2nd Beer of Xmas: Winter Solstice

For the second beer of Xmas my barkeep gave to me, Anderson Valley Brewing Company's Winter Solstice. AVBC is on of those breweries that can do no wrong in my eyes. Everything that they have produced over the years(that I've sampled) is nothing short of delicious. Hence they must be represented. And for the holiday's they're winter seasonal is a must try.

Winter Solstice pours a beautiful reddish-brown color with a creamy, fluffy head. The aroma is mildly hoppy with delicate malt sweetness. Vanilla bean is dominant with orange peel for balance. There also seemed to be a hint of nutmeg. The Taste was of roasted malt, vanilla and carameled apple. The bitterness was mild which allowed the vanilla to finish slightly above the hops. Sweet and slightly spicy, The higher alcohol (6.9% ABV) added a nice warming affect. The balanced was perfect from start to finish. I love this beer so much I buy up all that I can, as to enjoy it year round. I find it very drinkable and I’m eagerly looking forward to this years fresh batch.

The Twelve Beers of Christmas

Time for a new twist on an old theme. I'm sure this is nothing new, but hopefully it will give you a chance to try something new or at the very least revisit an old favorite. Today starts the Twelve Beers of Christmas. Traditionally the Twelve Days of Christmas begins on Christmas day and goes for the proceeding twelve days. You all know the song. For our purposes we'll begin today(12 days prior to Xmas) and instead of giving a gift; gift yourself the joy of beer. Over the next twelve days I've selected a variety of beers available to those of us behind the Zion Curtain. It was tough coming up with a list of diverse beers available to the local beer faithful. But i think I've come up with some offerings that'll bring some cheer to the waining days of '07.

The first beer of Xmas that my barkeep gave to me is Uinta's XIV Anniversary Barley Wine. This Local heavy weight pores of dark chestnut/orange hue with a luscious foamy tan cap. The nose is of burnt oranges, warm caramel malts, heavy toasted breads with pungent hops that produce pine and citrusy overtones. Earthy notes cinder behind most of the hop twinge in the nose. The taste started with hops up front, bittering with pine and dark citrusy stuff of orange and highly ripe peaches, malts play second fiddle with burnt 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 10.3% abv but it doesn’t burn like it. I have a six pack of the no. X that I’ve lay'd down to age. It's incredible! just hope I can make it last another year. This is without a doubt one of the best barley wines that I’ve ever had. Home team bias aside.

When Passions Collide

Beer is my hobby, But it's television that pays the bills. Back in '04 I was hired to shoot a profile on Uinta Brewing Co, here in good ol' Salt Lake City, Utah. The story originally aired on The Fine Living Network's The Insider's List. This particular episode profiled ten unique breweries from around the U.S. Uinta was chosen for their environmentally conscious business practices. And of course their great beer. Enjoy.

Enjoying a Beer Today? Thank Utah!

If you have an uncontrollable urge to have a sip of one of your favorite adult beverages today(12/5) there's a very good reason. Today in 1933 the United States of America breathed a collective sigh of relief as Utah became the 36th state to ratify the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, nullifying the 18th amendment. The ink was hardly dry on Utah's vote before President Franklin Roosevelt issued an official repeal and tossed-back the first legal beer in years.

Prohibition of liquor proved to be a massive failure both socially, legally and economically. By the by the end liquor law enforcement was virtually non excitement or payed to look the other way. In 1923 Utah's attorney general claimed that drinking in the larger cities was just as popular as it was before prohibition. Huge profits from the manufacture and sale of liquor made it impossible to stop.

Problems of enforcement and the unpopularity of prohibition led to cries for its repeal. Following his 1932 election, President Franklin D. Roosevelt kept his campaign pledge and each state soon began voting on the issue in special conventions. Despite the Mormon church's efforts, Utahns voted on November 7, 1933, for repeal of national prohibition and in the same election also repealed the state's liquor law. Utah was the thirty-sixth state to vote for repeal and thus, ironically, delivered prohibition its death blow.

Legal liquor began flowing again in Utah in 1935 when the first state liquor stores in Salt Lake City and Ogden opened their doors. Business was brisk at the new stores as Utahns eagerly bought-up the once forbidden libations; in the first fifteen days of operation receipts totaled $54,866.

So, thank Utah... er... or maybe Utah should be thanking the rest of the U.S. For if we hadn't the entire United States may have collectively come together to beat the holy shit out of us. So, your welcome! I think.

Cantillon Iris

Let me start out by saying that don't have much experience with true lambics. I never know what to expect from these extremely wild beers they range from the sweet to the acerbically tart. I've never had an unblended lambic before. The closest I've tried is the gueze style(blended). Iris comes from the Brasserie Cantillon in Brussels. Pours a hazy honey orange with a moderate off-white head. The nose was sour with green apple and grapes and cheese. The taste is wildly tart and funky. Starting with an assertive sour mustiness then dry oak. The end is of citrus peel and sharp cheddar cheese. The finish is old and dry. Far too tart for my taste, however, it is complex and intriguing. This an interesting lambic to reflect over.

They'd Make Carrie Proud

It's no secret that the South Salt Lake City council has a problem with beer. In '03 they officially placed into law a ban on home brewing. A ban they they had no intention of enforcing. Then they wanted to shut down bars on Sunday because, Well... why not? it's Sunday! You should be begging for your soul, not watching football and having beer. That failed.

Now the mayor and council is pursuing it's next richeous ban. According to police statistics, Salt Lake has the valley's highest crime rate and has about two dozen active Tavern licenses. A few years ago, the City Council capped those licenses at 15, hoping to trim the number of taverns. They intended as bars folded, they would not issue new permits. Well bars in the city didn't fold like they thought they would and those who did want to sell they're business simply transferred their beer licenses to bar buyers. Now the council, possibly as soon as Wednesday, hopes to prohibit such transfers and thus, over time, slash the number of bars.

This issue was addressed a few years ago and obviously didn't go over well with bar owners. It will likely happen again. But this time I believe it will pass. The council will base it's decision on the number of tavern-related crime in South Salt Lake. This will be the councils main source of ammo in the fight.

Now to play Devil's Advocate, the city has 26 bars and private clubs to serve a population of 26,000. Not a bad ratio. I think the county I live in has only 10 tops. South Salt Lake's effort to cut back on bars comes up for further discussion, and a possible vote, at Wednesday's 7 p.m. City Council meeting at City Hall, 220 E. Morris Ave. (2430 South).

I Told You So!!!

The other week I tried to compile a brief walk-through of Utah's Liquor laws. Toward the end, I mentioned that because Utah's Liquor laws are so convoluted and ignorantly written, they undergo changes that often add to the confusion of the laws.

The state was going to move 4.0% flavored malt beverages to State Liquor stores because they were just too damn enticing to the young'ins. Well in a rare act of sanity the states liquor board voted against the proposed move. So for now; no change. However this doesn't mean that some legislative zealot won't try to override that D.A.B.C. ruling and and start this mess all over again when law makers gather for the '08 legislative session in January. So enjoy the convenience of buying your "Foofy Beers". For now...

Grain, Grapes and Grounds

Let's go back in time. Back.... back.... back. Can you see yourself??? Sitting in your third grade class; one finger in your nose the other stuck down your trou??? Ah sweet memories. Besides all the digging and scratching, you were probably also learning the three R's, amongst other youthful pursuits. Now that your an "adult", the digging and scratching still remains, but your academic refinement has evolved(for those of you who believe in evolution).

Gone now are the three R's. And if your reading this, most likely your now into the three G's. Grains, Grapes and Grounds. Coincidentally there is a place to to take care of all your steeping needs. G3(Grains, Grapes and Grounds) opened in Ogden, Utah mid 2006 by Heath and Jennifer Stockard, avid home brewers who saw a need for a home brew shop to serve the Northern Wasatch Front. Whether your itch is brewing beer, making wine, coffee or even tea this charming renovated space in Ogden's new re-development project has nearly every tool the noble art of beverage concoction has to offer. So if you enjoy adult beverages, get your ass over there and support the Stockards. Located at 2340 Washington Blvd and open Tuesday thru Friday 11:00AM-5:30PM and Saturdays 12:00PM-5:00PM (Closed Sunday and Monday). Cheers.

Insanely Bad Elf

I don't know... I guess I should have been closer paying attention. The label was a dead give-away, I should have noticed the clues. It was my own fault. I mean it's called Insanely Bad Elf for Christ's sake!!! The label has some kind of sociopathic mutant elf all bound up and and looking like he's ready to molest a cat.

This is another from the boys at Ridgway. It comes from a line of "theme beers" the brewery does around the holidays. It started with Bad Elf, then to Very Bad, then Seriously, Criminally and finally Insane. I haven't tried the others but this reminds me of one of those beers that people make just to say "We can make one of those."

Poured a clear ruby red with absolutely no head at all. The nose was boozy with raisin and toffee. The taste started sweet with caramel then transitioned into spicy raisin and fig. The finish was syrupy, boozy and cloying. A good dose of piney hops would have made this a much more palatable brew, but as it sits it's a tough drink'n little bitch. It's label calls it it an Imperial Red but let's not kid ourselves it's all barley wine. It's abv dials in at 11.2% and never lets you forget it. As a holiday warmer it will warm you right the fuck up. Straight jacket not included.

Wreck the Halls

At this point in my Beer-a-thon I was starting to feel the effects of all this holiday cheer Wreck the Halls from Full Sail Brewing isn't new to Utah but this seasonal ale is defiantly worth checking out.

Poured a dark copper color with a moderate, foamy cap. The nose was sharp with pine and citrus zest. Very nice. The taste started sharp with a huge citrusy hop smack with a full malty backbone. The finish was bitter slightly fruity and boozy with apples and oranges. The hops zest hangs in to the very end. I wish that the nose could have come through a little more in the taste. Mmmm... This beer me like. A solid performer, defiantly worth checking out this holiday season.

Equinox Winter Beer

We should probably mix it up a little, so today let's get out of the U.K. and check out a seasonal from Belgium. Looking at the label, you'd never know this is a holiday beer. There's no elf asses or drunken cherubs to suck you in; just a big frigg'n boat. Don't let labels deceive you, this is one of the best of the new arrivals.

Poured dark brown with a thick two fingers of creamy foam that reduced to a thin cap. The nose was earthy with malt, cocoa and musty spices. The taste started with roasted coffee and malt. Cinnamon, citrus and spicy dark fruits spices come next. The end is nice and bitter with a good dose of hops. Equinox is perfectly balanced. It's near cloying fruitiness is immediately countered with solid pine bittering. It's a remarkable winter brew that should savored and enjoyed. Only available at the Bayou It comes in a 750 ml. bottles and it's 8.5% abv is easily masked by it's full flavor.

Highly recommended!

Santa's Butt

I've been on this planet a relatively short time. In that time, I've said and done a few things that I've regretted. This isn't one of those times. However, there is one phrase that I'm positive I would never utter while waiting to open my presents on Christmas morning. "Mmm... Santa's Butt sure sounds good right about now". Well Christmas '07 may prove to be the year my wife finally tosses my ass out. Not because I've suddenly found love for a cultural/religious icon's ass, but because I want a beer at nine in the morning on a holiday.

Thankfully, I'm not one of those morning drinkers. However It's not a big stretch to crave something dark, rich and roasted in the morning and for some this Holiday Porter might do the trick. Santa's Butt also comes from Ridgeway Brewing in West Sussex, England.

Poured a dark ruby color with no head. The nose was musty with dark fruits and malt. The taste started a little on the thin side with chocolate, toffee and vanilla. The end was light and roasted with hints of coffee. This defiantly got better as it warmed. Overall an okay Winter Porter. I like a Porter with more balls and less butt. A little more roast and richness would serve this beer well. And it's 6% abv won't hurt you too much.

Warm Welcome

New to the area this season(via the Bayou) are a slew of new holiday imports from the UK. Braving the dangerous Friday night crowd at the Bayou I sacrificed my safety and liver to bring you the first glimpses and reviews of these limited availability beers.

Warm Welcome from Ridgeway Brewing out of West Sussex, England is the first of these new imports I got the opportunity to try. This beer poured a very clear ruby/brown color with a light beige cap that dispersed rapidly. Nose was nutty with a hint of molasses sweetness. The taste started clean and malty with grassy hop bitterness at the end. The finish was sweet with a dry spiciness. This is a textbook English Brown Ale. It dials in at 6% abv. A little hoppier than most but worthy of the holidays.

Sorry about the lousy pic. Bar lighting in the evening sucks.

A Pair of Jacks

I love this time of year! Not so much for the weather or the shopping headaches but for the great influx of seasonal beers. So, for the next week or so, I hope to spread the word about some of the great beer options that are out there for your holiday enjoyment.

My first experience with pumpkin spiced beers was back in '98 at the Great American Beer Festival. My wife came up to me cooing over this great spice beer she had just sampled from this tiny mom-n-pop brewpub from Wisconsin. At first thought, the idea of a pumpkin beer raised an eyebrow. But soon after sampling, I was one of the converted. Basically, if you like pumpkin pie you'll most likely enjoy pumpkin ales.

Now, some pumpkin ale are with pumpkin & spices and others with just the spices. These two local options I believe are just spiced.

First one out of the gate is Wasatch's Pumpkin Ale. Poured a clear copper hue with a small cap of white foam. The nose was spicy with nutmeg, allspice and malt. The taste starts malty and nutty with great cinnamon and nutmeg essence. The pumpkin pie flavor is right on. the end is clean with a slight hopiness. The finish was slightly sweet.

Next up Punk'n from Four +(Uinta). Poured a dark, amber color with a thick white head. The nose was spicy with cinnamon and nutmeg. The taste jumps right into a complex spiciness of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and allspice. The end was light and dry with slight cascade hops coming through. The finish was dry and spicy.

All in all these are both fine examples of pumpkin spice ales. However they are both very different. Wasatch's has much more maltiness in the backbone, which compliment it's spices nicely.

Four +'s(Uinta) is much dryer. It lacks the malty sweetness but makes up for it with rich Holiday spices.

Depending on your palate either is a fine choice. Punk'n complements cheese cake well and Pumpkin Ale is a fine session drinker.

Another Good Year!

Every year at the Great American Beer Festival there's always one or two good stories to shout out to the inter mountain beer faithful about our local brewers. This years was an exceptionally good year for Utah and one brewer in particular.

The big story from this past weekend was from Red Rock Brewing Co and their head brewer Kevin Templin who stunned the audience by not only winning five medals but Large Brewpub and Brewer of the Year!

This is huge for Utah's image as a legitimate beer producing region. So often when I speak to people from other states and countries about our beer, they balk at our miserable alcohol restrictions and poo-poo the very thought that varying styles of 4.0% beers can be made consistently and still be palatable.

Kevin and Red Rock were not the only ones to get good news from their piers in Denver. Squatters received two medals. A Silver for it's new Organic Amber Ale and a gold for it's IPA. India Pale Ales are one of the most popular styles in states. And this one is consistently ranked as one of the best.

The final medal winner is is from Hopppers Grill & Brewing out of Midvale, Ut. They're not as consistent in the medal categories as some but they are no strangers to winning hardware and do an excellent job of producing good beer. They achieved a gold medal with they're Lil' Pips Mild Ale. I had never tried it 'till last Thurs and was happy that a light session drinker like that could win a gold.

Those are the highlights for now. In the coming days; war stories and pics from GABF. Cheers!

Hoppers Grill & Brewing Co.	Lil' Pip's Mild Ale	UT	Gold	English Style Dark Mild Ale or English-Style Brown Ale
Redrock Brewing Co.	Munich Dunkel	UT	Bronze	European Style Dark/Münchner Dunkel
Redrock Brewing Co.	Organic Zwickelbier	UT	Gold	Cellar or Unfiltered Beer
Redrock Brewing Co.	Redrock Reve	UT	Silver	Belgian Style Strong Specialty Ale
Redrock Brewing Co.	Redrock Nut Brown Ale	UT	Silver	American Style Brown Ale
Redrock Brewing Co.	Redrock Black Bier	UT	Silver	German Style Schwarzbier
Utah Brewers Cooperative	Squatters IPA	UT	Gold	English-Style India Pale Ale
Utah Brewers Cooperative	Squatters Organic Amber Ale	UT	Silver	Bitter or Pale Mild Ale

Nooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!

If your going to the Great American Beer festival this weekend and you haven't got your tix, you may be screwed. I found out earlier this morning that most of the sessions have sold out completely! This has left many scrambling to get what ever tix they can find. Yours truly included. My wife and I have been attending GABF for the last nine years and in that time we have never had any trouble buying tix the day of any given session. Looks like the scalpers are going make a killing this weekend. If we make it in, I'll hopefully post some pics next week. Pray for us all.

BEER FEST CANCELLED!!!

Due to shitty weather the Utah Brewers Festival has been cancelled. Apparently it's going to be snowy and miserable. I think the organizers made the right call for everyone involved. If you've already purchased an $8.00 festival ticket, you can receive a refund from October 8 - 26, 2007:
1. Bring your ticket to the Gallivan Center on Saturday, October 6 between 11:00 a.m. & 1:00 p.m.
2. Bring your ticket to the Tracy Aviary during business hours. Liberty Park - SE corner 589 East 1300 South.
Check back in the coming months for a date and time for the 2008 Utah Brewers Festival.

De Ranke XX Bitter

Home brewers are some of the most innovative and passionate people on the worlds beer stage. Some of the best beers/breweries in the world got a kick-start from a local guy or gal doing something unique in their kitchen or garage.

That's the story behind XX Bitter. Nino Bacelle and Guido Devos, two friends turned a weekend obsession into a classic, craft brewing story. For a few hours on Friday and Saturday; every week, the marvelous turn-of-the-century Deca Brewery in West Flanders is turned over to the De Ranke brewers, who make small batches of what many consider to be one of the best specialty beers of Belgium. Their beers are robust and flavorful, and famous for their massive hoppiness.

Poured a creamy off white head that caps a hazy gold color. The nose is moderate blend of grassy/floral hops with a slight honey/grain character beneath. The taste has a nice sharp bitterness to it that turns a little astringent. Grassy hops are very prominent. Not much in the way of malt character; maybe a little toasted biscuit. The beer is pretty dry with a light feel. Overall I am a little torn by this beer, I love hoppy beers but lack of malt character left it a little stale at the end. Maybe it's just not as fresh as it should be. If you like Orval Trapist Ale; you'll find this similar. Think of it as Orval on steroids. 6.0% abv. Available at The Bayou in 330 ml bottles.

Cantillon Rosé de Gambrinus

Lovers of Belgian Beers rejoice! A new score of bière de la Belgique has silently crept it's way into Salt Lake City. Mark over at the Bayou has brought in some hard to find labels that may pique your interests.

I haven't tried them all, but I'll review them as I can. Cantillon Rosé de Gambrinus is without a doubt the most "authentic" Lambic I've ever tried. Poured into a Chimay goblet an amber/grapefruit hue with a moderate amount of champagne bubbles. The nose was musty with vinegar and raspberries. My first taste was a full mouth swig that immediately gave me lock jaw. The tartness at the beginning was immense with lemon and raspberry and never let up. The body however was light and the carbonation subsisted as it warmed. I'm glad I got to try it but the tartness is a little too overpowering for my pallet. If you want a dry, 100% textbook, original lambic try it. But if your afraid of your lips puckering into infinity, stay back. Cheers.

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.