New Beer Friday 3/6/20

If New Beer Friday is my ailment, I don't want to be well. If you need some weekend medicine, we have you covered.

Silver Reef - Fresh and Juicy: I missed this one, I hope to have notes on this later. 4.2% 5.0% found at the Bayou

Avenues Proper - Sir Bain's London Porter: A nice roasted malt aroma with a good dose of roast in the taste as well. It's quite powerful and almost comes across as ash. The is some dark cocoa and espresso as well, with little in the way of malt sweetness. 5.0% - Available at Avenues Proper

Bewilder - English Brown Ale: Caramel and toast in the aroma. Taste-wise it starts with a cola-like sweetness with a vague vegetable flavor. It's sweet but malt flavor is low with very subtle toasted malts. 5.0% Available at Bewilder.

Wasatch - Barrel Aged Belgian Pale Ale: Missed this one. I hope to have tasting notes on this later. This Belgian style pale was aged in Wyoming Whiskey barrels. This is very limited and only available at Wasatch's Sugar House location. 5.0%.

Melvin - Mind Bloom: A hazy peach color with tangerine, mango, pineapple lemon and grapefruit zest. Taste wise you get more of the same with papaya, pineapple, tangerine up front with nice caramel, grapefruit, and berry backing it up. 7.0% found at BeerHive.

Wildflower - Solera (Pull #4): This sour hails from Australia. This foudre sour is a spelt beer with notes of citrus, dark fruits and some balsamic notes. This is very limited and exclusive to the Bayou. 5.0%.

Revision - Smoke And Mirrors: This NEDIPA has a healthy dose of Amarillo, Citra and Mosaic hops. This gives it flavors of orange, tangerine and melon up front. Apricot, pineapple and berries round out the back end. Found at the Bayou - 8.0%

Revision - Planet Lovetron: Starts slightly grassy and herbal, opens to tropical fruit, passion fruit, mango, and a hint of pineapple, citrus, lemon, tangerine, and grapefruit, with an underlying resinous bitterness, biscuity malt, and caramel sweetness. 6.5% - Found at the Bayou.

Odell - Witkist White Ale: Normally witbiers are made with orange peel. This one uses grapefruit peel. It doesn't alter the citrus quality too much, however the yeast is super phenolic (clove, bandaid) and it comes across as a super chewy saison. Just kinda, meh for me. 5.0% Found at Beer Bar.

 Cheers!

New Beer Friday 1/17/20

Congratulations, your having a New Beer Friday! Fruit is a heavy influencer this week, and 99% of them are local. Have an excellent weekend.

Avenues Proper - Charleston Cherry: This new farmhouse ale is made with local tart cherries from Woddyatt Farm. This brettanomyces beer is more fruit forward with a subtle yeast profile that brings the cherry into the foreground. Proper is on a roll right now, If you love Brett beers I'd get your hinies to Avenues Proper Sooner than later. 5.0%

Avenues Proper - Blood Orange Blizzard: This is a kettle soured IPA with blood orange added post fermentation. More tart than sour, look for a nice citrus twang with tangerine bitterness. 5.0% - Only at Avenues Proper.

Proper- Fonzie’s Jacket: A milkshake IPA made with Citra hops and lactose. Reminds me of a hoppy Orange Julius. Despite the fruit this is not a vegan friendly beer. 5.0%

Epic - Big Bad Yankee: This is the newest variant in Epic's Big Bad Baptist line-up. 'Yankee' is aged in Yankee Spirits' whiskey and rye barrels. This actually an imperial porter aged (not a stout) made with coffee, cacao, hazelnuts and vanilla. This is a very small batch, and only available at Epic's Salt Lake brewery starting this morning.

Epic - Lemon Bomb Tart n Juicy: This sour IPA is dosed with lemon juice to compliment the hop selection that is already citrus forward. No lactose in this one! 5.0% Available at Epic in growlers.

Hopkins- Deseret Dunkel: The aroma is described as malty sweet and bready, while the flavor profile is rich and complex, displaying notes of toasted bread, chocolate, and graham cracker. Bitterness is minimal. The flavor is reminiscent of Golden Graham cereal. 5.0% - Available at Hopkins.

Strap Tank - Nelson/Mosaic Hazy Pale Ale: This made with a couple of my favorite hops right now. The Nelson hops will add a berry-like component, while the Mosaic hops bring fresh pine, mango, blueberry and citrus. 5.0% - Available at both Strap Tank locations.

Strap Tank - Witbier: Look for high level of wheat with coriander and orange peel. 5.0% - Available at both Strap Tank locations.

Strap Tank - Blueberry Lime Smoothie Sour: . This one shines with tartness from the blueberry and lime, this gives it a sherbet or sorbet quality. 5.0% - Available at both Strap Tank locations.

Kiitos - Fruit Milkshake Ale (Berry Pomegranate): Made with real raspberry, blackberry, blueberry and pomegranate juices, They also reworked the base beer to make it 5%. Despite the fruit this is not a vegan friendly beer. On draft now at Kiitos.

Melvin/Arc'teryx collaboration - Son of Apocalypse IPA: This brand new IPA by Melvin debuted in SLC last Wednesday (1/15). Look for big citrus peel, pine and tropical fruits from this 70 Ibu ale. 5.0% - Available at Beerhive, Bayou.  

Returning Champs

Epic - Oak and Orchard Cherry Vanilla: This foeder aged sour reminds me of cherry sorbet with a hint of Balsamic vinegar. 6.5% - Available in crowlers at Epic.

Wasatch - Kick-back Series - Oatmeal Stout: Silky smooth chocolate, espresso and vanilla all wrapped up in a bow. 6.0% Available at Park City's brewery and the West Side Tavern.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 9/20/19

Epic - Big Bad Baptist Vanilla and Brandy Barrel-Aged Stout: Epic's first of five BBB variants is here! This version of Big Bad Baptist was aged in brandy barrels and has vanilla, roasted cacao nibs and coffee. It wonderfully smooth with coffee and cocoa jumping out at first. When the barrel kicks in, it comes across as vinous plum and fig. It's nicely complex best when enjoyed on the warmer side. Right now this in only available at the SLC brewery.

Avenues Proper Brett Pale Ale: This latest batch of Brett Pale Ale brewed with Sorachi Ace and Huell Melon hops. It showcases an incredibly well-balanced combination of dry, fruity, and funky flavors. Find it on draft exclusively at Avenues Proper. 4.0%

Fisher White Star: This nitro pale ale is big with citrus peel bitterness and a good dose of pine bitterness in the finish. Really drinkable for the amount of bitterness. 4.0% - Available at Fisher.

Fisher Rye Me a River: This rye ale has a nice dose of rye that slightly spicy with malts that are on the lighter side. Hops are mostly floral with a hint of citrus. 4.0% - Available at Fisher.

Melvin Thaiger Style: This a nice, well balanced IPA that features a lemony hop profile. Some Mosaic citrus flavors as well.  I love the hop profile here and the 5.5% makes it highly drinkable. Found at Beer Bar.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 5/18/18

Not only is it New Beer Friday; it's also New Brewery Friday! Saltfire Brewing Company, Utah's newest brewery is officially releasing their first batches of beer tomorrow. Along with these we also have a shload of sour beers to talk about; combine all this with Craft Beer Week and you have a damn full weekend. Check out the updated craft beer week calendar here.

Epic Oak and Orchard Strawberry Rhubarb: The nose has a strong, dry sourness that is masking a bit of  funky strawberry. The taste is berry tart with darker berries and some strawberry sweetness. Finishes bone dry. 6.9%. Available at Epic.

Kiitos American Lager: Light spicy herbal nose with an even lighter touch of bready to grainy malts. The taste starts light and bready with bitter, but mellow, herbal hops jumping in.  Some light yeast flavor and graininess in the finish. 6.0%. Available at Kiitos.

SaltFire Dirty Chai Stout: Releases 5/19 - 6.7%. Available at Saltfire

SaltFire Fury Kolsch: : Releases 5/19 - 6.0%. Available at Saltfire

SaltFire A Series of Singularities Idaho 7: Releases 5/19 - 6.9%. Available at Saltfire

SaltFire A Series of Singularities: Releases 2:  5/19 - 6.9%.  Available at Saltfire

The RoHa Brewing Project - Red Ace: Sweeter berry-like malts with hops that have a bit of lemon peel bitterness. 4.0% ABV. Available at RoHa.

Squatters Meteor Shower: This is being released on Sunday at Squatters' Brewer's Brunch. I'll have tasting notes later today at 3;30pm with Mick and Allen on KBER 101.

Talisman Anniversary Ale: I havn't tried this Belgian style ale aged in Pino Noir barrels. 9.5% Available at Talisman.

8 Wired Cosmic Chaos: This Sour Black IPA is a bit tart with cola, some raisins + chocolate, slight char with some orange peel bitterness. 7.5% Available exclusively at the Bayou.

8 Wired Fistful of Cherries: This Wild Ale has a nose of tart cherries, grass and vinious oak. The wine barrels are surprisingly pronounced  - pushing through the tartness. Tart cherries and Brett yeast complete the flavor profile. 7.6% Available exclusively at the Bayou.

8 Wired Gypsy Funk: I havn't tried this American style Wild Ale yet. 7.5% Available exclusively at the Bayou.

8 Wired Lord of the Atlas: This American style Barely Wine has a nose of Toffee, vanilla and booze. The taste is more toffee, with marmalade and bitter pine rounding it out. 12.0%. Available exclusively at the Bayou.

8 Wired Big Smoked Porter: Not tried this one yet. 6.2%. Available exclusively at the Bayou.

8 Wired iStout: I havn't tried this Russian Imperial stout yet. It's described as having roasted coffee and chocolate malt flavors which are balanced by a brisk bitterness and bold freshness from the hops. 10.0%. Available exclusively at the Bayou.

8 Wired Wireless Black IPA: Missed out on this one too. 6.2%. Available exclusively at the Bayou.

Amager/Mikkeller - Frederiksen Væsel Brunch: Collaboration blend with Mikkeller/Amager. A blend of Hr.Fredriksens (Amager) and Beer Geek Brunch Weasel (Mikkeller) - then aged in bourbon barrels. 10.7%. Available exclusively at the Bayou.

Amager/Crooked Stave - Chad, the King of Wild Yeast: This sour ale has a strawberries nose with lemon zest, and herbal hops. The taste follows with lemon zest, strawberries, and melon with a touch of herbal hops in the back. 5.0%. Available exclusively at the Bayou.

Melvin Your IPA: This is possible the most bitter beer I've ever had. The aroma is danky, dank, dank herbal grass. The taste follows with dank pine resin and herbal hops. It finishes bone dry. If you're looking for an anti-haze bro beer, this is the one. 7.1%. I had it at Beerhive.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 3/30/18

Congratulations, We're having a New Beer Friday!

Shades of Pale - Mojito:  The aroma here is full of citrus-like tartness and mint. The taste is slightly tart, with oaky white rum adding a little bite. Fresh mint then carries the beer's flavor profile to the end with a bit of rind bitterness in the finish. The beer's natural carbonation provides a nice spritz in the mouth, adding to its cocktail authenticity. Although the base is more lemon than lime, the rum and mint help sell its mock-abilty. 4% ABV. Available today at Shades of Pale - 11am.

Utah Pink Boots Society - Mash the Patriarchy: The Pink Boots Society is a beer industry group that is designed to inspire and educate women who work in the U.S. beer industry. On International Women's Day women from many of Utah's breweries gathered at Roosters in Ogden to collaborate on a new beer that will be served at participating and non participating breweries and brew pubs around the Wasatch Front, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Pink Boots scholarship fund. That beer is finally done and hitting brewery guest taps as speak. This Cascadian Dark Ale has a nose that is very roasty and somewhat fruity. The taste follows, but, here I'm getting dark cocoa and grapefruit grapefruit. There is also sweetness, brown bread crust, and mild bitterness, but the overriding flavors are of the cocoa and fruit. Mouthfeel is slick and medium. Finishes semi-dry and refreshing. Easily crushable. 4.0% ABV. Available at Kiitos, Fisher, Proper, RoHa, UBC Store, Uinta, Zion Canyon, Roosters, Beer Bar, Slackwater and Angry Goat.

RoHa Brewing Project - Nights Out:  This Belgian style stout has aromas with lots of dark chocolate and espresso with clove dark fruits coming through. The taste opens up with some dark candi sugar giving off notes of dark fruits. a dry and dark bakers chocolate comes in before being nudged by a breath of cloves. The phenols don't completely take over but they do help push that taste away from any usual stout flavors. It finishes with faint notes of espresso. Available at the RoHa Brewing Project. Soon to better beer pubs.

Epic/Odell - Double D’s Double IPA: This special beer was made for Colorado's Collaboration Beer Festival. It's only being served at the festival this Saturday (tomorrow). All of those tropical notes are present including pineapple, papaya and a shload of citrus notes. It's 9.5% ABV but drinks like 7%, so be careful. It's highly drinkable. Epic released a very limited amount of this beer yesterday, in growlers at the SLC brewery. Don't wait.

Roosters - Limited Release Amber Ale: This is a new high point amber ale. I havn't tried it yet as it is being bottled as I write this. It will be available this afternoon at both Roosters locations in Ogden and Layton. 7% ABV.

Hoppers - The Jenny: A hibiscus flower, rose hip and strawberry flavored ale. Lightly hopped with Hull Melon. Maris Otter and Vienna base malt. Tart and crisp with a fruity finish. Pours a hazy strawberry color. 4% ABV.  Just tapped at noon. Only at Hoppers. 

Melvin - Chuck Morris: Tropical fruit aromas hit the nose first, mainly pineapple and alcohol soaked mango. There is also citrus fruit, grapefruit, orange and a good amount of pine. The taste pretty much follows. A good dose of resiny and oily hops give the juice its run for the money. Dry finish with a long bitter linger. 9.5% ABV. Available at Beerhive, Bayou, Dick n Dixie's, Slackwater

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 3/16/18

All I can say about this New Beer Friday batch of beers is that they are all full flavored beasts. If you like your beer subtle and light, these will not make you happy. Let's proceed.

Bohemian SIMPL (Session India Munich Pale Lager) - This very hoppy lager has a huge grassy and spicy nose. The taste has a huge blast of herbal, grassy and spicy hops that play off the mildly sweet toasted grains. I love lagers like this, the Mandarina Bavaria and Hallertauer Blanc hops create a incredibly complex flavor profile. If you like hoppy lagers, you love this. 4.0% ABV. Available at Bohemian

Squatters Chasing Tail Orange - I hope you like orange, because that's what you're going to get with this new brew from Squatters. It starts with a orange soda like flavor. Not as cloying as orange soda but it has that syrupy feel. As you get through to the end more orange peel comes through with a bit of pith. 5.2%  ABV. Available at Squatters/Wasatch locations now - soon to DABC stores.

Rogue Paradise Pucker - Sour and tart dominate both the aroma and flavor. The addition of passion fruit, orange peels, and guava work well with the lacto tartness. The result is a nicely tart and fruity concoction. 6.0% ABV. Available at select DABC stores

Mother Earth/Melvin Four Seasons Collaboration - This beer is massively hoppy and dank as shit. From the aroma to the palate you're senses will be assaulted with big chewy citrus and tropical fruits. The bitterness is high as well, countering the moderate amount of malt sweetness. There are six different hop editions here, featuring Citra and Mosaic and Lupulin Powder. 8.5% ABV. Available at Slackwater, Beerhive and The Bayou.

Proper's Mr. Wolf - This is a pale ale that features Styrian Wolf hops. These have subtle floral flavors like rose, orange blossom, and geranium, and also has a pleasing amount of earthy dankness. 4.0% ABV. Available at Proper Brewing.

Proper is also re-releasing  Czech Your Head - Only difference this year is that Proper is introducing some Mountain Malt along with the pilsener and adding some Tettnanger along with the Saaz hops. This will be a year-round beer, and it will be in Proper's bottle shop shelves today. 5.6% ABV

Remember, If your out and about this St. Patrick's Day, please avoid the green beer and embrace something craft.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 02/02/18

It's getting warm enough to move your workouts outdoors; if that's the case then you're probably good to start with the warm weather beers as well. Luckily my fitness tracker monitors both parts of my life. This week's new beers are are mostly geared to the crushable end of the spectrum. Happy New Beer Friday!

Kiitos Barley Wine: The aroma is sweet and fruity with caramel malt, dark bread, brown sugar, raisin, fig and chocolate. The tastes starts with brown sugar, prune and fig. There's an herbal quality mid point with a bit of earthy tang which transitions to a bite of piney hops that provides a rather clean finish for such a malty beer. 11.1% ABV. Available at Kiitos.

Squatters Milky Way NEIPA: Lotsa citrus and tropical flavors happening in this surprisingly medium bodied 4% offering. The added pith flavors make it taste especially juicy. Limited at Squatters.

Desert Edge Beehive Brown Ale: This is an English style brown ale with flavors of toffee, toasty malt and chocolate. Low hops and bitterness let the smooth nutty malt flavor stand out for a malty but dry beer. 4.0% ABV. Available at Desert Edge.

Uinta Crisp Apple: Missed out on this one, I'll try and get some note for later. If I were to guess? I'd say, tart green apple flavor. On draft at the brewery and at Harmons. Soon, everywhere else. 4.0% ABV.  

Proper Sláinte Session Stout: This is the draft version of Proper's Grand Sláinte Stout. Look for big roasted components along with cocoa and char. 4.0% ABV. Available at Proper Brewing

Melvin Experimental J-Hole: This beer is basically a sweet citrus bomb. There's a lot of  grapefruit peel and orange marmalade with pant-loads of resinous piney hops for balance. 7.0% ABV. Available at Beer Bar, Bayou, Beehive, Dick n Dixie's and Slackwater.

Melvin Hop Shocker IIPA: This Mosaic and Simcoe hopped bomb is brewed with 100% Lupulin powder; which creates a tropical melange that is surprisingly balanced for a Melvin beer. There's plenty of dank Euro grass in the finish, helping out in that regard. 8.0% ABV. Available at Beer Bar, Bayou, Beehive, Dick n Dixie's and Slackwater. 

Radeberger Pilsner: Sweet grains combined with nice toasted cereal and herbal hops. The finish is moderately grassy. A nice German style pilsner. 4.8% ABV. Available at Beer Bar

Shiner Farmhouse Rye:  The nose has some fruity yeast aromas, not much else. The taste has mostly sweet malt, that little bit of fruitiness on the nose doesn't make an encore. There is some biscuit-like malts coming thru and it finishes with a semi spicy rye finish. If you're hoping for a farmhouse beer, you're not likely to find those funky characteristics here. Think spicy pils. 4.0% ABV. Available at DABC Stores.

Rogue Straight Outta Newport... Oregon: Aroma is fruity with citrus peel. The taste is juicy as well with big citrusy hops along with notes of peach. A nice harmonious beer. 8.7% ABV. Available Beer Bar, BeerHive

Schofferhofer Pomegranate Hefeweizen: I haven't tried this one yet. I have to admit, I am curious though. The grapefruit version has been known to hit the spot for me on occasion. It's a very lite 2.5% ABV. Available at Beer Bar and Bayou.

I'll be discussing these beers and other this afternoon on KBER 101 with Mick and Allen at 3:30pm. Please tune in!

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 8/4/17

New Beer Friday is chock-full of goodness this week. Now with twice the recommended dose of Conway Twitty!

Snake River's Eclipse Ale: This pale ale is citrusy and floral in the nose. The taste follows with a bit of tangerine and floral bitterness. There is some toasted grain sweetness rounding it out. Overall, it's a tasty pale, not bad for a one and done beer. 5.2% ABV @ Slackwater

Desert Edge's ALTernative Facts Alt: This is a light copper colored German Ale. Malty sweet aroma with a smooth bready malt flavor. Low hop flavor and dry finish 4.0% ABV. @ Desert Edge

Ballast Point's Sea Rose: Hints of pomegranate in the nose. The flavor has a creamy malts with some tart cherry flavor and pomegranate. The flavors as subtle and not in your face. Overall, the flavors are pleasant and it tastes surprisingly fresh. Highly drinkable. 4.0% ABV @ Harmon'sand othe grocery and C-stores.

Talisman Presents - North East Style IPA: Not tried this one yet. Described as juicy and tropical. 7.0% ABV @ Talisman

Melvin's Heyzues: Grassy lemon nose. The taste starts with crackers and dry malts. The bitterness is somewhat herbal with some lemongrass notes. The finish has some pine resins. This is a really great Mexican style lager. @ Slackwater, Bayou

Proper's Lei Effect: This Gose is enhanced with passion fruit. The nose is dry and tart with a slight hint of sulphides. The taste is lemony and slightly briny with tart passion fruit. Some dry cracker notes round out the tartness. 5.0% ABV. Debuts later this afternoon at Proper Brewing. 

Mother Earth's Primordial IIPA: Thus has a subdued nose of mostly citrus peel and flowery hops. The taste has pine, citrus and floral notes. The malts are somewhat muted. A bit of alcohol makes it slightly drying in the finish. A nice west coast style IPA, it's just a tad dry. 9.5% ABV @ Slackwater, Bayou, BeerHive 

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 2/3/17

My self imposed beer exile is finally over - And just in time, because there a shload of new stuff covering the board this week.

RedRock India Red Lager - Haven't tried this one yet. Look for Fruity caramel malts with big citrus hops. 4.0% ABV @ RedRock Downtown

RedRock Lady Ga Gose - Lemon tartness with a moderate amount of sodium bite. A nice Gose. 4.0% ABV @ RedRock

Ballast Point Red Velvet Nitro - Not tried this one yet. The deep red color comes from beets, which add a rich, earthy character that complements the chocolate flavor and aroma. The foamy head of the nitro pour is the “icing”, adding a creamy smoothness to the mouthfeel. But this liquid dessert still finishes like a beer – not sweet, but just as satisfying. 5.5% ABV @ Beer Bar, Slackwater

Ballast Point Manta Ray - The nose has lots of tropical fruits. Mango, papaya, passion fruit, and some citrus. The taste is more citrusy with some tropical fruit notes. Bitterness at the end with some pine. A bit boozey. Some toasted malts. 8.5% ABV @ Beer Bar

Deschutes Black Butte XXVIII - The nose is a blend of coffee, raisins, chocolate, bourbon, prune and alcohol. The taste is a complex blend of chocolate, coffee, bourbon, oak, raisins, apricots, pine and vanilla. Very nice addition to the series. 11.5% ABV  @ DABC, BeerHive

Desert Edge Waimea IPA - This is a session IPA brewed with Waimea hops from New Zealand and a bit of citra in the dry hop. The aroma is mango and citrus. The flavor is the same with underlying grassy and botanical flavors with a hint of ripe melon. The malt flavor has just enough bready malt and light caramel to balance the hops. A firm bitterness keeps all the fruity flavors in check for highly drinkable session IPA. 4.0% ABV @ Desert Edge

Melvin Lambda3 - Brewed with 4+ lbs of Simcoe and Mosaic hops per barrel, then double dry-hopped. Flavors of peach, stone fruit, and herbal forest. 11.0% ABV @ Beer Bar, BeerHive, Slackwater

Melvin Drunken Master - The nose has pine resin with peach, melon and mango. The taste is slightly sweet with mild hints of toffee/caramel, heavy tropical fruits, hernal hops finishing with a moderate hop bitterness. @ Beer Bar, BeerHive, Slackwater

Melvin Citradamus - A lot of tangerine and grapefruit happening here with a good deal of tropical fruits as well. Malts subtle and caramely  9.0% @ Beer Bar, BeerHive, Slackwater

Great Divide Barrel Aged Yeti -  The Nose has chocolate, roasted malt, toffee, raisins, plums and figs. The taste is similar with the addition of a very sweet base. It tends to take away from the barrel that is already a bit subtle. Needs more of those bourbon/vanilla/coconut flavors that you want in a BBS. 12.5% ABV @ Beer Bar

Sierra Nevada Sidecar - This beer has a pop of bright orange flavor that emphasizes the natural citrus-heavy character of Cascade, Equinox and Mandarina hops. Brewed with orange peel added directly to the kettle, and all the classic hop flavor you'd come to expect from our all-new take on the hop-forward fruit beer. @ Beer Bar 

Sierra Nevada Tropical Torpedo - Mmango, papaya, and passion fruit dominate this version of Torpedo. 6.7% ABV @ Beer Bar

Squatters Outer Darkness Cans  Not new, but it is in new packaging. Handy-dandy 12 oz. cans!

Cheers!

Melvin 2x4 Day

Melvin Brewing Company is throwing a party to celebrating 2x4, their Gold Winning - World Beer Cup, Great American Beer Festival,  North American Brewers Assosiation and Alpha King Championship Double IPA.  This is a damn fine IPA, it's well worth your time and deserving of having it's own party. It's a massive floral and citrus hop bomb that's crazy drinkable and highly sought after.

2x4 Day is the celebration of 2x4, 2x4 Man and drinking the best IPAs! Melvin Brewing has hand picked some of the best bars around the globe to help them celebrate this monumental day. Salt Lake City's Beerhive will be one of only 30 bars around the world participating in this celebration.

If you show up to the Beerhive on 2x4 day, you can expect great Melvin beers like:

Lambda IIIPA
Drunken Master IIPA, 
Asterisk IIPA, 
Citradamus IIPA
Hubert, MPA 
Melvin IPA 
and of course 2x4 

2x4 Day happens on February 4th, 2017 - There will also be free swag, music and of course Kung Fu!

If you can't be in SLC, here are some of the other bars/cities that will be celebrating 2x4 Day.

Wyoming: 

Tusker Bar

3310 Ridge Road, Cheyenne, Wy 82001

Thai Me Up (original home of Melvin Brewing)

75 E Pearl, Jackson, Wy 83001

The Keg & Cork

5371 Blackmore Rd., Casper, Wy 82609

Washington:

Elizabeth Station

1400 West Holly Street, Suite 100, Bellingham, Wa 98225

The Hop and Hound

10827 Circle Dr, Bothell, WA 98011

The Beer Junction

4511 California Ave. S.W., Seattle, Wa 98116

The Copper Hog Gastropub

1327 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225

Special Brews

14608 Hwy 99, Ste 307, Lynnwood, WA 98087

Train Wreck Bar & Grill

427 E Fairhaven, Burlington, Wa 98233

The Last Drop

8016 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115

McKay’s Taphouse and Pizzeria

1118 E Maple St, Bellingham, WA 98225

Trails End Taphouse

511 Maple Ave, Snohomish, WA 98290

Collin's Pub

526 2nd ave, Seattle, Wa 98104

Colorado:

Brewer's Republic

112 N. Nevada Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80903

The Crafty Fox

3901 Fox Street, Denver, CO 80216

Finn's Manor

2927 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205

Tap and Handle

307 S College, Fort Collins, CO

Hops & Pie 

3920 TENNYSON ST, Denver, CoO 80212

The Jailhouse Craft Beer Bar

PO Box 2003, Buena Vista, CO 81211

Backcountry Pizza & Tap House

2319 Arapahoe Ave, Boulder, CO 80302

The Falling Rock Tap House

1919 Blake St, Denver, CO 80202

Oregon:

ABV Public House

23588 NW Clara Ln, Hillsboro, OR 97124

The Bier Stein

1591 Willamette St, Eugene, OR 97401

APEX

1216 SE Division St, Portland, OR 97202

Roscoe's

 8105 SE Stark St. Portland, OR, 97215

N.W.I.P.A

6350 SE Foster Rd, Portland, OR 97206

The BeerMongers

1125 SE Division St, Portland, OR 97202

Valley Growlers

15735 SE Happy Valley Town Center Dr, Happy Valley, OR 97086

California:

Hamilton’s Tavern

1521 30th St, San Diego, CA 92102

Beachwood BBQ & Brewing

210 E 3rd St, Long Beach, CA 90802

The Hop Grenade

2151 Salvio St. Ste. J-K, Concord, CA 94520

Idaho:

PreFunk Beer Bar

1100 W Front St, Boise, ID 83702

Bier Thirty Bottle & Bistro

3073 S Bown Way, Boise, ID 83706

Twisted Timber

4563 S Cloverdale Rd, Boise, ID 83709

Utah:

Beer Hive Pub

128 Main St, Salt Lake City, UT 84101

Massachusetts:

Lord Hobo Brewing

5 Draper St, Woburn, MA 01801

Washington DC:

ChurchKey

1337 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20005

Alaska:

Humpy's Great Alaskan Alehouse
610 W 6th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501 United States

Arizona: 

TBA

Texas: 

TBA

Canada - British Columbia:

12 Kings Pub

395 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC V5T 3J7, Canada

The Drake Eatery

517 Pandora Ave, Victoria, BC V8W 1N6, Canada

Belgium:

Moeder Lambic

Place Fontainas 8, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium

Cheers!

New Beer Friday - 2016 Holiday Edition

Hopefully, you've been good little beer nerds and nerdettes. If that's the case? Santa may reward you with a shiny new spaceship or better yet, you may get that 15 year vertical of that coveted Bulgarian Boza you've had your geeky eyes on since 2001. I can't help you with the Space Ship or the Boza (or Boza's side effects) but I can help you with the new beers that are guaranteed to make your holidays bright.

Uinta Hopscursion Brett IPA - Somewhat hazy in appearance, the head retention is pretty good. The nose has bretty barnyard funk, but not so much that you can't smell the citrus peel like hops. The taste starts with full on young and doughy brettanomyces. There is a bit of tartness but it's almost undetectable. The malt starts to show itself next with the citrusy and tropical hops carrying you away the end. Finishes yeasty and somewhat dry. This is not the type of brett beer to age. Hopscursion is perfect right now - like any fresh IPA. Drink 'em up now! 6.25% ABV @Uinta, Bayou

Uinta Sea Legs Brett Baltic Porter - I got to sample a bit of this from the barrel a few months ago. It reminded me of Jolly Pumpkin's Bam Noir - this final version is so much more than just a dark brett ale. The flavors here are deep and fruity. Dark fruits, cherry, vine berries and cocoa. After your tongue recovers from all of this, you get a little funk along with vanilla and bourbon on the back end. The result of all of this is rich and complex beer that's a sensory overload on the tongue. This is a very limited offering, don't wait too long. 8.2% ABV @ Uinta, Bayou, Beerhive, Beer Bar

Proper Géol English Barleywine - The nose is of toasted malt, caramel, toffee, slight nut, and alcohol aromas. Taste is much the same with toast, nut, earth, and wood flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of toast and earth bitterness and an alcohol kick on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer with solid toast and nut aspects all around. This beer was designed for the winter solstice - a perfect warmer for the holidays. 9.8% ABV @ Proper Brewing

Melvin *(Asterisk) - Dank and chewy with some nice tropical hops. Pretty dry and unbalanced for such a big beer. Some medical burn. This is far from unenjoyable, it's very nice and has a wonderful hop presence. It just lacks the craftsmanship of many of Melvin's predecessors. These are limited as well. 9.5% ABV @ BeerHive, Beer Bar and Slackwater

Mountain West Green Urban Lunchbox Hard Cider - This unique cider is made from over twenty different varieties of apples that were grown in the backyards of happy apple loving Utahans. This a limited release cider made in collaboration with The Green Urban Lunchbox. A portion of the proceeds will go to them. This is one of those ciders that will be different every time it's made, due to the randomness of the apples. I'd suggest you snag some of this, if it's brilliant it may never exists again! 6.9% ABV @ Mountain West Hard Cider

Talisman Bourbon Barrel aged Stout #2 - Not had a chance to sample this latest batch. Please share if you have. 6.3% ABV @ Talisman

Also returning this week is Uinta's Cockeyed Cooper Barleywine. This beer missed the rotation last year. It's back with a modified label. Look for a beer that has a nice medley of toffee, vanilla, bourbon and caramel. I missed this beer! 11.1% ABV @Uinta

Cheers and Happy Holidays!

New Beer Friday: 11/11/16

It's been a strange week for sure. That darker dimension has defiantly crept into our lives. I've found not only new beers but new breweries to our market - many are courtesy of SLC's Beer Bar. Strap in there's a lot to talk about. Enjoy your New Beer Friday!

Remember, Liquor Stores are closed today for Veterans Day.

Shades of Pale Hog's Head Reserve #3 - The bourbon and rye flavors are still quite prominent and these flavors do work rather well with the sweet Tripel Ale base. Look for notes of honey and raisins and a bit of sweet pineapple. On the back end, you have a skosh of butterscotch sweetness with light vanilla from the wood. Nicely complex. The ABV is 11%.

Melvin Brewing Killer Bees This one is very reminiscent of breakfast cereal to me The nose is grainy and grassy with a dry, vague, toasty Honeycombs cereal taste. Not Melvin's flashiest beer but it's pretty drinkable. 5.0% ABV @Beerhive, Beer Bar, Slackwater 

Ex Novo Dynamic Duo - I haven't had this one yet. It's described as having big hop aroma of pine, grapefruit, and pineapple with a very light body. Extremely drinkable and aggressively hopped with Citra and Chinook for a clean, bitter finish. 8.0% ABV @Beer Bar

Ex Novo Eliot IPA - The nose has citrus zest, pith and tangerine aromas. The taste is much the same with citrus zest, tangerine juice, and tropical fruit flavors in the finish. The bitterness is moderate to high. This is a great IPA, drink 'em up while their fresh! 6.6% ABV @ Beer Bar

Ex Novo The Most Interesting Lager in the World - I haven't had this one yet. It's described as being mildly hoppy and earthy with a little lemon. Some doughy, grainy malt, mildly cereal and straw like. These notes are replicated on the palate, an inoffensive, light bodied, cleanly fermented lager with a mild fruitiness from the yeast, a little bit of hop flavor(lemon, grass) and some grain. 5.0% ABV @Beer Bar

Ex Novo Liquid Sweater Winter Warmer - I haven't had this one yet. It's described as having an aroma and taste of molasses spice, toffee and dark fruits. Malty taste but with a nice bitter hoppiness. Light boozy finish. 7.0% ABV @ Beer Bar

Oakshire Gose to 11 - The nose has tart lemony citrus, coriander and salt. The taste starts with wheaty with tart lemon flavors that finish dry with subtle salt and barely perceivable coriander. Some lingering acidity on the tongue. Nice gose. 4.0% ABV @ Beer Bar

Oakshire Hellshire VI - I haven't had this one yet. It's described as having a nose of chocolate, some vanilla some oak. Look for caramel and chocolate in the taste, with notes of bourbon and some coconut in the finish. 12.0% ABV @ Beer Bar

Ecliptic Spica Pilsner - I haven't had this one yet. It's described as being brewed in the Un-filtered Keller bier style. Pale malt is used exclusively to give the beer a nice malt body and light golden color. Sterling hops add a rich herbal character. The yeast left in the beer works with the hops to add a nice spicy flavor. 5.5% ABV @ Beer Bar

Ecliptic Orbiter IPA - I haven't had this one yet. It's described as having Chinook and Columbus to create a formidable IPA. Bright and citrusy hop flavors shine in a medium body with caramel malt character. Dry hopped to amplify the hop aroma and flavor 7.4% ABV @ Beer Bar

Ecliptic Carina Peach Sour - The flavors here are mostly unripened peach. Some hops are detectable on the back end but for the most part this beer is peach and lemon driven. Nice beer. 5.5% ABV @ Beer Bar

Ecliptic Filament Winter IPA - I haven't had this one yet. It's described as having nice caramel up front with a citrus end and subtle hop bite. Fairly light mouth feel.7.2% ABV @ Beer Bar

Ecliptic Third Orbit Anniversary Ale Imperial Porter with Cherries - I haven't had this one yet. It's described as having an aroma of dark toasted malt with mild char, cocoa and a hint of cherry. Flavor is dark toasted malt with a little smoke, almost a hint of peat; milk chocolate and a touch of cherry. Finishes with some char and residual chocolate. Nice medium creamy body. A rich, very well integrated porter, bordering on stout territory but smoother and better balanced 9.0% ABV @ Beer Bar

Ecliptic/Fort George Collaboration JH² (JH Squared) IPA - I haven't had this one yet. It's described as having a nose of  massive citrus fruit and hints of wine they meld nicely! Palate...brisk, bright and bitter with hop resin and grapefruit pith and skin. The mid palate is quite dry and smacky and the finish is sharp with citrus and very long and oaky. 7.2% ABV @ Beer Bar

Magic Hat Circus Boy - I haven't had this one yet. It's described as unfiltered and unfettered, Circus Boy is a unique and refreshing American-style Hefeweizen. Is he a who? Or a what? Or perhaps some of both? Be amazed by the flavorful haze of this wonderful wheat beer. 4.5% ABV @ DABC

Magic Hat #9 - I haven't had this one yet. It's described as being a beer cloaked in secrecy. An ale whose mysterious and unusual palate will swirl across your tongue and ask more questions than it answers. A sort of dry, crisp, refreshing, not-quite pale ale. #9 is really impossible to describe because there's never been anything else quite like it. 5.1% ABV @DABC

RedRock's Secale returns today at all RedRock locations - however, for take home you'll have to wait til tomorrow morning (11/12) at 11am. This beer is a bock at it's base, but has the addition of rye malt and is aged in High West Rye Whiskey barrels. Secale pours a dark ruby color with a moderate two fingers of off-white head. The nose has a dry roasted malt aroma along with a light rye spiciness. It's rounded out with a mild caramel malt and vanilla aroma. The taste starts with Caramel malts and toffee. Chocolate covered raisins come next come next with a dry rye spiciness. Hints of vanilla and whiskey come next in the end, as well as a subdued hop bitterness that balances the malty sweetness in the finish. The body is full and the whiskey notes become a bit more pronounced as it warms. The 8.5% abv is well hidden but sneaks up you quickly.

We'll discuss these beers further later today with Mick and Allen at 3:30pm on KBER 101

Cheers!

Melvin Brewing Arrives in Utah

Back in June I was excited to deliver the happy news that Melvin Brewing Company had decided to bring their highly regarded IPAs and Pale Ales to Utah. Today I'm happy to announce that Melvin's 2x4 Double IPA, Hubert MPA and Melvin IPA will be hitting bars along the Wasatch Front hopefully by the weekend. The Beerhive hopes to have some in later this evening. The key word there being hopes.

Last year Melvin was named Small Brewpub of the Year by the brewers association based on the number of medals they received at the Great American Beer Festival. The three beer mentioned above helped get them there.

These are really great beers, well worth your time. Well update you with added locations as we acquire them.

Slainte!

Melvin Brewing Company Coming to Salt Lake

Some of the most sought after IPAs in the country will soon be making their way to Salt Lake city soon. Melvin Brewing Company, currently headquarter in Jackson, WY is currently building a brand new 20,000 square foot brewing facility among the mountains and rivers of Alpine, Wyoming with an anticipated July 2015 startup.

This new brewing facility will ramp-up Melvin's production greatly and open the gates to new markets - one of which is set to include Utah's Wasatch Front.

Melvin Brewing currently makes five year round beers. Two of them, their Melvin IPA and 2x4 DIPA are some of the more coveted IPAs in the west. Melvin has also entered the session beer game with their new Clinic Session India Ale, this beer will likely hit grocery stores and tap handles all over northern Utah.

Look for Melvin's stuff to hit our market in early Autumn.

Cheers!