic pale ale. 7.0% ABV @Beerhive, Bayou, Dick and Dixie's, Lucky 13

Wasatch UT-X Azacca - Light caramel malts with a big tropical fruit hop profile. This is Wasatch's rotating session IPA series. Always worth trying. 4.0% ABV   @Wasatch

Deschutes/Hair of the Dog Collage 2 -  Smell is of sweet malts, bourbon, raisins, oak, vanilla, cherry, heaven. Taste follows the nose with boozy raisins being the most prominent. Dark alcohol soaked fruits, tobacco and whiskey come next. Slightly pruney and tart in the end. Wine barrel is also noticeable. This is a boozy beast. approach with caution. A year or two in the cellar will do wonders for this. 14.3%  @Beerhive

Cheers!

International Stout Day 2016

It looks like today is International Stout Day. Love 'em or hate 'em, you gotta respect them. This one beer style has spawned at least a dozen different varieties, including: American Stouts, English Stouts, Export Stouts, Milk Stouts, Oatmeal Stouts, Russian Imperial Stouts, Irish Dry Stouts, Chocolate Stouts, Coffee Stouts or Barrel aged Stouts.

If it were up to me, I'd command that you should try one of every style available but since it's a Thursday, I'll leave it to you're best judgment to pick the style or styles you prefer.

If you need some help here are some great local craft options for you to consider. Enjoy your day.

Uinta - Barrel Aged Stout
Squatters - Outer Darkness
Roosters - Daily Rise and Shine
Epic - Big Bad Baptist
Proper - Sláinte Stout
RedRock - Oatmeal Stout
Strap Tank - Sargent Howtz Stout
Talisman - Iron Age Sweet Stout
Zion Canyon -Conviction Stout
Moab - Desert Select Export Stout
Park City - Vanilla Coffee Stout (check availability)
Wasatch - Black O' Lantern Pumpkin Stout
Bonneville - Sir Malcolm's Stout
Vernal - Not Your Mama's Milk Stout
Desert Edge - Latter Day Stout
Hoppers - Madam X Stout

Sláinte!

Squatters' Outer Darkness Gets Canned

Squatters Outer Darkness Imperial Stout will soon be finding it's way into 12 oz. cans. We first started talking about this beer back in November of 2009 [man, I've been doing this for a while] when this beer first hit the kettle. Back then it was Utah's original locally made Imperial Stout. It was a huge hit and this new packaging only solidifies it's popularity.

You'll likely be seeing these new cans at Squatters/Wasatch locations sometime in December - DABC placement will follow a couple weeks after that initial release. Outer Darkness dials in at 10.5% ABV

If you need something to occupy your time while waiting for the cans Squatters' Brewmaster Jason stack has something new for you to try at the SLC brewpub. The Solstice Saison is on draft now. A collaboration with SLC's Solstice Chocolate this ale is very light in color w great Belgian fruity characteristics and a subtle, smoothing flavor of locally roasted cacao nibs.

Jason also has his Nitro Epiphany Vanilla Porter on right now as well.

Cheers!

Image found at Shipcomplient.com

Uinta Jack Rabbit Barrel Aged Saison

Available today for the first time is Uinta Brewing's new Jack Rabbit Barrel Aged Saison. This is a  limited quantity release. The saison's time in the gin barrels from Beehive Distilling produced a beer that is dry, crisp ale with a touch of spice, boasting gentle herbal notes with a bright fruity nose.
 This new saison will dial in at 9.3% and will come in Uinta's corked and caged 750ml bottles.

Jack Rabbit Barre Aged Saison goes on sale today at the brewery starting at 11am in the bottle shop. Because this is a very limited release there will be a limit of one bottle per customer. I wouldn't wait too long on this one.

Cheers!

Utah's 3.2 Beer Going, Going, Gone?

Last October I came across a story out of Oklahoma in regards to that state's plans to get rid of their "3.2" beer law. I thought this was very interest news considering how closely our [Utah's] liquor laws have mirrored one and other over the years.

Basically Oklahoma wants to do away 3.2 beer and according to recent polls, it looks like this will be  happening when the Oklahoma legislature meets next month. Right now there are five state that have some sort of 3.2 beer law on their books: Utah, Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas and Minnesota. Oklahoma is the largest consumer of 3.2 beer with Utah a close second. Colorado [third] is looking to do away 3.2 beer in 2009.

So what does that do to Utah's beer landscape? If these three largest consumers of 3.2 decide to do away with the low point beers, will it be cost effective for the big breweries to keep making it? Apparently that question is already on the minds of some Utah law makers.

State Sen. Karen Mayne [D] has been approached by interested parties [distributors, manufacturers, etc] about revising the definition of beer under Utah liquor laws in response to Oklahoma's beer vote. She said she believes some kind of a policy change is necessary, which could include moving high-point beers to grocery stores and convenience stores.

If the large brewers drop 3.2 beer and Utah doesn't revise its definition, consumers could see a dramatic decrease in beer selection in convenience stores and grocery stores. This could be a boom for local beer makers that are currently making oceans of low point beers already. Alternatively, state-run liquor stores could be forced to absorb an extra consumer base they're not prepared for (heavy beer accounts for only 20 percent of sales, according to the DABC).

Sen. Jerry Stevenson, R-Layton, who has been tasked by the Republican majority with overseeing liquor laws, told FOX 13 News the earliest the Utah State Legislature could look at it would be 2018 -- after observing the timeline of Oklahoma's beer vote, presuming it passes.

Now this doesn't mean that "skies the limit" in regards to grocery store beers. My guess is that you'd be looking at beers in 5.0% - 6.0% range. We also have to be prepared for the eventual loss of current drinking liberties that we now enjoy. that loss will likely be a big one in my opinion.

So, what do you think?

Image Courtesy: Pat Bagley
Source: Fox13now.com

New Beer Friday 10/28/16

I thought there was going to be a New Beer Friday drought this week then I came across all of these with help from many of y'all.

The Infinite Monkey Theorem's Dry Hopped Pear Cider - If your expecting pear, you're in for a let down. Mostly tart apple here with big hops in the nose. Hops are very subtle on the tongue. Nice cider, terrible Perry (pear cider). 5.6% ABV @Beer Bar, DABC

Oskar Blues Pinner Passion Fruit -Not tried this one yet. It's described as having clean malts, with hints of toasted biscuit pair with zesty hops to spice up the taste and aromas from pureed Passion Fruit and a small spike of pureed Blood Orange. 4.9% ABV @DABC

Desert Edge Dubbel Trubbel Abbey Ale -Not tried this one yet. It's described as a sessionized version of a Belgian Dubbel. 4.0% ABV. @Desert Edge

Desert Edge Latter Day Stout on cask with chocolate and vanilla bean - This sounds delish! 4.0% ABV. @ Desert Edge

Stone/Arrogant Double Bastard in the Rye - The nose is hoppy, malty, with some citrus/pine notes, some very nice whiskey/rye notes. The taste is very nice, hoppy, malty, with some very nice sweetness, nice touch of citrus/pine notes, nice whiskey/rye notes, bitter. Full body. A complex brew, with a very nice dry/bitter finish, definitely a sipper. 12.7% ABV. @Beerhive

Cheers!

New Beer Friday! 10/21/16

As I'm coming of a week of doctor ordered sobriety, I haven't had a chance to try many of this week's beers. That sucks because there is a shload of beers out there. The plus side? It should make for a great weekend. We have a full plate, so let's get to it!

Proper  Idaho Pale Ale - Brewed with pale and Munich malts grown and malted in Idaho, as well as a brand new varietal Idaho 7 hops, this ale truly does justice to our northern neighbors. It's a perfect pale ale with notes of stone fruit and citrus over a crackery malt base. 4.0% ABV @ProperBrewing

Uinta  Bourbon Barrel Stout - A barrel blended American Stout fusing notes of roasted coffee and cacao nibs with an earthy bitterness provided by Willamette and Chinook hops that balance the finish.7.0% ABV

Uinta Croggy Brett Saison - This beer is described as being brewed with a hefty dose of mosaic hops, un-malted wheat, and rolled oats. Croggy possesses a tropical fruit character and snappy aroma that partners perfectly with the crisp, dry tartness of the Brettanomyces yeast. Available tomorrow at the Uintabrewpub and shipping out to Uinta's distribution footprint soon!

Talisman Session IPA - There's a very small batch of this new session IPA dry hopped with Mosaic available in the beer store for growler fills only until it runs out! 4.0% ABV @Talisman

Talisman Nut Brown - This beer was released yesterday under Talisman's seasonal label. Double check before buying as their Blood Orange is also still for sale under the same label. 4.0% ABV @Talisman 

Samuel Adams Nitro White Ale - This beer is described as being white capped and lively – the frothy white head of this distinctive nitro brew softly cascades into bright gold. The first sip reveals a smooth velvety taste with a light wheat character and hints of orange while an undercurrent of peppery spice adds a bright finish. 5.5% ABV @DABC,

Lagunitas 12th of Never - This isn't exactly new - it's a blend of Old and New School hops that play bright citrus, rich coconut, and papaya-esque flavors, all on a solid stage of English puffed wheat. Tropically hoppy. Light, yet full-bodied. Bright and citrusy. The 12th of Never Ale is everything we’ve learned about making hop-forward beer expressed in a moderate voice. Pale, cold, slightly alcoholic and bitter. 5.5% ABV @ DABC, Beer Bar, Bayou

Anderson Valley Barney Dry Stout - This a a new version of Anderson Valley's classic Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout. This one dials-in at 4.0%. Tastes of freshly baked bread, espresso, and dried cherries meld seamlessly with rich toffee flavors and a creamy mouth feel. Beer Bar has this on draft right now and it's popping up in some grocery stores as we speak.

Payette Blood Orange Rustler IPA - haven't tried this one yet, hopefully this afternoon! Described as having pithy orange flavors with some vague floral hops in the end. 6.2% ABV @Bayou

Sockeye Fred's Raging Red  - Not tried this one. This lager is described as having aromas of caramel malts, some hops - taste is like a red IPA, or red hoppy pilsner. A nice blend of hops and sweet caramel malts.6.5% ABV @Bayou

Crabbie's Ginger Beer - Not tried this one yet. 4.8% ABV @Bayou

We'll try to get a little more in depth with some of these this afternoon with Mick and Allen on KBER 101 at 3:30pm. Please tune in. 

Cheers!

New Brewery Coming to Ogden

Hey, Ogden readers! Remember that old, west side Purina Dog Chow Plant that went bu-bye earlier this year? Well, a portion of that property was recently transfered to an LLC called the MacBeer Group which plans to develop the site into a 10,000 square-foot brewery and distribution center.

MacBeer plans to invest between $1 million and $1.3 million into the new development which is set to include a bicycle shop and a deli. The RDA agreement also stipulates that construction on the brewery must be finished by the end of April 2018.

I've been scouring the interwebs for info on MacBeer Group, LLC and have come up with bupkis. My guess is that MacBeer is very new and locally owned. If anyone has any info on who this new player is, I'm sure the rest of your fellow beer dorks here would love to hear the 411.

Even though this info is vague and incomplete, it's very interesting news, don't you think?

Keeping with the new brewery news, I have a Kiitos update. After months of paperwork and permit Hell, the west-side SLC brewery looks to be entering the final stages of construction and hopes to be online and brewing by the end of the year. For a refresher on what Kiitos is all about - here's a story I wrote for SLUG Magazine a few months ago.

Cheers!

Source: Ogden Standard Examiner
Photo: Mitch Shaw/Standard Examiner

Uinta Releases Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout Today

 

I'm back. between the Great American Beer Festival, lack of news and my new bionic gut, I'm ready to get back to the serious news of Utah's beer culture. I've missed you too! Way back in June, I was happy to inform you about this brand new offering from Uinta. After spending many months in Heaven Hills Bourbon Barrels Uinta's Bourbon Barrel Stout finally here.

This is a barrel blended American Stout fusing notes of roasted coffee and cacao nibs with an earthy bitterness provided by Willamette and Chinook hops to balance the finish.

This beer is available starting today - Tuesday, October 18th at 11AM at Uinta's brewpub. It will start hitting the rest of the world in the coming days. This is a limited release beer so grab some now!

Cheers!

Image found at Shipcomplient.com

Proper Brewing's Géol Barleywine

First off, Congratulations go out to our friends over at Wasatch Beers for bringing home a bronze medal for their Apricot Hefeweizen at the Great American beer Festival last weekend. That's no small feat now a days considering that this year's festival set a record breaking 7,227 competition entries. That's nearly 9% more than the 6,647 entries in 2015- surpassing all previous participation records from 1,752 breweries hailing from 50 states plus Washington, D.C. Cheers to everyone at the Utah Brewers Cooperative!

I got my hands on a preview of what's coming from SLC's Proper Brewing Co. This is your first peak at their upcoming holiday barleywine. Called Géol (old English for Yule), This beer will be a big malt driven winter warmer that will be full of toffee, tobacco and and dark fruit flavors. Look for the ABV to upwards of 9.5% and to hit Proper's bottleshop in the next couple of months. Who knows, maybe we'll be seeing this one in future GABF Competitions?.

Cheers!

Label found at Shipcomplient.com

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!

Epic's Big Bad Baptist - Hat Trick

Today we have pant loads of Big Bad Baptist to discuss. Not known for sitting on their laurels the kids at Epic have been busy over the past year creating two new incarnations of the most coveted of Utah beers.

First let's get into Double Barrel Big Bad Baptist. Hotbox Coffee Rosters out of Longmont Colorado has a unique process for some of their coffees in which they take their green coffee beans and age them in used spirit barrels. The bean soak up the aromas and flavors of their environment. If you put them in a used whiskey barrel, you’ll get notes of toffee, vanilla, oak, and campfire alongside the beans natural fruity and roasted flavors.

Epic selected Hotbox's single origin Ethopian Yirgacheffe for its bright blueberry and pomegranate flavors. It’s a major departure from the classic Columbian and Central American flavor profile Epic  normally selects for Big Bad Baptist. With the additional flavor contribution from the whiskey barrel and Hot Box’s carful roasting, the coffee comes to the forefront of the beer and really showcases the unique process.

Double Barrel Big Bad uses equally creative and maliciously crafted cacao nibs from Solstice Chocolate - a small artisan chocolate maker based out of Salt Lake City. They specialize in sourcing exotic, organically grown cacao from around the world. Each single origin cacao is roasted in house to bring out its inherent characteristics. I'll be sure to let you know when Dbl Barrel Big Bad hits SLC.

Next up is Big Bad Baptista. Inspired by traditional Mexican coffee, Café de Olla, which is served with cinnamon and piloncillo, an unrefined sugar. The Cinnamon adds another layer of complexity and accentuates the earthy character of Mexican Coffee, but more importantly, it captures the essence of a place and its culture. As beverage geeks we wanted to pay homage to that rich tradition and offer our unique take.

Big Bad Baptista is a combination of Vanilla, Cinnamon, Mexican coffee roasted by Blue Copper, and Solstice Chocolate cacao nibs. It’s luxurious to say the least, with a pleasant warming sensation generated by the cinnamon and alcohol. The interplay of chocolate, malt, oak, and spice make this beer perfect for the coming cold weather months. Stay close for news on this release.

You've probably already had a chance to get to know this year's release Big Bad Baptist. This incarnation features three coffee roasters, Blue Copper Coffee from Salt Lake City, Novo Coffee based in Denver, and Dark Horse Coffee out of San Diego. We’ve worked with each roaster to select a coffee blend that enhances the flavor profile of the Imperial Stout coming out of the cask.

From Blue Copper, Epic featured their Mexican & Guatemalan Blend as well as a batch with their El Salvador Blend.  We worked closely with the roasters at Blue Copper to fine tune these coffees to accentuate the fruity notes found in both the roasted barley and cacao nibs with hits of Bergamot, Cardamom, and under ripe stone fruit.

For the Novo Coffee Edition, they take their espresso blend, Ethiopia, Columbia, and Panama origins, just a little darker than normal to highlight rich notes of milk chocolate, caramel toffee, and blueberry which play wonderfully with the vanilla and toasted marshmallow flavors from the whiskey casks.

A new partner for Epic this season is Dark Horse Coffee from San Diego and they’re roasting some pronominal coffee. After tasting through their lineup Epic decided their “Best Friend Blend” was well suited to Big Bad Baptist. The blend is a combination of Guatemalan and Brazilian origins which offers a rich chocolate flavor and toasted nut aroma to the beer, similar to toffee or Christmas peanut brittle. 

Big Bad Baptist is on its way across the country now and will be appearing on shelves during October. Double Barrel Big Bad Baptist and Big Bad Baptista will follow shortly with releases in November. Be sure to look for 2016 Rare Release labels and don’t forget to grab an extra for the cellar.

Technically, I guess this means there's six new BBBs coming. Cool! 

Salude!

Uinta Croggy Brett Saison and Jack Rabbit Gin Saison

Uinta's next Brett beer will soon be making it's way to shelves soon. Their Croggy Brett Saison will be a sour Brettanomyces based beer blended with a newly concocted Saison base beer. Croggy will dial in at 6.9% ABV and will be packaged in Uinta's corked and caged 750ml bottles.

That Saison is not going to be unique to the Croggy. That same beer is currently maturating right now in barrels of Beehive Distilling's Jack Rabbit Gin. The time in the barrel will amp the ABV up to 9.3 percent and will impart those juniper and pine notes that make Jack Rabbit so enjoyable. This beer will be packaged in standard 750ml bottles.

These beers is not too far off from their individual scheduled releases - but with all barrel aged beers, "they're done - when they're done". Stay close for those dates.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 9/30/16

It's no secret that a few craft beers will inflict... a... shall we say, an enthusiastic gastrointestinal response when one has a spirited session of drinking. You can always rely on New Beer Friday to keep those home fire burning.

Proper Brewing Tripel Stamp - One beer? I'll take it! Not only is it a local beer, but it's a local beer - based on an old style - with a new twist. The addition of oats to this beer will give it more body than typical your typical Belgian style triple and this is style that generally doesn't suffer from lack of body. This beer will make it's debut this evening at a special release party at Proper beginning at 8pm. Look for a beer that is big on sweetness [due to the addition of candied sugars] low on hops with flavors that range from peachy to mango. Yeast spiciness will be prevalent also. These usually dial in between 9-11%  ABV.

Speaking of Belgian Style Tripels, Shades of Pale has re-released their Saint Blackout Tripel. This new batch was bottled on Wednesday and is described as having flavors akin to peach and pear. The ABV comes in at a comfortable 9.3%. As an added bonus - you can now enjoy this and all of SOP's beer at the brewery as they have acquired a club license! Woot!

Don't forget, this weekend we have the 4th West Oktoberfest put on by Mountain West Cidery and RedRock Brewing. There will be a shload of ciders, cider cocktails and of course an ocean of RedRock's German inspired beers. This party starts today at 3pm and goes til Sunday evening.

Also happening - The Basin Beerfest!  Sample and taste all of the best local Utah Craft Beers while tasting Bavarian Inspired Foods and treats. Sample beers from Bohemian Brewery, Uinta Brewing, Squatters Beers, Wasatch Beers, Red Rock Brewery, Roosters Brewery, 10 Barrel Brewing Company, Payette Brewing Company and more!

Prost!

Drink a Beer Day 2016

I have some bad news for you. Due to the public demand and an overwhelming need for it, today you must drink at least one beer. I'm sorry, I know it's going to be a burden. I mean it is one of the oldest man made beverages dating back to the neolithic era - not to mention it has sustained the diets of cultures all over the world in many different forms. All while extending the uses of the grains from which it comes from.

With hundreds of new and traditional varieties and styles out there I'm sure there's one out there that'll help you find your "Drink a Beer Day" groove.

Here are some great local options to consider:
Bonneville's Ton Up Nut Brown Ale
Shades of Pale's Forte IPA
Uinta's Piggy Back Peach IPA

Cheers!

2016 Snowbasin Beer Fest

This weekend (10/1 - 10/2 )Sample beers from Bohemian Brewery, Uinta Brewing, Squatters Beers, Wasatch Beers, Red Rock Brewery, Roosters Brewery, 10 Barrel Brewing Company, Payette Brewing Company, Laughing Dog, Melvin Brewing, Mountain West Hard Cider, Selkirk Abbey, Snake River Brewing Company, Talisman Brewing Company, and Moab Brewery!

Where: Earl’s Lodge and Patio at Snowbasin Resort

Price: $2.50 per sampling token
Samples are poured at 6oz.  (2) Tokens Required for Heavy Beer sample.  (2) Tokens to fill Mug and (3) Tokens to fill mug with Heavy Beer.
Tokens purchased Saturday October 1st can be redeemed on October 2nd.

Packages:
Beer Fest Sample Mug with (4) Tokens $30
Beer Fest Sample Mug and (10) Tokens $45
The King of Beer Fest package:  A special Mug with 12 tokens, a special King of Beer Fest crown, a T-shirt, and VIP access to the front of the line from specific breweries.  $125 – limited to the first (50) and after 50 we will sell out!


SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2 - KING OF BEER FEST COSTUME CONTEST
3:30pm – the winner of ‘King of Beer Fest’ will be announced which will include a 16.17 season pass.  Those ‘King of Beer Fest’ participants are encouraged to dress up and play the part.  Sunday at around 2:00pm someone will tap you on the shoulder and invite you to the King of Beer Fest awards at 3:30 at the front of the main stage.  Questions, Dancing, and stories will be told while the crowd picks the True King of Beer Fest which will include your name on a wall in the Cinnabar, and bragging rights for life.  2nd prize gets a $125 Snowbasin Resort Gift Card.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 9/23/16

This week we have some formidable beers that are guaranteed to put hair on your chest!

Proper Brewing Mavon Weizbock - Weizbocks can be on sweet and cloying side of the beer spectrum, this beer is more balanced. Look for malts that are semi-sweet with a nice pecan-like nuttiness that's transisions into full on banana bread mode. @ Proper

Proper Brewing Salted Caramel Porter - Not as big on the caramel as I had hoped. Starts moderately sweet with caramel malts and finishes with a tiny sodium bite. 4.0% ABV @ Proper

Proper Brewing Hefehafer Oat Weisbier - This is a nice crushable beer. It has a nice crackery doughiness up front with with very subltle caramel backing it up. The oats clean up some of husky flavors some wheat beer have. Carbonation is nice and prickly. 4.0% ABV @ Proper

Proper/Epic Collaboration: Lime Hefe - This one hasn't been tapped yet. It debuts tomorrow at Proper's and Epic's Proptoberfest. 4.0% ABV

Uinta Funk'n Patch Brett Pumpkin Ale - This is Uinta's debut in the wild ale game. It's has a very Bretty nose with the typical pumpkin spices. The taste is subtly sour (not as bracing as some) with a nice malt base backing it up. The spices play well with the caramel sweetness creating a nice balance. Basically it's more funky than sour. If you're a big fan of the funk, this will be right up your zip code. 8.0% ABV @ Uinta starting at 11am.

RedRock Franconian Rauchbier -  This lager is mostly malt driven with an assertive smokiness that will take over the beer mid way on the tongue. It's very complex adding a hint of berry fruitiness beneath the smoke into the finish. If you want to get into traditional German smoke beers, this would be an excellent place to start. This beer tastes like Autumn! ABV. @ RedRock starting at 11am. 

Prost!

RPM Brewing Company

If you live in the south end of  Salt Lake County you may have noticed a new restaurant located in Draper called the Garage - Not to be confused with the bar with the same name located on Beck Street in SLC. This new eatery is owned by the Equiwest Hospitality Group and will begin operating a nano-brewery at the Garage in the coming months.

Not only will there be a nano-brewpub but there will also be a production brewery that will be located in Salt Lake City. The nano operation is ready to begin brewing with a projected weekly production of 6 bbls. The Production facility will be in an 11,000 square foot facility to produce only kegged beers (for now) with a projected initial delivery of 5,000 bbl/year with a good portion to be consumed by the restaurant group.
  
Remember, the Garage is open right now, it's located at 1122 e. Draper Parkway in Draper. They are current pouring beers on their house tap handles made by Moab Brewing - until they've hired their head brewer. Think you're up to the job? Then here's the info on that position. There are also taps, bottles and cans from other local and national breweries being served right now.

As more details come in regarding the nano and production brewery, I'll fill you in. I love it when I can add another new brewery to the Utah list.

Cheers!

The 4th West Oktoberfest

Starting Friday, September 30^th, 2016, Mountain West Hard Cider and Red Rock Brewing start their own tradition of 4^th West Oktoberfest. Mountain West Hard Cider will be pouring their full line of locally made cider and Red Rock Brewing is currently brewing up a half dozen award winning German and Autumn specialty beers designed around Oktoberfest.

You can buy tickets online here!** And, they will also be available at the door if the festival hasn't reached it's capacity!

4^th West Oktoberfest brings live bands, DJ Justin Godina, food trucks, games, and family-friendly fun so that revelers of all ages may join the party! Don’t miss out on giant Jenga, Cornhole, ring toss, giant beer pong, a children’s craft tent, etc. etc.

Remember, this is a three day event. There's defiantly an option out there that'll work for you.

Participating Food Trucks include:
Poutine Your Mouth
Tacos Don Rafa
Spuds
Bumblebee’s BBQ and Grill (Saturday only)
Shylo’s Mobile Cafe (Saturday and Sunday only)

Performance Schedule of Bands:
Friday, Sept. 30th, 7:00pm – 10:00pm: Candy’s River House
Saturday, Oct. 1st, 1:00pm – 4:00pm: Tony Holiday and the Velvetones
Saturday, Oct. 1st: 7:00pm – 10:00pm: Hectic Hobo
Sunday, Oct. 2nd, 12:00pm – 2:30pm: Talia Keys
Sunday, Oct. 2nd, 2:30pm – 5:00pm: Michelle Moonshine
Plus DJ Justin Godina will be spinning tunes there all weekend!

See you there at 4th West Oktoberfest! Prost!

Proptoberfest

The First Annual Proptoberfest is coming up this weekend. The two day, all-ages outdoor event will feature a beer garden, German food, live music, games, activities for the whole family. Also, look for a special collaborative beer between Proper and their pals from around the block at Epic Brewing Company. The beer will be exclusive to this festival - a Lime Hefeweizen from what I understand. 

So here's what we have:
Saturday, September 24 3pm-11pm
band lineup TBA!

Sunday, September 25 12pm-10pm
featuring bands Hound Mystic and Color Animal (more TBA)

Admission is $5 for adults


Prost!

New Beer Friday 9/16/16

Oh baby! Everything is local this week - less one beer from Green Flash Brewing.

Talisman Bourbon Barrel Oatmeal Stout - Talisman continues with the very limited releases. This new brew is an Oatmeal stout aged in Sugar House Whiskey Barrels. Only 100 bottles produced - one per person. Available at the brewery. SOLD OUT ALREADY 6.3% ABV

Epic Tropical Imperial IPA - Whoa! this is one damn juicy IPA. Mango, pineapple and lotsa grapefruit. Has a bit of a Creamsicle thing going on in the finish. The 10.3% ABV is well hidden. Go get some! @ Epic locations

Uinta 801 Coffee Pilsner -  If your expecting a dark color from the coffee addition you can forget it. This beer has all that filtered out leaving a nice yellow straw color behind. The nose is cappuccino-esque with a taste that is similar and subdued. Surprising drinkable. 4.0% ABV @ Uinta's Brewhouse Pub - Everywhere in the coming days.

Green Flash Sea to Sea Zwikel Bier - Dry crackers and a touch of pilsner malts. Nice grassy and peppery hops balance it all out. Clean and crisp finish. Very crushable. 4.0% ABV @ Grocery/C-stores.

Wasatch 30th Anniversary Extra Special Pale Ale - Brewed with Cascade hops and four types of Australian hops. The hop flavor is massive. It comes across with a strong tropical fruit character the combines well with the sweet malt and deceptively high ABV, 7.3%. @ The Beer Store and better beer bars around town.

Returning Favorites

Desert Edge Radius - D.E.'s new Brewmaster, Chad Krusell is keeping the Radius tradition alive with this locally sourced ale that's hopped with wild Utah hops. Because the hops are wild you never know what you're going to get bitterness-wise. Don't wait too long, it goes fast. 4.0% ABV. @ Desert Edge.

Epic Big Bad Baptist - This newest batch of this Utah original has a spicy coffee blend combined with fruity cocoa - it's all backed up with with roasted toffee, vanilla and Bourbon. Damn! 12.1% ABV. @ Epic Locations

Cheers!

Wasatch's 30th Anniversary Ale is for Sale

Wasatch's 30th Anniversary Extra Pale Ale went on sale last night for the first time. The re-imagined tribute to one of Wasatch's original high ABV beers was bottled just yesterday and will be finding it's way to all Wasatch/Squatters locations today or tomorrow. I know it's in the cold case at the Beer Store located at the Utah Brewers Cooperative right now.

This pale is not as hop forward as a standard IPA which makes it a good choice for those who like a bit of bitterness but not the in your face hop flavor. Look for a maltier base with hops are citrusy with a bit of pine resin backing it all up.

It's packaged in the Squatters/Wasatch signature 220z. bottle.

Cheers!
   

Bohemian's Oktoberfest Märzen Bier

Bohemian's Oktoberfest Märzen Bier is back to ease you into the Autumn months. This year you have the added option of taking a six pack home from the grocery store. For a limited time Bohemian is offering up cans of their popular Oktoberfest in brand new packaging.

This beer has a clear amber-orange color with a good two fingers of white head. The nose is mostly malt driven with caramel and citrus highlights. The flavor has a mild maltiness with a bit of vanilla and a slight bitterness. Average carbonation with a medium/light body.

These cans are just going into distribution, so it's hard to say where they'll exactly end up. You can buy the cans right now at Boho's brewery or of course find it on tap where there are Boho seasonal taps and of course at Oktoberfest at Snowbird.

Speaking of Bohemian, The brewery with be hosting their annual Boho-Fest on Saturday September 24th from 2-7pm. You'll be able sample Boho's full array of beers, including a sausage eating contest, Music games and prizes for the best German themed attire. All ages are welcome.

Prost!

The West Side Tavern Officially Opens

The Squatters/Wasatch West Side Tavern is now officially open. Located next to the Utah Brewer's Cooperative's Beer Store at 1763 300 W, Salt Lake City - this new watering hole is equipped with 24 tap handles - four of those are dedicated nitro taps - two of those will be rotating seasonal offering's by both Squatters and Wasatch. 

This is a tavern (for now) so the menu for will be very basic. At some point in the future, the UBC will pursue a a full club license so that their entire line of beers will be available, to be enjoyed in the tavern. I'll let you know when that day happens. For now, Cold high point beer will be for sale to-go 7 days a week from 10:00am - 10:00pm.

It's quite nice, check it out when you get a chance.

Prost!

New Beer Friday: Rivalry Edition

If you're a BYU fan and reading this post, odds are pretty good that your bishop will soon be calling you in to his office for a little "come to Jebus" talk, in regards to your reading habits.

So, going with the assumption that things are mostly crimson red in here today - combined with the fact that proper tailgating is absolutely verboten in Provo. I'm happy to bring you a few new options for your rivalry enjoyment. No matter if you're tailgating, chill'n in the casa or at the pub.
   
Desert Edge Rye Pale Ale -This is the first brand new beer brewed by Brewmaster Chad Krusell since taking over the reins at Desert Edge. This ale is nice and malty with a touch of rye spiciness. the hops are citrusy and fruity. It finishes semi-dry. This beer is soooo damn tasty. It wont be around for too long so be sure to snag a growler of this one for the game tomorrow. 4.0% ABV @ Desert Edge

Squatters Old Castle Brown Ale - As the name suggests this beer is akin to the English staple, New Castle Brown. This interpretation uses all English malts and is lightly hopped. the result is a brown ale that has more toffee and toasty flavors than it's American counterparts. Look for very low bitterness in this brand new seasonal. Very enjoyable. 4.0% ABV @ Squatters Downtown 

Proper Ainsley Amber - Not tried this yet, it will be released later this evening. Described as having rich earthy and fruity flavors to compliment the full-bodied amber base. The result has a nutty tang, a malty middle and a dry, dark chocolate finish with a int of smoke. This amber ale is imminently drinkable and surprisingly refreshing. 4.0% ABV @ Proper Brewing

These Ritual beers are new to the market. If you made it to the Utah Beer Festival the other week you may have got a sneak peak of these.

Ritual Wit's End - Not tried this one yet. It's described as having an orange, peppery and floral nose with flavors that are floral, malty and have a malty finish. 4.8% ABV @ The Bayou

Ritual Hop o Matic IPA -  The nose is piney with citrus peel and toast. The taste follows with ample hops, followed by resinous pine and a slight alcohol bite. An overall tasty IPA. 7.1% ABV @ The Bayou

Ritual Extra Red Ale - The nose is malty, with citrus and grass. The taste starts sweet with toffee, caramel and toasted malts. Next comes vague citrus notes with grapefruit, and a touch of pineapple. A very flavorful American Style Red Ale. Definitely worth trying. 6.5% ABV @ The Bayou

Ritual Hellion - Not tried this one yet. It's described as having a nose of fruity spices with lots of yeast spices and fruit flavors. Biscuit malts and caramel sweetness is abundant and has a dry hoppy finish. ABV. 8.4% ABV @ Bayou

New Beer Friday hit's the airwaves today at 3:30pm on KBER 101. Join Mick and Allen along with myself as we discuss this week's beers and other sudsy topics.  Go Utes!

Cheers!

Utah Beer Trailer: Uinta's Rise and Pine

We have a new movie...errr Beer Trailer for you this morning. This preview comes to you courtesy of Uinta Brewing. This new beer looks like it's another addition to what's looking to be a big Fall/Winter for Uinta's beer portfolio.

Rise and Pine looks to be like a hybrid ale. Made with juniper and piney hops, it could be akin to a Black IPA or an American Black Ale. Whatever it ends up being, it has definitely piqued my interest.

There is no ABV listed, though I'm told that this will dial in around 7.5%. Look for it in 12oz bottles, cans and on draft out side Utah.

Prost!

The Annex is No More

The Annex by Epic Brewing is done, gone, no more. It's been relegated to the pages of Utah's beer history. In It's place?... well, it's still the same brewpub we all love, it just has a different name. Epic Brewing Sugar House is the re-branding of Salt Lake City's southern most brewpub, that probably way overdue. 

The Annex has done a fair amount of business, but it's struggled to find a following. On the flip side, the Epic Brewing brand is enjoy massive growth both in and out of Utah. It only makes sense that Utah's only [appropriately sized] Epic Brewpub should ride some of that wave.

If you're a fan of Epic's beers and haven't visited Epic - Sugar House, it is [in my opinion] the best way to enjoy Epic's complete line of beers. Yeah, Epic's Tapless Taproom at the downtown brewery is tiny, quaint and close to the brewing action. However I'd like to emphasize the "tiny part". A party of four is pretty much filling up the place. The advantage of Epic - Sugar House? It has everything The State Street brewery has, including the full line of of Epic's Utah Session Series beers - not to mention greater elbow room, spacious patio, flat-screen, a bottleshop, a more diverse dinning experience and of course every Epic beer served by the glass, not just the whole bottle.

This is a great time to re-familiarize yourself with this great craft beer jewel in Sugar House.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 9/2/16

Just two beers this week but they are damn tasty, quality beers. Try and work these in sometime this Labor Day Weekend.

RedRock Brauhaus Festbier - It has a nice light ruby red color with some slight brown hues. The nose has Caramel and butterscotch notes. The taste starts sweet with vanilla and toffee. Granola flavors come next with bready danish pastry round out the back end. Little to no hop bitterness is perceived.
The finish is surprising semi-dry. This beer is like cereal in a glass. Wonderfully malty with a medium body. If Your looking to get your "Oktoberfest on" - this will treat you nicely. This goes on sale 11am Saturday morning at RedRock's Bottle Shop. 5.9% ABV @ RedRock locations, Beerhive

Squatters Nitro Red Ale - This beer was just bottled last night and will likely go on sale at the UBC's Beer Store somtime this afternoon. Please call first on this one before making the trip. Look for a beer that has creamy nitro goodness that will play off of Fruity and pine hops. The malts will be biscuity and have a dry hoppy finish. Can't wait to try this one today! 4.0% ABV @ The Beer Store (soon to all Squatters/Wasatch locations) Wide distribution soon.

Prost!

Uinta's Free Form Gluten Free Beers

Uinta Brewing is getting into the Gluten Free game, y'all. Actually they've been in the game for a while, tweaking and modifying their new line of beers - making sure they're good to go. The initial packaging will be 12oz. bottles and draft.

Their first offering will be Free Form IPA. This 100% gluten free IPA dials in at 4.0% ABV. It utilizes Citra and Ella hops impart a bright and tropical essence to what is described as an "exceptionally thirst quenching and well-rounded Gluten-Free brew". Also coming soon is the Free Form Belgian-style Blonde will hit at the same ABV and contain Sterling & Opal hops, coriander and orange peel.

I know real gluten free beers aren't in everybody's wheelhouse, but they fill a niche for people who aren't able to enjoy malt beverages. If you've had them out of state, share your thoughts.

Cheers!