Home Brewers' Wife Jailed for Assault.

* Utah Beer Satire* Provo, Utah (UB) - A Provo woman is in jail tonight for assaulting her 31 year old husband after she allegedly became fed-up with his apparent lack of Home brewing prowess.

Wanita Conchita Bavario, broke a glass carboy over the head of Husband Clay Bavario after his latest home brew creation came up short - once again. "Every few weeks, he'd make a big production about his latest - greatest 'Imperial Oak-aged Uber hop bomb'. Every one of his Goddamn beers tastes exactly the same—like really thick, shitty beer. I'm fed up!"

Clay Bavario is recovering at Utah County Regional Hospital, with cuts and a minor concussion. Provo Police aren't commenting on the assault, but are looking into filing charges against the Provo home brewer for "daring to go against community standards". Provo Police Lt. Grover Green said. "Assault is one thing, but when you try to be different in Provo, that's a whole different enchilada".

Police confiscated the remaining home brew in the household and placed it into the Police Cheif's fishing boat for "safe Keepin".

Cheers!

2009 Beehive Brew-Off

If your thinking about entering your special beer in Utah's very first homebrew competition, here's all the info you'll need.

The Beehive Brew-off is an AHA & BJCP sanctioned event.

Entries will be accepted from July 5 through July 20. Homebrew entry form, fee & beer deadline is Monday, July 20 .

Entry fees are $6.00 for the first entry and $3.00 for each additional entry. (Checks should be made payable to The Beer Nut) All entries must include the entry form and payment, and all bottles must have labels attached with rubber bands only. Improperly submitted entries, or entries received after July 20, may be disqualified. Entry forms can be found here and labels can be found here.

One entry consists of three (2) bottles. To assure the anonymity of brewer, bottles must be standardized to the current AHA competition requirements: 10-14 oz bottles with no paper or inked labels, raised glass brand-name designs or any identifying or distinguishing marks on the bottle or cap identifying the brewer. Be sure that you enter your beer into the proper style category. Styles accepted include all styles listed in 2008 AHA Category Descriptions. Entries become property of The Beer Nut and will not be returned.

The Beehive Brew-Off is open to all recognized beer categories. The 2008 edition of the BJCP Style Guidelines will be used to judge entries. It is the brewer's responsibility to determine the correct category/subcategory to enter their beers, and to provide additional information where required.

Depending on the number of entries and category distribution, categories and subcategories may be combined or separated for judging and awards purposes. These judging table breakdowns will not be available prior to the competition and will be determined by the competition committee once all the entries have been processed.

Entries will be received at The Beer Nut 1200 South State St. Salt Lake City, Utah 84111

Please contact The Beer Nut for any questions at (801) 531-8182 or jamie@beernut.com.

Now, I know people have loyalties to their specific home brew shops. Don't let this stop you from
competing. Even though this is one home brew supply store organizing this competition, this is a Utah event. Let's make it the best. Cheers!

Home Brewing in Utah is Finally Legal!

I mentioned this briefly yesterday, but Utah finally became the the 46th state to legalize homebrewing. Now all but four states; Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Oklahoma have made homebrewing legal.

Yesterday, Governor Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. of Utah signed into law legislation that makes homebrewing beer legal. The "Exemption for Alcoholic Beverage Manufacturing License" was sponsored by Representative Christine A. Johnson.

Squatters Pub Brewery's brewmaster Jennifer Talley says the relationship between professional and amateur brewers has always been a tight one and legalizing homebrewing will allow this relationship in Utah to evolve and grow.

"Homebrewing is truly an art and most professional brewers I know were once homebrewing in their kitchen. Utah beer enthusiast will now have the freedom to express their deepest beer desires through perfecting the craft of homebrewing in their own kitchens," says Talley.

There are currently three exciting home brew clubs in Utah, that number is expected to grow now that home brewers are no longer deviants, fraught with mischief.

So go home and celebrate with a pint of your favorite homebrew and if you have none, get ass out to your nearest homebrew supply store(links are to the right) and get it in gear. Your basic kit will run you about seventy bucks, and in a few weeks you'll be sucking down something special.

-"Give a man a beer and he can waste an hour. Teach a man to brew and he can waste a lifetime". Cheers!

Home Brew Bill Moves Passes Utah Senate

After a brief meeting to work out differences with the House, the Senate gave final approval yesterday to allowing home brewing of beer and wine without a license.

HB51, sponsored by Rep. Christine Johnson, D-Salt Lake, would allow anyone over the age of 21 to brew up to 100 gallons of beer or wine at home per year, or up to 200 gallons in a household with more than one adult.

The bill was amended in the Senate to restrict the amounts of beer and wine allowed for personal consumption or for entry into brewing competitions. The House refused to concur with the Senate amendment and a conference committee was appointed to reach a compromise.

Three Republican senators voted against the compromise version of the bill, including Senate Majority Assistant Whip Gregory Bell, R-Fruit Heights.
"I'm not comfortable with home brewing," Bell said. "It seems fraught with mischief to me. Maybe I don't understand it."

The proposal will now head to the governor's desk for final action. He is expected to sign the bill.

On KSL radio this morning I heard reporter Andrew Adams say "It's now legal to make moonshine". Which is beyond incorrect. It's no wonder people like Senator Bell are "uncomfortable" with homebrewing when supposed reputable news outlets are spewing such blatant and uninformed information.

Oh well. Congratulations are still premature, but nicely done everyone!

A New Amendment to the Homebrew Bill

There has been an amendment made to House Bill 51, the homebrew bill. The amendment limits the amount of homebrewed beverages allowed to be transported from home.
The amendment made on Feb. 23 by Sen. John Valentine, R-Orem, would limit the amount allowed to be transported out of the home for personal or family use to one liter of wine or 72 ounces of beer per person age 21 or over.

The amendment also would limit the amount that may be transported from home for judging on taste and quality to one ounce of wine or two ounces of beer per judge.
The bill's sponsor, Rep. Christine Johnson, approved of the changes.

The amended bill was approved by the Senate 25-2 and will be sent back to the House floor for approval.

Utah's Home Brew Bill: Latest

The Senate Business and Labor Committee hearing on House Bill HB51 to legalize homebrewing in the state of Utah has been rescheduled for Thursday, February 12 at 8:30 AM in room 215 of the Senate Building, Utah State Capitol Complex.

Check the committee schedule, which should be updated with the new date shortly, to confirm the time and room number. You can help to ensure passage of this bill by attending the committee hearing and showing your support for the bill. AHA Director Gary Glass will be flying to Salt Lake City to attend the hearing. Cheers!

Home Brew Bill Clears Latest Hurdle

House Bill 51, legislation to make it "officially" legal to home brew in Utah passed Unanimously in the House Business and Labor Committee yesterday.

At least a dozen or so home brew advocates attended the meeting (myself included) and faced surprisingly no opposition to the legislation's third time on the hill. The Bill will now move to both the House& Senate floors for official votes.

This should be a slam dunk. Through both committees the proposed legislation only met with one "No" vote. Keep-on your lawmakers back, and make sure he or she votes "yes" when it comes up.

Besides making home brewing legal the passage of this legislation could open the door to all kinds of home brew activities including home brew competitions and a category for it at the State Fair. Thanks to all who show'd-up and spoke in support. Cheers!

Utah Homebrew Clubs

Please check the column to the right for an updated list of Utah's Home Brewing Clubs.

"Enjoying beer is best when shared" The lord said to St. Arnold. I'm paraphrasing... or full of shit. Most likely the latter of the two, but the statement is true non-the-less. The same is also true for making it. If you enjoy homebrewing consider getting together with some fun, like-minded individuals and brew-up a little barley love. Here's some info on some homebrew clubs from around the state. If there are more clubs than I have listed let me know and I'll gladly post them up. Slainte!