Support Your Local Brewers

When I discovered last year that our local beer fest was in danger of going away, I was curious about what would be required to take the helm and try to resurrect Brewers Festival. Well let me tell you, it takes a lot. They require a strong commitment and a lot of time. From high costs to staffing, security, permits, toilets, etc; it can be a huge undertaking.

That being said, I'm sooo glad that local beer champion Greg Reid had the time and desire to shoulder the burdens. So, to thank Greg for a thankless job, get you asses out to the Gallivan Center Oct 6th and support you local breweries; While helping out the Tracy Aviary.

The event features live entertainment, food as well as celebrating Utah's award winning craft beer industry. All of Utah’s micro-breweries are invited, each offering three of their finest beers. Participants are encouraged to ask the brewery’s questions and to experience the varied blends and creations. Something that has been missing in recent years is the return of the commemorative refillable mug for participants 21 and older. As usual each Brewers tent will only accept script tickets. These can be purchased near the food tents for a dollar per ticket(I assume).

Red Rock, Rocks

At our state and county fairs the are no competitions for beers and brewing. I get it. That's how the predominant culture wants it, and I expect no change anytime soon. However, many other states do allow home and commercial brewers to compete at state & county fairs. California is one of those states.

I was surprised to find that Red Rock Brewing Company entered some of their beers at the 2007 Los Angeles County Fair Commercial Beer Competition, the country’s largest annual county fair. Red Rock left Los Angeles with a gold medal for its Nut Brown Ale in the American Style Brown Ale category; a silver medal for Red Rock Organic Zwickel Bier (an organic pilsner); and a bronze medal in the Rye Ale competition for Red Rock Roggen Rock. Not bad considering some of the best breweries in the world are located in Cali. Hopefully they'll offer some of these at the Utah Brewers Fest and The Great American Beer festival next month. Congrats Red Rock crew!

Utah Brewers Festival

Last month someone asked me when the Utah Brewers Festival was going to be held, I embarrassingly said it was on indefinite hiatus. Well, apparently the hiatus is over. Jamie Burnham: Manager at the Beer Nut, kindly informed me that the elusive, somewhat annual, local beer soiree is on.

The Utah Brewers Festival will be held on Saturday Oct. 6th from 11am to 10pm featuring breweries from all over the state. Tickets are $8.00 in advance and $12.00 day of and can be purchased at participating breweries until October 5th.

Bad Taste

Any sane adult will agree that kids and alcohol don't mix. But sanity is a relative term on both sides of the alcohol argument. Is it sane to label a malt beverage so it looks like a typical energy drink? Probably not. Is it sane to regulate a product because of it's flavor content? Again, probably not. Well, if your from Utah or have ever spent any time here you know the sanity is a term that at best is controlled by the insane.

The argument here deals with the premise that the more palatable an alcoholic beverage is the more regulation it deserves. And should these "tasty" beverages be removed from the shelves of grocery and convenient stores and placed into the state's liquor agency to be taxed and sold as heavy beer (beer containing more that 4.0% abv). These restrictions would also make it illegal for taverns to sell them.

And how are these tea- totaling mensas going to differenciate between a bottle of Mike's Hard Lemonade and bottle of Wasatch's Raspberry Wheat Beer. The line is too God-Damn thin.

Utah's laws on beer, wine and liquor are beyond convoluted; and this attempt at fogging an already distorted landscape in a knee-jerk reaction to control a problem that may or may not exist, could easily be addressed by attentive store managers and 25 cent signs.

If the Attourney General has such a hard-on for helping the children, maybe he should start with alcohol education or involving himself with more serious teen related problems, like why 41% of high school student can't pass the state's math test.

The Great American Beer Festival

One of the best things about being a beer lover is the ability to enjoy a variety of flavors and styles that represent cultures and techniques from all over the world. In the coming weeks one of the best opportunities to sample some of the best and worst of America's Beers; as well as American interpretations on international styles makes it's annual return to Denver, Co.

If you've never been & truly love beer this is a must. For three days you can take-in what ever the American beer culture has to offer. From brewing techniques, to pairings, to cooking. The GABF has what your inner beer geek needs. Oh yeah and drinking beer.

The GABF runs from Thurs Oct 11th to the 13th. From Salt Lake, it's roughly a five to six hour drive with fairly cheap accommodations available. Tix start a t $45 per session.
GABF will serve over 1,600 beers (in one-ounce tasting portions) from 380 American breweries to the event's expected 40,000 attendees. The list of beers is the largest array of US beers ever gathered together in one setting.

Since our local beer fest has been nixed you really should take this opportunity to immerse yourself in beerdom. If you plan on attending drop us a line and let's try to hook up. Cheers!

Molson Coors Wants In

In yet another sign that the craft brew industry is enduring itself to the worlds population comes the announcement that Denver based Molsen Coors Brewing Co.(one of the worlds largest brewers) has formed a small brewing subsidiary called AC Golden Brewing Co. to cultivate above-premium products, joining other large brewers searching for a way to gain a bigger share of the fast-growing market segment already thick with brews and craft beer.

Coors Brewing said the brand incubation brewery would introduce products by rolling them out in a slow, deliberate fashion, similar to the way it launched it's "above-premium beer" Blue Moon White Belgian Ale.

Details on when it will become operational have not been released. Company spokeswoman Aimee Valdez said in an e-mailed statement Thursday that Blue Moon will not be absorbed by AC Golden Brewing.

Michael Jackson Passes Away

Famed Beer Author and enthusiast Michael Jackson reportedly passed away at his home in London, England yesterday. Jackson authored more than a dozen books and helped bring beer out of the working class stereotype that had shadowed it for more more than a century. He was arguably the foremost authority on beer and whiskey in the world, and made it his life’s work to identify and describe the ever growing styles and characters of crafted, artisans beers from every corner of the globe. I had the pleasure of talking with Mr. Jackson on a few occasions. He was a man who was always in demand and yet made time for casual beer geek talk.

He will be greatly missed

Oktoberfest at Snowbird

It's been a brutal month here at Utah Beer. I've been scouring the state looking for good beer related crap and coming up with bupkiss. Finally. A lil' sumpin-sumpin to talk about. Snowbird's three decades long Bavarian themed Oktoberfest resumes once again. This year marks the 35th anniversary of our locally produced Oktoberfest, which will take place weekends at the resort center Aug. 25-Oct. 7.

So strap on your lederhosen, cram your alpenhorn in to the back of of your Honda and join the 70,000 visitors that'll consume tens of thousands of brats and weisswurst. Along with hundreds of kegs of local suds. I'm not sure yet if an actual Oktoberfest style beer will be available, but I'm checking.

In like a Lion

The Czech's love they're beer. They have one of the highest per-capita beer consumption rates in the world and created what has become the most popular beer style in the world. The Pilsner. Utahans love their beer as well. Even though we have one of the lowest per-capita beer consumption rates in North America, and a claim-to-fame of having some of the weakest beer around. So, what could tie these two apparently different beer drinking cultures together?

When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, and communism in Europe ended. It opened up Western markets that had been denied to some of the best breweries in the world for nearly four decades. Transitioning to free-market brought on new challenges to brewers who were eager to get they're products out to a Host of new international distributors.

In the early ’90s, Lev importer Milena Harvey—a Czech—had married an American and moved to the United States. As she looked for work, she noticed a market thick with good beer. But the only Czech beer available to the U.S. market was Pilsner Urquell. Harvey knew that dozens of quality beers were brewed in her homeland. So, she thought, “Why not import some here?” One of those brews was Lev. “We tried to introduce the beer to as many places as possible,” including Utah, says Harvey, who is based in Pleasanton, Calif. “Lev was just kind of an afterthought,” she says.

But Utah’s Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, the state agency responsible for buying and selling all alcohol over 4.0 percent A.B.V, chose Lev first. They're explanation was that the beer is of good quality, is priced well and there are few similar beers on the market.

Distributed in 12 states, Lev has, for some inexplicable reason, made its biggest splash in the Salt Lake City market. It sells better here than anywhere in the country, says Harvey. Every year since it was introduced to Utah in 1995, the beer’s sales have increased. In 2006, the state consumed 10,000 cases.

Beer & Air

If you like clean air and beer(shit who doesn't). You may have to sacrifice a little bit of one for the other. Retail prices for beer at supermarkets and other stores were up 3% in May from a year earlier, the biggest increase in 2½ years, according to the latest data from the Labor Department. Those going out on the town will also pay more for suds. Prices for beer consumed away from home were up 3.8% in May from a year earlier.

The gains are in part a result of rising costs for malting barley, one of the main ingredients in our beloved beer. So, "why is barley suddenly so expensive"? Well a booming ethanol market is to blame. "But Mikey, they don't use barley in the production of ethanol". That's correct my friend, corn is the main distillate for ethanol. All those farmers and ranchers that use corn for their livestock feed are finding that corns availability isn't what it once was and are now looking to other food sources(Wheat and barley) to supplement the needs of they're livestock.

We pay a lot for beer as it is in Utah. And I know that it'll get worse before it gets better. I Just hope paying a little more in this case is a sign things are improving on some environmental front.

More Headaches

The other week I wrote about a report that the DABC was going to be changing the pricing structure at the state owned liquor outlets. Be prepared for some new headaches in the way the same ol' taxes are collected. The Trib has a detailed explanation of the ensuing, added confusion to come. Good Luck out there.

Brewer Wanted

Bohemian Brewery has an opening for a Brewer at their brewery in Salt Lake City, Utah. Practical brewing experience in a professional environment or comparable industrial experience is welcome. The position includes duties in all departments of the brewery, from brewing, cellar operations and packaging to warehouse. Bohemian Brewery is an equal opportunity employer. Interested applicants please fax their resumes and cover letters to the following number:, or send via email to

jpetras@bohemianbrewery.com or pete@bohemianbrewery.com .

www.bohemianbrewery.com

Tapped for a Tap?

Need a Kegorator? Well I sure as shit do! The problem at my camp always seems to revolve around the lack of pesos in the "keep Mikey in beer fund". So if your "tapped" for a tap I've found nice people who want to help. Well... at least one of us. The happy people at Keggerators.net are giving away a fine single dispensing keggerator to one lucky contest participant. The contest runs from June 1, 2007 - August 1, 2007 and all you have to do is explain why you deserve it. I think it'll look great in my living room, next to my easy chair.

Utah Breweries Crack The Top 50

If there's anything to be said about my rants on Utah beer, it's that I'm a little touchy on the perceptions people have about our local suds. Whether it has to do with measuring alcohol by volume/weight, or the good ol' "Oh, I thought your state was dry" shtick. I do my best to get out and preach the good word.

Now, it's common knowledge that Utahan's consume less beer than any other state or province in North America. It's sad but true. But even though we consume less than others, statistics recently released by the Brewers Association, show that two of Utah's breweries rank 47th & 49th out of just under 1400 craft breweries in sales. Nearly 80% of all craft beer sales come from these 50 companies. Those aren't bad numbers for a state that's mistakenly known for it's "shitty" beer.

Wasatch(Brewers Co-op) and Uinta's respective sales match their awards and accolades totaling into the triple digits.

Please Stop Helping!!!!

It has been brought to my attention, that in an attempt to make beer, wine and liquor seem cheaper; the D.A.B.C. is going to start adding the state tax at the cash register instead of including it on the shelf tag. Hmm. Well, look at it this way. At least now you'll know how much they're actually screwing you.

Damn.....

Sadly... this is still not the case in Utah.

Highlights & Lowlights

It was a blast at this years Mountain Brewers Fest. The Utah delegation showed up in full-force. Here's a few of your representatives.
And by the way, big thanks goes to Rob for being the D.D.





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Time for a Change?

After three decades at the helm of Utah's D.A.B.C. Ken Wynn is stepping down. Wynn's decision to leave comes after Gov. Jon Huntsman decided not to reappoint three commissioners on the board when their terms expire at the end of this month. Huntsman's office said the three had served multiple terms and it was time for change.

Wynn began his reign at the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control in October of 1977. Apparently, Wynn has been considering retirement for some time. Co-workers suspect the upcoming changes have something to do with his decision to leave now.

DABC Operations director Dennis Kellen is considered the front runner to replace Wynn.

To be honest, don't know much about Ken Wynn. As far as Utah's draconian Liquor laws are concerned; I don't know if he's been part of the problem or part of the solution. I do know that during Gov. Huntsman's run for office, he pledged to bring Utah's awkward and antiquated liquor laws to a more sensible level. Perhaps this is a step in the right direction. If you know of Ken Wynn or have any info on how he's affected the state's liquor control laws, please post a comment. I don't know whether to be elated or concerned.

photo: Deseret Morning News

Bless These Beers

Last weekend Utah breweries and brew-pubs took the NABA's Mountain Brewers Festival by storm. Judges from all over the country, participated in blind tastings, awarding 18 medals to the most misunderstood beer producing state in the nation. Here's a list of Utah's winning beers.

Gold

Hoppers Grill & Brewing Company

This is the Pilsner

Gold

Red Rock Brewing Co.

Munich Dunkel Lager

Gold

Uinta Brewing Company

Kings Peak Porter

Gold

Uinta Brewing Company

Cutthroat Pale Ale

Gold

Moab Brewing Co.

Scorpian Pale Ale

Gold

Uinta Brewing Company

Gelande Amber Lager Californnia Common

Gold

Moab Brewing Co.

Squeaky Bike Brown

Silver

Roosters Brewing Company

Diamond Back Ale

Silver

Uinta Brewing Company

Bristlecone Brown Ale

Silver

Uinta Brewing Company

Blue Sky Pilsner Canadain Style golden

Silver

Wasatch Brewing Co.

Polygamy Porter

Silver

Moab Brewing Co.

Black Raven Stout

Silver

Wasatch Brewing Co.

1st Amendment Lager

Silver

Red Rock Brewing Co.

Redrock Wit Beer

Bronze

Desert Edge Brewery

Inversion Ale

Bronze

Red Rock Brewing Co.

Reve

Bronze

Red Rock Brewing Co.

Organic Zwickel Bier

Bronze

Wasatch Brew Pub

Wasatch Summer Brau

So support your local brews! Also, here's a link to the rest of the winning beers.

The First Wildfire of the Year

Two months ago Utah had no locally produced organic beers. Now we two. Yesterday Four + Brewing Company debuted they entry into the live healthier market with they're Wildfire Extra Pale Ale. Brewed with 100% Organic malts, WILDFIRE is light golden in appearance with Simcoe and Amarillo hops. Imparting a slight “mango essence” to both the nose and taste without minimizing its hoppy goodness and refreshing taste.

This newest of Utah brews, has been in the works for over a year as the brewers have been hard at work fine-tuning the recipe while the Brewery underwent the rigorous compliance issues that accompany becoming Organically Certified. It hits the shelves of your favorite stores this week and is already available in select bars & restaurants on draft.

While organic beer sales are still minuscule in the overall beer industry, they are rising fast. North American sales of organic beers grew from $9 million in 2003 to $19 million in 2005, according to the Organic Trade Association.
Organic beers are even drawing the attention of the nation's largest breweries.

Before a product can be labeled “Organic”, a Government-approved "certifier" inspects the farms where the ingredients are grown to make sure that the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies, such as Four+ Brewing, that handle or process organic ingredients before they get to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified as well. Four+ Brewing received its organic certification in February of 2007.

Click the title for a video link.

Organic Beers Be Here!

It might seem that Squatters brew-pub get a lot of "pub" here at Utah Beer. That's probably true. They always seem to be trying something new. So, what's so note-worthy now?

Squatters Organic Amber Ale, the state's first and only certified organic beer. Squatters already has an amber ale on it's menu(Emigration Amber Ale). This is an organic version.

The ale is brewed from organic pale and caramel malted barley and aromatic hops. The taste, is a caramel-like maltiness with a hint of sweetness. Organic certification requires high levels of cleanliness and sanitation. Which as any brewer knows is paramount to brewing anyway.

But it also requires strict segregation of ingredients "from grain to glass." The barley is grown from organic seeds, using natural methods of pest control such as lady bugs and composting rather than chemical fertilizers. Organic ingredients must be stored separately and tanks at the brewery must be meticulously cleaned. Jenny's organic beer will be available in bottles and draft in the next few weeks.

And while were on the subject. I spoke with Will Hamill from Uinta Brewing Co. They are also debuting they're own organic certified beer. Available soon.

What are you Drinking?

Last month at the Craft Brewers Conference in Austin, Tx. A survey was released in regards to what kind of person buys craft beer. The report delves mostly into socio-economic backgrounds, styles and brand loyalty. It's not surprising that money is a factor on who buys what. Since craft beers cost at least a few bucks more than most macro brews, it’s not surprising that the buyers of the craft labels skew toward higher-income households. And that they’re more-likely to be college-educated.

However a higher level of education doesn't necessarily translate in to brand loyalty. “People are loyal to the "craft" category but trade between brands,” Nick Lake of ACNielsen told brewers. So, what are craft beer drinkers buying, style-wise?

According to Information Resources Inc. American pale ales are the most popular craft style at supermarkets, with sales of $79 million last year. Next are seasonal brews, at $65 million, amber ales at $51 million, wheat beers at $39 million, India pale ales at $28.6 million, strong lagers at $23 million and light beers at $20.7 million.
Pilsener, the most popular style produced by the major breweries, and are ranked only 15th among craft beers, with only $4.5 million in sales. However, even this category is on the rise, up 45 percent over the previous year.

Good Beer, Good Movie, Good Times

Utah's only beer friendly cinema has changed hands. Brewvies owner David Movitz has sold the business to Randall Miller, the previous owner of Starship Theatres. "I didn't want to sell, to be perfectly honest," Movitz said Monday afternoon. "I owed some back money to the landlord and the tax commission. We fell behind. I felt pressured" to sell. Movitz and Matt Pernichele opened the downtown Salt Lake City cinema pub in 1997, modeling it after similar venues in Portland, Ore. The tavern has since become a popular gathering spot for people over 21 who come to play pool, eat, drink beer and take in a film on one of the two screens. "I plan to keep Brewvies relatively the same but plan on some remodeling and upgrades," Miller said Monday. "Brewvies is an institution." Drink and movie price specials during the week make it an affordable draw. Non-matinee tickets go for $6, and all Wednesday showings are $3. Movie-going customers can order food and drink at a counter and then get an assigned number. Once inside the theater, whose seats are backed by a ledge on which to set refreshments, a small electronic sign on one wall lights your number when the order is ready.
Brewvies has 23 employees, who Miller plans to retain. The theater has been closed since last Friday and is set to reopen sometime this week, Miller said.

You, Barley wine. Me, a Drunk from Outta Town.

click to enlarge

You can tell that it's a slow news day in beerdom when the "I saw you" post rears it's ugly head. The pic above is the current cover of Beer Celebrator Magazine. If you look where I've circled you'll see a happy and quite inebriated Del Vance. You might know Dell from his book Beer in the Beehive or as that guy who pukes in your ficus at your Holiday parties. Anyway, leave it to Del to crash the Beer Celebrator's 19th Anniversary Party. Not only did he get in, but he got front and dead-center for the group photo. If your sensing sour grapes, you right! I was supposed to go on that fucking trip.
That should be me there!!!
Your a bastard Vance!!!
I hate you!!!
Cheers.

Another One

A couple years back I shot a feature on Uinta Brewing. It was for a show called "The Insider's List" that airs on The Fine Living Network. Check out the brewery when your in town.

When Hobbies & Carear Colide

If your board and I mean really board. I've got something here that'll suck-up a little time from your day. I shot this story a few years back with Sandy Riesgraf for Fox13 News at Nine. It's about Jenny Tally, head brewmeister at Squatters. We received a Beer Journalism Award for it at the GABF in 2005. There are two parts. Enjoy.

More to come.

Oh for the love of.....

(AP) It will be a little while longer before anyone receives a license to serve beer in Syracuse. The City Council tabled proposals to grant two licenses because a referendum petition could reverse the city's decision to allow restaurants to sell alcohol.
The applicants for class B beer licenses are Wingers and Glen Eagle Golf Course. Wingers could locate in Syracuse as part of a movie theater complex planned for the town center. Glen Eagle Golf Course already operates within city limits.
Petition sponsors say they have collected 1,200 signatures, more than the 944 required to hold a referendum. They seek to reverse a February decision in which the council voted three-two to allow eateries in the city to sell alcohol.

Whisky's A-Go-Go

This really isn't beer related, but it's local and pretty damn cool! For the first time since the start of Prohibition, a Utahn will be producing home grown hooch from the states first legal distillery. Quaking Aspen Distillery is planned to be based in Park City at 703 Park Avenue. The spendy real estate consists of an old garage and two old homes. The distillery will occupy the garage and one of the old houses.

Quaking Aspen's owner David Perkins has some pretty great plans for the P.C. distillery, like a top to bottom renovation of the property and a tasting room for patrons to sample the various spirits produced. I have a feeling the tasting room is just a 'pipe dream'. Unless the state decides to give special dispensation to Mr. Perkins, which I seriously doubt they will. The state enjoys it's monopoly on liquor and would never endorse a private party being responsible for taxing themselves.
Sorry, I'm off topic.

According to the Deseret News David has got a temporary "still" set up in Salt lake so he can perfect his recipes 'till Quaking Aspen opens. No news yet on when that may be. Photo above: coutesy Deseret Morning News.

What's in a Name?

What's in a name? Everything! The name your given projects an image; the second impression people are left with that establishes who or what you are. The same goes for the beer you make. A shitty name makes for lackluster interest. A glorious name can make the nastiest mug of piss a monstrous hit. This label for example "Cereal Killer" what a great name for a high gravity (strong) beer. Or Polygamy Porter. Wasatch Brewery is still making tons of dough on that clever little gimmick.

I found a handy resource that'll help jump-start your creative juices, and get you on the way to finding the perfect moniker for your special bathtub intoxicant. The Random Beer Generator just requires you to click on the generate button and your off. Your friends will think your the smart-ass they always new you could be. Slainte.

Party at Rob's er... in Idaho!!!

As we come to the end of March, we inevitably start thinking about April. One of the great things about April is that it precedes May. May... Wow, what a f'n great month that is. All thirty-one days of it. However, May would be an even better month if it was June. So, what's so bloody great about June? Well, keep your panties on I'm getting there.
Besides it being named for Juno, the ancient Roman queen of heaven, who just happened to be a daughter of Saturn and the wife and sister of Jupiter. It is also the month in which Utah's best Beer festival takes place. Yeah!!!

Now before you start lathering yourselves up into a frenzy, there's a slight problem with our beer festival. We have to hold it in Idaho. I know, I know it's a bit confusing but look at it this way. Remember when you were younger and you wanted to throw a huge, rager of a party, but you couldn't because you lived with you parents. And of course mom & dad said "no". Then you'd go over to your buddies house and ask him (let's call him Rob) if you could do it over at his dump. And he of course says "fuck ya"! Well, that's kinda how it is here. The state of Utah is "Mon & dad" and "Rob" is Idaho.

Well the Party at "Rob's House" is June 2nd from 12-6pm at Sandy Downs in lovely Idaho falls.

You'll be able to sample hundreds of different beers from over eighty breweries!
The ticket price is $15 in advance, $20 at the door - includes admission and unlimited three ounce samples. I da ho? No. We da ho's!

Whats New Is Old Again.

Zola is out, Squatters is in. One of our favorite SLC brew pubs finally gets full use of it's downtown location. Last July, the eclectic "small plates" restaurant opened with brief success after a huge remodel of the upper levels of the building. A few weeks ago the experiment ended; and what should have happened to begin with, has come to pass. After a few minor modifications Squatters is finally utilizing the entire building, making it (as far as I can tell) the biggest brew pub in Utah. Also, check out they're new tap system. It's sweet!

Here We Go Again

The following is just another example of what a primitive mind is capable of.

And a quick note to the anonymous caller that "tattled" on Mr. Eurick.

"Nice job ass-wipe. Thanks for pissing all-over what little free speech we have behind the Zion Curtain".

(AP) Merlot can be a variety of grape or a type of red wine, but not an acceptable personalized license plate in the state of Utah.Glenn Eurick's 1996 Mercedes has had the license plate reading "merlot" for 10 years. He says the plate never got a lot of notice until the Utah Tax Commission told him last week that he had to remove it because the state doesn't allow words of intoxicant to be used on vanity plates. Six or seven-letter words like liquor or whiskey probably wouldn't make it through the state screening process before the plates are issued. But merlot did and Eurick was fine until an anonymous caller told the state that merlot was also an alcoholic beverage. Eurick's car with the offending plate is dark red, like the wine. He said few people who asked about the plate made the connection. Though one man did ask "if we chose merlot because there were too many letters in Cabernet Sauvignon," Eurick said. Eurick said he will challenge the state's decision.

I'd Like A Bourbon Ale... Please Hold the Bourbon

While on our annual St. Patrick's Day pub-crawl we came across a new brew at Murphy's bar downtown. Although new to us, Winter's Bourbon Cask Ale has been around the area for a short time. Winter's is part of Anheuser-Busch's seasonal program. Along with Jack's Pumpkin Spice Ale, Spring Heat Spiced Wheat and Bare Knuckle Stout. First of all, don't let the name scare you off. If you hate the taste of bourbon you will most likely like this beer, because there is no "Whiskey" taste what-so-ever. There are however huge vanilla notes with a moderate malty backbone. It's not a bad beer, It tastes more like a Marzen and would probably go well with ginger snaps or a nice poultry dish.

A Bourbon cask ale that tastes like vanilla not Bourbon. Hmmm. If I didn't know better I'd say the LDS Church commissioned this one. If Michelob actually aged this stuff in bourbon casks that contained actual bourbon whiskey, I would be very surprised.

Puke'n O' the Green

I'm not Irish. And odds are, neither are you. If you are? then... well... aren't you special. Like many, I'm going to hijack your special, special day by getting piss-drunk and talking like the Lucky Charms Leprechaun for an entire afternoon. And I won't be alone. Hoards o' non Celt's will be embarrassing themselves by the truck-loads, trying to "get they're drink on".

Just don't do it drinking green beer.

All it's going to do my friends is make you feel like complete dog shit. Especially, when you see your emerald-hued gastric juices sprayed all over your mom's new carpet. Pay heed, or you'll end up looking like this guy. See you out there. Slainte!

Big Boys Feeling the Pinch

The Wall Street Journal last week revealed an interesting trend among major American brewers to add rather than remove flavor from their beers.
The story featured Anheuser-Busch's Juggernaut Budweiser, which is being brewed with more hops, thus adding bitterness, in an attempt to win back drinkers who have abandoned Bud for more flavorful micro brews and imports.

The article noted that AB's domestic beer recipes over the last fifty years have consistently been made more and more bland, as major brewers sought to market products that would offend the least amount of people with strong flavors. Recently, growing numbers of people have been put-off by the lack of flavor they find in major brands. The result has been a steady decline in sales of Bud and other domestic brews.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Anheuser-Busch actually freezes samples of its beers and periodically thaws them out to check one year’s flavor against another’s. I imagine most people will never notice the change. People who like they're Bud, or equivalent are rabidly loyal to they're brand and will stick with them no matter what.

Other St. Patty's Day Options

It just wouldn't be St. Patty's Day with out throwing back a pint Guinness.

But why limit yourself? From traditional to non-traditional, there are pant-loads of fine beers out there to spice-up your March 17th.

Here's a list of beer options availble along the Wasatch Front. These should appeal to common beer drinker to beer snob.

We'll start with styles/brands that have will have wide appeal. Then progress to the more complex styles.

Harp Lager: A Guinness brand, malty, crisp and a clean finish.
Hoegaarden White: Tapioka-esque with banana & cirtus notes.
Bass Ale: Amber in color, slight bready with a minor bitter finish.
Boddingtons Pub Ale: Golden/Amber color with faint malts and slight bitterness.
Newcastle Brown Ale: Malty, slightly nutty flavor. Very little bitterness.
Pilsner Urquell: The orginal Pilsner. Need I say more.
Rogue:Kells Irish Lager: Light in color. Very clean flavor, malty, with nice crisp finish!
Samuel Smiths: Organic Lager: Not too malty, with a clean grassy bitterness.
Spaten Premium: Smooth, with good maltiness, and nice bitter finish.
Stella Artois: A clear yellow lager, light and crisp. A good beer to finish the night with.

Murphys Irish Stout: A rich, roasted, malty stout. Very little bitterness. Finishes nice and dry.

Smithwicks: A nice balance of toasted malts and flowery hops.

Branch out with these

Anchor Steam: Malty with variety of floral and citrusy hops

Anderson Valley :Deep End Porter Chocolate, mocha and some smoke in the back. Very nice!
Anderson Valley: Hop, Ottin IPA, Top pick. Exellent hop notes. Malty backbone. Yummy!
Anderson Valley: Winter Solstice: A winter seasonal. Drink 'em before they're gone.

Ayinger Alt Dunkle: Rich roasted malts, hazelnut and a hint of molasses.

Firestone: Double Barrel: Caramel tones with citrusy and piney bitterness. Oak Aged

Kiltlifter: Slightly peaty with toffee notes, nutty with a dry finish.

Rogue:Chocolate Stout: Dark chocolate with strong coffee notes due to hoppy bitterness.
Samuel Smiths: Taddy Porter: Fig, raisin, chocolate and roasted barley. One of Britains best.

Sierra Nevada:Stout: Roasted coffee, chocolate with a stiff toffee backbone. .
Squatters IPA: One of Utah's best. Well balanced with piney/citrusy hops and a pleasant malts.

Big Flavor/High Octain

Gulden Draak: Sweet caramel, dark/sour fruits with a boozy alcohol sting. 10.5% abv
Anderson Valley :Belgian Dubbel: Raisins, bready malts and brown sugar. 9.0% abv
Celebrator: Dark chocolate and caramel, with fig and plum and a hint of hazelnut. Bock-on!
Delirium Tremens: Complex elements of apple, peach and pineaple with minor bitterness. 8.5%
Full Sail Old Board Head: Sweet caramel, herbal grainy malts. Nice bitter finish. 9.0%

McEwans Scotch Ale: Brown sugar, maple and caramel. some hops in the finish. 8.0%
Old Growler: Mix of chocolate, carmel, liquorice, smoke and coffee. Not as heavy and it sounds.
Rogue Imperial IPA: Malty, with a huge hop bitterness of mostly grapefruit. Top pick. 9.5%
Rogue Russian Imp. Stout: Coffee, chocolate, roasted malts boozy and nutty. 11.6%
Samichlaus: This one will knock your dick in the dirt. Cognac-like. Raisin, plum, cherry. 14%
Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barley Wine: A solid Barley Wine. Nicely sweet with a nice hop profile.
Traquair House Ale: Chocolate, vanilla, and raisins. Light boozy finish.
Traquair Jacobite: Caramel, anise and corriander. A bit of sweet smokiness, mild malty finish.
Uinta Barley Wine: Starts piney & citrusy with caramel, toffee and toasty biscuit. Citrusy end.
Unibroue: Terrible: Fruity with mellow, nutty, chocolate notes. boozy warmth in the end. 10.5%

Best bets on tap

Bohemian Brewery Cherny Bock
Squatters Full Suspension Pale Ale
Uinta Cutthroat Pale Ale
Squatters Capt. Bastards Oatmeal Stout
Uinta Kings Peak Porter
Squatters Millcreek Cream Stout
Wasatch Polygamy Porter
Desert Edge UPA
Red Rock Brown Ale
Roosters: Chocolate Stout

This Boob... er... Buds for You.

Boza, a traditional fermented drink out of Bulgaria is becoming a "huge" hit with European Women. The beer-esque drink has some unusual too-good-to-be-true side-effects. Drinking Boza is reputed to enlarge women's breasts (Booya)!

Boza, a millet-ale made from fermented wheat flour is being snapped up by bar owners, shopkeepers and consumers from across Europe.

Now that Bulgaria (the center of boza production) has joined the European Union, duties have been abolished and sales of boza are booming. The customers are predominantly men, hoping to bring home the much anticipated, side-effects to their wives and girlfriends.

Suds Search

Going on a roady? Check out The Beer Maping Project It's a great all-in-one resource for finding breweries and brewpubs all over North America.

Help a Sista Out

When I travel for work, opportunities for going out on the town are limited, due to the weird hours I work. My only after-work beer options are usually at the hotel bar. If your life has you pin-balling around our happy globe, you know that the hotel beer scene is pretty limited to one or two micros brews and hand full of macros.

Four Points Hotels (Sheraton) is looking for a new Chief Beer Officer to help improve the chains selection of quality beers. Hundreds of people applied. Four are left. One of those four finalists is Squatters Beer Master Jenny Tally.

She needs your help. The final four have produced video essays that will be judged online at http://www.fourpoints.com/cbo Check out her video and give her your vote. Tell all your friends and help as sista out. If you know anything about Jenny, then you know she has a good nose for suds. Don't worry she's not bailing on Squatters, this is something she would do in addition to her current job as Brewmaster for Squatters. I'm a little bias, I shot some of her video. I don't know who edited he video but they did a very nice job. It's by far the best video of the four. Vote Now!

It's Beer Day!

March first is Beer Day every year in Iceland. That's right, a whole day dedicated to the world's favorite beverage. This celebrated event began on March 1st, 1989, when a 75-year-long prohibition of beer was lifted. Pubs, restaurants, and clubs all around Reykjavik are especially wild this night. No word yet on plans to make March 2nd National Stick Your Head in a Toilet Day. We could use a little ol' fashion beer love around here.

Why.....

Ever had a Cream Stout? They're quite good, if you haven't tried one you really should. Squatters and Red Rock both make one. This style of stout basically has larger amounts dextrins and unfermentable sugars. This gives the brew more body and adds a sweetness to balance the roasted character of the beer.

Recently the Japanese (as usual) have taken the whole thing to the next, next level. A brewery in the city of Nakashibetsu has succeeded in producing a low-malt beer with milk. The drink, called “Bilk” went on sale on Feb. 1. It reportedly has a fruity flavor that its brewers hope will be popular among women.

I don't know about Japanese women, but ninety percent of the American women I know, hate milk. Good luck with that one guys. I guess the idea for the drink was conceived after dairy farms started throwing out huge amounts of surplus milk. The local brewery(Abashiri Beer) was approached by a liquor vendor, who suggested the idea, of producing a "milk beer" to the dairy farming locals. The "Beer" is one-third milk and for the time being sales will be restricted to Nakashibetsu, with six liquor stores selling the beverage.

Blind Leading the Blind?

I've been noticing a trend among beer geeks across the web. Like many, I give my opinion on beers of all types. I also look to see what others think. It's funny to see the wide and varied reviews that people have on any particular beer. Especially The Macro Beers(Bud, Coors ect).

Looking at beer reviews vs. "blind" competition results. I see a curious trend. Now, I'm guilty of this myself. When reviewing, "beer snobs" are easy to "poo-poo" Macros that are placed before them, because they're mass produced, uninteresting or that the beer lover in question might be accused of not really knowing what a real beer is.

But some of those same "snobs" often give the same beers high praise when analyzed in a true blind tasting. Every year for the past decade my wife and friends and I attend the Great American Beer Festival in Denver. On a yearly basis we all seem to scratch our heads when awards are handed-out and macros win medals that micros should be winning. For example, the 2006 American cream ale or lager winner was Red Dog from Miller Brewing Co. Red Dog won a gold medal! Red Dog??? that's nuts, right? Or that Pabst Blue ribbon won a gold for American-Style Lager. No shit! PBR is the best American Style Lager 'till next year. These tables at the festival always seem to be void of festival goers. So I ask you. Is bias a good or bad thing for true lovers of beer?

Another Inversion!

Those of us who live along the Wasatch Front, know full well the pattern of atmospheric inversions. They develop, they leave. Then soon develop again. The same thing is apparently true with beer as well. After sampling Deschutes Inversion last week another Inversion came along. This time from our friends Desert Edge. This one isn't an IPA. It's more appropriately a Rauchbier (smoke beer). Get it? Smoke beer, inversion? Anyway, I got a chance to try it at the Bayou last weekend, it was quite good. I haven't had great experience with smoke beers. They're usually overly-smokey and one dimensional. Or, they just tend to taste like burnt beer. There are only a few I like, and even fewer of those could be considered good session beers. Desret Edgse's Inversion isn't the greatest Rauchbier I've tried, but it is moderately smokey with a nice maltiness beneath. There's no hop profile, it;s all smoke. Also, it's a little thin. But that helps with it's drink ability. It's a good seasonal and it's a style that doesn't come around all that often. Check it out at Desert Edge and The Bayou.

This Inversion, I Like!!!

I just scored a sixer of Deschutes new IPA, Inversion. I'm not sure if this one is meant to replace the Quail Springs label or what, but I'm definitely dig'n it.

It pours a bubbly, light amber color with a finger of frothy head. The nose is strong with pine and grapefruit resins with bearly noticeable maltiness beneath. The taste starts with a hop assault up front with a nice, toasty carmel backbone. the finish is bitter and dry. It's nicely overbalance. Not astringent at all. It's what IPA lover want in an ale. Full of flavor over-balanced, and bitter. An excellent brew. Much more appealing than the more balanced Quail Springs. I wish Deschutes was available in town. It would be a staple in my fridge at home.

Michelob Goes Old School

Anheuser-Busch is rumoured to be revising the formulas of its Michelob line. Beginning soon, Michelob and Michelob Amber, and I guess, Michelob Light will be 100 barley malt. No adjuncts. When the Michelob brand was introduced back in 1896 it was a 100 percent barley-malt pilsner.
In 1961 the brand was reintroduced as one of A-B's "higher tiered" beers. Back in the late eighties when I was just a burgeoning, beer twit. I looked to Michelob for to help me expand my beer palate. Don't laugh, Michelob Dark was my first attempt in getting away from ordinary beer. It was dark and cost more dinero. I was living the dream baby!!! If the rumors are true we should be seeing it in the next few months. Also, if you've tried it, give us the skinny.
Cheers.

This One Goes to Eleven

People outside of Utah seem shocked when I mention that our local brewers actually produce beers that hurdle the 4.0% mark. They seem to be equally surprised to find out that our beers amass pantloads of awards and praise, nationally and internationally. This past weekend at the 2007 Toronado Barley Wine Festival one of Utah's lesser known "big beers" came up smelling like a rose. Or at least Cascade hops. Fifty-four Barley Wines and ninety judges from all over North America converged at the Toronado in San Fransisco to enjoy and select the best.

First Place: Four Stars Big Nugget 200, Alaskan Brewing.

Second Place: Four Stars Angel’s Share, Port Brewing/Lost Abbey.

Tie for Third: Three Stars Anniversary 2004, Uinta Brewing and Doggie Claws Three Stars, Hair of the Dog.

I haven't tried the other three, but I'm very familiar with Uinta's. It poures a dark chestnut/orange hue. The nose is of burnt oranges, warm caramel malts with some heavy toasted breadiness with pungent hops that produce pine and citrusy overtones. Earthy notes sinder behind most of the hop twinge in the nose. It gives my sniffer an orgasm! The taste starts with hops up front, bittering with pine and dark citrusy stuff of orange and highly ripe peaches, malts play second fiddle with burntish caramel and toffee, crispy biscuit toasty edging, touches of chocolate, brown sugar, and then turns back to a hoppy finish of pine and citrus orange. The bottle says it's at 10%abv but it doesn't burn like it. I have six packs of the no. X and XI that I'm laying down to age. I just hope I can keep my paws off for the next couple years. This is without a doubt one of the best barley wines that I've ever had.

If you can find a X or XI snatch 'em up. If not try the XIII it's available now.

Sensory Overload is a Good Thing

If your one who enjoys his or hers suds, you know that beer, like wine is best when served in it's specifically designed glassware. Every styles has it's own glass and the styles have been around for many years. Recently, The Boston Beer Company began recruiting "world-renowned sensory experts" to work on the design of a glass that would "helps sustain the head of the beer, which enhances the release of signature Noble hop aromas found in Samuel Adams Boston Lager," a company spokesman said. "We wanted to create a glass that offers beer lovers a full sensory experience by fully showcasing Samuel Adams Boston Lager's complex balance of malt and hop flavors." This new glass will be available as a set of four, for purchase this march on the Samuel Adams website. I think this is a stunning piece of glassware, I'm defiantly gonna pony-up some cash for a set.

She's Popin' Cherries

Mmmm. Good beer things be happening this month. Jenny "Queen of Beers" Talley of Squatters fame, has a new seasonal in the fermenter right now that she's dubbed "Cherry Luv". Cherry Luv is a Flanders brown ale. The styles' name makes you think Irish Ale but it's actually a Belgium Ale from the its Flemish region. Jenny describes her newest ale as medium bodied, reddish-brown in appearance, with a gentle malty flavor and no hop bitterness. The aroma is a complex mixture of fruits and estery smells of plums, raisins and cherry. She used both brettanomyces yeast and red tart cherries in fermentation to create an authentic sour Belgian farmhouse ale with cherry accents. It is definitely a beer for the true enthusiast and one who loves a "Rodenbach" style ale. Jenny will also be coming out with Squatter's first Certified Organic Amber in about two weeks. These styles don't wrear their heads much, so get your ass down there and have a goblet or two.

Park City's Hat-Trick

Since the Micro-Brew revolution began in the mid/late eighties, the Wasatch Brewpub was the only craft brew game in Park City. Another micro appeared briefly in the late nineties (park city brewing) but was absorbed by The Moab Brewing a couple years after opening it's doors.
Anyway... the small Utah town where beer was reborn just got a lil' fatter. With brewpubs.
Red Rock and Squatters brewpubs staples of downtown SLC have each opened satellite locations in the states skiing mecca. So, after a day of tumbling your ass down a hill, weather your on sticks, board or bike support your local craft brewers. Red rock is located at 1640 W. Redstone Center Dr. Squatters has acquired the space of the Mt. Air Café for it's new Pub near the corner of Kearns Boulevard and S.R. 224 . And of course Wasatch is still at the top of main st. Slainte.

Beer in the Beerhive

If you live in Utah and love beer, you know that the states breweries and brew pubs offer-up some pretty yummy barley beverages. Most people will trace the states brewing heritage to the late eighties and some may even take you back to the forties and fifties. But take it back a hundred-plus-years and you'll find that beer didn't just flow, but flowed in rivers. Salt Lake City of course had a fair number of breweries off and on since the area was settled. But smaller, less populated areas like Ogden, Manti, Logan, Alta and Parleys Canyon had also set up proper breweries to take care of the rest Utah's beer starved populace. I always knew beer had been in Utah since the Mormons brought it with them from the mid-west. But I had no idea how many breweries actually existed in the state, until long time local beer advocate Del Vance Published his book Beer in the Beehive last December. If your from Utah or live outside of the state this book is a must read. From Brigham Young's own whiskey distillery to myths and misnomers. This book is a great read. It'a available at most local book stores and brewpubs and also on Amazon.com.

I'm Back....Again!

Since no one else is stepping-up, (except for Del Vance) I'm going to have to. I'm getting off my fat-ass and i'm gunna start talk'n bout some serious mountain suds again. It's a shame, there's been some great stuff to talk about over the last year. New beers, awards, books, breweries. The list goes on. Tomorrow we get it on.