The 2016 Utah Beer Festival

It's time to start thinking about the Utah Beer Festival, Salt Lake City's largest outdoor beer gathering. Every year the beer fest brings in more and more breweries to participate, this year you can plan on enjoying beers from:
2 Row Brewing
Anderson Valley Brewing
Bohemian Brewing
Bonneville Brewing
Desert Edge Brewing
Epic Brewing
Great Divide Brewing
Hoppers Grill and Brewing
Hopworks Urban Brewery
Laughing Dog Brewing
Moab Brewing
Mountain West Cider
Proper Brewing Company
Red Rock Brewing
Sockeye Brewing
Upslope Brewing
Vernal Brewing
Full Sail Brewing
New Belgium Brewing
Ninkasi Brewing
Park City Brewing
Pelican Brewing
Roosters Brewing
Selkirk Abbey
Sierra Nevada
Shades of Pale Brewing
Strap Tank Brewing
Strongbow Cider
Squatters Beers
Talisman Brewing
Uinta Brewing
Wasatch Beers
This list is not complete - we'll be updating it as new breweries are added, so keep checking back.

There will be some new changes to the festival as well. First off the location. This year's festival will be held at the Utah Fairgrounds. One of the things you'll need to plan on in this regard is lack of shade. Be prepared with hats and sunblock.

The second big chance will be that your issued wristband will be your method of payment. Basically, When you arrive to the Utah Beer Festival you’ll receive your personalized festival wristband to get into the festival - it can also be used as your digital wallet to make purchases at the beer vendors – all
with a simple tap of your wristband. You can add funds to your account at a physical Top Up Station located throughout the event or through the Beer Festival's mobile app right from your phone! Once your account is topped-up, you’re ready to make purchases at the beer vendors by simply tapping your wristband to one of the payment points. The amount will automatically be deducted from your account. If you're still confused here's a more detailed explanation.

There will still be multiple ticket packages for attendees. General, Early Bird and VIP. Follow this link for prices.

We're still four weeks away from the Beer Fest, I'll post updates when they're released. The City Weekly Utah Beer Festival benefits the Humane Society of Utah.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 7/29/16

I've only come across two beers this week and they couldn't be more different. A sour fruity IPA and a chewy Bourbon barrel aged Dopplebock. This New Beer Friday will give your tongue whiplash!

Uinta Pit Stop Sour Apricot IPA - This beer is being released today at the brewery. I've not had it yet, but will have a review at 3:30pm on KBER 101 with Mick and Allen. 6.2% ABV @ Uinta

Payette Hoop and Stave No.5 -Whiskey nose with a a bit of sugary toffee. The taste is fairly sweet with big chewy toffee and caramel leading off. Bourbon comes next - not too over powering, it works well with the dopplebock's hearty body. A bit of alcohol heat in the end. Finishes sweet and boozy. 8.2% ABV @ Beer Bar

Did I miss anything? Please let me know.

Prost!

Epic Sour Brainless on Pineapple

Epic's Sour Brainless series has become quite the hit with sour beer nuts ever since it debuted back in 2014 with the very limited release of "A Beautiful Disaster". Basically, this was an unintentionally infected barrel of Brainless on Peaches that was identified to have highly desirable, strong puckering acetic…and horsey funk flavors. The beer was bottled and sold only after it was analyzed and duplicated - It's now know as Epic's Sour Brainless.

The last couple of releases of this beer has been the classic Sour Brainless on Peaches - this year they're going for something a little different. Pineapple is the chosen fruit to balance out the puckering tartness in this uniquely wild American ale. We're still waiting to hear when this new beer will be released. Denver will like see this sooner than SLC - as soon as those dates are firmed-upped you'll see it here first.

Also in Epic's world, their Elevated Series of beers is getting a slight make-over [just the labels]. Nothing too extreme, just a little polish - so, don't freak out. The new labels will be hitting shelves soon. 

Cheers!

Labels found at Shipcomplient.com

Moab Especial

Moab's Especial American Style Golden Wheat Ale is getting a new look and packaging. This is your first look at this brilliantly designed 16 oz. can. It will be hitting grocery and c-stores around the state in the coming weeks.

Look for a beer that light and bready with a minimal amount of hops to create a quencher designed for drinakabily. Stay close for it's debut.

Salude!

Label Found at Shipcompient.com

New Beer Friday - Pie and Beer Day Edition

Pie and Beer Day, our favorite faux holiday is nearly here! Legend has it - back when the early beer nerd pioneers settled this area back in July of 1986. Thier provisions were running dangerously low, all they had left from their late mid-Spring party harvest were Pies and Jägermeister. To be honest, we (I mean they) we not going to pair Bourbon Pecan Pie with a damn herbal schnapps! Luckily they found the beer cooler of a nearby Albertson's and the rest is well... um, history I guess. Ever since then we have thanked Thor for delivering us to that most holy of markets and this most infamous counterculture Utah phenomena took flight.

Anyway, that's what I heard....

If you don't already have plans, here's a quick sampling of some public Pie and Beer Day Events happening around the Wasatch Front and Back this weekend. Please stay safe!

Beer Bar/KRCL 2nd Annual Pie and Beer Day

Park City Brewery's Pie and Beer Day

Pie and Beer Day at The Madeline School

Goddamn Hooligan's Pie and Beer Day

Now, on to New Beer Friday!

Shades of Pale: Malosi Pils - Hazy straw color with a nose that's grainy with subtle spicy noble hops. The taste follows the nose with toasted grain, dry saltines, bread and a nice floral and spicy hoppy bitterness. Clean finish. Very nice. 4.0% ABV @ Shades of Pale

Shades of Pale: Hogs Head Reserve No.1 - High West Rye Imperial Amber Ale - Rye nose with some chewy malts. Taste has a English Barleywine thing with spicy whiskey and toffee. 10% ABV for sale 2pm Saturday at the brewery.

Shades of Pale: Hogs Head Reserve No.2 - High West Bourbon Imperial Amber Ale - Noticably a little darker than the rye. A little sweeter than it's brother. More toffee and vanilla notes are present. The whiskey notes are pleasant but assertive. A year in the bottle will bring out more of it's complexities I think. 10% ABV for Sale 2pm Saturday at the brewery.

Proper Brewing Czech your Head Pils -Pours a hazy gold with a nose that has wheat crackers and strong grassy notes. The flavor is straw-like and grassy up front with a rather intense, earthy hop bitterness. The mouthfeel is smooth and crisp. There is a moderate amount of carbonation and an overall light body. 5.6% ABV @ Proper Brewing - for sale on Saturday

Uinta Ales for ALS - This year's batch of Ales for ALS will be a Session IPA. Brewed with experimental hops, this IPA features a light toffee body and is bright with notes of lime zest, mango, honey, and pine. 4.0% ABV. It will debut at the brewery's ALS fundraiser is this Saturday, July 23rd. This beers kill every year. Drink the Hell out of these while their fresh, fresh!

Squatters Arnie Palm Ale - Brewed with Black Tea and Lemon Zest. Drinks like a beer - tastes like iced tea! 4.0% ABV @ Squatters Downtown

Don't forget to tune into KBER 101 at 3:30pm for more New Beer Friday and local beer talk. 

Cheers!

Shades of Pale Hog's Head Reserve Series

Shades of Pale Brewing will soon be debuting their new barrel aged series of beers to the public. The Hog's Head Reserve Series will feature a wide array of beers in all matter of wood enhancements, covering the full gambit of what is happening in craft beer .

The first two Hog's Head beers will go on sale to the public this Saturday at 2pm. Release No.1 is an Imperial Amber Ale aged in High West Rye Whiskey barrels. Release No.2 Is the same Imperial Amber Ale, this time aged in High West Bourbon Barrels. Pay attention to the release number on the bottles, that's the only way to identify them.

These two beers dial in at about 10% ABV and are very reminiscent of English Barleywines. I'll have full tasting notes tomorrow on New Beer Friday.

Slainte!

Hell's Keep Returns

 

Back in August of 2009 the gang at Squatters created a brand new brew for we, the sons and daughters of the city of salt. The beer was a Belgian Golden Strong Ale named Hell's Keep. If you never got a chance to try it, the nearest beer to compare it with would probably be Duvel from Duvel Moortgat Brewery in Belgium. 

It was a wonderful representation of the the style and it garnered many awards, but it was time for the Utah Brewers Cooperative to explore other styles and the brand was shelved. I'm happy to tell you that Hell's Keep will soon be making a return, complete with a new look and a 12oz bottle [previously 750ml].

Hell's Keep is not too far off, so keep checking back for it's return date. I have to admit - I'm going to miss the old label. Much better looking than the new one. It's what's in the bottle that counts. Right?

Cheers!

Talisman Brewing to Introduce Exclusive Line

Here's your first glimpse of what you'll be seeing soon from Talisman Brewing Company's new Exclusive Line. These beers will unique seasonal or one off beers that will cover Talisman's 4.0% ABV offerings and will be sold either at the Ogden brewery or Grocery/C-stores around the Wasatch Front.

No word yet on what type of beer will debut under this new label. If your good, I'll share that info when it comes about.

Cheers!

Wasatch Brings Back Their Original Extra Pale Ale

For a limited time, Wasatch Beers will be bringing back their original Pale Ale to help celebrate their 30th Anniversary. This beer will be exclusive to Utah and will dial in at 7.3% ABV. Look for it in the coming weeks. It will be sold in 22oz bottles and it will be available at The Beer Store and better beer bars around town.

This was a great pale ale when it first burst upon the scene. It was also one of the first high point beer to be sold in liquor stores by a local brewery. Stay close for it's release date.

Cheers!

Label found at shipcompilent.com

New Beer Friday's Go Edition

One day we'll have our own App that'll have you running all over the universe looking for bottles and cans of brilliant real beers. Until then you'll just have to get off your ass [under your own motivating factors] and settle for some good ol' fashioned New Beer Friday.

RedRock Gineva - Yea! been waiting on this one for a while. A lot of juniper berries in the nose. The taste starts with coriander with a bit of tart juniper. The end moves to the yeasty side a big phenolic flavors take over. Would have liked to had a little more of the berry present. Finishes semi-sweet. 5.5% ABV @ RedRock

Rogue Honey Kolsch - The nose is grainy and grassy with white grape. The taste is much the same with white grape juice and honey flavors on the finish. There is a very mild amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. 5.9% ABV @ DABC

Hoppers Summerset Saison - Technically this isn't new, but it has been tweaked since it's long-ago debut in 2011. So I'm taking a Beer Gnerd liberty on this one. The first release of Summerset was hopped with Citra hops - this batch is dry hopped with German Mandarina Bavaria in place of Citra. More subtle with more dimensional in flavor and aroma with tangerine and spice. Base hasn't changed with Pilsener malt, malted spelt, and hint of raw oats. Upfront malty yet bright and the finish is fruity a dry. 7.4% ABV @ Hoppers after 5pm today [Friday].

Proper La Belle Peche -Not tried this one yet. Available starting today. @ Proper Brewing

Cheers!

Squatters Nitro Red

This new Red Ale coming soon from Squatters will be the Utah Brewers Cooperative's second nitrogen conditioned bottled beer since it debuted with Polygamy Nitro Porter Last year. The Nitrogen should add a nice perceived sweetness to this already malty and fruity hopped ale.

This will be a 4% Ale and will be at grocery/C-stores, and nitro tap handles in the coming weeks. Dedicated to all Firefighters.

Definitely looking forward to this nitro option!

Cheers!

Label found at Shipcomplient.com

Proper Brewing Previews

There are a couple of tasty brews coming soon from Proper Brewing Company.

First we have Le Belle Peche [pictured above]. This is a classic saison made with peaches. The peaches are added pre-fermentation for added body and sweetness and it's fermented at warmer temperatures to bring out the more spicy characters from the yeast. Sounds like a great combo.

The next beer that's coming soon from Proper is Czech Your Head - Czech Style Pilsner. Unlike the Saison this lager will be fermented much cooler and will be bittered with Spicy Saaz hops, along with other local and European varieties.

Stay close for release updates on these and other new summer offering.


Prost!

Images found at Shipcomlient.com

New Beer Friday 7/8/16

We have a strong mix of local and nationally available labels this week. Pale Ale is the theme this week.

Proper Brewing Litha Imperial Saison:
The nose is earthy with some funky peppery saison yeast countered by zesty rye spices, bread, alcohol and light tropical fruit. The taste starts with a bit of pepper, clove and and coriander followed
by estery fruits. Brady malts come next witha touch of alcohol. The end has a nice balance berries and tropical hops. Finishes semi-dry. 8% ABV.  @ Proper Brewing

Goose Island Goose Green Pale Ale:
The nose has citrus and is heavy with orange rind and malt. The taste follows the aroma with a nice balance of orange and lemon zest and a solid bready malt backbone. Finishes light and dry. Overall a solidly session APA. Nothing to extraordinary but you'll be satisfied. 4.0% ABV @ Harmon's

Moab Pale Ale:
The nose has sweet, grassy malt, piney and herbal hops. Starts mildly grainy with a bit of caramel. The taste is a bit astringent herbal pine flavors come next with some heavy roasted flavors. Finishes very dry and hoppy. I really wasn't digging this one, I'm going to have to revisit this one again. It just seemed a little to dry with little in the way a malt character. 6.0% ABV. @ DABC

Full Sail Session Cream Ale:
Haven't tried this one yet. 5.4% ABV. @ DABC - Bayou

Prost!

Image found at Shipcomplient.com

Uinta Piggy Back Peach IPA

We've got another preview of new suds coming from Uinta. This new offering will be called Piggy Back Peach IPA. The name is pretty self explanatory and it looks like it will be packaged in twelve ounce cans. There's no ABV listed, which tends to lead in the direction of this being a 4.0% beer.

I haven't had many peach IPAs, though I am a big fan of Odell's Tree Shaker. Really looking forward to trying this one. Of course I'll fill you in when it hits taps and shelves.

Prost!

Image found at Shipcompliant.com

Pie and Beer Day Bottle Share

Over the last few years I've had the pleasure of hosting a phenomenal holiday bottle-share. Some of the best beers on the planet have made their way to our little corner of the universe to help warm up the long pre-holiday winter nights.

Three years ago, Mrs. Mikey, Ma and Pa Riedel and myself decided to try a Summer Beer Powwow to bring together some of the best damn people and their beers to our beer barn. It was a huge success and after a long three year hiatus we've decided to give it a shot once again. 

As we've done in previous years, the invite to the bottle share is the blog post that your reading now. If your seeing this, we'd love for you to attend our Pie and Beer Day - Bottle Share. All we ask is that you be over 21 years of age - that you bring a nice/rare large format bottle to share [or two small bottles] - some pie [sweet or savory] and most importantly, that your not an asshole that is able to handle his or her drink. If you think you can handle those three things we'd love to share our pie and beer with you.

One of the nice things about hosting this outside is that more people are able to attend. That being said, there will still be a attendance cap, so please RSVP sooner than later. This bottle share will happen on Saturday July, 23rd. You'll get the specifics with your RSVP - send to utahbeer@gmail.com

To recap. Please bring:

A large a bottle bottle of non Utah ordinary beer [or two small] to share.

Kegs and Homebrew are good. Let me know ahead of time if your bringing them.

Your taster glass [we will have plastic for back-up].

Some Pie [large/small - sweet or savory]

A plan for a ride home.

No kids and all of your wits.

This should be a brilliant celebration, hope you can make it.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday: Independence Edition

Many of you may have a long Independence Weekend. It's looks to be hot and windy out there, luckily our two New Beer Friday options will take the edge off your thirst nicely.

Mountain West Cottonwood Dry Hopped Cider - Dry apple with herbal and citrus hops in the nose. The taste is subtle tart apples. The hops are nicely complimentary and provide a added herbal/fruity element. Finishes very dry with prickly champagne like effervescence. If your on the fence about ciders, this one may push on to the orchard side. Mountain West's Vinologist, Joel Goodwillie has created a perfect summer drink that is very approachable and highly crushable. Available starting today at Mountain West's Cidery. 6.0% ABV

Full Sail Blood Orange Wheat - There's a pleasant biscuit, caramel malt flavor up front that has some saison-like qualities. Next comes blood orange juice, and artificial sweetener flavors. The finish has a mild bitterness that slightly piney on the finish.  Light and mildly tangy. 5.2% ABV @DABC

The Great Divide Beers are starting to pop up at a few DABC stores and a few of the beer bars. I know Beer Bar and Slackwater have picked some up. If you spot some, please share where you found them. Have a happy and safe weekend.

Cheers!

Bonneville Bottles Comming Soon

Tooele's Bonneville Brewing Co. will soon be bringing their tasty suds to a grocery or C-store near you in the coming months. Look for Bonneville to debut with four labels including their Free Roller Session IPA - a piney and citrusy quencher and Redline Irish Red - another hop forward ale with the addition of sweeter/fruity malts. 

All of these initial offering will be 4% ABV, with the possibility of higher gravity beers down the road. If you haven't had a chance to try Brewmaster, Dave Watson's beers yet your missing out. These are some of these most well executed beers in our market. They're true to style beers, that are unapologetically true to style. It's not often I can blindly try a series of beers and be 100% confident in knowing what style I'm drinking.

Look for Bonneville's bottled beers towards the end of summer or you can enjoy them today at the Tooele brewery, All Star Lanes or at your better beer bars along the Wasatch Front.

Cheers!

Photo courtesy: SLUG Magazine/Logan Sorenson

Talisman's New Season Line of Beers

Ogden's Talisman Brewing Company will soon be offering a new rotating seasonal line called, umm... Season. Here's your first look at the label - you'll start seeing 22 oz. bottles popping up in grocery and C-stores in the coming weeks.

The first offering will be a 4.0% ABV Blood Orange Wheat Ale. This beer is currently available to buy right now at the brewery, but only for growler fills. Once bottling commences we'll let you know.

Cheers!

Label found Shipcomplient.com

Uinta Mid-Year Previews

We got our hands on some new images of what you can expect to see from Uinta Brewing in the coming months.

First up [pictured above] is Pit Stop Kettle Soured Apricot IPA. The name says it all. It will be packaged in Uinta's 750ml. bottles. This looks like a warm weather beer, expect to see it sooner rather than later. This will likely be a 4.0% ABV beer.

Uinta's Fest German Style Helles will be coming along towards Fall. This is a style that Uinta has surprisingly not done before.It's tailor made for Autumn and Oktoberfest celebrations in particular.
A little more subdued than it's Marzen cousin. It will dial in around 5.5% ABV.

Finally we have another surprising beer style that Uinta has never made, as stout. Yeah, Labyrinth is mostly a stout in every sense of the word, but they insist on calling it a "black ale" so that's what it is. Simply called Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout, this beer will have a lower ABV than some of it's barrel aged brothers [7.0%]  which will increase it's drinkabilty and will be less heavy on the pallet. Due to the them on the label I would expect to see this down the road a little way.

Stay close for their releases.

Cheers!

Images found at Shipcomplient.com

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!