New Beer Friday 1/15/21

There's an excellent mix this week of local and out of state craft beers. There a re quite a fee new entries to our market from new breweries, check 'em out. 

Hopkins - Rye Pilsner: Another hit from Matt’s small-batch series makes it to the main tap! This pilsner has a light malty profile with a hint of spicy zest from the rye, a touch of bitterness and hop profile from Saaz hops, and a clean, crisp finish. Featuring locally grown and malted pilsner and flaked-rye from Solstice Malt. 5.0% Only at Hopkins.

Hopkins - Introduction Pale Ale: A simple and approachable pale ale featuring locally grown and malted Solstice 2-row malt. This version features the 2020 Veterans Blend hops, which comprises five different Pacific Northwest-grown hop varieties including Idaho 7, HBC 692, Sabro, Mosaic and HBC 630 in the dry-hop. The hop blend is created by veterans and a portion of proceeds support the Wounded Warriors Family Support Fund. Citrusy, tropical aromas and flavors are the highlight of this pale ale while allowing a delicate malty backbone with minimal bitterness and a dry finish. 5.0% Only at Hopkins.

TF - Zkittles Terpene IPA: This IPAs terpenes are based on a popular Inca cannabis strain that has similar aromatics as Skittles candy. Im haven't had this one yet. Look for a super dank and fruity IPA with tropical and berry accents. Available starting today at TF. 7.5%   

Epic Midnight Munchies: This new peanut butter stout hits the cold case today as well. No advanced tasting notes here either. 8.0% - Only at Epic.

Fisher Doc Sarvis: Notes of Bourbon, chocolate and roasted malt are the primary flavors here. You'll get nice chocolate in the base with light whiskey and wood rounding out the background. 5.0% - Only at Fisher.

Fisher - Valley of Gold: This Brett fermented pale ale is funky and doughy with barnyard aromas.Complex earthy quality despite being so young. Still getting some of the tropical flavors the nose suggested, but it's subdued. Medium-bodied, with a fairly crisp mouth-feel. Such a wonderful beer!

Kiitos - Sahti: This Finish style of beer is traditionally unhopped with juniper twigs used during the brewing process create balance, imparting an unusual resiny character and serving as a preservative. Meanwhile, exposure to wild yeast and bacteria gives Sahti its signature tartness. This has some rye and a woody quality. Bitterness is low, some hops are detected. 5.0% - Only at Kiitos.

Shades - Incubus Imperial Pastry Stout: This delicious dark beer reveals your darkest desires. It's sweet, roasted, creamy and boozy with medium to low bitterness and a chocolate taste. Incubus is the base for more pastry stouts to come. Malted oat, de-husked barley, un-malted barley, all roasted, and lactose.⠀8.0% - Available now at Shades.

Roosters - Winter Blues: This is a "blueberry forward" IPA. No notes one this one but it's got me curious; gunna need to get on this one. 5.0% at Roosters B-Street Brewery.

*Gruner Brothers Brewing - Devilito: This is classified as a Belgian style strong ale. Look for a lighter body with moderate sweetness and classic phenolic yeast spices of coriander, clove and a hint of citrus peel. 8.3%. Found at Slackwater Sandy, DABC:

*Gruner Brothers Brewing - Salt Creek Citra: Aromas of Citrus, tropical fruits and pine. The taste follows with grapefruit forward citrus and hints of mango. Pine bitterness enters towards the finish. 7.7%. Found at Slackwater, DABC.

Revision - Cloud Cuddles: This NEIPA hits all the right notes with tangerine, peach and melon. Late palate you pick up a good dose of mango and tangerine, but it's the sweeter fruits that dominate due to malt profile. Bitterness is very low. 6.5% Found at Slackwater Sandy.

Revision - Battle of the Lords: A Double NEIPA that  pours a cloudy tangerine orange with a juicy aroma. Flavor-wise you get orange, mango, peach and pineapple. It's a great package with slightly higher bettering towards the finish. Some warming alcohol. 8.5% 

*Slo Brew - Cali Squeeze Mango Hefeweizen: Lots of mango, orange and lemon. The Hefe base is for the most part light. Not a game changer, but nice and fruity. 5.4%. Found at Slackwater in Sandy.  

*Slo Brew - Cali Squeeze Blood Orange Hefeweizen: Same drill here, though the blood orange adds a more pleasant flavor profile for me. Some tartness with blood orange, lemon and grapefruit. 5.4%. Found at Slackwater in Sandy.  

Mother Earth - Nitro Cali Creamin: This nitro version is new and comes in a special 16 ounce nitrogen can. It still has that rich vanilla flavor, but it's more pronounced due to the less bitter nitrogen gas. 5.0% Found at various grocery and C-stores in Davis County. 

New Belgium - Voodoo Ranger Captain Dynamite IPA: Look for aromas of grapefruit, orange, caramel and pine. Sweet tropical fruits on top of caramel, peach and pine on the palate. found at DABC.

Returning Favorites:

Saltfire - Mobius Trip Fate Bell: The Sotol barrel aged sour is back! if you missed it last time here are my notes from last year.  This one is in Sotol barrels from Texas. If you're not familiar; Sotol is kin to tequila and mezcal, that shares many of the characteristics of agave but it's far from that. It has a very earthy tequila profile, which comes through well in the beer. The beginning is tart and earthy with some granny smith peel. Next comes notes of pineapple and salt. The finish is oaky with puckering lemon. This is super complex and very intriguing. Never had anything like this. It's well worth your time if you like tequila flavors and sour beers. 7.1%

Level Crossing - The Black Album: This is part of Level Crossing's Black Feather Series. This is a black imperial rye IPA. The aroma is hugely dank, herbal and grainy with dense, bready malts. Flavor profile is less sticky, and a little more bold in regards to the malts  – there's a good dose of roast and char swirling around throughout. Dank, herbal, floral, zesty hops open up playing off of the bready, nutty, roastier malts flavors. The bitterness is medium to high and pretty much rules the beer from the back-end to the finish. Overall, a solid BIPA, with big hopiness. 9.2% 

Here are this week's Small Batch Series beers from Hopkins Brewing.

*New to the SLC Market

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 8/14/20

I'm not a doctor, but I play a beer doctor on the interwebs. If you're suffering from end of the week fatigue, Doc Mikey has his New Beer Friday prescription pad out and has provided a list of remedies below. Please follow dosage recommendations and have an excellent weekend.

Shades - Slurry (Peach Habenero): If your not familiar with Shades' Slurry series, It's basically at tart kveik yeast base with rotating fruits. This week's fruits a both potent enough to punch through the tartness but don't overwhelm the entire beer. the peach comes of green due to the tartness and the habenero is more scratchy in the throat than hot. Tasty stuff. 5.0% - Available at Shades.

TF - Cool Change: This is an IPL (India Pale Lager). It basically a pilsner that's been hopped like an IPA. TF's Starts off like an NEIPA but quickly diverts with a noticeable dryness that you get from the pilsner malt and the lagering. The dry hopping adds some welcome bitterness, making this a very crushable - hopped up lager. 6.9% - Available at TF starting today.

Fisher - Rotating IPA (Big Citra Bomb Tom): As of this writing, I don't think this one has an official name, but I was told that it's basically an amped-up version of Fisher's Citra Bomb Tom. There's a fresh aromatic burst of grapefruit, lemon, and lime. Tropical citrus. Piney accent. It just smells fresh and clean.
The taste is very "bright". Citrus immediately hits your tongue, with grapefruit and lemon zest, light-medium bitterness. Finishes with mango and a light malt. 6.9% - Available at Fisher in Crowlers to-go starting today.

Fisher - Black Lives Matter: A portion of the proceeds from this beer will go to non-profits that support Black Lives Matter. Nose of chocolate, char and malt goodness. The flavor brings more chocolate, yeasty breadyness, pumpernickel, rye and even some whole wheat. A very drinkable, smooth and satisfying dark lager. 5.0% - Available at Fisher on Saturday 8/15/20.

Wasatch - Top of Main Series (Belgian Double aged in Brandy Barrels): Nose is brandy, port, raisins, oak, and maybe a touch of spice. The taste is great. Tons of flavor exploding on the first sip. Lots of brandy - the most I have tasted on a beer aged in brandy barrels. Lots of grapes, oak, candy, toffee, bread, and leather. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, and the alcohol is well hidden. 10% - Available at most Wasatch/Squatters locations. I found it at the Co-op's Beer Store.

Wasatch - Landbier: I initially got a pretty healthy dose of toasty malts and sweet malts. I do get a bit of hops adding a subtle grassy note, but they are very supportive of the malts. The flavor is really clean and malty with toasty and sweet light caramel aplenty, but there is a welcome bitterness present in the finish . Overall the mouthfeel of this beer is medium to light with plenty of carbonation, so it comes across quite light. You could drink this beer all day and I really dig the unexpected hoppy burp. 6.0% Available at the OG brewery in PC - I found it at the Beer Store. 

Policy Kings - Dark Hustle: I missed this new coffee stout from the Cedar City brewery. If you've had it, please share your thoughts. 5.0% - only at Policy Kings.

Modern Times - Critical Band: Brewed with Denali, Ekuanot, Citra, and Centennial hops, Critical Band is a blast wave of pineapple, papaya, and pink grapefruit over a crisp, restrained malt bill, before wrapping up in a soft, round finish. 6.7% - Found at Slackwater.

Here's a list of the small batch beer available this weekend from Hopkins Brewing.

Prost!

New Beer Friday 8/7/20

Whoa! Easy on the bleach there, Mr. Clean. I spent a lot on that empty stadium product placement. Five bucks, is five bucks, right? Odds are pretty good, that you're much better at spending your hard earned quatloos than I am. Though, when it comes to New Beer Friday, frugality goes out the window. Have a great weekend!

Shades - Slurry (Mango Apricot): This is straight kveik yeast and fruit with no lactose - this is the case with all of the Slurry series beers. This one starts fairly tar with hard green peaches. Tastes like they plucked them green and straight off the tree. The mango comes in next with a subtle amount of flavor. This is kind of like a shandy on steroids full of flavor and tartness. Be sure to rouse the can to get all of the fruit that will likely be settled at the bottom. 5.0% - Available at Shades

Toasted Barrel - Pineapple Milkshake IPA: Comes across as iced cream with tropical flavors and pineapple with a nice dose of vanilla. They really capture the "smoothie" in this beer. 8.0% - Only at Toasted Barrel. Alcohol is very well hidden. Not vegan friendly.

Toasted Barrel - Oak Aged Lager: Apple peel with sweet grains and vague vegital flavors. The woodiness is pleasant and adds some toasted notes. 5.0% - Available at Toasted Barrel.

TF Brewing - Cerveza: This debuts today. Can't wait to try their take on the style. 5.0% Only at TF.

Fisher - Lemonade Stand: The base beer has a good dose of lemony tartness. On top of that add a little lemon zest and subtle strawberry and you get a nice hot weather sipper. I'd put the tartness factor at the high side of medium. 5.0% - Only at Fisher.

Fisher - NEIPA: The latest rotating IPA from Fisher features Idaho 7, Simcoe and Sabro hops. Moderate aromas of citrus and tropical fruit hops are present. The taste follows the smell and has flavors of orange citrus, mango, and passion-fruit. Very little perceptible bitterness. Very juicy on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation. 6.1% - Only at Fisher.

Hopkins - Salty Lemons: This is a collaboration beer made made with the Hop Bombshells home brew club. This has a gose base with fresh watermelon and juiced lime added. Slight brine from the base beer adds a little zip. 5.0% - only at Hopkins.

Squatters - Black is Beautiful: The aroma has roasted malt, coffee, anise, a little chocolate. I get some yeast from the aroma. Something nutty, and something vaguely fruity. Taste is rich, lots of dark, almost burnt roast malts. Anise is the next thing that comes to mind, and the fruitiness from the smell turns into something slightly date-like. 10.0% -

Desert Edge has re-opened after a long Covid hiatus. Do us and them a favor, please hit them up, grab a few pints and tear into their delicious grub. We need them as much as they need us. Welcome back Desert Edge!

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 6/19/20

Tomorrow is the Summer Solstice - you'd never know it by the temperatures outside. I'm not complaining, this is damn near perfect weather for me. It's also excellent beer drinking weather too; warm enough for the light summer beer with enough evening chill to bring on the heavier beer cravings. Take a look at the list this week and you'll see it fits in perfectly to what I was just talking about.

Fisher - Bock: This beer was resurrected from Fisher's early 20th Century glory days. It's not an exact clone, but I trust Colby's brewing prowess to dial it in. It even comes in a retro looking Bock crowler.  5.0% - Available at Fisher.

Fisher - Plumango Sour: Very tart up front some nice mango notes. The plum gets a little lost in the base beer but it's overall a nice flavor combo that light and refreshing. Look for a malt sweet beer with with lighter alcohol than the typical bock. 5.0% In crowlers to go at Fisher.

Fisher - Staring into the Rye: There's a good dose of rye on top of a solid caramel base. Hops are herbal, sharp and balancing. Nice beer.  5.0% In crowlers to go at Fisher.

Toasted Barrel - Double Juicy IPA: Missed this one. Brewed with four different hop varietals, creating a low bitterness NEIPA.  8.5% - At Toasted Barrel today.

Shades -  PB&J: I was expecting a peanut butter bomb al la Belching Beaver, but the nut addition is pretty subtle. With a tart base beer - plus the addition of strawberry, think too much peanut butter would have made it a muddled mess. It's pretty drinkable considering what it is. 6.5% - Only a Shades.

Heber Valley - Mint n' Chocolate Stout: If you going to make a chocolate stout in the summer you'd better find a way to make it somewhat refreshing. The addition of mint may be the key. This is out now and only at the brewery in Heber. 5.0%

UTOG - Dry Bavarian Hefeweizen: They dialed down the sweetness a bit for this normally sweet wheatbier. It's time you experimented with the drier side of Hefes. 5.0% - only at UTOG.

Talisman - Adventures in IPA #6: This Juicy IPA was brewed with Citra, Amarillo and El Dorado hops. This will go fast! 5.0% - Available at Talisman. 

Lone Pine - Oh-J: This double IPA has an opaque medium orange gold color with bright citrus aromas of orange and grapefruit. Vibrant orange and light citrus in the taste with spicy citrus rind. In the finish there's a nice lingering citrus twang. 8.1% Found at Slackwater.

Returning Favorites

Red Rock - Paardebloem: It's been about a year and a half since the last batch hit. This batch may be tough to obtain for home consumption, but I've been assured that there will be plenty going to the main brewpub and RR's restaurants to take care of the dine-in crowd. This year you can expect honey sweetness with peach, apricot and pear notes. There's a hint of funk and tartness lurking beneath the fruitiness. There's a good dose of bitterness from the greens as well. A sit warms the vinious aspe t from the barrel pop out. Finishes slightly warm and boozy. 9.2% Goes on sale Friday (today) in the restaurants, Saturday at the production brewery.

Proper - Recommend Rye: Continuing with their greatest hits, Proper is re-introducing another of it's OG beers. This week we return to Recommend Rye. This is a saison at it base with rye spiciness that compliments the esters the Belgian yeast creates. This is slightly tweaked from the last time you had it so it's time to schlep your ass over there and try out the new batch. 5.7% Only at Proper.

Epic/Commons - Common Interests:  You thought this collaboration beer between Epic and the now defunct Commons Brewing was all gone. Oh how wrong you were. There's a limited amount of crowlers available in SLC for this special foedered melon sour.  This has a light-straw color with just a hint of green in the highlights. Sweet honeydew rind, clean earth and oak hit the nose. The first sip is bright with citrus-tartness, lime and pith, that fades quickly to a cooling ripe-melon-sweetness with hints of cereal grain, tilled earth and root cellar. The effervescence lifts quickly off the palate taking the acidity but leaving hints of honeydew and the harvest season. 

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 4/24/20

Grid City is finally selling their suds from the brewery. In what has to be the worst timing in in local beer history, Grid City was unceremoniously required to close 48 hour before their soft opening, due to the pandemic. Get out and support the new guys and hit up some of these other great breweries offering up beer this week.
 
Grid City - House Pilsner: The nose is a nice malty base that has hints of peppery hops and and faint hint of apples and fructose. The flavor is a greatly hopped and like the nose there is a fold malty foundation that has some complex peppery hops riding on top then notes of fruit, nutmeg and lemon peel. 4.5% - Available at Grid City.

Grid City - Hoppy Pilsner: This one does smell pretty hoppy. Herbaceous, lemon, maybe a bit of grain, straw, grass and grape. Fairly hoppy with a hit of fruit up front before the malt edge takes over. Hits on the green grape and grassy notes. Aspirin like bitterness in the end. Malt begins to show as the beer warms. Getting a slight breadiness. Still, this one is pretty hop dominant. Finishes sharp before completely drying out. 4.8% - Available at Grid City.

Templin Family - All Together: This beer will be released today at noon. No tasting notes yet. 100% of the profits from this beer will go to the employees of TF to offset their financial burdens. 6.5% - Only at TF Brewing

Heber Valley - Hefeweizen: Missed this new beer from Heber.

Wasatch Guava Rosa: Murky and turbid peach color. The aroma is mostly guava. Flavor-wise the guava is fairly subtle, with some hibiscus like tartness. There's a medium amount of bitterness in the finish. 7.1% - Available at the UBC's Beer Store.

2 Row - Belgian IPA: Missed this one as well. Look for spicy yeast notes with a good dose of citrus and tropical fruits.

Shades - Magna-tude: Made with orange ginger and honey. The tart base enhances the citrus qualities with a subtle amount of spicy ginger. the honey gives it a slight dryness. Quite tasty, try it with sushi. 5.7% - Available at Shades.

Returning 

Hopkins - Stonewall Sour Saison: If you missed it the first time around, stop by and check it out.  3.7% - at Hopkins.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 4/17/20

One of the things I miss most from my individual exile, is sitting my ass down at any given pub and socializing with all of you. Lauren Lerch (pictured above) is an obvious riot and just one of the many humans that make our beer community so much brighter. Here's to all of you, and a Happy New Beer Friday!

Roosters - On Wednesdays We Wear Pink: This version of Roosters Pink Boots beer has less hibiscus than the previous year's beer. The nose is citrusy and floral with toasted character. The flavor is fairly dry with cracker-like malts and caramel. The hops bring in orange peel and flowery hops. It's dryness just adds to its drinkability.  5.0% - Available at all Roosters locations in crowlers.

Shades - Aftershock: The flavors pack a punch of strawberry, banana and guava. There's also some fresh pineapple juice cocktail in there; I don't know if there's actual pineapple juice, or if it's just the base beers tartness mingling with the fruit cocktail. Anoter winner from Shades. 5.7%. Checking Shades' status this morning, it appears that this beer has already sold out.

2 Row - Stimulus Check: This is one beastly IPA. This unfiltered triple IPA boasts a shload of Mosaic, Citra and Idaho 7 hops. Look for a massive hop profile with a huge malt backbone. The hops are resinous grapefruit, pine, lemons, floral esters and chrewy resins. The rest of the flavors are malty sweet with caramel, earthy bread and alcohol. Oh, and did I mention 11.0% alcohol?  Available at 2 Row starting today.

Uinta Pina Colada: The use of the lactose in this "milkshake pale ale" is pretty even handed. It's not as sweet as you may anticipate. You get coconut off the top for sure and it is subtle as well. Next you get some tropical fruit juices; mostly comprised of pineapple - maybe some mango. There a good dose of bittering hops in the finish to balance it all out. Solid. At 7.0% it's basically an IPA instead of a pale ale. Available starting today at Uinta.

Proper - Hey Joe!: This Amber Ale is on the dryer side of the style. What you get is is a good dose of toasted malts with a lot biscuit flavors. Hops are floral with some minor pine accents. the whole package come close to being a brown ale without the nuttiness. Drinks really well. It's dryness keeps its drinkabilty high. 5.0% - Available at Proper.

Kiitos Tripel Dry Hopped Hazy IPA: This new hazy features Citra, Amarillo and Lotus hops. Lotus is a fairly new hop that features notes of citrus, vanilla, berries and tropical fruits. Look for medium to low bitterness with an ample amount of malt sweetness. 5.0% Available at Kiitos.

Lone Pine- Tiny Tess: This appears to be mostly available in Davis Co. at the moment. I haven't tried it yet, you have please share your thoughts.  5.0%

Stone - Enjoy By 4/20/20: Alycen the manager of the Avenues liquor store announced yesterday that she got in this year's Enjoy By 4/20/20. I'm sure it's at other locations as well, but if you want some for the big day, you'd better pull the trigger soon.

Returning

Epic - Supersize Me IPA: If you missed out on this when it debuted last month in crowlers, you can rejoice, it's now in 22 ounce bombers. This big ass IPA is made with apricots, Citra and two of the hottest new hops on the market Grüngeist and Styrian Dragon. The  Grüngeist hops add flavors of Passion Fruit, Melon, Berries, Fleshy Fruit and Sweet Pepper. Styrian Dragon offer intense floral character and moderate herbal and citrus tones. All of this is wrapped up in a hearty 12.0% IPA.

Epic would also like me to pass on that you can go to www.epicbrewingmerch.com and select the Salt Lake City location to place an order for their beer. Epic will build and box your order and all you have to do is come right inside the door to show ID and swipe your card. (you have to come inside the building to pay, according to the DABC you can't pre pay, it has to be paid for after your ID is checked). 

Cheers!

New Beer 'Good' Friday

New Beer Friday is the perfect elixir for any weekend gathering. No matter if it's on-line or from across the street. 
 
Shades - Epicenter Mango Chili Sour: Pours like mango juice. Not much head to speak of. Initial aroma is fresh mango with some chili meat; quite fresh smelling. The flavor starts and finishes like tart mango juice, but there is a nice but subtle peppery scratchiness that follows. It's not hot on the through persay just scratchy. A unique and delicious experience. 5.7% Available at Shades

Bewilder Irish Lager: Aromas are faint and hard to find, but share a caramel malt and softly phenolic profile. Flavors mimic the light profile and also give a modest caramel flavor. Light grains and ripe fruit flavor (apples, pears) dances around the periphery. 5.0% Available to go, so growler up!

Roosters - 25th Anniversary Barley Wine: Aged in Porter's Rye Whiskey Barrels for 10 months. This smells like figs, raisins, prunes, booze soaked raisin bread, caramelized sugar, and oak. There's lots of fruitiness, a bit of spicy hops and spicy alcohol and toffee. This is quite fresh and will age nicly so pick up a few extras. 9.8% - Only at Roosters' Layton location.

Saltfire This is Fine: This beer was brewed in collaboration with the Hop Bombshells Home Brew Club to support the Pink Boots Society. This Rye IPA has a nice aroma full of spicy rye, brown sugar and caramel balanced with the hops. Taste is sweet, spicy rye, caramel malt, toffee, with earthy herbal, grapefruit, pine and grass hints. It has a fine bitter/spicy finish. Complex for 5.0%. At Saltfire.

Hopkins Pico Rico: Missed this new Mexican style lager. Brewed with Solstice and Munich malts, along with Hallertau Blanc hops. 5.0% only at Hopkins.

Toasted Barrel - Barrel Aged Golden with Lavender: I missed this wine barrel aged sour. Aged for one year. Available at Toasted Barrel today.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday the 13th - 3/13/20

No hoarding of the New Beer Friday! There's plenty to go around. If you choose to go out into the scary world on this Friday the 13th you'll be met with shloads of great beer. Not an unlucky day at all!

Red Rock - Don't Murder Me: Aroma is mostly roasted malts, with notes of toast, coffee, and slight hint of smoke. Taste is more roasted malts, creamy milk chocolate, mild coffee, and cocoa. 6.7% Available

Bewilder - Irish Stout: Aromas of mocha and coffee, with coffee bean and some chocolate milk.
Flavor is strong with coffee notes...smoked, dark roast coffee and a nuttiness. The finish is smokey with tastes of roasted coffee. Some lingering char as well. 5.0% - Available at Bewilder.

Shades - Imperial Lager: Quite fragrant for a lager. Strong malt/grain smell. A bit of orange peel, grass and pear. The taste showcases a sharp bitterness from the hops. The pilsner malt is evident in a larger, strong quantity too. It's like a triple czech pils. Lots of flavor. 8.0% - Available at Shades.

RoHa - Zoltar: This pale ale features the Zythos hop blend. It has a big caramel base with citrus, and spicy pine bitterness. Slightly herbal in the finish. 5.0% Available at RoHa. 

T.F. Brewing - Corduroy:  Looks like Sunny Delight! The aroma is extremely pungent, with pineapple, mango, guava, grapefruit. You can catch a whiff from the glass from a few feet away. Taste is very juice forward - grapefruit, orange, pineapple, perhaps others, with the addition of a light grassiness before fading into a sweet juicy mild pith bitterness. Mouthfeel is smooth and fairly full with a light tingling from carbonation. Very Nice. 7.7% - Available Saturday 3/14 only at T.F. Brewing. (not vegan friendly)

Squatters - Rye Of The Tiger: This hazy IPA was made with Mosaic, Simcoe and of course some rye. Light in color, super cloudy and fruity AF. 5.0% - At Squatters Brewpub SLC. 

Heber Valley - Electric Avenue: I missed this new Double IPA. It's hopped with Mosaic, Citra and Centenial. 8.0% - Avaiable at Heber Valley.

Pipe Works - Blood of the Uincorn: Really fresh and aromatic. It opens with a surprisingly prominent malt body. Hints of citrus, grapefruit rind, cane sugar and grass. Big hop bite towards the end accents a brew that's mostly got great balance between citrus and resin. Real drinkable too. 6.5% - Found at Slackwater (Ogden)

Pipe Works - Select Schwartzbier: Missed this one. 6.3% - Found at Slackwater (Ogden)

Pipe Works Donut Soup:  This is an imperial stout. Lactose and vanilla are very evident on the nose, with periodic hits of coconut and coffee as it warms. Taste leans more on the lactose, coconut, vanilla, and coffee, with some supporting cocoa and bready malt, but again really sweet, cloying on some sips.   10.5%  - Found at Slackwater - Ogden (not vegan friendly)

Pipe Works - Infinite Citra: Huge Citra aroma of tropical fruit and citrus. The taste has a burst of tropical fruit with notes of pineapple, passion fruit, orange, and grapefruit. Some biscuity malts as well. 7.3% - Found at Slackwater (Ogden)

HaandBryggeriet - A Dashing Rogue: This is described as a nordic oud bruin sour macerated with raspberries and cherries. 6.8% - Found at the Bayou.

La Sirène Brewing - Paradoxe: This is described as having a classic grape characters and juicy yet tangy green fruits that dominate with the bracing acidity that delivers a dry, creamy and refreshing finish. 5.0% - Found at the Bayou

The following are part of Hopkins Brewing's Small Batch Series 

 #TRENDY: This New England style pale features a fruity blend of late
addition hops. Hearty hop aroma without heavy bitterness, and
topped with Kveik yeast, you could say it's as trendy as it gets.

BRUNCH ALE: Brewed with lactose, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and
maple. This blonde ale is inspired by french toast. (not vegan friendly)

MOSAIC HEFE: The German weiss style features mosaic hops.

GALENA PALE: This SMASH pale showcases both Solstice 2-row grain, as well
as Galena hops.

IRISH SODA BREAD: *may contain traces of nuts* This dry pale ale is brewed with
salt and raisins. Inspired by a St. Patrick's Day staple.

IRISH RED: This Irish Red is exactly that, lots of malt character with a touch
of hop bitterness.

IRISH COFFEE STOUT: Brewed with coffee and Irish whiskey, this robust stout is
inspired by the Irish Coffee cocktail.

CARBOMB STOUT: Brewed with lactose, cacao nibs, coffee, vanilla, and Irish
whiskey. This stout is inspired by the Irish Carbomb shot. (not vegan friendly)

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 2/7/20

I think you'll find these New Beer Friday options agreeable to most beer nerds. If you're into stouts and porters this will be a good weekend for you.

Wasatch - Cerveza Molé (Mexican Red): Mexico was the inspiration for this beer. Brewed with corn, dried chilies, peanuts, cocoa, cinnamon, allspice, cumin and coriander. for such a busy beer it comes together quite nicely with mole flavors that take advantage of the caramel malt base. Quite nice. 5.0% On tap now, only at Wasatch Brewpub Sugar House, and only for a limited time!

2 Row - Smoked  Jalapeño Porter: The aroma has a faint hint of chilies and roasted malt. In the mouth you get a nice dose of cocoa and dark roast coffee. The jalapeño heat is pretty subtle and is mostly limited to a scratchiness on the back of the throat, with little fire. A solid chile beer. 7.5% Available at 2 Row, I also found it a Beer Bar.     

Policy Kings- Imperial Stout: Missed this one. Look for flavors and aromas of dried fruit, coffee, and dark chocolate in this new offering from the Cedar City brewery. ABV N/A. Only available at the brewery.

Policy Kings - Juiced Up: Missed this one.This a citrus forward pale ale featuring notes of grapfruit. ABV N/A. Only available at the brewery.

Roosters - Untamed Juicy IPA: This new IPA is very cirtus forward along with big tropical notes. It only has about 20 IBUs, so the bitterness is pretty low. This just went on sale and shout be at all Roosters locations soon (if it isn't already) 7.0%

Squatters - Strawberry Kolsch: This new 5% version has in-house made strawberry puree. It punches up the fruitiness, but not in an obnoxious way. It's clean, fruity and highly drinkable. Very nice. Available at Squatters Downtown.

RoHa - Barrel Aged Porter: This is RoHa's project porter aged on oak. Look for vanilla undertones with robust malts and a slight bourbon aroma. 5.0% - This is very limited and only available at RoHa.

Kiitos - Oatmeal Stout: This is a straight-up oatmeal stout. Lots of cocoa and chocolate notes here with a slight bit of coffee. It's silky smooth and perfect for a rainy day. 5.0% - On Draft now at Kiitos.

Deschutes - Planéte Rouge:This is a somewhat vinegary take on the oud bruin style. Notes of dark malts, cherry and apple. The 10.2% ABV is a bit overwhelming; combine that with the acidic vinegar and you get an overly aggressive sour that's just average. Available at Slackwater Sandy and select DABC stores.


Returning 

Shades - Kveik Thai Tom Kah: Shades' 2019 gold medal winning herb and spice beer is back in limited release. The coconut is strong enough to be noticed, Ginger is pretty subtle and the lemon grass gets a little lost. All n’ all it’s damn delish. 6.5% At Shades.

Salúd!

New Beer Friday 1/24/20

There's a nice round selection of styles this week. There may not be a lot, but the flavor factor here, more than makes up for it.

Red Rock - Juicy Pale Ale: Juicy hop aromas dominate this hazy pale ale. Oats and barley are used to create a big silky body that can hold up the round juicy, berry-citrus, white-pine hop profile. definitely more hop fruitiness than bitterness happening here. 5.0% - Available at Red Rock location and at Harmons.

Toasted Barrel - Barrel Aged Sour with Grapes: This beer was aged for 18 month in French oak. The beer/wine hybrid definitely has a vinous quality with doses of balsamic vinegar from the funkified barrel. 7.5% - Available at Toasted Barrel.

Toasted Barrel - Cranberry Sour: This lactobacillus sour has a moderate amount of sweet and sour going on. The tartness from the cranberry, really fights for your affections as it dukes-it-out for dominance over the base beer's sourness. 5.0% - Available at Toasted Barrel    

Shades - Kveik Cherry Pie: The newest incarnation of Shades' Kveik Series features cherries, vanilla, cinnamon, graham cracker and lactose for sweetness. Look for tart pie cherries with that signature graham cracker crust toastiness. It tastes like a desert beer but drinks like an everyday ale. Non-vegan friendly. 6.3% - Available at Shades and your better beer pubs.

UTOG - Red Eye: This new imperial red ale is bright with fruity malts that take you into berry territory. the hops a a bit of citrus, but it's pine that drives the majority of the hop profile and bitterness. 8.3% - Available at UTOG.

Bewilder - Fresh Sesh IPA: The new IPA from Bewilder is hopped with Warrior, Citra and  Mosaic Hops. I havn't tried this one yet as it will be tapped later this afternoon. If you want to try this, call first to find out if it's on or not. 5.0% - Available at Bewilder. 

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 12/20/19

You can "use me" for all of your holiday beer research, and as a conduit for hours of classic holiday music and beer pairings (sorry Meista). The New Beer Friday Singers will be singing classics such as "All I want for Xmas is Brew", "The Little Drammer Boy" and that classic, "Rudolph the Red Nosed Haze Bro".  Be safe out there, kids!

Fisher - Holiday IPA: This hits Saturday morning and it will be one of their high point crowler releases. This is full of grapefruit peel & dehydrated orange with herbal and floral hops backing it up. West Coast IPA for sure. Nice beer. 7.0%

T.F. Holahaze:  This one drops Saturday Morning as well. Big citrus peel and herbal nose, that creeps into dank territory. Medium malt sweetness nourishes a good dose of chewy grapefruit peel that creeps into that gange territory. Not a classic ‘haze’ beer but it’s got broad appeal. 7.4% at TF starting Saturday morning.

Kiitos - Lime Salt Pilsner: there’s a fair amount of lime tartness backing sweet and toasted malts. 5.0% - Available at Kiitos.

Proper - Yacht Rock Juice Box: This has more of that herbal/citrus combo with light caramel malts.  5.0%. - Available at Proper

Proper - Bonestorm: This hopped-up amber ale hits taps today. Much more toasty than malty. Feels more like an ESB - 5.0% Available at Proper.

Bewilder - Coffee Bock: Missed this collaboration with Wasatch Beers. 5.0% - Available at Bewilder.

Bewilder - Citra Wheat Lager: Clean wheat crackers with a nice hoppy zip. Mostly tangerine & orange. Super drinkable. 5.0% - Available at Bewilder.

Heber Valley - Snake Creek BA Imperial Stout: Missed this one. 10.0% - Available at Heber Valley.

Level Crossing - Oat Slayer: 4.6% 4.7% - Released on 12/21

Level Crossing - West Coast IPA:  5.0% 4.7% - Released on 12/21

Level Crossing - Santa Slayer: Stout brewed with cinnamon, ginger, allspice, vanilla and nutmeg. 4.6% 4.7% - Released on 12/21

Level Crossing - Peppermint Slayer: Aged on Brazilian and Mongolian oak. Infused with York Peppermint Patties. 4.7% - Released on 12/21

Shades - Grape Kviek: One of my favorites in their Kveik Series. Mostly tart berries that come across as Smarties candy. 5.6% - available at Shades.

Destihl - Wild Sour Cranberry Criek: This sour evolved by merging tart cranberries with sweet cherries, normally associated with a traditional kriek, but in a kettle sour beer that is wonderfully intricate, balanced, fruity and tart. It was then dry-hopped adding a touch of citrus aroma and flavor, adding another layer of complexity with a tart finish. 5.0%. Found at DABC

Destihl - Weissenheimer Hefeweizen: This classic German-style Hefeweizen has fruity aromas and flavors of banana, clove and vanilla with a full mouthfeel and an appropriate amount of yeast haze. 5.2%. Found at DABC


Elevation - Señorita: This Imperial Porter has aromatic notes of vanilla, cinnamon and sweet milk. The beer hits the palate with vanilla, sweet chocolate malts, and a hint of cinnamon; all with a medium body and a balancing pine hop bitterness. 8.2%. Found at DABC.

The Following (for the most part) are largely exclusive to the Bayou this week. If you're a fan of sour beers the Bayou is defiantly a must stop for you this year.

Dogfish Head - Super 8: This Gose style sour ale was brewed with Hawaiian red sea salt, prickly pear, mango, boysenberry, blackberry, raspberry, elderberry, and kiwi juices & toasted quinoa. It's bacically a fruit salad. 5.3%

Dogfish Head - Wood Aged Bitches Brew: This a fusion of a Russian Imperial Stout aged in American oak and an Ethiopian Tej Honey. This beer was also aged in Paraguayan, Palo Santo Wood. 9.0%.

Boulevard 30th Anniversary: This beer is a blend of nine Boulevard beers. 34% Imperial Stout in rye whiskey finished port casks –  26% Belgian Dark Strong Ale in ruby and tawny port casks – 16% Double Mashed Imperial Stout in bourbon barrels – 9% Belgian Dark Strong Ale in California sherry casks – 5% Imperial Stout in bourbon barrels – 5% Imperial Stout in Spanish sherry puncheons – 3% Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels followed by ruby/tawny port casks and 2% Belgian Dark Strong Ale in bourbon barrels. Yeah, this screams the holidays. 12.5%

Firestone Walker - Mole Merkin: This version of Velvet Merkin has dried Puya chili, cinnamon and cocoa nibs from the Dominican Republic to a brandy barrel-aged version of Velvet Merkin. The chili adds a spicy. yet approachable heat, with rich dark berry fruit flavor. The addition of cocoa nibs helps balance the heat from the peppers, adding to the mouthfeel. The result is a complex, yet delicate beer, with flavors of earthy chili pepper, cinnamon and cocoa. 7.8%

Stone Jägermeister & Arrogant Bastard Ale: Flavor-wise there's a bit of pine and black licorice up front. An oaky character brings notes of cinnamon. It finishes with dark fruits and an herbal bite - similar to strong mint tea with lemon. The flavors in this beer are extremely strong. Not for the timid. 8.5%.

Stone - Enjoy by 01/01/20: These IPAs rarely disappoint. Havn't had this one; it's more of a double at 9.4%.  

Jester King - Super Ultrameg Hyperforce: This saison has a orange, golden color with a nose of funk, tartness, melon, yeast spiciness and wheat. Taste follows, but it finishes with melon, and a nice crisp tartness. Very nice. 4.5%.

Jester King - Vague Recollection: Funky yeast with wine barrel notes. Grape must, apricot and lemon as well. Apricot and peach notes with lemon acid round it out. The mouthfeel is tart, dry and crisp. 6.0%.

Jester King -  B.A. Bier de Miel: Missed out on this 6.9% Bier de Garde.

Jester King - Das Wunderkind: This saison was refermented in oak barrels with wild yeast and souring bacteria. It was then blended with fresh, dry-hopped beer prior to bottle-conditioning. Dry and lightly tart, with notes of citrus, barnyard, and tropical fruit. 4.5%

Jester King -  Hibernal Dichotomous: This wild saison is brewed with cardamom pods and refermented with roasted beets and carrots. Notes of earthy carrots, pears, apricot, dark fruits, plum, lemongrass and beets. Finishes slight tart. 5.8%.

Jester King - Le petite Prince: Throughout Northern Europe, light-bodied, well-hopped, low alcohol table beers were often the beverage of choice with all meals at times and in places where the water wasn’t always safe to drink. This is a clear and simple expression of the delicate interplay between noble hops and farmhouse yeast. Low point beer haters need not apply. 2.9%.

Jester King -  No Whalez Here: This witbier has notes of sweet wheat crackers, plantains and coriander. Subtle floral hops play well of the white pepper from the yeast and lemony twang. 6.8%.

Jester King -Nobel King: Missed this one. This is a highly attenuated, unspiced farmhouse ale brewed with an abundance of organic noble hops, and fermented with wild yeasts from the Texas Hill Country. 5.9%.  

Prairie Artisan Ales/Evil Twin - Bible Belt: This huge Imperial Stout is based on Evil Twin Brewing's "Even More Jesus" Imperial stout, but spiced like Prairie Artisan Ales' "Bomb!" made with coffee, vanilla, chilies and cacao nibs. This one may make you clutch your pearls at 13.0%.

Prairie Artisan Ales -  Birthday Bomb: Caramel Sauce and a healthy dose of coffee and spices make this one unique from the standard Bomb! 13.0%.

Prairie Artisan Ales - Oh Fudge: This a chocolate brownie stout. The flavor is roasted malts, dark chocolate brownie and raisins. It's a bit sweet and quite tasty.11.5%.

Prairie Artisan Ales -  Bomb!: This imperial stout is aged on coffee, cacao nibs, vanilla beans and ancho chili peppers. 13.0%.

Cascade Cuvée Du Jongleur: A blending of select barrels of Cascade's Flanders Reds and soured Belgian Triples aged in oak for up to 18 months. Then blended with fresh 25° Plato, Blonde Quadruppel - then aged, allowing lactic fermentation. 8.4%.

Cascade - Rose City Sour: This is a blend of wheat and blond ales aged in oak wine barrels for up to 14 months with rose petals, rose hips and hibiscus tea. Look for fresh roses matched with notes of dried cranberries, pomegranates and a hint of white pepper. 6.8%.

Cascade - Brunch Line: This sour was made with chardonnay grapes and orange zest and aged in white wine barrels. A mature, puckery, and clean sour ale. 9.6%.

Cascade - Coastal Gose: Missed this beer. 7.3%

Cascade - Coral Horizon:  This is a blend of sour blond ales aged in oak wine barrels for up to 16 months with late infusions of grapefruit zest, hibiscus tea and freshly chopped ginger root. Pouring a brilliant coral-red hue reminiscent of a summer sunset, this small batch blend offers a soft, approachable acidity level with aromas of ruby red grapefruit and a refreshing ginger spice. 8.0%.

Cascade - Pistil Whipped: A blend of sour strong blond ales infused with saffron, annatto and chamomile flowers. Pouring a rich golden-yellow from the saffron’s distinct color infusion, this Sour Flower Fest creation captures saffron’s earthy, hay-like spice character with a gentle chamomile tea background. 7.6%.

Cascade - Tropical Embers: Missed this one. 7.3%.

Cascade - Vlad the Impaler: Dark Fruit with big sour and heat from the 12.5% alcohol. Notes of bourbon and a lactic bite as well. This sour quad is hugely complex.

Revision -  IPA: Simcoe hops lay the hop foundation for this extremely delicious, flavorful and quaffable American IPA. Tropical citrus, orange and pine accents meld seamlessly. Low impact bitterness, high impact aroma and flavor. Very nice IPA. 6.5%. Also at Slackwater

Revision -  Double-Up IPA: Simcoe and Mosaic hops battle for domination in your mouth. 8.0%. Also at Slackwater

Revision - Citra Slam: This West Coast IPA is of course hopped with Citra and is tropically sweet with ripe tangerine, with an edge of mango and passion fruit. 6.5%. Also at Slackwater

Petrus Cherry Chocolate Nitro Quad: This is a perfect blend of Quadrupel, using 6 different types of roasted malts and cherries. The nitrogen adds nice body to the quad, giving it more body and creaminess and making it extremely drinkable. The only Belgian Quad on nitro! 8.5%.

Have I given you enough! If not, please share, damn it!

Cheers!

New Beer Friday the 13th - 9/19

Shades - Berry Pie Kveik: The flavors here are basically a berry medly. The fruits are semi sweet with some lactose for balance. Graham cracker comes in next to give it the full pie effect. Very drinkable and enjoyable. It won't last long, get it before it's gone. 6.5% - Available at Shades, also found at Craft by Proper and Bayou. 

Epic - Deep Pocket: This is Epic's first Helles and it's pretty solid. It offers a touch of sweetness with a good dose of spicy German hops. The malt character is soft and bready and the finish is slightly bitter. 5.0% - Available at Epic in growlers.

TF Brewing - Luckenbach: This American brown ale is mostly toasty and malty with some pine bitterness backing it up. It's on the edge of being dry, but the malts have enough sweetness to keep it balanced. 4.0% - Available at TF Brewing.

Level Crossing - Jazz Loon: Can you Spot the Easter egg on the can? This new lager is made with all German hops but it's not your typical German pils. Mild melon and clementine meld with a grassy hop character. The malts are toasty and sweet giving the hops something to play with. A nice change of pace pils. 5.3% - Available starting today at Level Crossing.

Wasatch/Level Crossing - Collaboration IPA: There's a real nice aroma here, starting with zesty citrus oils of lemon and tangerine. The hops get into an herbal spicy like component as well. The taste keeps it simple. Juiced flavor with slight malty sweetness accents; an excellent and somewhat varied fruity hop flavor. Nice qualities of grapefruit to orange citrus juice with a spritzy lemon oil mixed in. 7.0% - Available at most Wasatch locations. Coming soon to Level Crossing.

Toasted Barrel - Chardonnay Apricot Sour: Haven't tried this yet, it hits later today. 2 lbs of apricot puree per gallon in this barrel aged sour. Can't wait to try this one. 6.6%.

2 Row Feelin' Fruity: This is another apricot infused beer. This is Feelin' Hazy with apricot added. The fruit adds a lot of body and depth to this beer. A hint of tartness from the stone fruit provides a welcome zip to this NEIPA. Very Nice! 8.6% - Found at Bayou.

2 Row Dunkel: Smells quite dry. Once on the tongue it's much maltier. Flavor-wise it's dominated by notes of bread, nuts, and perhaps a touch of chocolate. An enjoyable lager. 6.6% - Available at 2 Row.

Bonneville - Pumpkin Ale: Made with real pumpkin, traditional spices and lactose for a nice round mouthfeel. One of the better pumpkin beers you'll try. Available at Bonneville, Soon to All Star Lanes. 

Dogfish Head - World Wide Stout: This beast of a beer generally dials in anywhere between 15 - 20% and is made with a massive amount of barley to get it there. The nose is super boozy with roasted malts and char. The flavor is fairly sweet with chocolate and espresso up front with hints of vanilla and more hot alcohol in the finish. It has a very thick and oily mouthfeel. Found at the Bayou and Beerhive.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 7/12/19

The heat is on, and the beers this week reflect it. I'm not saying these are all quenchers; I will say that if you need an attitude adjustment there plenty here to get the job done. Happy New Beer Friday!

Uinta - Tu Meka Tart: This has an herbaceous/fruited yogurt aroma with a lemony tart base. The New Zealand hop blend adds some perceived fruitiness and bitterness adding to the lactic twang. It finishes slightly puckering. Nice beer.  6.7% - Available at Uinta. DABC next week.

2 Row - Seeing Stars:. Pours a murky orange with thick white head. Aroma is tropical fruits with some grapefruit. Huge tropical fruit flavor with mango, papaya, pineapple and also some tangerine. Another excellent NEIPA from 2 Row. 8.3% - Available at 2 Row, Beehive, Dick n Dixie's

Shades - Tai Tom Kha: This may have already sold out, so make a call before heading out. The subtle tart base creates a nice platform for the coconut, ginger and lemongrass. A restrained amount of lactic sugar helps sweeten it up a bit - adding balance to it all. Another winner. 6.3% - Available at Shades 

Kiitos - Rimando Pale Ale: I missed out on it. I'll try to have something for you later on KBER 101 at 2:20pm 5.0% - Available at Kiitos, I also found it at the Bayou.

Mother Earth/Fremont - 4 Seasons Hazy IPA: It has a peachy nose with some peach/passion fruit vibes at the beginning of the taste. Pineapple and citrus peel round it out. Minimal bitterness in the finish. seems a little light in body for as turbid as it is. Nice. 7.5% - Found at Beerhive

Great Basin - Cerveza Chilebeso: Missed this one. I'll try to have something for you later on KBER 101 at 2:20pm. 5.5% - Found at Bayou. 

Kiitos - Hard Lime Setzer: Nice lime flavor. It looks like real fruit by it's appearance. Very refreshing. 4.0% - Available at Kiitos on draft only.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 4/26/19

Our New Beer Friday family may not be traditional, but we are interesting AF! This week's selection may not be huge but it's diverse a hell. Have an excellent weekend!

Proper - Hopothetical: This New England style IPA has a descent fruity/tropical nose that's full of the aromas most of you love. The taste has an Orange Julius vibe that is creamy, fruity and juicy. Very little bitterness; the 'juice' is really all that lingers. Crisp, medium body. 6.1% - Available at Proper and Craft.

UTOG Scottish Ale: This seems to be like a "wee peat" style of Scotch Ale. The aroma is malty with a bit of smoke, with little in the way of hops (which is appropriate). The taste starts lightly malty with toffee notes then transitions to a more smokey profile. The smoke comes of as phenolic and medicinal - sort of like a Band-Aid. 4.0% - Available at UTOG.    

UTOG - Kolsch: This unfiltered Kolsch a hazy golden yellow appearance. The aroma is mostly light, toasted grains.

Shades Kveik #6: Apricot and peach are the featured flavors here. Of course the kveik base is nicely tart but the stone fruits used here pretty much run the show. Though the flavors can be somewhat similar, the apricots to me steal the show. Very fruity and tasty with zero bitterness. 6.3% - Available at Shades and most beer pubs.

Mother Earth - Four Seasons Imperial Stout: Missed this one; and it makes me sad, because it sounds delicious. This imperial stout is aged in bourbon barrels and was brewed with tart cherries and liquid cocoa. Sounds tasty, eh? 11.7% - Available at Beerhive, Slackwater.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 12/14/18

Are you wondering if you're actually experiencing New Beer Friday? If so, I'd like to introduce to you the new 'New Beer Friday' test applicator from Utah Beer Labs. Simply drink a beer and pee (not on yourself) on the applicator, then throw it away and check the Utah Beer Blog for updates. Happy Friday!      

Squatters - War on Xmas: This nitro porter is infused with orange and orange peel. The orange part is super subtle with the base beer doing most of the work. The porter is mostly chocolate with a bit of coffee. hints of orange in the finish. Very tasty. 4.0% - Available at Squatters

Kiitos - Holiday Ale: You can smell this one coming a mile a way as cinnamon explodes from the rim of the glass. This basically reminds me of a ginger snap cookie with subtle malts and a lot of spice. It finishes "snappy" and prickly. 4.0% - Available at Kiitos  

Toasted Barrel - Barrel Aged Sour: I missed out on this one, but I hope to have tasting notes later this afternoon when New Beer Friday joins Mick and Allen on KBER101at 3:30pm.

Shades Brewing- O.J. Simcoe: This new IPA is obviously driven with Simcoe hops. It's in that gray area between pale ale and IPA. Lots of citrus fruitiness with light tropical notes. Finishes softly bitter and dry. Super quaffable at 5.5%. Available starting today at Shades Brewing

Proper - Ahern Nut Brown: Nuttty and toasty caramel dominate this ale. Great balance with just enough floral/pine bitterness to balance it out. Finishes with bread like toastiness. Very Yummy. 4.0% - Available at Proper Brewing.

Mare Island - Hydraulic Sandwich: Orange peel and grapefruit in the nose. The taste has a good dose of tropical fruit-like hops with citrus and caramel rounding it out. Medium bitterness in the finish. 7.1% - Available at DABC.

Ritual - Art of Dankness: Aromas of berries, melon and citrus combine with bandy sweet malt. It tastes very sweet and malty up front with notes of fresh bread and sugar. The back end has a fruitiness from the hops that imparts a flavors of berries and fresh grass. Finishes a bit malty. 9.2% - Available at DABC.

Cheers!

New Beer BLACK Friday 2018

I hope you're enjoying the long holiday weekend. There's not a lot of New Beer Friday action happening this week; what we do have is some interesting stuff that is all quite different from each other. Be safe out there.

Shades - Kveik 5: The fifth incarnation of Shades' Kveik is a golden sour ale infused with blueberry, raspberry, strawberry and blackberries. Its similar to the cherry version of Kveik but the flavors are much rounder with great fresh berry tartness. If you're into berry sours; you'll dig this. 6.3% - Available at Shades, Bayou, Beer Bar, Slackwater

Fisher - Feast Beer: This beer is basically an American imperial brown ale. You get a good dose of toasty malts up front but beneath you can tell there are plenty of caramel malts. Hop wise there's a huge amount of piney bitterness that helps dry out the whole package. 8.0% - at Fisher. 

Kiitos - Double Dry Hopped Pale Ale: Missed out on this one! If you're a fan of Mosaic hops you will likely love this one. You can be damn sure I'll be swilling one of these this afternoon though. 4.0% - Available at Kiitos.

Talisman - Barrel Aged Gingerbread Stout: This will be released later this morning. It's their gingerbread stout aged for 8 months in bourbon barrels. Damn, I need this! Not sure on the ABV, but it's upwards of 10.5% - Available only at Talisman.

Goose Island - Vanilla Bourbon County: The nose has a nice vanilla/Kahlua thing going on. Very nice. Big vanilla with maple and chocolate start off the taste. Wood and bourbon emerge soon after but it adds little in the way of heat. Dark malts and some molasses round it out with dark chocolate kicking in at the finish. The vanilla creates an almost marshmallow-like feels that leaves you in a s'more frame of mind. 13% - Available at Dick n Dixie's

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 10/12/18

I don't see what the big deal is. I mean brewers are artists; they create works of art that are immediately put through our own personal shredders, which are then (usually) discarded unceremoniously away from prying eyes. I submit to you the following works of art for you to do as you will. I'd recommend drinking them.

*Just added  Uinta Saddleback Brut IPA: light hay in color very clear with a hint of chill haze. The aroma is mostly light tangerine peel with floral notes. Very little in the way of malt sweetness, but you can tell it’s there. The bitterness is mostly citrus peel with more herbaceous hops and a hint of pine in the finish. Very dry, with prickly carbonation. 4.0%. Just released at Uinta’s pub in cans and on draft.
  
Toasted Barrel - Fresh Hop IPA: Sadly I missed this new fresh hop. I guess they used four pounds of fresh local hops in the whirlpool plus a healthy dose in dry hopping. The hops were provided and grown by James at Solstice Malt. It's described as a "very light, fresh and hoppy ale". 4.0%. Available at Toasted Barrel.

Toasted Barrel - Young Bruin: This sour brown ale is not your typical Oud Bruin, hence the name. The tartness has a lemony citrus twang with a moderate dose of toasted and caramel malts. It's not as fruity as you'd expect, but it does provide an adequate balance of tart malt. 5.9%. Available at Toasted Barrel, Beer Bar.

RoHa - Fuzzy Pucker: I missed out on this one. This a peach sour ale. 4.0%. I will have tasting notes for you later today at 3:30pm on KBER101 with Mick and Allen.

RoHa - Tile of Life: This is RoHa's Pale ale with Mosaic hops. As with the Fuzzy Pucker I'll have tasting notes at 3:30pm on KBER101. 

Talisman - Nut Brown Ale: Aroma is of toasted, nutty malt, chocolate, cacao and some piney hops. Body is light and slightly crisp. Taste is similar to aroma. Finish is long and semi-dry. Good session ale. Only on draft at Talisman

Squatters - Juicy IPA: I found this on draft at Beer Bar yesterday. It starts out like any other Juicy IPA with lots of nice tropical flavors then it switches gears with creamy milk sugars adding sweetness and body. I guess it's more of a milkshake IPA. Very tasty. 4.0%. 

Shades - Kveik #4: This is similar to Shades' gold medal winning Kveik #1, however this one was made with Galaxy, Mosaic and Citra hops vs #1's Nelson Savin hops. It also slightly sweeter which gives it a little more balance between malt and tart. Very nice sour. 6.3%. Available at Shades.

Boulevard - Love Child #9: Peppery cherry with balsamic sourness mixed with a medley of various berries. It's semi-dry, puckering and nicely balanced with a good dose of oak in the finish. Sour fans will like. 8.4%. Available at Beerhive and Bayou. 

Boulevard - Whiskey Barrel Stout: There’s a good dose of chocolate and roasted malt up front with slight coffee notes. The Barrel has a nice presences with complimenting vanilla. There is a bit of alcohol heat in the finish. Nice. 11.8%. Found at the Bayou.

Great Divide - Heyday Modern IPA: Citrus sweetness with a medium amount of caramel provide a nice platform for a generous amount of tropical and grapefruit bitterness. Finishes dry and slightly bitter with resinous pine. The alcohol is a comfortable 5.8%. Available at the Bayou.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 8/10/18

All of this week's offerings feature a bit of tart and funk. I hope you guys like tart and funk!

Shades Kveik #2: This beer pours a purplish red color topped with a little to no head. The aroma has a fragrant sour cherry smell. Taste was tart and pleasantly fruity. Some warm spice notes in the end. The finish is very dry. Another winner from Shades' Kveik Series. 6.3%. Available at Shades Brewing.

Avenues Proper Brett Pale Ale 2:  Look for funky, earthy and tropical-fruit-like flavors in this dry and subtly tart take on the American pale ale. This beer is only available at Avenues Proper. 4.0%.

Rogue Combat Wombat: This sour Northeast-style IPA is brewed with blood orange and grapefruit. The taste has an ample amount of musty yeast tart tropical fruits, orange and grapefruit pith. It finishes with a good dose of piney bitterness. 7.2%. Available at select DABC.

Brewery Ommegang Queen of the Seven Kingdoms: Ommegang's latest beer in their Game of Thrones series features a base beer full of Belgian yeast, lemon tartness, apple and melon. The sourness is pretty light, it much more prevalent in the nose than on the tongue. A pretty smooth ale. 6.7%. Available at select DABC.   

In other beer news: Roosters Brewing Company will begin to unveil their new look and branding this Saturday at the Ogden Farmers Market from 9-2pm. There will be give-aways every half hour, from stickers and merch to gift cards and a private brewery tour of Roosters new B Street Brewery that is set to open this fall. The new brewery will feature a dining and tap room space along with an additional 6,000 sf of available space for retail and manufacturing, as well as an outdoor amphitheater and dining area.

From what I've seen the new B Street Brewery will be a beautiful addition to Ogden's craft beer scene. Stay close for further updates.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 6/29/18

New Beer Friday really does care. Do You? This week we have an eclectic range of suds along with a local favorite that will be making it's final appearance.

Shade's Kviek #1: The aroma is very hoppy with citrus overtones noticeable lemon tartness. The taste is lightly piney and hoppy with hints of citrus and berry. All IPA upfront, tart in the middle with a lemony ice tea finish. 6.5%. Available Saturday at Shades Brewing.

2 Row Blood Orange Sour: Not tried this one yet. The only place I know of that has this is the Bayou; don't even have the ABV on this one. I hope to have more info for you this afternoon on New Beer Friday with Mick and Allen on KBER 101 at 3:30pm.

Epic Utah Session Series - Passion Fruit: Brilliantly clear appearance. Passion fruit and a little sulfur in the nose. The taste is mostly passion fruit with some Belgian-ish yeast spices. Hint of surfer in the finish that fades after a while. 4.0% ABV. Available at Beerhive, soon everywhere there's an Epic seasonal handle.   

Proper/Sawtooth Puddleduck: This draft collaboration was brewed with Sawtooth Brewery from Hailey, ID. This is a light colored, wheat-based ale using a ton of fruit-forward hops and a special yeast favored for its use in hazy IPAs. The result is full bodied and juicy with notes of mango, melon, lychee and strawberry. Available only at the Main Street brewery.

Anchor's Nelson Pale Ale: The aroma is grassy and funky, with orange, melon and blueberry. The flavor starts with citrus peel, pine and melon . Some vanilla and a vague berry round out the back end. Overall this is a very nice and complex pale ale. 5.3%. Available at DABC.

Odell Onolicious: This has a tart lemony base with a good dose of passion fruit, mango and guava. The flavors get a little muddled but you get the idea that this is a tart fruity salad in a glass.6.5%. Found at Beer Bar. 

Odell Friek: This has a dusty dry raspberry aroma with a hint of cherry. The taste has raspberry and tart cherry; it's more tart than sweet. Some nice citrus notes round it out with a noticeable amount of oak, and a lingering funk. A nice barrel-aged fruited sour. 6.5%. Found at Beer Bar.

Mother Earth Call Me Ginger: The aroma is mostly big candied ginger. The taste is much more subtle with semi-sweet malts and light dose of ginger root. Next comes a nice balancing dose of lemon peel that serves mostly to keep the root in check. I liked it more than I thought I would. 4.8%. Found at Beer Bar.

Full Sail's Citrus Maxima: Missed out on this one. 5.7%. Available at DABC.

Upslope's Rocky Mountain Kölsch: Missed out on this one. 5.1%. Available at DABC.

Crazy Mountain's Lava Lake Wit: Brand new to our marketThe nose has crackers with floral, spicy and citrus hops. Tastes of earthy floral hops, pale malt and a hint of spice. A nice Witbier. 5.2%.  Available at DABC.

Crazy Mountain's Hookiebobb IPA: The aroma is floral and citrus with some candied fruit and pineapple. The taste is citrus and pine with a lingering, pithy bitterness. A bit chewy with a touch of crackery sweetness. A nice IPA. 6.7%. Available at DABC

Stone Enjoy by 7/4/18: Lotsa peach and tropical flavors going on here. The hops are big and assertive with a descent dose of malt backing it up. It's got an ABV of 9.4%, so don't drink this one on an empty stomach. As usual we're getting this one late, so drink 'em up by Independence Day.  Should start popping up in bars and stores later today.

Returning Favorites

Elder Brett: It looks like our favorite Elder is coming home from his mission for the very last time. This is the last batch of Epic's original barrel aged sour and it will only be avaiable in SLC starting today. Elder Brett's aroma is rich with the musty, barnyard-like character that “Brett” is famous for as well as some remnants notes of white wine. The flavor also has wonderful amounts of fruity notes both from the yeast and hints of peach, all rounded out with a pleasant and refreshing acidity and incredible drinkability for an 9.5% beer. We will miss you.

Litha Imperial Saison: The nose is earthy with some funky peppery saison yeast countered by zesty rye spices, bread, alcohol and light tropical fruit. The taste starts with a bit of pepper, clove and and coriander followed by estery fruits. Brady malts come next witha touch of alcohol. The end has a nice balance berries and tropical hops. Finishes semi-dry. 8.0%. Available Proper Brewing.

Cheers!