Last week was a bit of a shit show with weather creating a cascading effect that stretched from print efforts to the radio. My apologies to all of you, especially to Chappell Brewing for not getting the debut love they absolute deserved. There is technically another new brewery in town though, Salt Lake Brewing Company is officially a separate entity from from the Squatters brand, though you will still see that name on the door and beers in house. Our interview with Grid City is being rescheduled on Beer Nerd Radio for the coming weeks.
However, THIS week we welcome Slackwater's head of beer procurement, Joe Cardaccio. Joe has been instrumental in helping to turn Slackwater into one of the Wasatch Front's premier beer hotspots. Steph and I get it all started today (Friday) at 2pm on 99.9fm KUAA.
Chappell - Brawndo: It smells of bready and doughy cereal malt, some white grape fruitiness, a bit of clover honey, and some plain earthy, musty, and floral hop bitters. The taste is grainy and crackery pale malt, honeyed biscuits, faint generic citrus peel, and more understated leafy, spicy, and floral green hoppiness. 5.0% - Only Available at Chappell Brewing.
Chappell - Playground: Hazy golden color, with a decent white head that fades into a thin ring. Malt forward on the nose. Quite a bit of sweetness, with a light body and an almost leafy dryness and a touch of pleasant, spicy hop bitterness on the finish. 5.0% - Only Available at Chappell Brewing.
TF/Our Mutual Friend - Zoigl Series: West Coast Pilsner: This collaboration pours an almost clear yellow/orange with a dense head forming quickly and holding up well, leaving good lacing as it settles. Citrus notes, grassiness, pilsner malt, floral hops, and a little honey in the nose. Lemon and orange-led citrus fruit and grass jump out at first, followed by some honey-kissed bread and pilsner malt. More citrus and strong flower notes keep things going before some sharp hop notes and dryness close things out. Crisp, clean, light but full, medium-high carbonation, and light dryness on the finish. It's like a layered west coast IPA. 6.7% - Only at TF.
UTOG - IV Anniversary Ale: This is UTOG's Buffalo Soldier Black IPA aged in Ogden's Own Porter's Rye whiskey casks. Pitch black with a tan collar. Smells like cocoa powder with bourbon, earthy and citrus hops, roasted malt, and black strap molasses. Taste is not as vibrant, hops become stronger but more generic, bourbon booze warms up quickly through sips, more smoky as it warms. Feel is warm, smokey, malty, but does have hop textures to break it up. 10.6% - Only at UTOG.
Pink Boots Utah/Level Crossing - Our Wits End: There’s no doubt that this is a Witbier, the spice profile is spot on with generous amounts of citrus zest, grains of paradise & ginger. The head is big, pillowy & merengue-like. The Pink Boots hop blend works much better than I imagined it would here. The citrus parts & herbal parts are harmonious & keep the spicier components from overwhelming the palate. The entire package comes off as a much bigger beer in mouthfeel & boldness. One of the better pink Boots collabs from the hearts of Utah’s breweries. 5.0% - This will be available at most participating breweries on draft. For now, you can find it at Level Crossing, Roosters, Ogden Beer, Bricks and Fisher.
Uinta - I Am No Man (Pink Boots Cascading Dark Ale): This is Uinta’s house Pink Boots Society, not the big collaborative Witbier. This one is a Cascadian Dark Ale. Definitely looks the part, aroma is light with lotsa pine and some grapefruit peel backing it up. Tastes the same with pine, but with notes of cocoa & pumpernickel. The citrus kicks in midway & works in tandem with pine through to the end. Haven’t had a Cascadian Dark in a while, this is quite good. 5.0% - Available at Uinta.
Shades - Mango IPA: Missed this one. 5.0%
Strap Tank - Big Scott: Nope, this ain't Lil' Scott from previous years. The kids at Strap Tank in Lehi have upped the malt profile to produce a carafe and toffee delight. It will melt all of your winter woes. We could all use some of that right now. 5.0% - Only at Strap Tank in Lehi.
Strap Tank - Kentucky F'Rye'd Common: Made with 6-row, Corn and Crystal Rye. This classic is still "on deck" at its home brewery, but Chappell Brewing has a spot for it on their tap handles. If you haven't made a trip to Chappell yet, this adds some extra incentive. 5.0% - Available (for now) at Chappell Brewing.
Salt Lake Brewing - Dog Lake Pale Ale: This ain’t Full Suspension. That beer still exists, but it’s not brewed in these hollowed halls no more. This is Salt Lake Brewing company now, and they make Dog Lake Pale Ale here. This is a lightly caramel pale that keeps tradition, but offers the twang of the new hop arts as well. You’ll find the pine, but also hints of berry, citrus & melon. It’s not the pale ale I grew up with - few beers are. This is a new tradition that I hope you’ll build with SL Brewing. 5.0 - only at Salt Lake Brewing/Squatters beers.
RoHa - Pink Boots Hibiscus Pale Ale: It has a nice pink hue from the hibiscus addition; it provides slight tartness that mingles with the toasty malts and herbal/citrus hop flavors. The finish is slightly dry and lightly tart. 5.0% - only at RoHa
Ogden Beer - Space Cruz: Missed this a Cold IPA. 5.0% - only at Ogden Beer.
Ogden Beer - Mystic Frog: Missed this a Hazy IPA. 5.0% - only at Ogden Beer.
Equilibrium - Can It Be All So Simple: It pours a hazy tangerine orange and releases bright notes of pineapple and blueberry with an aroma that mirrors the balanced and drinkable taste. 8.2% - Found at Slackwater.
Equilibrium - Savages & Saints: Intense hop aroma greets you with flavors of bold citrus, pineapple chunks in syrup, and an assorted melons with a creamsicle like mouthfeel. 8.2% - Found at Slackwater.
Equilibrium - Berry Dimensions: A pink/purple berry color with jammy aromas of fruit leather, berry compote, and gummy fruit snacks. The jammy berry decadence is supported in the taste with the thickest damn body. 7.0% - Found at Slackwater.
Four Peaks - The Joy Bus WOW: Missed this wheat beer infused with sweet orange peel. 5.0% - Found at Slackwater.
Lone Pine - Cloud Cake: This double Milkshake IPA has big flavors of lemon meringue, pineapple, and vanilla frosting compliment a big mouthfeel and nearly no bitterness. 8.0% - Found at Slackwater.
Avery - Latte On My Mind: This coffee stout is bursting with roasted espresso. A rich, flavorful malt character and the soothing sweetness of vanilla. 6.5% - Found at Slackwater.
Blaugies - La Moneuse: A classic saison with its earthy, aged quality and hardy, semi-dry malt character. – Fresh, but not overpowering hoppiness, abundant phenolic/fruity flavors and a fairly strong, but pleasant and enticing, mustiness. 8.0% - Found at the Bayou.
Revision - Barrel-aged Depths of Desire: Rich in dark chocolate character, bourbon and oak staves. Notes of brown sugar and black licorice give way to a smooth coffee-like finish, making for an intensely mellow experience. Some big heat in the finish. 15.0% - Found at the Bayou.
Gravenstriner - Kellerbier: Aroma is wonderful, rich with unusual and exciting malts. Taste follows the aroma, with a very full body and slight sweetness. Mouthfeel is full, but soft. Excellent beer. 5.2% - Found at the Bayou.
Fisher Brewing officially got it its bar license yesterday, along with the Westside Tavern, and Han's Kombucha. Congrats to all!
The Spring Firkin Fest is happening tomorrow (4/1) at the RoHa Brewing Project. Look for unique firkins and pins from RoHa, Chappell Brewing, Desert Edge, Epic, Salt Flats, Squatters, Strap Tank, Uinta, and Wasatch Beers. It all starts Saturday at 3pm.
And Congratulations go out to Salt Flats Brewing for winning three medals at the New York International Beer Awards. Deuce Coupe (amber lager) took a silver, Daytona (IPA) and Tankslapper (Double Rye IPA) also won bronze.
Cheers!
