New Beer Friday 12/28/12

There's one new beer today. It's local & made with rye. Your gunna love it! 

Bohemian's Keller Rye: This is Bohemian’s latest seasonal. Keller Rye is an unfiltered rye lager.  Brewed with Köln and Munich malts it pours an orange, copper color and has a smooth sweet malt character up front with hints of spicy rye in the back end. German Hallertau Hersbrucker hops dry out the finish to bring crisp balance to this very drinkable lager.

Returning Favorite. 

Epic's Santa Cruz: This "Brown IPA" is an interpret of the recent Black IPA trend. The Santa Cruz Brown Ale is a true hybrid. For this beer Epic combined the rich malty backbone and color of an American brown ale with piney, resinous American hops, creating a completely new and unique type of beer. Easily one of my favorite Epic beers. 

Uinta's Sea Legs Baltic Porter is finally available for sale as well. @ Uinta's Bottleshop



Cheers!

The Twelfth Beer o' Xmas 2012: Kona Koko Brown

Well we made it, beer number twelve. It seems like it was only a dozen days ago we started this inebriating adventure together. How time flies. To reward you for coming back and giving a shit we have a nice sweet & malty brown ale for you; or to leave for Santa with some of those special brownies you got from uncle Tim. So for the last damn time.....

For the Twelfth Beer o' Xmas that the.... oh fuck it. Kona's Koko Brown Ale!

Pours a clear redish/mahogany color with a finger of off white head quickly dissipates leaving only some trace foam on top The nose of toasted coconut sweet roasty malts.The taste starts with toasted coconut and a dominating sweet malt character, then fades to sweet toffee notes at the end. The finish has a barely noticeable hint of piney hops. It's somewhat thin, which in this case does the beer many favors, a moderate mouthfeel would have made this a sweet mess. Try it with some roasted meat or a Holiday pie.

Cheers & Happy "Whatever it is That Floats Your Boat".

The Eleventh Beer o' Xmas 2012: Widmer Rotator IPA

The Eleventh Beer o' Xmas that the BeerGnerd pushed on thee is Widmer's Rotator IPA!

These are a fairly new entry into the market, and have shot close to the top of favorite IPAs.
The Rotator Series "rotate" the beer's hop bill every quarter, giving each IPA it's own distinct flavor profile. The first Rotator IPA we recieved was called Shaddock and was made with grapefruit peel. The current Roator is called Falconer. It's crafted with a proprietary hop blend called Falconer’s Flight.™

Pours a clear bronze coloror with one finger of slightly off-white head. The nose is pretty complex almost muddled with some caramel balanced by tropical/grapefruit hops. The taste is hop forward, more grapefruit than mango, decent malt backbone. Mouthfeel is medium. Hard to identify the hop profile, might benefit in future if blended with something a bit more spicy/piney, but not a bad single hop IPA.

Cheers!

The Tenth Beer o' Xmas 2012: Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Sumpin'

Damn! Almost forgot to post the beer number ten. That would have been a shame it's quite a nice change of pace from what's normally out there. So the Tenth Beer o' Xmas that the Beer Gnerd pushed on thee...  Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Sumpin'.

Pours a lovely light, golden color with a nice one finger of head. The nose is like a Christmas tree has a three-way, hook-up with with a grapefruit and a piece of caramel, then popped out a Little Sumpin' Sumpin' beer. The taste is even better than the nose. Solid wheat flavor, followed by a strong pine hoppiness, then the grapefruit citrus and finally the soft sweetness of the caramel with subtle molasses. Really nice!

This beer is a fantastic beer and a dry enough after-taste to make you want to drink more! The 7.5% ABV is just potent enough to keep you happy and in check.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday: End of the World Edition

 As of the time of this publication, the world is still spinning. Weather you fear asteroids, alien invasions, global catastrophe or the DABC we have a way to make sure you go out looking good, while having a happy tongue.

We'll start with New Beer Friday and move on from there.

I was only able to find one new beer this week, Full Sail's Nut Brown Ale. I haven't had a chance to try it yet. Others describe it as "a little buttery. Lots of the nutty roasted barley taste. There is a pleasant bitter tanginess. Warmly dark with a malty base". @ Liquor Stores

If you fear the world's end today? We have a special beer for you. If your just looking forward to the Winter Solstice? We have something for you as well. Let's start with the "Doomsdayers" shall we?

There could be no more appropriate beer for you guys & gals than Unibroue's La Fin Du Monde (The End of the World). This brilliant Canadian classic pours a hazy golden color with a towering white head. The nose is of fruity esters with notes of banana, clove, bubblegum, and a bit of spicy alcohol. The taste begins with a good deal of fruitiness (nectarine, pear, peach, mango, and white grape) and flowery honey blended with peppery clove. Next comes some powdery yeasts and a bit of bready malt followed by a touch of drying alcohol in the finish.  A great beer to "kiss your ass g'bye".  @ Liquor Stores

For you Pagans, Witches & Realists we have Anderson Valley's Winter Solstice. This fine Winter Warmer pours a beautiful reddish-brown color with a creamy, fluffy head. The nose is mildly hoppy with delicate malt sweetness. Vanilla bean is dominant with orange peel for balance. There also seemed to be a hint of nutmeg. The Taste was of roasted malt, vanilla and carameled apple. The bitterness was mild which allowed the vanilla to finish slightly above the hops. Sweet and slightly spicy, The higher alcohol (6.9% ABV) added a nice warming affect. The balanced was perfect from start to finish. I love this beer so much I buy up all that I can, as to enjoy it year round. @ Liquor Stores

We have a returning champ as well. Now, as far as I'm concerned there's only one number you should be thinking of today. Not 122112 but 529.

Squatters' 529 is an Oud Bruin style ale. If your not familiar with this Belgian style,  they are light to medium-bodied, deep copper to brown in color. They are extremely varied, characterized by a slight vinegar or lactic sourness and spiciness to smooth and sweet. A fruity-estery character is usually apparent with no hop flavor or aroma. Low to medium bitterness. 529 refers to the number of days spent in the barrels (18 months).

529 Pours a deeper amberish color with a small sized off white head. The nose is of of cherries, dust and some spiciness. The taste starts with notes of cherry tartness, caramel and brown sugar. Tobacco notes come next as well as lemon peel and sour grapes. The finish is tart, woody and dry. @ Squatters & The Beer Store.

And finally... For the Ninth Beer o' Xmas that the Beer Gnerd pushed on thee... It's RedRock's Secale!

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.

Cheers!

Sea Legs Baltic Porter

There's a new addition to Uinta's Crooked Line of beers; a Baltic Porter with a hint of something extra, Rye Whiskey.

These porters were traditionally made to be stronger, more robust versions of regular porters, they were to be shipped across the North Sea, hence the name "Baltic Porter". In general, the style’s dark brown color covered up cloudiness and the smoky/roasted brown malts and bitter tastes masked brewing imperfections. The addition of stale ale also lent a pleasant acidic flavor to the style, which made it quite popular. These issues were quite important given that most breweries were getting away from pub brewing and opening up breweries that could ship beer across the world.

Sea Legs pours a very murky, dark brown, almost black color with a small tan head. The nose is brilliant! full of toffee with some chocolate biscotti, a hint of Bourbon and espresso. The taste starts with sweet chocolate with some biscuity malt flavors. A bit of dark fruits with vanilla and subtle whiskey come next with a bit of dark chocolate and toffee in the finish. The alcohol is well hidden in this 8% beer. 

The mouthfeel is medium bodied and the drinkability is very high. What a great Porter! A perfect addition to Uinta's Crooked line. For sale in Utah in the coming days. Some markets on the east coast are already selling it but Utah's DABC has yet to approve it. We'll let you know when it goes on sale.

That's not all! For the Eighth Beer o' Xmas that the Beer Gnerd pushed on thee, we have another winter warmer. Deschutes Jubelale.
 
Pours a chocolatey brown color with a decent size off white head with better than average lacing. 

The nose is spicy, but not overdone with caramel, dark fruits, chocolate and some nice citrusy notes. The taste starts with caramel and Chocolate notes. Dark dehydrated raisins and currents come next with spicy and earthy hops rounding out the finish. VERY tasty, a good quality beer.

Drink this one warmer rather than cold to get the most out of it. This one is going very fast may not be around after the holidays. @ Liquor Stores & "Better Beer Bars"

Cheers!

The Seventh Beer o' Xmas 2012: Epic's Copper Cone Pale Ale

If the beer gods ever create a "winter" pale ale category, the seventh Beer o' Xmas will be found as the textbook example of what it should be. A delicious, but dank pale that is full of Holiday-esque character. So, for the Seventh Beer o' Xmas that the Beer Gnerd pushed on thee... Epic's Copper Cone Pale Ale. 

Pours a hazy dark copper color with a thick, one finger of sticky head. The nose is fruity with citrus, pine, a mild malt backbone and floral bouquet. The taste starts with mild pine resin, and sweet caramel. Next comes an earthy citrus character with a mild spiciness. It all culminates in a nice balance that makes for a very enjoyable pale ale. 

Available state wide at most liquor stores. 

Cheers!

Back for the Holidays: Wasatch Christmas Ale

When you've been bumping around the local beer scene as long as I have you tend to see a lot of beers come and go. Some are not missed while others very much so. One of those missed beers for me is Wasatch's Christmas Ale. While it has for the most part always been available around the Holidays it's no longer being bottled and offered in it's signature 12 pack - pine crates.

This Holiday staple is back right now, in a limited run and it's only available at the Wasatch Brew Pub in Park City or at the Beer Store (for growler fills) in Salt Lake City.


Pours a hazy light orange with an off white head that dissipates quickly. The nose is slightly spicy with nutmeg and grassy hops. The flavor starts relatively light with ginger and and other Holiday spices and transitions to a decent amount of grassy hoppiness. The finish is light and dry. As far as Holiday beers go this is no ball buster, but it doesn't need to be. It's a pleasant ale that should be part of you Holiday tradition.

Cheers!

The Sixth Beer o' Xmas 2012: Firestone Walkers Robust Porter

We're at the midway point of the Twelve Beers o' Xmas, I hope your finding it a welcome distraction from all the B.S. that accompanies the Holidays. So, for the Sixth Beer o' Xmas that the Beer Gnerd pushed on thee? Firestone Walkers Robust Porter!

Pours a deep brownish-black with reddish hues and an inch of thick, creamy, off-white head, great head retention. The nose is of plums, other dark fruits, roastiness, and some chocolate. The taste starts with coffee notes and some chocolate. There is an earthiness in the middle, with some molasses as well. The finish has a nice piney bitterness with hints of oak. 

I've never had a bad Firestone Walker beer, this one is no exception. FW's Robust Porter is available at most liquor stores around the state.

Cheers!

The Fifth Beer o' Xmas 2012: Bohemian's Czech Pilsner

The fifth Beer o' Xmas that the Beer Gnerd pushed on thee? A brilliant Czech style Pilsner, courtesy of Bohemian Brewing. 

Pours a hazy straw color with a nice, sturdy two fingers of foam. The nose is crisp and clean with nice spicy Saaz hop aromas. Toasted malts are also strong in the background. The taste is pleasantly crisp with a firm Pilsner malt body that lets the spicy hop notes shine in the finish. Well balanced. There are some peppery notes that hang in there for a short time but then leaves the palate clean. Light to medium body, but it does possess a sturdy mouthfeel. It's gentle carbonation makes it feel almost creamy.

Prost!

The Third Beer o' Xmas 2012: Red as Hell Ale

For the Fourth Beer o' Xmas that the Beer Gnerd pushed on thee, we have Radio From Hell's Red as Hell Ale. Can't have a Xmas themed "anything" without something red, right? And this English style red will do nicely.

Pours a deep clear amber color with a short finger of tan foamy head. The nose is of caramel and a bit nutty. The taste starts with caramel and toffee with an earthy/grainy, nuttiness rounding out the middle. A mild floral/earthy hop presence brings up the end, balancing things off really well. This is an nice English style ale with just a hint of American influence. Quite tasty!

Cheers!

The Third Beer o' Xmas 2012: Johnny's IPA

For the Third Beer o' Xmas that the Beer Gnerd pushed on thee, we have Johnny's IPA from Moab Brewing. 

After two big chewy beers you'll need something on the lighter side to prove to you tongue that your still friends. Johnny's pours a hazy dark golden color with white head. The nose is of biscuit malts and some citrusy hops. The taste starts with light malt toasy grains next comes a nice citrusy and grassy bitterness that balances nicely. The finish is crisp and moderatly bitter. Light to medium body. More of an American Pale than an IPA but it found a perminent place in my fridge. 

Cheers!

The Second Beer o' Xmas 2012: Wasatch Winterfest

For the second Beer o' Xmas that the Beer Gnerd pushed on thee, it's Wasatch Winterfest!

This annual favorite pours a clear ruby color with a moderate fluffy off-white cap of foam. The nose is bright with citrus and pine with subtle spicy caramel malt beneath. The flavor starts out with grapefruity hops and a bit of orange zest. Next comes a faint hint of gingerbread then transitions to a rich maltiness. I think there may be a little roastiness in there as well. Very nicely balanced with a well hidden 7.1% abv.


Cheers!

New Beer Friday!!! 12/14/12

Sierra Nevada Narwhal: This Imperial Stout pours dense black with about half a finger of espresso colored head. The nose is a rich blend of strong, dark roasted coffee, unsweetened chocolate, and roasted barley. There is also some earthy hops making its way into the mix. The taste begins with a big shot of strong coffee along with unsweetened chocolate and roasted barley. The end is full of bold, earthy hops and spicy hops. Full bodied with some noticeable alcohol. A very nice Impy Stout. @ Beerhive - DABC

Full Sail Session Fest: Pours a nice shiny copper color with just a bit of haze. Little bit of eggshell colored head makes a brief appearance. The nose is of toasted grain, slight caramel & floral hops in the background.  The taste starts with biscuits and toast alongside some caramel malty goodness make for a nice refreshing brew. Hops add just a bit to florals to balance things out. Mouthfeel is light, crisp, and refreshing. Flavors don't exactly 'wow' you but it's still got enough going on to keep it interesting. @ Beerhive - DABC

Pelican Bad Santa:  Pours a very dark redish brown color with a large, tight khaki head. The nose is hoppy with earthy spices, a bit of citrus and some sweet malt. The taste starts with dark, toasty malt and a blast of spicy & citrusy hops. A nice, coffee like astringency and lingering, bitterness round out the finish that flashes a hint of alcohol. Sorta has a cascadian dark ale feel to it. Quite nice. @ Beerhive

Fresh Cask Friday - This is the Pilsener: Today Donovan has an unfilteted version of his Bohemian-stye pils, one cask with loads of Belma hops and the other cask with a blend of Amarillo and Czech Saaz. Servered in imperial pint dimple steins at $2.50. Starts 5pm @ Hoppers.

Returning Champs
Desert Edge Raspberry Stout @ Desert Edge
Uinta Yard Sale @ everywhere

Cheers!

The Twelve Beers of Xmas 2012

Way back in '07, in an attempt to create a little levity while trying to get people to try or revisit something new, we created The Utah Beer Twelve Beers o' Xmas. Whereas, we selected a variety of local, national or internationals for you to try in the twelve days leading up to Xmas. The Twelve Beers o' Xmas has been absent since '08, so maybe it's time to give it one more try. The beers selected should be available state wide. If not? I apologize. Let's begin!

Sing with me... For the first beer of Xmas that the beer nerd pushed on thee... We have Uinta's Dubhe!
Yes, a favorite amongst many. This Imperial Black IPA is rich, warming and a powerful way to start the Twelve Days.

Pours a dark mahogany color with nice mocha head. The nose is of sweet dark fruit, caramel, dark roasted malts as well as a big dose of pine and booziness. The taste starts sweet with dark chocolate, toffee and a hint of licorice. Pine resin and slight citrus fruit balance nicely. The end is earthy and boozy with a leathery spiciness. The finish is sharp with hop bitterness. Well balanced with a warmth in the finish that makes this complex delicious beer extremely drinkable.

Cheers!
  

Jack Mormon Brewing Company

A quick update for you this morning before I get to the title story. All Star Brewing (formerly Tracks Brewing) has done something that we've all been hoping for, no... the brewery is still not open, but they have officially changed their name to something with more of a local feel. Bonneville Brewing. And why not, it's practically on the front door of the Bonneville Salt Flats and it does technically reside on the extinct Lake Bonneville's real estate. It's a good fit and a great name. Now they just have to get the damn place open.

Cruser Rowland, owner of Jack Mormon Coffee Co., along with local home brewer Chris Detrick will soon be resurrecting Jack Mormon Coffee Stout. The original was brewed a couple years back by Detrick & Epic Brewing. That relationship dissolved but the stout would not die and will soon be added to the list beverages you can purchase at  Jack Mormon Coffee Co. or as it will soon be known  Jack Mormon Brewing Co. 

This will be Utah's fourth brewery/brewpub planned for 2013 ( Avenues Proper and Publick House, Vernal Brewing, Bonneville Brewing & Jack Mormon Brewing ). Rowland is still in the early stages of planning and will not be limiting himself to coffee beers. Until the project gets off the ground, fans can purchase Jack Mormon Coffee Stout t-shirts at the coffee shop located at 82  E.Street in Salt Lake City.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 12/7/12

Many new beers today, most are seasonal for the holidays but there are a few surprises as well. Let's begin.

Gordon Biersch Winter Bock: Poured a reddish brown with a nice lasting tan head. The nose initially was heavy on roasted malts, becoming sweeter as it warms. Taste is heavy on roasted malts and finishes somewhat sweet. Mouthfeel is pretty good as it is medium bodied, decently carbonated, and fairly smooth across the palate. Overall drinkability is pretty good. @DABC

Samuel Adams Winter Lager: Pours a clear brown/copper color with a moderate head. The nose is mostly of malt with some hops a touch of toffee. Taste is about the same, mostly malty with toasty notes. Toffee comes next with some slight floral hops at the end. Not exciting, but solid. @DABC 

Crispin Hard Cider: Is described as an unfiltered apple wine, fermented from fresh pressed apple juice and smoothed with novel organic natural sugars, such as honey or maple syrup. @DABC

RedRock Forbidden Peach: This new seasonal offering is a Belgian style witbier at it's base and is brewed with peach, rose hips and is dry hopped. @RedRock

Roosters Höpfner: This one is quite different. It seems to be a light ale at it's base but the taste is mostly of oregano, basil, bready malts, spice, yeast.. The result is beer that tastes like a pizza. This is a beer that will do better with a meal rather than a stand alone quencher. I'd recommend trying it with cheesy bread sticks. @Roosters-Beerhive

Firestone Walker Velvet Merlin: The nose is of  coffee, roasted malt and some milk chocolate. The taste starts with roasted malt, espresso, with a semi-sweet chocolate finish. Pretty consistent flavor from sip to sip. Some nice bready notes in the finish, with some mild dark fruit up front with the husky roasted malt and coffee flavors. A very nice oatmeal stout. @Beerhive

Firestone Walker XVI Anniversary: Pours a deep ruby-black-brown topped by a finger of dark khaki foam. The nose comprises roasted malts, whiskey, dry oak, toasted caramel, a hint of coffee, light dark greens, and a hint of pine. The taste starts off with a mix of dark caramel malts, vanilla, tequila, dark fruits, and some toasted coconut. Through the middle, there's oak, Bourbon, Brandy, chocolate, roasted malts, brown sugar, and bit of citrus hop. The finish is a mix of dark caramel malts, dark fruit, oak, vanilla, toasted coconuts, Bourbon, Brandy, Tequila, chocolate, molasses, and booze. Feels smooth with a sweet and warming finish. A very drinkable. Amazing blend of flavors. Very complex but still has a great deal of smoothness. @Beerhive

Deschutes Chasin' Freshies: Pours a rather light, clear golden yellow with about three fingers of fluffy white head. The nose is complex with hoppy notes of peach, apricot, slight citrus rind (grapefruit), flowers, and mint The taste follows the nose with notes of pale pilsner malts, stone fruits, mint, and green herbal hops. The finish has that touch of citrus rind, and the aftertaste is bready, herbal and spicy. Good flavor combination. Has a drying finish, and soft carbonation. Drinks very well. A well done IPA. Great balance between hops and malt, with a unique hop profile and tons of flavor. Smooth and easy to drink. @Beerhive

Returning Favorites

Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout: Much more coffee forward than previous releases. The nose is of dark coffee with cream similar to a cappuccino but with a hint of malt and hops. The taste follows the nose with coffee and a nice roasted malt. it's lacking the creaminess of previous releases. I feel like the creaminess should be more balenced with a stronger coffee flavor. It's a good coffee stout but your going to gave to really dig to find the cappuccino in there. @Beerhive

Anchor Our Special Ale 2012 (Anchor Christmas Ale):  Poured a deep roasted chestnut brown with ruby hues, very little head to speak of. The nose has graham cracker and ginger with some oak. The tastes has a good amount of roasted malts with some nutmeg and a bit of ginger. Cocoa, brown sugar, and toasted bread come next with a small amount of dark fruits rounding out the end. Finishes fairly dry. It not too different than years past, still worth checking out because it's unique. @Beerhive - DABC

Cheers!

Let's All Get Untapped

In an attempt to bring us all closer together as a beer community, I'm always looking at various social media options to see what may be the most beneficial app for we Utah beer lovers.

After test driving about a half dozen social beer apps I think I've found one that combines a good beer database with  location, photo & rating capabilities. It's called Untapped.

Untapped is basically Facebook for beer lovers. It allows users to share what their drinking - where & when in real time . It also has the ability (when enabled) to locate nearby Untapped friends via GPS for hook-ups or to just see what's being enjoyed nearby.

This is one of those Apps that really works best when it's got a good community behind it. I know a few of us are already on Untapped and have found it useful. Especially when trying to find the new beers that have just hit the market.

Untapped is free and is available for Apple & Droid devices. My user name is Utahbeer.

Cheers!

Today Utah Helped End Prohibition

On December 5, 1933,Utah was the final state to repeal Prohibition, putting the ratification of the 21st Amendment into place. Even though Prohibition didn't officially end today many still revere this as a holy day, that helped propel the United States out of the Great Depression.

You may find it interesting to know that it was never illegal to drink during Prohibition. The 18th Amendment and the Volstead Act, the legal measure that included the instructions for enforcing Prohibition, never barred the consumption of alcohol–just making it, selling it, and shipping it for mass production (and consumption).

Please grab glass of whatever you hold dear and hoist one for the proponents of the 21st Amendment.

Cheers!

Fifth Element is Back

For the second time in 2012 Utah's beer lovers have been gifted another release of Squatters Fifth Element, one of the best wild ales made in the world. If your familiar with it I guess there's no need for you to read on. If you've never tried it your in  for quite a treat. Fifth Element's base beer is a Saison, it's then blended and aged in oak barrels inoculated with Brettanomyces, a yeast that imparts a sour/tart - funkiness the result is a brilliant tasting sour ale.

Pours a cloudy apricot/straw color with a fizzy white head that reduced to a thin froth. The nose has a bit a of barnyard funkiness to it with hints of lemon. The tastes starts with light citrus notes then transitions into tart green apples. Next comes a dry oakiness that compliments the tartness well. The finish is a combination a champagne like dryness and bitter florals. Light and dry but highly drinkable. Fifth Element is done in small batches, only 900 bottles on average. Get some before Kent buys them all.

On Sale today today at Squatters. Please call before making the trip.

Cheers!

New Beer & Fresh Cask Friday! 11/30/12

Today's new offerings cover the flavor spectrum. There should be something out there for every taste.

 Tenaya Creek Hauling Oats Oatmeal Stout : The nose has chococlate and esspresso notes with hints of oatmeal. The taste starts rich and malty with licorice, chocolate and coffee. The hops provide tobacco notes  mid palate, as it finishes with slightly smokey and woody. A nice oatmeal stout with a great name! @ Beerhive

Tenaya Creek Oktoberfest Lager :  The nose toasty & herbal. The taste starts with vanilla sweet malts, that balance well with cracker dry grains. The end is full of spicy, peppery & resinous hops. The finish is bready and dry. A much dryer & hoppier interpretation on the style. Quite tasty. @ Beerhive

Lagunitas Brown Shugga : The nose is sweet with brown sugar, toffee & piney/grapefruit hops. The flavor starts sweet and sugary with lots of bitter pine and grapefruit hops. Alcohol comes next with a big toasty bread and caramel finish. A very nice, hoppy brown ale. @ Bayou & Beerhive

Epic Blue Law Porter : This one is described as This is a medium-bodied porter to which we added blackberry puree at the end of primary fermentation and finished it with spruce tip extract harvested from Blue Spruce trees found on the grounds of Utah's State Capitol building.  It has a roasting profile with a fruity tartness and an aftertaste of resinous spruce. @ Epic, Bayou, Beerhive

Wasatch GhostRider White IPA is finally for sale! Pours a cloudy, light straw color with a nice sudsy white cap. The nose is full of citrus with hints of wheat and coriander. The beginning of each sip starts out like a wheat beer with notes of biscuit, coriander, lemongrass, and orange peel. Mid palate big citrusy tangerine hops "pop" adding a bit of bitterness to the back of the tongue. Swallowing the beer releases more of the soft and grainy wheat flavors with an emphasis on coriander & cloves in the finish. 6.0% ABV in 12 oz. bottles. Wide release.

Returning Favorites :
Sierra Nevada Celebration @ Beerhive & DABC

We also have Fresh Cask Friday! This evening at 5pm there will be a new version of Face Plant Wheat. An old German-styled amber hefeweizen. Made with dark wheat malt and caramel wheat malt. It has a nice yeast aroma and flavors of banana and light holiday spice and banana nut bread. Served in a large curvy .'sexy' wiessbier glass. Some of this beer went into firkins for this today's Fresh Friday's casks. Casks: one has lemon peel, orange peel and a small amount dry hops. The second has Face Plant with oak. Oak lending a nutty vanilla and toasted wood flavor. @ Hoppers

Cheers!

The Barley's Angels' Holiday Beer Cocktail Event

Ladies, we all know that men basically... suck. Let's be honest, the only reason that you guys keep us around is so that we tripods can help you populate the planet with more women.

When beer is mixed into the "man equation", I'm frankly baffled that y'all don't go sprinting for the nearest vomitorium.

To help you ladies enjoy a pint of suds without all of our knuckle dragging bullshit, The Utah Chapter of Barley's Angels was formed to help you, the fairest gender, delight in beer.

On behalf of our XX Chromosomed overlords, I'd like to invite all beer loving ladies to the Barley's Angels' Holiday Beer Cocktail Event. It takes place on Wednesday December, 5th at 7pm at the Kimball Arts Center in Park City. $5 gets you in.

To RSVP please call 801-719-0525 or email barleysangelsutah@gmail.com

Cheers!

A New Rumor for You to Chew On

I do my best not to spread rumors, unless I have something solid to back them up. For the most part they only fuel disappointment for a beer culture that's had it's ass handed to it more than a few times. That being said, I'm about to shit all over your fragile beer psyches.

In the late 80's a guy by the name of Gary Fish sold his share in his Salt Lake City restaurant and embarked on his dream to start his own brewery. Gary finally settled in Bend, Oregon and  Deschutes Brewery & Public House was born. Today Deschutes is the 6th largest craft brewer and the 16th largest brewer overall in the country.

Why am I telling you about Gary? Well... Remember a couple months ago when when we first told you about Deschutes' plan to make session beers for Utah? The rumor is that - not only is Deshutes planning on making some 4% beer for the Utah market, but they are also looking to building a Deschutes Brewpub in Salt Lake as well. Chew on that for a second.

Take it for what it is, I thought it was info worth discussing.

Cheers!

"Celebrate 40!"

Desert Edge/The Pub is celebrating their 40th Birthday! To help celebrate - head brewer, Chris Haas has put together a brand new beer just in time for Thanksgiving.

"Celebrate 40!"  is a light, filtered ale made with oats and aged on plain oak. The carbonation for this ale is much brighter than the typical D.E. beer, it mimics the effervescence normally associated with Champagne. Haas' new seasonals usually don't last long, It was on tapped yesterday and will be on till it ain't.

Might be worth grabbing a growler for dinner tomorrow, eh?

Also on tap: Downtown Nut Brown, Centennial Steamer, Munich Lager & their standard line up of Utah Pale Ale, Pub Pils, Happy Valley Hefe, and Latter Day Stout.

Cheers & Happy Thanksgiving!

AllStar Beers Now Available

As of last weekend, All Star Beers are being poured at AllStar Bowling Centers. At this point they are just named by style under the All Star title.

The West Jordan location has a Pale Ale, Amber Ale , Golden Ale,  Hefeweizen and Stout.

Tooele  has the Pale Ale, Amber Ale , Golden Ale and  Hefeweizen.  Note: this is All Star Lanes in Tooele, not the Brewpub. The Brewpub is still,undergoing it's remodeling. When they start popping up in other places, we'll let you know.

There's also talk of a name change for the brewery and brand.  Do you have a great name for the brewery? If so, let's hear 'em!

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 11/16/12

Normally I try to keep this shit relatively short and concise but this has been a big beer news week and it looks like it's ending that that way too. So here we go.

The following are from the Bayou's Holiday lineup. The Bayou doesn't mess around when it comes to holiday beers, this year is no different. these are their newest, brand new beers in the market from Mikkeller.

Ris A La M'Ale: This ale boasts of cherry and almond. Pours nice, pinkish gold with two fingers of pinkish head. Fruity aroma with some noble hops. The taste starts with a bit of sour cherry and some malt sweetness. Piney hops come next with very subdued almond notes. Light bodied. If your a fan of marzipan your gunna be happy. @ Bayou

Hoppin Loving XMAS: Lots of cinnamon in the nose with nutmeg, and clove. Some sweet, caramelly, biscuity malts, but you really need to look for them beyond all the spices. The spices carry over to taste as well, though the sweet malts do hold their own here better. Plenty of dark fruits in the finish, with a hint of alcohol adding to the beer's powerful spiciness. I'm not the biggest fan of unbalanced sweetness but this beer's spicey flavors help it pull it off. @ Bayou

Returning Holiday favorites are as follows:
Ridgeway
Bad Elf
Very Bad Elf
Seriously Bad Elf
Criminally Bad Elf
Lump Of Coal
Santas Butt
Warm Welcome
Pickled Santa
Reindeer Droppings
Reindeer Revolt

Mikkeller
Santa's Helper
From/To

Serafiijn Christmas Angel
Sruise Tsjeeses  
Thiriez Noel

Also Back and unaffiliated with Christmas

Thiriez
Amber Farmhouse Ale
Blonde Farmhouse Ale
Extra Farmhouse Ale

Geants
Geants Goliath Triple

Achel
Achel Trappist Extra
Achel Bruin

Jolly Pumpkin
Jolly Pumpkin Es Bam

De MolenHemel & Aarde
Rook & Vuur
Amarillo
Storm & Aneji

These will go fast, it's all on you if you miss 'em. Available today.

Now if that's not enough there are some returning favorites that you will be happy to hear are back as well.

Our favorite "Elder" returns to us today from his mission in the barrels. Elder Brett is a collaboration beer made at Epic Brewing Co. with input from Crooked Stave Brewing out of Colorado.

Brettanomyces or "Brett" is a bacteria yeast used by brewers to produce sourness to the beer. In most cases it's a dangerous addition for beer, it's presence in traditional beer styles can ruin a beer and is banned in many breweries. But when purposely added to a beer that can properly use it souring properties the results can create astonishing delicious sour, tart or funky beers.

Elder Brett's barrels were inoculated with a blend of four different types of Brettanomyces. Aging for over nine months in the barrels allows the character of the unique wild yeast to fully express itself in the beer. The result combines all the elements for a truly sublime complexity.

This batch of Elder Brett is a little less yeasty and the Brett seems a little less forward, very dry and delicate if a Brett beer can be called that.  This beer was made by spreading around the bugs from last years casks into some additional barrels allowing the brewers to produce nearly twice as much as the previous years batch.

The aroma is rich with the musty, barnyard-like character that “Brett” is famous for as well as some remnants notes of white wine. The flavor also has wonderful amounts of fruity notes both from the yeast and hints of the peach from previously used barrels, all rounded out with a pleasant and refreshing acidity and incredible drinkability for an 9.5% ABV beer. There aren't many Brett beers made in the market, get some while you can. And please buy a few extra for "cellering". these beer benefit greatly from a little age. The 2011 version was an entirely different beer after just five months in the bottle. Just think what a year could do. @ Epic, Bayou & Beerhive

Black Butte XXIV has been spotted in various liquor stores around the state. This is one of Deschutes'  signature labels. Produced annually, this Porter pours a dark brown with hints of tinted ruby red on the sides. The nose is slightly vinous with notes of cocoa, vanilla and oak. The taste starts with intense cocoa, roasted malts, molasses and oak. The end is full of vanilla, cinnamon and bourbon. The finish is bitter and boozy. The flavors are spot on for the style. Everything is nicely balanced. A great beer that will just get better with age. @DABC

And don't forget about  RedRock's Rêve Belgian Style Triple and those two new Wasatch beers, Switch and GhostRider. This is a great time of year for new releases and seasonals!

"Are you not entertained?" - Maximus Decimus Meridius
 

GhostRider White IPA

It's looking to be a White Xmas this year at Wasatch Brewing. Yesterday we had the debut of Switch, a Port barrel aged Belgian style Witbier. Today we have its cousin, an aggressively hopped - hybrid beer called Ghostrider White IPA.

First of all it has one of the best looking labels to adorn a local bottle in quite some time. Inside is a beer style that's becoming very popular in the U.S., the White IPA.

At it's most basic, a White IPA is a beer that mixes the hop-character and brewing techniques of an India Pale Ale with the wheat base and spice additions of the refreshing Belgian witbier.

GhostRider pours a cloudy, light straw color with a nice sudsy white cap. The nose is full of citrus with hints of wheat and coriander. The beginning of each sip starts out like a wheat beer with notes of biscuit, coriander, lemongrass, and orange peel. Mid palate big citrusy tangerine hops "pop" adding a bit of bitterness to the back of the tongue. Swallowing the beer releases more of the soft and grainy wheat flavors with an emphasis on coriander & cloves in the finish. 6.0% ABV in 12 oz. bottles

This is a nice twist on an IPA. It takes many of the traditional characteristics of a Witbier and combines them with an intense hop character. The flavors come together quite nicely to make this easy to drink, smooth, enjoyable beer.

Ghost rider will be available year round, supposedly starting today. As I stated in yesterday's post with Switch, call first! before you make the trip to the Beer Store.

One of my favorite seasonal beers makes it return today as well. RedRock's Rêve Belgian Style Triple. This ale is aged for 12 months and is always a thing of beauty.

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. 10.2% abv is more than enough to warm your inner beer geek.

Available at all RedRock locations.

Cheers!

The Switch is On

One of the most unique Utah beers to be produced in quite some time is here, courtesy of  Wasatch Beers. Switch is one of those style bending beers that will challenge the most discerning tongue and looks to be a perfect addition to your holiday celebrations.

Switch started its life as Wasatch's White Label Witbier. It was then cocooned in Obtuse port wine barrels from the Justin Winery for 18 months. The resulting beer is something entirely new, like a butterfly from a chrysalis. And for trivia buffs: The wood background on the label is an actual photo of one of the wood barrels used.

Adam Curfew, Cellarman extraordinaire at the UBC says, this is the most unique tasting beers that they've ever made.

Switch will go on sale later this afternoon pending DABC approval, if the DABC doesn't get to it - then it will not be for sale. Do not make the trip unless you've called the Beer Store first. Switch will be $19.99 per 750 ml. bottle and it's available only at the Beer Store. This is a very limited release, only 900 bottles produced. 8.8% ABV.

Cheers!

40 Years at the Pub!

November 2012 marks the 40-year anniversary of first being the Pub, and now The Desert Edge Brewery at the Pub. The Pub/Desert Edge has been a staple at Trolley Square for as long as I can remember, many of my family member have worn aprons and served their delicious food. 

To thank all of you loyal customers The Pub/DE is hosting a celebration starting November 24 – November 30.

Anniversary events consist of contests, a reunion night for former employees and a week of retro prices on select beverage and menu items. Retro Prices for beer will run from November 24 – November 30. Pints $3.00 - Pitchers $8.00.

There will also be prizes given for Pub Trivia. Test your knowledge of long forgotten Pub details. The prizes will consist of gift certificates for dinner for two to the Desert Edge Brewery, Red Butte Café, Martine and Stella Grill. The winner will be chosen randomly and posted to the Desert Edge Brewery Blog.

More info on their anniversary can be found on their blog.

Cheers! 

Fire Damages Wasatch Brewpub

Early Friday morning a fire erupted at the Wasatch Brewpub, damaging restrooms & causing a section of the deck to collapse.  A trash can on the upstairs deck caught fire from oily rags from a remodel project.  Fortunately no one was injured.

There is a lot of water and smoke damage, but the building itself is in good shape. The brewery and brewing equipment were unaffected. Bob Zanetti, the assistant chief at the Park City Fire District, said the fire on the deck burned through the flooring, collapsing an approximately 225-square-foot section of the deck, falling into the interior below. There is "significant damage in there," Zanetti said.

Owner Greg Schirf says, he hopes to Wasatch reopened by the end of the week.

No. There will be no smoke beers made this week. But if I know Matt Beamer, Wasatch's Head Brewer. That little hamster wheel in his head is already turning with ideas.

Cheers & Speedy Repairs!

Photo: Courtesy of Michael Kaplan &Park City Record

Fresh Cask Friday 11/9/12

Well it's snowing like a som' bitch out there, please be careful. After all of your snowy day headaches have subsided, I recommend a little Fresh Cask Friday action at Hoppers tonight. 

This evening at 5pm Secret Agent & Brewmaster Donovan Steele will be tapping one of his firkins & pouring for you a fresh - one of a kind ale. 

Due to the weather, they will only be tapping one firkin instead of the usual two. This means the beer will go fast, so font be too late. 

Tonight we have an Irish Rred Ale hopped with Mt. Hood, US Golding and Cascade.  And to make it even better it's only$2.50 a pint.

Next week he'll tap the second one; same beer, but this one will be loaded with Centennial and Cascade. So mark your calendar. 

Cheers!

International Stout Day 2012

Embrace your dark side, children! For this is a day for stout lovers. I have gone out of my way to provide you with a list of black & viscous beverages, to help you keep days like these holy.

For International Stout Day we've come up with a list of locally made options. These stouts are listed first; other domestic and international labels are below that. There are many great stouts from around the world, these are just some of the options available in Utah. As always, I encourage you to go local first. In my opinion they're you best options regardless.

Let me know if I've missed something.

Desert Edge Latter Day Stout
Epic Big Bad Baptist
Epic 825 State Stout
Hoppers Madame X Stout
Moab Black Raven Stout
RedRock Oatmeal Stout
Roosters Chocolate Stout
Squatters Captain Bastard's Oatmeal Stout
Squatters Outer Darkness
Uinta's Labyrinth Black Ale
Zion Canyon Virgin Stout


ANDERSON VALLEY BARNEY OATMEAL STOUT
FULL SAIL IMPERIAL STOUT
NORTH COAST OLD RASPUTIN STOUT
COOPERS EXTRA STOUT
SAMUEL SMITH OATMEAL STOUT
GUINNESS STOUT
GUINNESS EXTRA STOUT
GUINNESS FOREIGN EXTRA STOUT
ROGUE CHOCOLATE STOUT
SAMUEL ADAMS CREAM STOUT
SIERRA NEVADA STOUT
SAMUEL SMITH IMPERIAL STOUT

Cheers!

The 2012 Holiday Tasting is Full

Thank you all for your RSVP's to Holiday Tasting. We reached capacity in just over 12 hours.
Unfortunately we are out of room and the invites are now closed. If you've RSVP'd and find you can't make at some point, please let us know so someone can take your spot.

We always have cancellations, RSVPs will be added in the order received.

Again I apologize, the venue just won't allow more people than we already have.

Cheers.

The 2012 Big Ass Holiday Tasting

My apologies, but the Holiday Tasting has filled up in record time and we are no longer taking any more RSVPs

Nearly four years ago we had a simple idea; try to bring together Utah's craft beer lovers for one big, simple beer gathering. We knew of about a dozen men and women in our own little circle that loved to share their favorite global acquisitions, but there had to be more like minded people out there  besides our motley bunch.

We were right! I don't think we had any idea that the number of beer lovers out there would overwhelm the space we acquired for our first gathering.  Every year since it's just got better and better.

So,  if you enjoy the great diversity that craft beer has to offer, I invite you to participate in the 4th Annual Utah Beer Holiday Tasting on Saturday December 8th.

The concept is simple. Bring a nice beer, cider or mead. It can be in a bottle, can, jug, keg or jeroboam as long as it's "special" to you and you think it would be nice to share. It doesn't have to be rare - expensive or outrageous. Just something that you enjoy.

Homebrew is absolutely welcome! If you've got something that you'd like to share please bring it. Give us a heads up if it's kegged so we can make sure we have the appropriate amount of room.

If you have a tasters glass or a piece of stemware please bring it, you'll be glad you did. Plastic cups will be provided but I'd hate for anyone to have to use them.

The Holiday Tasting will be held at a private home and it's location will be given out only to those who RSVP. We will have to put a cap on the number of people attending due to the size of the venue. So get your RSVP in ASAP.

We'd ask that this be limited to "Beer People". People who know beer or are interested in learning more about craft beer. Please feel free to bring a guest if you don't want to come solo.

Speaking of "Beer People". Some of our local craft brewers will be in attendance as well as industry professionals. It'll be a nice opportunity for you to get to know them - and they you.

So, here's the info your gunna need.

Please RSVP to utahbeer@gmail.com

Absolutely no one under 21.

What: 1-2 bottles for tasting & sharing - tasters glass or stemware - some beer & snacks provided.

Where: Draper, Utah

When: the evening of Saturday December, 8th

Questions & RSVP: utahbeer@gmail.com

Don't hesitate to RSVP or ask questions! We usually fill up within a few days & this post is the only invite to the gathering. Any questions?

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 11/2/12

The session beer invasion continues this week with the arrival of Anchor Brewing's Small Beer. Anchor Small revives the ancient brewing tradition of creating two distinct beers from one mash. Made from the second runnings of their Old Foghorn Barleywine mash, – a sweeter, stronger and traditionally more expensive beer made for sipping, and a more plentiful drinking beer. The Anchor brewers sprinkle warm water over the Old Foghorn mash after the first “wort” has run off, creating a second, lighter brew. Technically, both beers are the same, the alcohol by volume being the only difference.

This beer is light, even for Utah standards. It comes in at a whopping 3.3% abv. and is available at some grocery stores right now. You may also see it on tap in the coming weeks as well. There have been some sightings at Harmon's; if you see it anywhere, please share the love!

Widmer Bros. Drop Top Amber: Pours a somewhat hazy orange-amber color with a moderate cap of foam. The nose has bready malt with a mild honey-like character. A tart fruity character is present also, balanced with a fresh herbal hop presence. The taste starts with biscuit flavors that balance nicely with some caramel sweetness. Surprisingly tart, although not over the top. Hop bitterness is moderate, with a balanced fruity and herbal flavors. the finish is lively and crisp. 5.0% abv.

The unusual hop profile and tartness saves this from beer from being another nondescriptly average amber ale. It drinks easily enough and is pretty approachable. @ DABC, Beerhive

We haven't seen Unibroue's Grande Réserve series in few years, Unibroue 17 is the perfect beer to revisit this annual offering. Unibroue 17 Grande Réserve Pours a nice auburn color with a sturdy foamy head. The nose is a beautiful blend of toffee, caramel, vanilla, and just a touch of banana. The taste starts with tobacco, maple, vanilla, and brown sugar, with just a bit of cocoa. In the middle there's a dramatic shift with cherry tannis, plums, pepper and clove. The tannins carry thought to the finish, though the sweetness from the front end lingers underneath.  10.0% abv.

The tannic elements really dries out what could have been a very cloying chewfest. Very nice beer! @ Bayou, DABC

Also from Widmer Bros. we have a winter warmer that hop lovers will really love. Brrr has a deep amber color with a nose of caramel, lemon zest and grapefruit. The taste is equally rich with a nice malty beginning followed by a quick bite of citrus zest and pine, ending with a glowing balance of the two. The Citrus really kicks in at the end and really holds on. A really solid beer, very enjoyable. 7.2% abv.

 I have to say, the Widmer beers that have popped into the market, have been exception if you haven't tried them your really missing the boat. @ DABC

And don't forget Alta's 75th Anniversary Ale is also available.

Cheers!

Alta's 75th Anniversary Ale

On January 15, 1939 one of the oldest ski resorts in the United States opened. Alta, best known for the it's low moisture powder and high volumes of annual snowfall has been home to generations of local skiiers and a popular destination for powder buffs world wide.

To help celebrate Alta's diamond Jubilee the Utah Brewers Cooperative has created a brand new beer to honor one of Utah's favorite winter playgrounds. Note: This is the first beer from the UBC that does not have the name Wasatch or Squatters on it.

The Alta 75 is a dry-hopped pale ale, That delivers a piney, floral and citrus nose with a taste that has a moderate malty base with a big citrusy piny punch. It's beer that perfectly pairs with atmosphere that Alta has been cultivating these many, many decades.

Even if your a snowboarder (Alta does not allow snowboarding) you'll find this ale a perfect companion for your "secrect sick days".

Alta 75 has 4.0% ABV and will be available all over the state in grocery and coninence stores and of course at Alta Resort. This is obviously a limited edition beer and should be trickling into stores within the coming days. Should also be available at the Beer Store after 5pm this evening.

Cheers!