Thanks for hang'n-in-there.July: started on a down note... sorta, as we said good by to the infamous Bar X. Known for it's long tenure downtown as a one of the last "No Women Allowed bars". Bar X is said to be reopening very soon under new management. The Oxfordshire Triple B quietly entered the market and "Markets" in Utah. The Triple B is a true session beer in the purest terms. It's 3.7% ABV is dinky even by Utah standards. However it gives you an sense about the nature of real British ales. The Hogle Zoo's "Zoo Pub" began a (hopefully) long tradition as well in July. Zoo Pub offered up 15 different beers for adult patrons after Zoo hours. July ended with Squatters' Big Cottonwood Amer Ale. This was the first of their Small Batch Series and was quite a hit. Me want more, please!
August: The Chubby from the Utah Brewers Cooperative was introduced. A five liter keg for Wasatch and Squatters Brands over 4.0% ABV. Desert Edge Brewmaster Chris Haas introduced his Beer Bike to Salt Lake Streets. A way for him to enjoy biking while delivering his kegs. The 38th Annual Snowbird Oktoberfest began in August as the second annual 2010 Beehive Brew-off.
September: Hoppers released Stein Knocker Lager in bottles. Made with all German grain and Spalter Select Hops. The City Weekly Utah Beer Festival proved to be more than one city could handle. The festival drew crowds so large, many had to get refunds because the lines were so long. Squatters' new Bottle Shop opened and Epic's Fest Devious series was released for the first time.
October: Due to the reconstruction at the DABC warehouse the DABC's smallest product department (beer) needs to find a temporary space. The solution? They're putting the higher demand beers with the distributors. Could this become a permanent thing? RedRock Brewing released , Griswald's Big Holiday It's bigger version of their Holiday staple Griswald's Holiday Ale. Bohemian Brewery began canning it's Cherny Bock Schwarzbier also in October.
November: Epic released their newest barrel aged Beer, Brainless on Cherries. It's the latest version of Epic's Belgian Style Triple Ale, which was aged in oak barrels with local cherries. A unique New Zealand beer recipe made it's way to Utah. Manuka beer made from a plant that is unique to New Zealand With assistance from NZs Mussel Inn, Squatters was able to obtain an herb rarely seen or tasted in North America. Moab Brewing announced a 5000 square foot expansion of their Moab facility beginning in Late December 2010. They'll be moving their bottling operation back to Moab and will also be canning their beer sometime this year. Squatters released Mo'Town Brown the second in their Small Batch Series.
December: we began the month with the mother of all beer tastings. The Holiday Beer Tasting was a huge success and brought together beer folk from four states. Finally, RedRock's Elephant Double IPA proved it's staying power and was made available to the masses. Elephant is now in many Utah Liquor stores and expanding.
We look forward to another great year in 2011. I can't wait to see what comes next.
Cheers!
3 comments:
Thanks for the Recap. I guess I got involved with crafty beer around march or April, right near the opening of Epic. I remember or was involved (however tangentially) with many of the things you mentioned here.
The Holiday beer tasting was great fun, and along with the mess that was the City Weekly beer fest, right up at the top of my beer events for the year. Here is to great things to come for beer in Utah!
Prost!
Scott
I still don't remember the Holiday tasting but I guess it happened! The biggest event over the past few years has been the legal change to allow brewpubs to sell higher gravity bottles direct. It seems like this change has allowed for so much great beer to be made, and Epic Brewing to open. Epic's impact is huge, and set the stage for all kinds of stuff. Red Rock is set to produce even more bottled brews, Squatters has taken off as a world class brewery producing amazing strong brews, and on and on. Now if we can end this stupid 4% limit on draft we will be rocking!
It's been just a fantastic year. 529 comes out and I get to taste 5th Element for the first time. Epic!. Elephant! Don't even get me started on Stein Knocker and Sno Ale. I can't get enough of it all. Here's to another amazing year.
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