The Beer Bar Opens Today!

Wahoo! Finally the news most SLC beer geeks have been waiting for the Beer Bar is finally open for business. Three years ago Duncan Burrell, Richard ­­­Noel and Modern Family actor Ty Burrell decided to get into the bar game and open a high end cocktail bar at the sight of one of SLC's most infamous watering holes, The Bar X. Gone was all the old school remnants of notorious "men only" past in favor of a more modern mixology based cocktail experience.

 Though cocktails put them on the map, craft beer was always on their minds; and when the two vacant spaces next to Bar X became available, it was the perfect opportunity to infuse more new life into Salt Lake's beers scene with their newest concept, The Beer Bar.

This place is more than just a "beer bar". The owner have gone to painstaking efforts to make this new place a beer lovers dream. Not only did they bring in some new out of state brands, they also hired former RedRock brewer Kyle Trammel to oversee the implementation and design of their beer menu, staff training and systems. From a wide range of style- appropriate glassware to separate temperature controls for ales and lagers, the high tech European influenced bar is designed for the fussiest beer drinker.

I can describe it, but you really have to go down and check it out for yourself. I've been teasing most of you with the great new beers that Beer Bar has brought in, now I can finally release the new beers on their extensive beer list. And while your there check out the house beer, a unique, specially made collaborative beer made with Bohemian Brewing. This rotating beer will change multiple times over the year - right now it's a Helles style lager.


Here's the newest additions to the market. What do you think?

10 Barrel – Apocalypse IPA
10 Barrel – OG Wheat IPA
10 Barrel – Project Failed RED
10 Barrel – Sinistor Black Ale
Alameda – Papa Noel Olde Ale
Alameda – Sisikou Golden Ale
Alameda – Klickitat APA
Alameda – Yellow Wolf IIPA
Alameda – El Torero IPA
Alameda – Black Bear STOUT
Burnside – Oatmeal Pale Ale
Burnside – India Pale Ale
Ninkasi – Pravda Pilsner
Ninkasi – Total Domination 22oz
Ninkasi – Total Domination 12oz
Ninkasi – Tricerihops IIPA 22oz
Ninkasi – Tricerihops IIPA 12oz
Ninkasi – Believer Dred
Ninkasi – Dawn of the Red
Ninkasi – Oatis Oatmeal Stout
Guinness – Forign Extra Stout
Moab – Forign Extra Stout
Greene King – Old Suffolk
New Belgium – TRIP
New Belgium – Blue Pad Pils
New Beglium – Shift Pale Lager
New Belgium – Sunshine Wheat Ale

And more coming.....

Cheers!

Half Assed New Beer Friday

Got called into work this morning at 2:30am, so I never really got a chance to get New Beer Friday put together. Here's what I have.

Uinta Revolver White IPA - haven't tried it yet. This one replaces the Black IPA

Uinta Birthday Suit Sour Saison (see Monday's review)

Cheers!

The 2014 Tour de Brewtah and the Return of Rêve

Registration is now open for the 2014 Tour de Brewtah. If your not familiar with this event it combines two of my favorite activities bicycling and beer. Last year's event not only had bikes and beers but also a Star Wars theme! This year will have a theme as well, but as of now it's yet to be determined.

 The 2014 Tour de Brewtah will be held Saturday, May 3rd, 2014. The cost of the ride will be $45 regular/ $75 VIP and includes a beverage of choice at each stop, commemorative pint glass, snacks along the way, and a feeling of doing good in your community.

There will be a couple food trucks on site in the morning serving up coffee and breakfast stuff, and multiple trucks at the wrap up party serving up some awesome grub for dinner!!  So bring your cash and get your fill.

And, of course, World Dog will be at Uinta again meeting your gourmet hot dog needs!

Also there will be entertainment at the end! More details to follow. Here's the link to the registration page. This event fills up fast so don't wait.

RedRock's Rêve Belgian style Triple is back! If your a fan of Triples you'll really love this beer. If your not a fan of Triples your really going to love this beer. One of the things that sets this beer apart from others of it's style is the blending of RedRock's wild, sour beer strain to it's base. This year’s batch contains a blend of one and two-year old Belgium funky ales that have been basking in the high-life of French Oak Chardonnay barrels. 

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. Tart vinous fruit come next balancing out the sweetness creating dry and almost puckering finish. 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. It’s 10.3% abv is more than enough to warm your inner beer geek. Rêve is truly a dream! Available at RedRock locations and Northern Utah's better beer spots. 

Cheers!

Birthday Suit, Sour Farmhouse Ale

Uinta's Birthday Suit is back, bringing with it more tart goodness and a little Belgian twist. While the Birthday Suit brand was not developed to be a 'sour brand', the tradition, thus far, has carried on, becoming one of the breweries more unique offerings
 

This year's third rendition of Birthday Suit is an unfiltered sour farmhouse ale that showcases a mix of underlying spices from the Saison yeast used in it's primary fermentation. The taste starts with with puckering lemon zest and a clean wheat breadiness. Coriander like spiciness and grass round out the end with a moderate tartness carrying through to the finish. Crisp and refreshing, Puckering and bright with a well hidden ABV of 6.3%, Birthday Suit is akin to a big Berliner Weisse. It's refreshing as Hell with a great citrusy sourness that is worth celebrating.

This limited release for Uinta's 21st Birthday (Hey they're finally legal) is scheduled to hit shelves today or tomorrow. Check back here or at Uinta's Facebook Page for it's exact release day. As always call ahead.

Cheers!

Beer Bar Preview

This is just a teaser for the opening of the Beer Bar. In the coming days your going to be seeing a lot of new beer brought in by Utah's newest craft beer bar. The owners have asked me to keep a lid on their new beer list, but if your in the know, you can probably make out one of the brands you'll be drinking in the coming days.

Check back to get the full list.

Cheers!

Green Flash Coming to Utah

On this day of green things I thought it would be appropriate to announce to you all that it's official, Green Flash Brewing Co. is finally filling the two state hole in their their distribution map, bringing Utah and Hawaii into the fold. Located in San Diego, California, Green Flash is known for helping to create the the "west coast" style of IPAs that have become so incredibly popular around the world. Green Flash brews ten styles of beer regularly, on draft and in bottles as well as a growing lineup of seasonal and special offerings, including several barrel-aged beers, throughout the year. Those special releases will hit local beer bars before store shelves, but keep your eyes out regardless.

With the new distribution deals comes new packaging. Consumers can expect to see the fresh packaging on store shelves beginning in late April with the entire lineup expected to roll out with the new look through the end of May.

Now, don't bust my balls if these don't hit town when their rumored to, y'all . The DABC does what they want - when they want to - at the pace they feel is most likely to piss everyone off. I'm just the fucking messenger, so don't be bring'n torches and pitchforks to my door or URL if they haven't popped up when stated. Capisce?

And before I forget, let me remind you all of the importance to be responsible vehicle operators today, avoid the car if your gunna participate in today's festivities. And an equally important part of being a good  bar crawler is to avoid the green beer. A lot of well meaning craft beer makers around town will be adding green dye #86 or whatever to their beer to take care of the "party drones" out there, you don't have to be one of them. For you, the color of your beer should be Red, Straw, Black or Brown.

Sláinte!

New Beer Friday 3/14/14

There was only one new beer that I could find today and your gunna love it!

RedRock Imperial Red Ale - For their 20th Anniversary RedRock came up with a brilliant tasting take on "irish-ish" styles. Big ruby tones with a sturdy ruddy head. the nose pops with toasted caramel & pine. The tastes starts with toasted bread, tobacco and a hint of fudge. Big pine resin comes next with bitter chocolate and a hint of orange in the end. The finish is dry and bitter. This is a full flavored beer that crosses into barlewine territory. While it's 9.5% ABV is well hidden - it will put the hammer on you if your not paying attention. @RedRock locations

Since this is a St. Patrick's Day weekend, I thought I'd throw a few local non green beer option for you.

Roosters Cyclops Irish Stout - Then nose is roasty with, chocolate and herbal and flowery hops. The taste is dark malts, bittersweet with a mild hop background. Very light smoke and nutty qualities on the finish. A nice seasonal from Roosters. 4.0% ABV @Roosters

Squatters McGruhes Dry Irish Stout - Black with a thick creamy tan "nito head". The nose rich with espresso and roasted biscuit The taste starts with coffee then turns to espresso. Heavily roasted malt come next with a nutty/smokiness in the end. Mild hops come late and provide a slightly dry finish.4.0% ABV @Squatters

Bonneville Irish Twins - Part Irish stout, part Irish red, served only this month. Sweet malt and caramel up front and the dry, roasty finish of a stout. Very limited quantity only available at the brewery. 4,0% ABV

Wasatch Brew Pub's Jalapeno Cream Ale -  Not a traditional Irish beer, but the only green thing in your beer should be Jalapenos! @Wasatch Brewpub/Beer Store

Hoppers Irish Baghandler - Hoppers Rockwell Porter and Irish Red blended together. The nose is of toasted malts, grain, piney hops. Taste follows the nose with grain bitterness hints of fruity malt and cocoa.  Finishes clean, not overly dry. 4.0% @Hoppers

Avenues Proper Oatmeal Red - Copper in color with beige head. Bready malty nose. Toffee and light cocoa up front with biscuit, and subtle dark fruit rounding out the end. One of my favorite beers from AveProp! 4.0% ABV @Avenues Proper

Avenues Proper Sláinte Stout - This nitro pours black  has a deep dark with a creamy vanilla head of foam. The nose is roasted with a sweet maltiness. The taste starts with dark roasted malts backed by sweet malts. A hint of sourness comes next with a cocoa bite rounding out the end. Nice depth for a 4% stout. @Avenues Proper

Sláinte!

RedRock's 20th Anniversary Imperial Red Ale

In 1994 one of Utah's most prolific breweries began making beer for the thirsty people of Salt Lake City. In those twenty years a lot has happened. We've seen them expand into other markets, create a giant production brewery, broaden their reach throughout Utah with other satellite RedRock pubs and of course being named Large Brewpub of the Year in 2007. 

Anyone who has considered themselves a friend of the brewery know the dedication of the staff (in and out of the brewery) is what has made RedRock a long lived staple along the Wasatch Front and Back. From the Chicken Schnitzel to Dandelion infused beers, at least my life has been made much better over the last two decades.

To honor their 20th anniversary the brew staff at RedRock has come up with a special edition ale to celebrate their dodeca year. The Anniversary Imperial Red Ale is deep crimson in color with a robust and fruity malt character that is balance with a substantial amount of floral and citrusy hops. This will be a very limited edition ale, that will disappear fast.

It's due to be release this Thursday, March 13th and as of this writing will only be available at RedRock locations. Big congrats RedRock on this huge milestone.

Cheers! 

New Beer Friday 3/7/14

Hoppers Brewmaster and Secret Agent, Donovan Steele has stepped out of the box once again to deliver something new for us today.

Waikikamukau Draught (pron. Why-kick-a-moo-cow) is an interpretation on a mild ale that has it's roots in 19th century New Zealand. Immigrants from the U.K. back then craved the Mild Ales and Bitters they had back in England. Utilizing locally sourced grain and hops this beer evolved to become a lager. Made with lager malt, light caramel malt, and chocolate malted barley.

Hoppers' single hopped New Zealand-style Draught has an amber brown color, complex malts flavors balanced with juicy New Zealand Rakau hops. The Rakau hops have a pleasant tropical flavor and perfume aroma that sit nicely on top of the soft rich malts. It has a lager crispness, making for a very drinkable session lager. 4.0% ABV @Hoppers

Pelican Doryman's Ale - The nose smacks with sweet pumpernickel, coffee and spicy hops. The taste starts with roasted coffee and sweet toasted malts. The middle brings out some balance with citrus rind and pine. The finish is semi-toasty and dry. 6.2% ABV @Bayou

Pelican Tsunami Stout - Big nose, full of dark fruits, smokey/bitter chocolate and nice rich espresso. The tastes starts dry with slightly bitter coffee beans. Dark chocolate comes next adding some bitterness. Figs, dark wheat, raisins and graham crackers round out the middle with a dry dark chocolate powder finish. 7.0% ABV @Bayou

Roosters Deep Powder Dortmunder - The nose is grassy with a fair amount of citrus peel. The taste starts with strong grassy and herbal hops up front. An understated toasted malt presence comes next with a lingering earthiness. The end is slightly dry with a lasting bitterness. Nice, clean taste. Reminds me more of an Altbier than a Dortmunder - regardless, it's quite tasty. 4.0% ABV @Roosters, Beerhive

Firkin Friday at the Bayou this week is courtesy of Wasatch Brewing. Today we have Alta Ale hopped with Mosaic and Chinook hops. Looks to be a winner. 4.0% ABV
 
Cheers!

The Liberty Tap Room

The 9th & 9th area of Salt Lake City is one of the more charming areas of the capitol city, it's full of walkable restaurants and eclectic shops, nestled in an old middle class neighborhood full of charming hundred year old homes.

The one thing that has been missing from the area is a proper watering hole for locals to gather that matches the diverse burb's unique feel. Scott Evans, owner of Pago and Finca restaurants, is proposing a new culinary project called The Liberty Tap Room. Located at 850 E. 900 South; The proposed tavern would be a place where guests can enjoy a beer without ordering food, but also has a dining area where Chef Phelix Gardner will offer classic pub fare using local and seasonal ingredients. Since club licenses are are impossible to get right now, Evans has applied for a beer-only tavern license with the DABC.

If approved, the Liberty Tap Room would likely be open for business in late April or May 2014. If there's something the towns and suburbs of Utah are in desperate need of right now it's more walkable watering holes for neighborhoods. let's hope it sails through all of it's needed bureaucratic bull shit.

Cheers!