New Beer Friday 2/27/15

First, let me preface this week's New Beer Friday by saying all of these beers will be available at the Beer Bar, later this (Friday) afternoon. Unless the DABC is unable to get them into their system on time, then they will be available Monday afternoon. Check back here or the Utah Beer Facebook page for updates on their availability. 

The big news this week is Beer Bar's acquisition of Gigantic Brewing Company's brews. Gigantic makes a shload of highly regarded hoppy beers and is also known for their eye catching comic book style beer labels. Here's what made it to the market. I have no reviews for most of this week's new brews. Sorry.
Ginormous Imperial IPA
Gigantic IPA
Intensify Belgian IPA
Saboteur Baltic Porter
Catch 23 Experimental Pale Ale

Hopworks Urban Brewery Rise up Red - Pours a ruby/mahogany color with an fluffy off-white head filling top of the tulip glass. The nose is juicy with pineapple and grapefruit. some toffee sweetness as well. The taste starts with resiny grapefruit peel and juicy pineapple hops. Light caramel and toffee come next adding balance with a bit of berry fruitiness rounding out the back end. Moderately bitter finish. Not a brilliant red ale but quite tasty.

Hopworks Urban Brewery Organic Belgian Apple Ale - No review
Hopworks Urban Brewery Motherland Imperial Stout - No review
Hopworks Urban Brewery Nonstop Hefe Hop - No review

Base Camp Ultra Gnar Gnar IPA - No review

Oakshire The Perfect Storm Double IPA - No review. If this is half as good as their Watershed IPA we'll all be very happy hop heads.

This week the Annex has their Schwartz with Coffee bean and Cocoa Nibs in the firkin. Sounds damn yummy! Geoff tells me that last week's firkin was gone by 8pm, so don't procrastinate. Tapping is at 4:30pm. $3 Firkin Pints. Also look for a solid tap line up including Kettle Sour IPA, Berlinerweiss, Belgian Pale Ale, IPL single hopped with Centennial Hops and Milk Stout on Nitro.

Cheers!

The 5th Annual Gate City Brewfest

If there's two things this beer gnerd loves, it's beerfests and pub crawls. What if I told you there an event that combines both and it'll only cost you 25 quatloos?... er dollars. You'd be okay with that, right?

For the last five years the Pocotello Chamber of Commerce has put on the city's Annual Gate City Brewfest. Held in Old Town Pocatello, this expansive beerfest/bar-crawl will cover fourteen venues and feature over 70 different brews from over 30 breweries. If the cardio portion of the crawl isn't appealing to you, a free trolley service will also be available to get your ass to your next pint in Old Town.

Tickets are available now. and are $25 with unlimited pours from Noon to 6pm. The Red Lion in Pocotello is also offering a special rate for brewfest guests. Check in locations are the Elks Club, Hooligans, Portneuf Vally Brewing, and the First National Bar.

Poco is a fairly short drive from Northern Utah and this looks like a fest that's well worth the time and money.  If anyone has attended in the past, please share your feedback. Hope to see you there.

Cheers! 

New Beer Friday 2/20/15

Deschutes Jubel 2015 - Pours a dark ruby brown color. It has a nose of roasted malt and toffee with some spicy dark fruits. Some vinous barrel notes as well. The taste starts with fig, raisin and prune. Big malt sweetness comes next with some tobacco notes. The end has nice wine flavors from the barrel. It's a rich tasting beer, but not overly sweet. Impressive effort from Deschutes. 10.4% ABV @ Beerhive, Beer Bar

New Belgium Cocoa Molé -  Pours a muddy looking brown color. The nose has chile spices with rich chocolate notes. Definitely smells like molé. The taste starts with roasted malt cocoa and roasted chiles. The chile spices are at medium heat, so there a good amount of pepperiness on the back of the throat. This is a great marriage of chiles and cocoa. It is quite rich and delicious but not cloying. Reminds me of Ramon's Chocolate Molé from Red Iguana. 9.0% ABV @ Beerhive, Beer Bar

Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter - Pours a bright looking straw color with a good three fingers on top. The nose is all hops with dank weed, spruce and citrus rind. The taste follows the nose with malt lingering in the background. there is a bit of light honey like sweetness towards the end as well. Finishes super dry bitter. This is a hop extract bomb. Not for the timid. 6.2% ABV @ Beerhive, Beer Bar

The Annex's End of the Firkin Work Week Firkin is the Annex IPL (India Pale Lager) with whole leaf Amarillo and Mango. $3 pints, Tapping at 4:30. 

Cheers!

The Zion Curtain Part 6

I mean for Christ's sake, look at that thing up there! It shouldn't be this hard to get rid of a simple regulatory nightmare that the majority of Utahans don't want. But here we are, years later - still talking about this massive, international embarrassment, the Zion Curtain.

Many have tried, all have failed. Even it's creator, former State Senator, John Valentine actually said at one point on Radio from Hell that, "he didn't really like it". Maybe it's 6th time in front of public opinion's firing squad will put it out of it's misery.

The man who has stepped up to lance this boil on the state's ass is Republican Senator, Kraig Powell of Heber City. He quietly filed HB339 yesterday. Buried in the bill are lines that appear to tear down “separate preparation areas,” as they are officially known. Instead, restaurants will be required to post a sign notifying the public that they serve alcohol, as well as create a bar or lounge area that prohibits minors.

Hmm, imagine that. A way to shield a sheltered child's fragile psyche from the mind bending images of liquids being dispensed into a container before they've even entered the establishment. It's nothing short of astonishing! I'm in awe that an alcohol eschewing family would even dare try to spend their wholesomely earned shekels in such an "anti-family values" establishment. This could save people a lot of time, while earning a shload of celestial kingdom points.  

Will common sense win out over an uneducated and uniformed minority? Who knows. It all depends on if Utah's real lawmakers on Temple Square give it their blessing.

We've all spent too much time on this mess. Please hammer your representatives and senators today. Tell them to "tear down this wall"!

Cheers!

Nouvelle Bière Vendredi!!! (New Beer Friday)

I only found one this week new beer this week it's a local seasonal full of roasted goodness.

Moab Coffee Porter - This is a new seasonal offering from Moab. It has a pleasant coffee nose with hint of malt in the back. The taste is cold pressed coffee with raw and roasted grain some minor bitter cocoa bitterness. Finishes bitter and dry. If you're not big on coffee you may still enjoy this one. I drink a lot of coffee so I wouldn't mind it being a little ramped up coffee wise. 4.0% ABV On draft where you'll find Moab's seasonal taps.

Last week I screwed up the Bayou's firkin offering. This week is the much anticipated Annex IPL with Swedish Fish. So once again, if you feel your not not getting enough gelatin in your beer, today is one hoof smacking day. It goes without saying (but I'm gunna) these "gummi beers" are not Vegetarian/Vegan friendly. The Bayou taps at 3:30

The Annex is providing a "Lovers Day Firkin on Saturday (not Friday). They will be pouring The Annex Irish Red with whole leaf Amarillo and Rose Hips. The tapping will be on Valentines Day afternoon. call ahead for an updated time.

The Sockeye beers were much delayed for some reason. Here's the what and where that I could find.  The Beerhive has the Galena Gold, Hell-Diver Pale Ale, Dagger Falls IPA and Power House Porter. The Beer Bar has the Sockeye High Lakes Session IPA on draft and it's definatly been spotted at some Harmon's Grocery Stores.

Sante!

Lagerpalooza Pro/AM Competion

The Bohemian Brewery & Grill and Salt City Brew Supply are happy to announce the 1st, theoretically annual, Lagerpalooza home-brew competition. This will be a lager only event (and hybrid's), and one of the winners will have their beer selected to be brewed at the Bohemian's Brewery. Entries are due by April 25th, with judging and awards on May 3rd at the Bohemian Brewery.

To enter you need to create an account www.lagerpalooza-proam.com.  Completed entry forms and recipe sheets must be submitted with all entries, and can be printed directly from the website. Entry forms should be attached  to bottles with a rubber band only; Do not glue and/or tape your labels. 
Registration open is now open and will end April 24, 2015 at 7:00pm, MDT

Each entrant is limited to one (1) entry per sub-style. Each entry will consist of three 12 ounce capped bottles that are void of all identifying information. Only 12oz brown bottles will be accepted. Bottle will not be returned. Each entry coast $5

Entries can be dropped off at Salt City Brew Supply, 723 e. Fort Union Blvd. Midvale Utah 84047
801-849-0955

For more info:
www.lagerpalooza-proam.com
www.facebook.com/lagerpalooza
cody@saltcitybrewsupply.com 

Prost!

Squatters Sociable Krystalweizen

Squatters has a new beer coming to grocery store shelve towards the end of Spring.  Sociable is a Krystalweizen that uses will have a noble hop character.  Krystalweizens are often clean and softer on the tongue than tradition Hefeweizens and have less phenolic notes like banana and clove. 4.0% ABV.  Look for it 12oz bottles.

Prost!

Park City Brewery is Now On-Line

When Wort and yeast combine in the fermenters we can officially say that the state has a new brewery. So with no further delay, please welcome Park City Brewery to the Utah craft beer family! Beer hit the tanks last Friday (Jan 6) and with any luck we could be suck'n down their suds in a couple of weeks. PC Brewery will debut with four 4.0% beers that will be on draft an in cans. Kegs will be hitting bars and restaurants for sure soon (stay tuned for locations), not sure when the cans will store shelves though. Some higher gravity beers are in the works as well. They will likely debut when the brewery sales are stable and all of the state's requirements are met.

Here's a sneak peak of what you'll be looking for. These are what the cans will likely look like. Big Congrats top the PC Brew Crew!


 Cheers!

New "Big" Beer Friday

Quite a few "big" boozy beers for your New Beer Friday. Your tongues are in for a full frontal assault, so make sure your travel plans are in order before proceeding.

Firestone Walker §ucaba - Pours black with some dense brown foam. The nose is smooth with chocolate, caramel, toffee, candied fruit and char. The taste starts with a chocolate brownie character. A bit of fudge comes in next with Bourbon, oak, coconut and vanilla rounding out the end. It's one of the finest barleywines you'll find. So damn delicious! 12.50% ABV @ limited DABC stores

Sierra Nevada Barrel Aged Narwhal - Pours a viscous black with a thin cap of light brown foam. The nose  has dark chocolate. Lots of tart, dark fruit, vanilla and a hint of Bourbon. I think the best way to describe the taste of this beer is simply Bourbon soaked tiramisu. Big coffee, chocolate and vanilla notes with a bit of boozy burn. Complex and wonderful. 12.9% ABV @ Limited DABC, Beer Bar.

New Belgium Salted Chocolate Stout - Black in appaerance with a nose of phenolic Belgian yeast, banana, asphalt, vanilla and chocolate. The taste is similar to the nose...lots of belgian esters, roasted marshmallows, moderate roast with a touch of coffee, some oaky notes in the middle. The end has a slight herbal bitterness. A hint of sodium in the finish. 9.0% ABV @ Beer Bar, Bayou, Beerhive, Limited DABC stores

Sockeye High Lakes Session IPA - I haven't had this one yet. Sockeye describes it as a session-style IPA is crafted with the full flavors and aromas of its big brother (Dagger Falls IPA), but with a low alcohol by volume so as to increase drinkability without losing its signature full hop character. It has a fresh, piney hop aroma with a slight hint of caramel malt to balance the bite, and a hop forward flavor with citrus up front and a mild spiciness throughout. Comes in at a whopping 80 IBUs 4.0% ABV  @ Maverik C-stores, Smith’s Food stores, and Walmart Superstores.

Hive Preacher's Son Blueberry Honey Wine - This Melomel is described as having a silky smooth mouth feel and rich color, this pleasantly sweet wine will delight the senses. Rich, flavorful blueberry dominates the front flavor with delightful, delicate notes of clover honey. 13.3% ABV @ Hive Winery Note: this bottle features our friends Nate & Misti Cobb, steam'n up the label with a bit of "Romance de foncé".

The Annex's Firkin will be pouring their Annex Golden Ale with Haribo Gummi Bears. Yup! I said, Gummi Bears. I admit, I am curious. The Bayou has The Annex IPL in their firkin, it will be dosed with Swedish Fish. So If you feel your not not getting enough gelatin in your beer, today is your hoof smacking day. I guess it goes without saying these gummi beers are not Vegetarian/Vegan friendly. The Bayou taps at 3:30 - Annex at 4pm.

Cheers!

Epic Lil' Brainless Raspberries

Epic has a new beer in the can, that's a new take on an old favorite. The Brainless Line from Epic started out with a Belgian Style Golden Ale, then morphed into various fruity/barrel aged incarnations including Brainless on Peaches and Brainless on Cherries. A Brainless IPA came too, along with a two funky version of the peach and cherry ales. Brainless on Raspberries was the latest label in the line and it became a big hit. The fact that it wasn't barrel aged like some of the others fruit versions meant it could be produced more quickly and reach a wider audience.

The popularity of the raspberry version got the kids at Epic thinking that a less boozy, more portable version of the Brainless on Raspberries would be even more popular and approachable. The result is Lil' Brainless Rapberries.

One of the things that separates this beer (Lil' B'Razz as it's been nicknamed) from many other raspberry ales is the yeast. Like all of the other Brainless beers, it has that rich, estery and spicy, Belgian yeast funk backing it up. The raspberry is subtle and tart with some dry and puckering tannin notes. You get some floral bitterness on the back of the tongue. With a finish that is semi tart and dry. The ABV is a pleasant 5.2%

I don't usually go for fruit beers off the bat, but this one has a nice complex character that is very pleasing and drinkable. It's for sale right now at Epic's Denver Brewery (because that's where the canning line is) and is currently en route to Salt Lake. My guess is it will be for sale in Utah sometime in the next two weeks. The mood of the DABC will affect this timeline greatly so be patient. When it does go on sale it will be at DABC stores, The Annex and better beer bars.

Of course we'll spread the word once it goes on sale.

Skol!