Hoptah IPA

Last May we informed you that Black Diamond Brewing Co. out of Concord, California was entering the SLC market with a session IPA designed especially for our area. Well, it's finally here.

It looks like Hoptah Session IPA just hit grocery store shelves a few days before Christmas. I haven't tried it yet, but a few of you have. It's described as being "brewed with large amounts of Citra, Centennial, and Chinook hops, this lower-alcohol IPA doesn’t sacrifice any flavor. A full body and slight caramel sweetness balance the pleasant, resinous hop bitterness". Please share your impressions if you've tried it and where you found it.

Thanks to Quentin for the photo!

Prost!

New Beer Friday: Boxing Day Edition

I hope, Santa was good to you... If not? Mikey will be! Every Friday is Xmas around here. My sleigh...er Volvo is always full of cheers for all of good girls and boys that are willing to pony up the quatloos for a bit of liquid happiness. If your burnt out on all of yesterday's stresses he's some relief for your body and mind.

RedRock American Session IPA - This showed up at limited grocery stores Christmas Eve, so I didn't have the opportunity to try it. My guess is that it's somewhat similar to RedRock's IPA Junior, a session IPA that's been poured at the brewpub for years. If you've already tried it let us know how it is. 4.0% ABV
 
Squatters: Take Out Rye IPA - Dark amber in color. Nice piney floral nose. A fair amount of fruity rye spiciness on the tongue. Hops are full and bitter. Mostly pine with some bitter citrus peel. Was hoping for a little more tropical hops to pair with the malt fruitiness. Good but not as great as some of their IPAs. 6.25% ABV @ Beer Bar, The Beer Store, Squatters Bottleshop. Wide distribution soon.

Mother Earth: Four Seasons Of Mother Earth - Winter (2014) Deep amber in color with some ruby highlights. The nose is very Christmas-y with cinnamon, pine and various dark spices. The taste is full of nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger blanced with a nice dose of toffee malts. Subtle hazelnut and rich spicy hops came next with a bit of coconut and Bourbon rounding out the back end. This beer reminds me of Bourbon gingerbread cookies. It's rich full flavors explode on the tongue. One of the few Holiday brews that truly hits the mark.  11% ABV @ BeerHive 

Returning Favorites

Epic Blue Law Porter -  Porter made with black berries and spruce tips picked from trees on Utah's Capitol grounds. This wasn't released last year, so it's been absent for a while. @ Epic, The Annex, some better beer bars.

Cheers!

Squatters 529 Oud Bruin is Back!

Well you bought up all of the Fifth Element Wild Saison. I hope you're proud of yourselves! If you somehow managed to miss-out on that boat, round three in the Squatters/Wasatch sour hat-trick hits today.

Squatters 529 Oud Bruin is a blend of new and old and is finally being released today, just in time for the holidays. 529 generally denotes the number of days the base sour beer spends getting all funk-i-fied in oak barrels. If you haven't had the pleasure, 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.

Squatters has limited hours today (Xmas Eve). They are open from 11am to 3pm. These are very limited releases and are gone when gone. I guess this makes up for me getting denied on Van Winkle Day.

Happy Holidays!

Thank You!

Just wanted to say, thanks to everyone who was able to make it out to the Big Ass Holiday Tasting on Saturday. Your generosity and friendship was overwhelming and it's without a doubt the best time of the holidays for Krin and I.

I'm sorry I have to cap the number of people who can attend, it's just not possible to accommodate a massive gathering in a private home. Next year we are looking to expand into a larger venue where it will be possible for me to drink even more of your brilliant beers!

Thanks again to everyone, hope your holidays are filled with beer. Looking forward to great beer year in 2015!

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 12/12/14

Widmer - Alchemy Pale Ale: The nose is citrusy and piney with some earthy caramel malts. The taste follows with toasty and medium sweet malt followed by some fruity tropical hops in the middle. The end is mostly bitter with piney notes. 5.8% ABV @ Beer Bar, DABC 

Widmer - Brrr: Deep copper in color with two fingers of white foam. The nose is dominated by dank malts and grapefruit, florals and a hint of skunk. the flavor starts citrusy with grapefruit, tangerine and herbal notes. A moderate amount of toffee and caramel comes in next with a bit of toasty grain. The is slightly piney and dank. This one is pretty nice, don't drink it too cold. A little warmth brings out some of the malt's complexity. 7.2% ABV @ Beer Bar,  DABC

Firestone Walker - 18 Anniversary Ale: Haven't had a chance to try the XVIII yet. This year's blend is 38% Parabola aged in bourbon barrels, 16% Helldorado aged in bourbon & brandy barrels, 16% Bravo aged in bourbon & brandy barrels, 14% Stickee Monkee aged in bourbon & brandy barrels, 5% Velvet Merkin aged in bourbon barrels, 4% Hydra Cuvee aged in bourbon barrels, 3% Wookey Jack, 2% Ol' Leghorn aged in new American oak, 2% Double Jack.13.0% ABV
If that sounds like it'll shoot a breeze up your skirt, then you can look for it a better beer bars and in select DABC stores.

Returning Favorites

Epic - Old Sage Brett Wild Ale
Epic - Santa Cruz Brown Ale

If you've RSVP'd to the party tomorrow, don't forget your taster glass and a plan for your ride home. Looking forward to seeing you!

Cheers!

A New Direction at the Annex & Tots for Tots

The Annex is teaming up with Yelp and Toys for Tots to bring you "Toys for Tater Tots"! Bring in an unwrapped new toy for donation and recieve a free order of the Annex's gourmet tater tots and a $3 firkin pint. The firkin will feature the Annex's Wheat Ale with Hibiscus and Lemon. Tapping is at 3pm. 

Speaking of the Annex, if you haven't been by recently you've probably missed the new upgrades to the brewpub. First off, that damn Zion Curtain/Beer Burka is gonzo! The remodeled bar is much more comfortable and appealing. 

Another great benefit that many people may not be aware of is that you can get damn near every beer Epic Brewing makes by the glass. You don't have to buy the entire bottle. 

Their new license means more than just doing away with the Zion Curtain it also means that you don't have to order food, just to get a beer, though you may be doing yourself a big disservice by not trying the new menu. 

Many have commented that the Annex's food was not very approachable to the masses. It was just too "foo-foo" for the casual beer crowd. The new menu offers comfort food with an emphasis on fresh ingredients combined with technical prowess. Their fried chicken and burgers and incredible, well worth the trip. 

Cheers!

Rebranding at Shades of Pale

Over the coming weeks you'll start to see a fresh look from Shades of Pale Brewing Co.. Not only will there be new artwork adorning the bottles but the bottles themselves will undergo a change. Look for new 12oz bottles to start popping up in grocery and convenience stores in the coming weeks.

The new brewery in South Salt Lake is also evolving as a new tap house and package agency is in the works. And since they're applying for a package agency license that mean higher ABV beer is on the way. Keep checking back for news on SOP's higher alcohol version of their new Misdirected IPA, coming soon. The 4% version is out right now, and is current being poured at Poplar St. Pub. (see previous post)

Cheers!

New Beer Friday: Repeal Day Edition

On this day in 1933, Utah cast the deciding vote to ratify the 21st Amendment of the Constitution,  which brought to an end the era of National Prohibition in the United States. Appropriately, it's also New Beer Friday. It's the perfect opportunity to celebrate beer's legal return to our lives with something new to share. Happy Repeal Day!

Shades of Pale - Misdirected IPA: This is a brand new label from Shades of Pale's new South Salt Lake brewery. It's a session IPA that will be available soon in 12oz bottles. Right now if you want to try it it's only available on draft at the Poplar Street Pub. Pours a slightly hazed golden amber color with a sturdy foamy head. The nose is a nice blend of citrus peel and flowery hops. The taste starts with some muted carmel malt and toast. Tropical fruitiness comes next adding some nice balance. The end is similar to the aroma - floral and citrusy. Finishes fairly dry. A strong contender for your session IPA dollars.
4.0% ABV

Wasatch - Cherry Coconut Porter: This is a new draft only seasonal from Wasatch. Pours black with a minimal amount of tan head. The nose is mostly of cocoa, coffee and roast. The taste starts with dark bakers chocolate and a hint of espresso. It's fairly dry. A slight cherry/prune tartness comes next to counter the dryness of the darker malts. The end has a hint of malt sweetness, but finishes mostly dry. I get no hint of coconut at all. Kinda reminds me of a stout but it's a nice wintery porter that you will likely find enjoyable. @The Beer Store, Poplar St. Pub and should be popping up where Wasatch/Squatters has seasonal taps. 4.0% ABV

For Firkin Friday at the Bayou, Hoppers has the New Zealand Draught with winter warming spices juniper berries, allspice, and star anise. Base beer is much like an English mild but fermented with lager yeast. Hopped completely with New Zealand Rakau, which have a pepper, pine, citrus and tropical fruit like flavor.

Cheers!

2014 Fifth Element is Finally Here

Alright kids listen up, that Fifth Element beer that we all cherish so damn much is being released today (12/2/14). You had better go buy some before Kent buys it all up. If you think I'm joking? I'm not... and he will, So.... Tally-ho, beer nerds! 

There's a one case limit and it'll probably be going for its standard price of $12.95 a bottle. Please call first before making the trip and remember the girl at the counter may not a fucking clue about what your geeking-out about so go easy on her. Capiche?

And to answer you next question.... "yes", Squatters 529 is likely being released early next week, so don't blow your 'beer wad' today or you'll be so very sad come seven days from now.

Cheers!

Talisman Brewing Company

If you think the new brewery trend is slowing down around the Wasatch Front, think again. Ogden is about to get a new brewery to fill the limbo-esque gap that Ruby River has left open. Husband and wife team: Dusty and Joann Williams have been craft beer enthusiasts for several years and are now ready to take their shared passion to the net level.

Talisman Brewing Company is currently working with Ogden City officials to iron out all the zoning requirements for the brewery. Dusty says, Ogden officials are eager to have their operation in their city. The operation will initially be operating at the Nano level on a 3bbl system and will have some 6bbl fermenters. The brewery will likely expand as demand grows.

Expect to see five flagship beers as well as a 6th beer that will be a season/rotational. Talisman will  initially start off with ales but will incorporate lagers as the brewery grows. Their five beers will be a Hefeweizen, Red Ale, Pale Ale, IPA, and a Porter. The ABV will range from around 4.5% - 8.0%. Dusty says they will be specializing in high point craft beer. "We aren’t messing around with the low ABV stuff". Look for this to be a production brewery with an onsite beer store, "tap room" for tastings and small menu food. Their main focus will be to sell onsite as well as distributing to select restaurants and bars. Once they build their volumes, the intend is to expand distribution to state liquor stores and Military installations.

Once the property has been nailed down they'll have a better idea of when brewing can commence. We'll (of course) keep you updated. Please feel free to join their social media accounts. Cheers!Congratulation, Dusty and Joann!

Facebook- Talisman Brewing Company
Twitter - Talisman@Talismanbrewing
Instagram- Talismanbrewingco
Website- www.talismanbrewingco.com (still in the works)
email- Info@talismanbrewingco.com

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 11/28/14

As you can probably tell, there wasn't a lot of activity on the beer front this week. There was one bright side though, the Sante Fe Brewing Co. beers have finally made it into the market. I know the Barrelhouse in Ogden is selling them, some others bars may be too. They will likely be hitting the DABC stores in the next week or two. If you spot them somewhere please share the info.

Santa Fe - Happy Camper IPA:  The nose has floral citrus hop notes with a bit of grass and some earthy malt. The taste starts floral and grassy a bit of musty clementine juiciness. Subtle caramel malts some next with a hint of toffee. It finishes dry with a dose of bitter orange rind and pine. 6.6% ABV. 12oz can

Santa Fe - Imperial Java Stout: Pours a dark brown to black with about an inch of head. The nose is full of dark roasted coffee and roasted barley. The taste starts with an abundance of dark bitter coffee.
Nutty dark chocolate comes in next with toffe and pine rounding out the end. The alcohol is well hidden. Not as viscous as you'd think, it tastes more like a milk stout than an Imperial Stout. 8.0% ABV. 12oz can

Santa Fe - State Pen Porter: I have not had this one yet. It is described as very "flavorful, swimming with notes of nuts and chocolate; it is drinkable, so drinkable that it is almost as if pint after pint were drinking itself". 6.4% ABV. 12oz bottle

Deschutes - Chasin’ Freshies 2014 (Mosaic): I have not had this one yet. It is described as having  aromas of biscuit, earthy malts and light tropical fruit. Flavors of biscuit, earthiness, dank bud and light grapefruit with a smooth dry bitter lingering dank finish. Palate is light bodied and smooth with a dry finish. 7.2% ABV 22oz bottle @ DABC

Cheers!

New Beer Friday: 2014 Holiday Edition

You know the holidays are near when the Christmas beers start rolling in. Today we have local offerings as well as Texan, English, Danish and Belgian winter warmers. Many of these are in limited supply, so find them sooner than later or you'll miss all of the cheer.

Mikkeller - Hoppin Loving Christmas: Has been described as having “a brutal level of hoppiness, without being overly bitter.” Mikkeller has managed to give this beer and intense hop flavor without the usual bitterness. A perfect hint of ginger adds an amazing spice character. 7.8% ABV @BAYOU

Mikkeller - Winbic: This Sour/Wild ale is a very special blend of Spontan Ale and Saison. 7.8% ABV @BAYOU

Kerkom - Winterkoninkske:  The ‘Winterkoninkske’ or Winter King is the ideal beer to make a cold and chilly winter evening pleasant. The ingredients are: seven types of malt (among which rolled oats), two belgian types of hop, brewing liqour and yeast. This winter beer is a dark and heartwarming beer with a pure, sugary flavor and a long, bitter aftertaste. 8.3% ABV @BAYOU

Kerkom - Bink Grand Cru: A limited luxury edition of Winterkoninkske but refermented with champagne yeast. An extra strong holiday dark beer. 13.0% ABV @BAYOU

To Øl - Santastique: Belgian Strong Ale. It's Santastique 10.0% ABV @BAYOU

To Øl - Frost Bites Holiday IPA: This holiday IPA is brewed with orange peel and pine needles giving a nice citrus notes with an almost breath mint like finish. Some detect dandelions and spruce. 6% ABV @BAYOU

Au Baron Saison St. Medard Cuvee de Noel: From a tiny brewpub just across the border from Belgium, this beer straddles the line between Saison and Biere de Garde. 7% ABV @BAYOU

La Choulette - De Noel: Dark, rich, and hearty ale with a spicy, champagne-like aroma, from a tiny antique brewery.  6.8% ABV @BAYOU

Bourganel - Biere aux Marrons (Chestnuts): This Chestnut brew is unlike anything you have received before.  5.0% ABV @BAYOU

Squatters - Cowboy Cask: Described as a citrus and fruity session pale ale. 4.0% ABV @SQUATTERS

Resignation - KCCO Black Lager: New to the Utah market. Described as having sweet mild roasted dark caramel malt, grains with some light chocolate and coffee notes. Finishes with a mild dark roasted malt, some chocolate and coffee. 5.1% ABV @BARRELHOUSE

Wasatch - First One Down Winter Warmer Ale: This actually isn't new, it's Wasatch Winterfest's new name. 7.1% ABV @DABC

Returning Champs

Deschutes - Jubelale
Wasatch - Bobsled Nut Brown Ale
Uinta - Hazel Amber Wheat Ale
Avenues Proper - Patersbier Belgian Single
Full Sail - Wreck the Hall
Epic - Elder Brett 

Also, Squatters Fifth Element and Squatters 529 are due to be released the first part of December. Fifth Element will be released first, then 529 approximately a week later.  

skål!

Canyon Brewing Company

Are you sick of hearing about all of the new breweries that are making their way into our lives? Me neither! So when I heard that more local home brewers are turning their hobby into a profession, I thought, Bring it on! Let's change our state's name to Brewtah!

Canyon Brewing was conceived by three friends brought together by love of music and beer. Their approach will basically be, share the love of beer. Between the three of them they have the brewing skills and the business acumen, why not?

The Brewery is set to debut with four beers. Bishop’s Storehouse Stout that is described as a dark brown full-body export style stout characterized by a rich blend of caramel, chocolate and coffee flavors - Hidden Peak India Pale Ale: a bold IPA that offers a perfect balance of barley, aromatic hops with a grapefruiti finish - Slot Canyon Pale Ale: a fuller-bodied, pale golden ale, that balances malty sweetness with the piney, citrusy flavor of Cascade hops - Slow Train Steam Beer has a golden amber color that refreshes like a larger. Citrusy hops give this classic American Beer a new-style American update. All beers will be made to ABV style.

Canyon Brewing is looking to purchase a Czech made 10hl Brew System (about 8.5 bbl) and hopes to be brewing with it mid 2015. Updates to follow. Go Brewtah!

Prost!

The Barrelhouse

Listen up Ogden! There's a new craft beer spot in your neighborhood that's all about satisfying your inner beer geek. The Barrelhouse is located in the basement of Ogden's Century Club and features a beer list over a century long... see what I did there? The Century Club?... 100? .. never mind. As I was saying, it's got a bottle list a mile long and a tap selection that's void of those "fizzy yellow beers".

Look for an expanded bottle selection of some of the newer beers to come into the market from out of state breweries such as Alameda Brewing and Resignation Brewing.

You won't find any standard bar glassware either, all beers are paired with their proper glassware along with a staff that has been educated in all the beers served. The Barrel house is located at 315 24th Street in Downtown Ogden and is now open for business.

Today, the Annex's "Middle of the Firkin Wirkin Work Week" Firkin is the Annex IPA with Amarillo hops. Tapping is at 3pm and you can grab a pint of this for just $3.

Cheers!

New Brewery News: The Park City Brewery!

The Holidays may arrive early for Utah's beer lovers, if Scott Ray has anything to do with it. Scott is one of the co-founders of what is likely to be the states newest craft brewery. Park City Brewery. Not to be confused with the old Park City Brewing Company (presently owned by Moab Brewing) this completely new brewery is currently being fitted with (4) 15 barrel fermenters and have (3) 30 barrel fermenters coming mid-December.

Located at 2027 Rasmussen Rd., Summit County's next big thing in beer fills the brewery gap left when Shades of Pale Brewing Co. left Park City to expand their operations in South Salt Lake City. Scott tells me the brewery with start with off with four flagship beers. Look for a Brown Ale, IPA, Pale Ale and a Kolsch.

This will be a production brewery with an eventual Tap Room and Bottleshop. The various beers may be produced in draft as well as some "full strength" options. Scott also says, that they are working around the clock to try and open before the 2014 Christmas holiday.

Please show your support by "friending" them on their Facebook page. 2015 is looking to be a huge beer year for Utahans. keep checking back, it looks like we're going to have a lot to talk about. And if your keeping score, that's five (5) new breweries slated to be in operation in 2015. Big congrats, PC Brew!

Note: People are asking me if this is Mine Shaft Brewing Co. No, this is a completely different brewing operation.

Cheers!

The Book of New Beer Friday

Have you heard about New Beer Friday? It's Another, Another Testament of Jebus. Plus this one has gigantic freak'n robots fighting big-ass Kaiju! Before we get into our lesson, I'd like to read from the book of Armaments Chapter One, verses nine through twenty-seven: And Saint Attila raised the Holy Hand Grenade up on high saying, "Oh Lord, Bless us this Holy Hand Grenade, and with it smash our enemies to tiny bits." And the Lord did grin, and the  people did feast upon the lambs, and stoats, and orangutans, and breakfast cereals, and lima bean.  -- Monty Python, "The Holy Hand Grenade"

Epic - Element 29 Pale Ale: Yes, it's finally here! The American Pale is copper colored of course with a nose full of pleasant citrus and floral hops. The tastes starts with a bit of caramel and cookie dough with ripe peaches. Hops take over towards the end bringing forward floral and citrus zest. finishes moderately dry. 5.2% ABV @ 300 w. Wine Store

Uinta's Brighton Ella IPA: This one was just bottled yesterday and should be available for purchase at Uinta's Brewery Pub today and all over town in the coming days. This one is slightly different from the others in a couple of ways. It features Ella Hops from Australia. These can display floral and subtle spice notes, such as star anise, which is best appreciated in lagers or pilsners. With larger additions or when dry hopping, Ella imparts distinct grapefruit and tropical flavors which can be used to offset robust malt and yeast characters in many styles. This version of Brighton will be packaged in 750ml. cork and caged bottles as well as draft kegs. 4.0% ABV

Guinness - 1759 Amber Ale: This is described as an ultra-premium beer brewed with traditional beer malt and superior-quality peated whiskey malt with a rich butterscotch aroma and a fruity sweetness. Expect a bit of bottle shock if you find them at the DABC expect to pay upwards of $35 for a 25oz. bottle. The Beer Bar and the Bayou also have some. Not sure what they're pricing them at but I guarantee it's more than $35. 9.0% ABV

Rogue - New Crustacean Barlywine-ish Imperial IPA Sorta: This has a nose of biscuit, Bit o' Honey, fruity/tropical hops and some floral notes. The taste starts with sweet crackers and biscuit. Pineapple notes and some lemon zest come next. The end is floral and piney with a hint of boozy apple tartness in the finish. Quite nice. 11.6% ABV. 

Rogue - Morimoto Hazelnut Ale: As I understand it this is the same beer as Rogue's Hazelnut Brown Nectar Ale. 6.0% ABV  - Should be for sale state wide 

Rogue - Dad's Little Helper Black IPA: Pours a dark brown color with a beige frothy head. The nose has a nice balance of roasty malty/citrus piney hops. The taste is the same with roasty, chocolate, and some subtle plum notes. Cutrus and pine come next with some coffee notes rounding out the finish. Nice BIPA. 6.2% ABV.  For sale everywhere

Returning Favorites

RedRock - 2014 Secalè: This Latest version is more balanced than previous versions. Where as the pervious versions were more whiskey forward - Expect a bit of chewy caramel malt with a more balanced amount of High West Rye Whiskey in the back end. 8.5% ABV @ RedRock and better beer bars.

Cheers!

The 2014 Big-Ass Holiday Tasting

Sorry, We are full. Please feel free to request to be on the stand-by list. There are always cancellations. People are added in the order received. Thanks again for all of the positive support!

When we first came up with the idea of a Big Ass Holiday tasting we knew there would be a few, die-hard beer nerds out there willing to participate, but we've been humbled and blown away by the responses we've received every year since the first gathering six years ago. Now it's time to put out the invitation for my favorite part of the holiday's - It's the 6th Annual Big-Ass Holiday Beer Tasting.

The rules are always the same, but for new readers of the Utah Beer Blog here are the rules and info.

First of all this is the only invite to the gathering. Too often I get people saying, "nobody told me"! This is a "thank you" for bothering to visit the Utah Beer Blog and being a proactive member of Utah's craft beer community. So, if your reading this, you know about the party. If you missed it - I'm sorry. Social Media isn't conducive to having an intimate party of this size.

The Holiday Tasting is 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. It fills up very fast.

A lot of very generous people offer up some of their prized bottles and favorite creations. So we 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.

RSVPs will be limited to two people this year. Three in special circumstances. It's all about giving everybody who wants to attend the opportunity to attend.  

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! We have some incredibly talented homebrewers in the area, 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.

Plan ahead for your ride home. In previous years weather has made an impact on getting people home safely. Don't get piss drunk and plan your rides now!

We've never had any issues of people missbehaving until last year. This will not be tolerated. Grow the fuck and be an adult. If you can't handle your drink please don't come.

So, here's the info your gunna need.

Please RSVP to utahbeer@gmail.com (we filled up in 30 hours last year)

Absolutely no one under 21.

What: 1-2 bottles for tasting & sharing - tasters glass or stemware - some beer & snacks provided but please feel free to contribute a nosh or munchie.

Where: Draper, Utah

When: The evening of Saturday December, 13th

Questions & RSVP: utahbeer@gmail.com

Don't hesitate to RSVP or ask questions! Again, this post is the only invite to the gathering. Any questions?

Cheers!

Sockeye Brewing Headed to Utah

Looks like the guys from Sockeye Brewing Co. are in town checking out the lay of the land, as they are looking into bringing their beers into the Utah Market.

Sockeye Brewing is based out of Boise, Idaho and has been in business since 1996. They have two breweries in Idaho and their flag ship beer is the Dagger Falls IPA, but they have a portfolio of nearly 20+ beers. Most of their products are in 12 or 16 oz cans.

The deals are still being worked out, as the Sockeye crew just arrived in Salt Lake City. But look for their beers to start hitting shelves sometime in February 2015. Welcome to the market Sockeye!

Cheers!

Kilby Court Brewing Co.

We interrupt this New Beer Friday with a special bulletin: Another new brewery attacks Salt Lake City! Alvie Carter, the owner of Kilby Court and the Poplar Street Pub has been approved by the city to begin construction on a brewpub located in the Granary District of SLC.

The small brewpub will consist of a small tasting and retail sales area with sandwiches provided by  Poplar Street Pub, located at 242 South 200 West. Seating will accommodate eight people at a sandwich counter with an additional thirty seven seats in the pub. The brewery will be run by Carter's son who is a professional brewer.

For now the new brewpub is called Kilby Court Brewing and will be located at 700 South 316 West. We'll share more info on the brewery as it progresses. Congrats guys!

Now on to New Beer Friday!

Alameda - Easy Ryder Session IPA: This one is a special 4% beer made for the Salt Lake market. The nose is mostly floral, Pine and citrus. The taste starts with a bit of caramel malt then transitions into mostly Pine and a bit of citrus peel. It finishes slightly dry and bitter. It's not bad for a session IPA but there are better options available locally. It's worth a shot. 

Sierra Nevada - Northern Hemisphere Harvest Wet Hop: The nose is full of biscuits, pine, orange zest, and some spice. The taste starts with herbal and pines notes, next comes citrus, and some toasty malts. A great IPA, definitely worth checking out.

Ommegang - Game of Thrones Valar Morghulis: The nose is full of biscuit, pine, orange and some yeasty spices. The taste starts slightly earthy and tangy with lots of fruitiness and caramel malts. Herbal dryness and some leafy hop bitterness comes next. For a Belgian style dubble it's quite Hoppy, a little out of style but pretty good. 

Widmer - Upheaval IPA: The nose is full of lemon, grapefruit, orange and Pine. The taste starch dry and bitter with citrus peel and a touch of malt sweetness. The end is much like the beginning dry and bitter. Finishes dry and crisp.

Returning this week
Uinta - Sea Legs Baltic Porter
Wasatch  -Switch
Desert Edge - Citra in Red
Avenues Proper - SkittleBrau, brewed with 85 lbs of real peaches

Cheers! 

International Stout Day 2014

Today is International Stout Day! Whether you love 'em or hate 'em, you have to admit stouts are one of the most iconic beverages out there. It doesn't matter if you participate at home, the pub, brewery or restaurant; celebrate with at least one stout of any style and please feel free to share your photos on the Utah Beer Facebook Page. #utahstoutday

Here's a limited list of some of the available Utah options out there for you to enjoy. I know I've missed many, please share the ones I missed. 

Locally Made
Avenues Proper Slaite Stout 
Bonneville Sir Malcolm's Stout
Desert Edge Latter Day Stout
Epic Big Bad Baptist
Epic 825 State Stout
Epic Imperial Stout
Hoppers Madame X Stout
Moab Black Raven Stout
Moab Export Stout
RedRock Oatmeal Stout
RedRock Drioma Imperial Stout
Roosters Chocolate Stout
Squatters Captain Bastard's Oatmeal Stout
Squatters Espresso Stout on Nitro (seasonal)
Squatters Outer Darkness
Uinta's Labyrinth Black Ale
Wasatch Black o Lantern
Zion Canyon Virgin Stout

National/International Brands
Anchor Stout 
Anderson Valley Barney Oatmeal Stout
Anderson Valley Wild Turkey Bourbon Barrel Stout
Beamish Oatmeal Stout
Base Camp - S'more Stout
Deschutes Obsidian Stout
Deschutes Abyss Imperial Stout
Firestone Walker Velvet Merlin Oatmeal Stout
Firestone Walker Parabola. Russian Imperial Stout
Full Sail Imperial Stout
Full Sail - Brewers Share Mathias’s Main Ingredient Oatmeal Stout
HUB Seven Grain Survival Stout 
Jolly Pumpkin Madura Obscura 
Murphy's Oatmeal Stout
Ninkasi Imperiale
North Coast Old Rasputin Imperial Stout
Coopers Extra StoutT
Samuel Smith oatmeal stout
Samuel Smith Imperial Stout
Guinness Stout
Guinness Extra Stout
Guinness Foreign Extra Stout
Rogue Chocolate Stout 
Rogue Shakespeare Stout
Samuel Adams Cream Stout
Sierra Nevada Stout
Sierra Nevada Narwhal Imperial Stout
Tenaya Creek Haul'n Oats Oatmeal Stout

Slainte! 

The Switch is Back!

A little bird or butterfly in this case has informed me that Switch, Wasatch's Port barrel aged sour ale is set to go on sale today. Switch is the brainchild of Utah Beers' Head Cellarman, Adam Curfew. Switch's original release was Wasatch's White Label Witbier that was aged in port wine barrels for 18 months. This new release is described as a sour red ale, aged for two years  -from blends of four different barrels.

I got to try a sample of this version a few months ago before it was bottle conditioned. It was quite bright and tart with a bit a sweet malt beneath. Look for Switch at the Beer Store today. Please call before making the trip. 

Cheers!

New Beer Friday: Halloween Edition

Welcome to this special Halloween Edition of New Beer Friday! Today we have a new brews from local and out of state Booeries. See what I did there? I said, "booeries instead of "breweries".... because it's Halloween! ..... never mind, here are your beers.

Sadly, I've not had one of these beers. All descriptions are from the makers. The new beers from the Beer Bar are scheduled to arrive today and may not be available until after 5pm, so call first if your making a special trip.

Hoppers - Pumpkin Ale (Unspiced): Secret Agent and Hoppers Brewmaster Donovan Steele has a pumpkin ale - who doesn't, right? The difference is his has the pumpkin but no traditional pumpkin pie spices. The only spice like flavor is from the variety of hops used. The ale is made with fresh roasted pumpkin and pumpkin puree. Brown malt, caramel, honey malt, oats, and roasted barley to enhance the pumpkin flavors and texture. 4.0% ABV @ Hoppers

Oakshire Brewing - Watershed IPA: Brand new to the Utah market. Described as having a floral nose with lemon and hints of caramel. The taste has toasted grains followed by grapefruit, pine and some floral notes. 6.7% ABV @ Beer Bar

Base Camp - S'more Stout: Aromas of chocolate, coffee, fig, and smoke invite you in to a gigantic maltiness that is distinct in its smooth and refined character, with flavors of chocolate and hints of smoke mingling with rich caramel, fruit, and warming alcohol.  Top with a roasted marshmallow and you have the ultimate S’more experience! 7.7% ABV @ Beer Bar

Base Camp - Northwest Fest: Base Camp's take on the malt-forward fest biers of Bavaria. Extensive malt aroma and taste trials over the last two years led us in crafting this recipe, a subtly-hopped amber lager that walks the line between dry and full-bodied, not too sweet but definitely not lacking in malty goodness.  Lagered on our in-house toasted oak to round out this brew’s flavor profile. 5.6% ABV @ Beer Bar

Hopworks - Fuggle IPX: Fuggle hops are typically floral and grassy so look for that along with a bit of light caramel malt. 6.0% ABV @ Beer Bar

Hopworks - Abominable Winter Ale: This is described as a Winter IPA. Look for toasty Munich and light caramel malts with a medley of citrus fruit notes from the hops. @ Beer Bar

Woodchuck - Granny Smith Cider: Brilliantly clear golden hue. The nose is simply apple. The taste is tart green apple. Not jaw locking tart but enough to feel in your cheeks. The are some tannin notes in the end. Very drinkable. 5.0% ABV draft @ Beer Bar (This one is on right now)

By the way, Heretic Brewing did confirm that they are bringing their beers to SLC in early 2015.

Cheers!

Maple Mountain Halloween Party

Provo, Utah's Maple Mountain Brewing is still months away from going on line, however that's not stopping the the owners from keeping you excited about their new take on local beers. The Maple Mountain crew will be holding a Halloween party this Friday evening starting at 8pm at the brewery's future site. Donations will be appreciated as the fledgling brewery is looking for an injection of funds to to help them overcome some start-up hurdles so operations can move forward. Maple Mountain will have a few experimental brews on tap for people to enjoy. The address is 861s. 170e. Provo, Ut. Hope to see you there!

Also today, Uinta's popular Yard Sale Winter Lager is getting some new packaging. look for the new cans on store shelves in the coming days. Yard Sale is a great toasty amber lager full of Nobel Hop goodness. Always in my fridge. Formerly Gelande Amber Lager for those of you keeping score. 4.0% ABV.

Cheers!

Middle of the Firkin Wirkin Work Week

The management at the Annex would like to reward you all for making it (relatively) unscathed to Wednesday. To celebrate this monumental achievement, "Middle of the Firkin Wirkin Work Week" was created to reward the working folk in the middle of the week.

This week's firkin is The Annex Bavarian Hefeweizen with Grapefruit Zest and Whole leaf Amarillo hops. They will again have a special small bites menu to go with the firkin. The tapping is at 4:00 pm and the firkin pints are a generous $3.

Cheers!

Rumor of the Day: Heretic Brewing

2015 is likely going to be a big year for new craft brands coming into the state. Breweries from all over the west are discovering a huge Utah shaped hole in their distribution maps and are finding it's full previously undocumented money wielding beer nerds.

One brewery I'm hearing rumblings about is Heretic Brewing out of Pittsburg, CA. Heretic makes six year round offering and about a dozen seasonal beers. Their known for a DIPA named Evil Cousin and a Strong Ale called Evil Twin.

My sources are say early 2015. Take it for what it's worth, these rumors usually come to fruition, just not in the time frame normal humans are used to. Any thoughts on these beers?

Cheers!

2 Row Brewing Company

It's new brewery day! Yup, around here when we make a new brewery announcement it's like Christmas, Life Day and Mardi Gras all rolled up into one!

Our story begins here, on the internet. As many of you know, this is a dangerous place to be. Use cation when you tread here, what you do could have life altering consequences. Case in point: Brian Coleman - an unassuming local home brewer is bumping around on the inter webs and comes across a profession brewing system for sale.

Now most of us home brewers would have looked at this brewhouse system and thought, 'wow... maybe someday'. But Brian had to go and take it a step further and make contact with the seller. The result of his conversation was an out of this world bargain and an immediate trip to the East Coast of the United States. A week later after what could be described as the plot from Indian Jones and the Lost Crusade, Brian returns to the SLC with a shit load of stainless steel, hoses, fittings and a refrigeration system. It's at this point our hero says to himself,' I guess I'm getting into the brewing business'.

That's the somewhat vague and brief origins of 2 Row Brewing, Utah's next brewery. But starting a brewery is a lot more than having cool toys, you need some smarts in the kitchen and in the lab. If you've ever tried Brian's home brew you know that this boy has got skills. I've met few home brewers that have such attention to detail when it comes to the little things that make a big difference in the quality of any given beer.

Brian and his wife Dede have decided on Midvale to set up shop. 2 Row will be a 4% + ABV brewery that will cover the entire gambit of beers. The brewery will have it's own Package Agency so they will be able to sell be direct to the public.

The Coleman's are still in the process of gathering all the needed licenses/permits and are hoping to start brewing in the Spring of 2015.

2 Row will likely debut with four labels including an India Pale Ale, Double IPA and a Bier de Gard. Please show your support by liking 2 Row's Facebook page and keep checking in here for detailed updates. Congrats, Brian and Dede!

Prost!

New Beer Friday 10/24/14

New Belgium - Hop The Pond: Nice golden amber in color. The nose has some Mango and tangerine notes with light malt. The taste starts tropical as well with intense hop fruitiness and light caramel malt to balance it all out. The end is quite bitter with mostly pine resins.This is a really nice and drinkable Double IPA. The 8% ABV is well hidden, which could make it quite dangerous. @ Beerhive

Full Sail - Brewers Share Mathias’s Main Ingredient Oatmeal Stout: Pours black with a bi of tan head. The nose has some coffee and burnt toast aromas. The taste starts with a hint of sweetness that soon turns into char. The burnt flavors linger on a bit and transition into to lemon rind bitterness in the end. Finishes bone dry. Oatmeal stouts should have a serious smoothness and sweetness from the oats. This has non of that. It's way to dry and almost acrid. If you like American Stouts this may be more your style, if you into oatmeal stout look the other way. 5.5% ABV @ Beerhive

Sometimes these beers will pop-up at the DABC stores, you can never anticipate where or when, so if you come across any of them please fell free to come back here and spread the love.

Cheers!

The Second Annual Boho-Fest

The Second Annual Boho-Fest is coming up this Saturday, Oct 25th. The kids at Bohemian will be pouring a shload of their old school brews with the addition of great locally made brats. It will literally be a sausage fest with sausages from Siegfried's Delicatessen.

There will be live music, corn hole, heaters if it's cold and the ladies from Barley's Angels will also be there advocating for craft beers feminine side; offering a free pint glass full of beer with the purchase of a lifetime membership ($25).

If you've ever thought about getting into the home brewing game the guys from Salt City Brew Supply will be on hand to answer questions and provide tips.

Boho-Fest begins at 2pm and goes 'til 6pm at Bohemian's Brewery located at 94 e. 7200 s. You need to be 21+ to enter Boho-Fest, however the restaurant is open to all ages. Hope to see you there!

Prost!

Epic's Element 29 American Pale Ale

Epic Brewing has a new Pale ale coming our way next month. Element 29 all Amarillo hopped American Pale Ale. Element 29 is named for Copper the 29th element in the periodic table.


Amarillo Hops tend to have full of big orange and tangerine notes. I got to try this ale at Epic's Denver taproom earlier this month. The appearance is copper colored of course with a nose full of pleasant citrus and floral hops. The tastes starts with a bit of caramel and cookie dough with ripe peaches. Hops take over towards the end bringing forward floral and citrus zest. finishes moderately dry. 5.2% ABV

Element 29 is Epic's third canned beer and because it's only available in cans it will only be made in Epic's Denver brewery (that's where the canning line is) it is expected to hit Utah shelves in November. Because we live in Utah and the beer is made in Denver you will not be able to buy it at Epic's Bottleshop downtown. You can only buy beer at the bottleshop that's made in Utah. You may have noticed that you can't buy cans of Escape to Colorado and Hop Syndrome in cans there as well - only in DABC stores. Yeah, I know. We'll let you know when it pops into town.


Cheers!

New Beer Friday 10/17/14

Shipyard - Smashed Pumpkin: This was actually out last week but it got lost in last week's clutter. Slightly boozy nose with allspice, nutmeg and a bit of cinnamon. The taste is big and malty up front with assertive pumpkin spices. Big hop bitterness comes next rounding out the back end. The finish has a bit of alcohol heat. It's pretty good, There are better local options if you want a pumpkin beer though. 9.0% ABV @ Specialty Beer Bars and DABC

Avenues Proper - Little Sister Cerveza: A portion of this lager was brewed with specialty malted blue corn. Little Sister is described as having a golden color with pinkish/blue highlights. The flavor starts with light malt sweetness and a nutty corn chip flavor. The finish is hoppy and grassy with a bit of skunk for authenticity. 4.0% ABV @ Avenues Proper

Desert Edge - Put Away Wet: Clear dark brown in color. The nose is a little earthy and toasty citrus and floral notes. The taste is toasted and slightly malty with some chocolate and nutty flavors. finishes with a bit of floral bitterenss. Think wet-hopped Brown IPA. 4.0% ABV @ Desert Edge


Ninkasi is no longer exclusive to the Beer Bar. They did all the leg work, now you get to reap the benefits. Many of the beer bars in SLC are stocked up now and you should start seeing some in the DABC stores in the next couple of weeks. Here are some new arrivals.
 
Ninkasi Oktoberfest: The nose is grainy and earthy with some caramel aromas. The taste is toasty with some slight almond nuttiness. Vanilla wafers come next and big grassy hops round out the end. Finishes a little hoppy and dry. A little out of style but very drinkable. 5.9% ABV @ Beer Bar, Beerhive

Ninkasi Venn Dortmunder: Very bright and clear. The nose has biscuit and malt with slight citrus/grassy hops. The flavor follows the aroma with biscuit a bit of sweet malt and some bready notes. Big spicy hop bitterness comes next taking over creating a dry - yet unbalanced hoppy punch. Delicious! 5.1% ABV @ Beer Bar

Ninkasi Imperiale: Did not get around to this one. It's described as having roasted malt up front, with caramel, toffee, molasses and a touch of coffee smooth and creamy body warming the mouth. 9.1% ABV @ Beer Bar

The Annex has the Firkin at the Bayou today. It's their Milk Stout with added vanilla and milk sugars. Think Ice Cream! Tapping is a 3:30pm

The Annex is also serving a firkin at the brewpub. It's the Annex Irish Red with Vanilla Bean and Lactose. High krausened with Intermountain Wheat. Starting next week the Annex's Firkin night will move to Wednesdays with the debut of "Wirkin da Firkin". That firkin will feature the Annex's Milk Stout loved up with Chipotle Peppers.

The Holidays are here early with the return of RedRock's Griswald's Holiday Ale. This is always slightly different from year to year. @ RedRock locations

Cheers!

New Beer Friday: Wedding Edition

Got a wedding to go attend this weekend? I hear your calendars may have just doubled. Well my friend, it's a good thing you stopped by! Today we have all manner of liquid malty goodness to brighten up any party or to just help enjoy the day.

Last July we told you about the Summit Co. Land Conservancy's hikes to hunt for local wild hop populations. These hops are said to be descendants of plants that German immigrants brought to Summit County during the mining days of the 1800s. Through its Hops Hunters program, the Conservancy and hops-loving volunteer hikers identified viable wild hops populations on four Park City properties protected by the Conservancy—Empire Canyon, McPolin Farmlands, Virginia Mining Claims and the Rail Trail.

Wasatch brewers, the Conservancy and volunteers monitored these populations for peak brewing readiness for a few weeks and on August 27 harvested 42 pounds of wild hops cones, which Wasatch brewed into "Clothing Hoptional". I was under the impression that this beer was going to be part of the Hop Bandit seasonal that Wasatch has been making over last 5 or 6 years. Oh well, I'm always happy to be wrong in these circumstances.

Anyway, Clothing Hoptional is described as an unfiltered Golden Ale that pours a slightly hazy dark gold with a nice white head. The aroma has a hop character that is light citrus, piney, floral, and grassy along with light bready and caramel malt notes. The flavor follows the aroma with citrusy-floral and grassy hop flavors upfront followed by slightly sweet bready, caramel and honey-like malt notes, finishing with a slight bitterness to balance the beer out nicely. It is a nice, sessionable medium body 22 IBU beer. 4.0% ABV. Only available at Wasatch's Park City Brewpub and SugarHouse Brewpub.

Sierra Nevada Ovila Tripel: The nose has apple, citrus and Chardonay. The taste starts bready and sweet with some tangy fruity notes as well. Chardonnay grapes come next with peppercorn and clove rounding out the end. Finishes with a bit of spicy hops. Not as rich as some triples, which ups its drinkability. 8.8% ABV @ Beer Bar - DABC

Payette Bonanza Golden Ale: Golden Bronze in color with muted floral and citrus aromas. The taste starts with sweet biscuit and caramel. Slight floral and citrusy hops come next providing a nice balance to the ale. The finish is crisp and clean. A nice session ale. @ Grocery Stores

Beer from the monks of St Boniface and Andechs in Munich have made their way into Salt Lake City and are exclusively available right now at the Beer Bar. The brewery is the major income generator for the abbey. Here's what you'll find.

Klosterbrauerei Andechs - Doppelbock Dunkel: Pours a clear mahogany color with two fingers of tan head. The nose has toffee, caramel and hazelnut. The taste starts with fruity toffee and caramel. Nutty toasty grain flavors comes next with a bit of banana bread richness rounding out the end. The finish is toasty and slightly bitter. It's okay, could use a little more balance. 7.1 % ABV 

Klosterbrauerei Andechs - Vollbier Hell: The nose is grassy and spicy with noble hops, yeast and toast pilsener malt. The taste starts with biscuity, pilsener malt and some yeasty breadiness. Spicy noble hops come next with some grassy notes as well. Lemongrass fills the finish with a nice subtle bitterness. I'm not a huge Helles guy, but this one is quite good. Worth your time. 4.8% ABV

Klosterbrauerei Andechs - Weissbier Hell: The nose has a nice creamy wheat aroma with floral, orange juice and coriander. The taste starts with candy like toffee and creamy wheat notes. Toasty wheat and biscuit notes come next with hay and mild coriander and spices rounding out the end. Finishes semi dry with some lemon and orange zest. The Helles influences add a lot of character to this unusual Weissbier. 5.5% ABV

Klosterbrauerei Andechs - Weissbier Dunkel: Pours a dark mahogany color with a puffy white head. The nose has banana, cloves, caramel and Noble hops. The taste starts with nice yeasty notes, caramel and toffee. Chocolate malt and bready wheat come next with banana and spices rounding out the end. The finish is round and chewy. For a low ABV beer this brew is full bodied and hearty. 5.0% ABV.

From one of the largest in the breweries in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. The Flensburger brewery was founded in 1888 and they credit the pristine underground glacier streams that hail from Northern Scandinavia for the beers consistently fresh taste. These are also exclusively at the Beer Bar.

Flensburger Pilsner: Pours a brilliantly clear straw color with a white foamy cap. The nose has a subtle grassy aroma with toasty crackers and grain beneath. The taste starts with sweet grains and toast. Slight earthy and sulfur notes come next with a sharp hop bitterness rounding out the back end. Great hoppy German pils with nice, smooth mouthfeel. 4.8% ABV

Flensburger Gold lager: Pours a clear gold color with a large white head that sticks around. The nose has apple and grape with mild grain notes. The taste starts grainy and toasty. Malt sweetness comes next with more white grape notes and a touch of grass and grain. Slight sulfur notes round out the end. Finishes semi dry. 4.8% ABV

Flensburger Weizen: Pours a hazy dark golden hue with a finger, foamy white head. The nose is doughy with tea and some cola notes. The taste starts like the nose with big doughy bread notes. Estery yeast flavors come next. The end is nutty with some biscuit notes. The finish is slightly bitter. It's ok. There are some off-flavors that I cant't quite identify. 5.1% ABV

Flensburger Dunkel: Pours a dark brown color with two fingers of frothy foam. The nose has molasses, tea leaves, cocoa and roasted malt grain. The taste starts with pecan nuttiness, toffee and some roasted grain notes. Cocoa comes next with some Nutella sweetness. The end has some leafy tea flavors as well as some floral notes. and some roasted grain. shells, a little light roasted malt grain, and tea leaf. 4.8% ABV

For Firkin Friday at the Bayou Hoppers has filled the barrel with their Dunkel Lager made with Vienna and Dark Munich malts with Hallertau Mittlefrau in the kettle. Dry hopped with New Zealand Pacific Jade. They have a nice pepper spice and a citrus rind and orange flavor. A little more pine like when dry hopped. Tapping is at 3:30pm

At 4:30pm the Annex will be tapping the Annex's Bavarian Hefeweizen made with White Turkish Figs. Sounds damn interesting!

Prost!

Squatters' Beer Garden at SLC Farmers Market

If your headed to the Downtown Farmers Market this Saturday, look for something new. Squatters will be providing a Craft Beer Garden from 11:00AM-2:00PM. Squatters will be pouring 7 different drafts right in Historic Pioneer Park. Ever dreamed of pairing some of local vendors food with beer?  Now is your chance!

The draft list includes:

American Hefeweizen

Chasing Tail Golden Ale

Full Suspension Pale Ale

Organic Amber Ale

Vienna Marzen

Chocolate Rye

Simcoe Fresh Hop

Also, look for local food pairings, grab your favorite market vendor’s food and enjoy with a cold pint! Dottie’s biscuits, Grandaddy Dean’s, Bonaparte Grill, Thai Chef To-Go, or Tulie Bakery. 

Cheers!