Utah's Home Brew Bill: Latest

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

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

Other Beer Related Legislation

Last month I told you about proposed legislation to eliminate the annoying DABC stickers.

Big thumbs up! to beer devotee Tiffany Steele. She found the proposed legislation. If your interested in following it here's a link of it's last location. Thanks Tiffany!

Rêve Sighting

Sources deeply embedded in the Utah Brew scene (let's call him Fishdawg) say that RedRock's Award wining Rêve should be available within the next two weeks. Rêve is a Belgian style triple that quite delicious and made in very limited batches. Rêve will only be available at RedRock's Salt Lake & Park City locations, and possibly at Fiddlers Elbow and the Bayou. 9.0% abv. Cheers!

Ogden man beats City Hall

The controversy over Bruce Edwards' battle to restore a hundred year old sign on the historic C.C.Keller Building on 25th Street in downtown Ogden has come to an end, a full 10 years after his original request.

Mr. Edwards had been battling the cities Landmarks Commission until the American Civil Liberties Union stepped in and took the city to court. where, in 2005, 2nd District Judge Parley Baldwin ruled in favor of Edwards, saying Ogden had usurped his First Amendment rights.

The original wording, dating back to about 1910 and painted on the north side of the two-story brick structure, is still barely visible: "Every hour upon the hour for about an hour Drink Becker's Beer - Ogden's Famous Beer."

The turn-of-the-century brick structure at the corner of 25th Street and Lincoln Avenue housed the infamous El Borrocho saloon from the late 1930s to the mid-1970s. The bar was known for its tough characters and frequent murders.

Also, until the mid-1950s, the building was home to the brothel known as "The Rose Rooms," named for proprietor Rose Davies. A sign outside the building advertised "Furnished Rooms" as code for the enterprise.

Utah has a very vivid beer history. If your interested in getting the full story on Utah's beer history check out "Beer in the Beehive" by Del Vance. Cheers!

Boulevard's Unfiltered Wheat

Success! Beer has the mystical power to predict the outcome of sporting events.

Found 'em!... finally. At of all places 7-eleven. The store I was at only had the wheat beer, which is fine. At $8.50 a sixer I wasn't prepared for that kind of hit on the wallet for a new-to-me six-pack.

Poured a hazy straw yellow color with a small white head that dissipated quickly leaving light lacing on glass.The nose was of fresh grains, lemons, oranges and a little yeast.The taste started with Light bready malt and a light lemon zest. A bit of grassy hop bitterness is present in the end. The finish was slightly spicey. This is an average but good wheat beer that will appeal to a variety of tastes. But don't expect to be blown away. Cheers!

Beer Prediction Engine for Superbowl XLIII

Here's a little experiment to test the power of craft beer. I've put together a very simple equation to predict the winner of tomorrows Super bowl game.
Using the # of beer establishments (Beer Bars, Beer stores & Homebrew stores), Multiplied by
the # of Breweries & Brewpubs in each city, Plus the combined averages from Beeradvocate.com stats on average user rating (per brewery/pub - per city) = The winner by high score. Make sense???

Using this highly convoluted, bullshit system; we come up this.

Steelers 40 x 6 + 21.5 = 261.50*

Cardinals 15 x 14 + 44.34 = 254.34

I was think that Phoenix's higher number of breweries and brewpubs would have put it over the top but Pittsburgh's high number of Beer Bars, Beer stores & Homebrew stores bearly put it over the top.

If this system is proven to work, I will leave you all and go into the Beer vs. "Whatever" field and retire to a small island in the south pacific and drink nectar from the navels of native island girls ( 'till my wife kicks me in the beer nuts). If it doesn't.... well... then I guess you all loose and your stuck with me!
Cheers! and Go Steelers!

Evanston's First Beer Festival

*****************click here for updated info************

It's looking like mid 2009 will be known as the Summer of the Beerfest. The city of Evanston, Wyoming will be hold it's first ever beer festival on Saturday, July 11, 2009. The name, times, etc., are still to be decided on by the committee, but it looks like things are a go.


This is a great town to hold a beerfest. It's proximity to the Wasatch Front provides a quick & easy drive, the city has plenty of lodging, The town is full of bars and most importantly it doesn't have Utah's bullshit beer restrictions. You could actually get a high abv Utah beer on tap! Wahoo! Not to mention other great regional craft beers to sample. We'll keep you up to date on all the particulars,but for now just mark the date on your calendar.

Also coming this summer is the annual Mountain Brewers Festival in Idaho Falls, Idaho. A slightly longer drive(2.5 hours from my door) but well worth checking out.


And making it's triumphant return in late summer the Utah Brewers Festival. No details are available yet on exactly when, but organizers tell me it'll be more like it was in the Good ol' days (mid-early nineties) when it was less about music (Blues & Brews Festival) and more about beer.
Cheers!

Deschutes Coming to Utah

Good News! One of the northwest's finest breweries will be sending their suds to Utah in '09. Deschutes Brewery makes some of the most flavorful beers in the northwest, including Black Butte Porter, Quail Springs IPA and "The Abyss" a tasty & highly sought-after Imperial Stout.

Deschutes opened it's doors in 1988 in Bend, Oregon and has become one of the more established craft brewers in the United States.
Right now the nearest place I know of to buy Deschutes is Franklin, Idaho. Not a brutal drive, but it'd be nice to have 'em in the neighborhood. No word yet on exactly when they'll be in the market, but look for them in the state stores.

Home Brew Bill Clears Latest Hurdle

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

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

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

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

Utah's Very First Beer Commercial

A piece of rock art found in the deserts of Utah uncovered a prehistoric Fremont Indian rock art panel that conclusively shows a warrior or sports celebrity in the act of endorsing a container, probably beer.

The panel was found by subsistence journalist Steve Howe, while scouting off-trail hikes for Project Backyard, a self-assigned mapping effort of nearby adventures.

The 50- by 10-foot series of drawings was pecked into the Navajo sandstone sometime between 700 and 1400 A.D. by Fremont Indians, a more nomadic - and artistic- culture than the contemporary Anasazi who neighbored them to the south. The panel includes four anthropomorphic figures, the largest one with headdress and bottle, and three smaller, more ephemeral figures that have heads and limbs, but no bodies. Howe theorizes that the three smaller figures are cheerleaders whose painted-on clothing has washed off with time.

The image not only depicts beer as a universal beverage, but that it predates the anti-beer pioneers that took over the land.

If you want a sense of what beer like this may have tasted like try Dogfish Head's Theobroma. This beer is a recreation of a central American recipe for the earliest chocolate drink in existence, consumed by the Aztecs. While this Utah drink probably consisted of mostly corn, it does provide a great insight to how varied beer can be to cultures. Salud!

Brilliant!

Look at the photo above... Every bottle of Suds, Hooch and Jesus-Juice up there has one thing in common. They all have that really cool D.A.B.C. sticker. This is how our overlords know that we've paid our tithe... errr taxes on the adult beverages that we drink.

The sticker system is quite the pain in the ass for state employees who have to (by hand) apply said stickers to millions of bottles annually. At a recent trip to the DABC warehouse is SLC I happened to show up at the beginning of a "tagging party". Barbara Love the manager of the Immense warehouse said that they had just received dozens of pallets Stella Artois for the Sundance Film festival. She and the crew would be pulling an all-nighter to get the boxes off the pallets, open the boxes, mark the bottles; Then re-box, re-stack and send them out. Sounds like a great use of resources to me, considering the legislature is looking to shave costs anyway they can.

Barbara told me that there was proposed legislation this year to get rid of the damn stickers (I'm paraphrasing). Considering the state is in such a budget crunch it sounds like a no-brainer to me. But no-brainers aren't exactly common on Capitol Hill. I've been looking but can't find the proposed legislation. If you've heard-of or seen it, send us a link! Cheers!

Squatters' Label Contest

Alright listen-up, it's time to get those creative juices flowing.
Last Friday Squatters announced that they along with X-96's "Radio From Hell" are looking for locals artist to design the label for Squatters next beer Hell's Keep.

If chosen the winning entry will get (besides having your work immortalized)
two Round trip airline tickets to the Great American Beer Festival on Southwest. (Valued at $500), as well as two - 3 day Passes to the 2009 Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Colorado (Valued at $400). The festival starts on September 24-26, 2009.

The competitions deadline is Wednesday – February 4, 2009. And will be available to the public on St. Patrick’s Day – March 17, 2009.

If your not artistically inclined, I'm sure you know someone who is... so pass this shit on.

Here are all the links to all the info you need to get the ball rolling.

Download the label template here

Download the full competition information here

Squatters

X96

The Great American Beer Festival


If you have never been to the Great American Beer Festival and you love beer this an incredible prize.

Much thanks to Utah beer lover Andy Russell for helping to get the word out

Big Brother is Nigh

One step forward, two steps back. That's how you dance the Utah shuffle. Last November, Governor Huntsman announced that his office was drafting legislation to do away with private clubs. And as I stated in that post you never gain ground in Utah as far as liquor laws are concerned. We just make concessions. Well here's a glimpse into a possible future for Utahans.

In exchange for getting rid of private clubs, some conservative legislators want even stricter liquor laws in return. In addition to hiding liquor at restaurants, another new idea is now being "talked" about at the Capitol. The idea is to put ID scanners in all Utah bars so underage drinkers can't get in. Makes sense...right? But there's a catch. Some of these scanners not only check ID's, but they can also collect information on you to store in a database. In other words, the state of Utah could keep permanent records of who goes into what bars, when and how often. That's right, George Orwell's Big Brother will have his eyes upon you. I can't conceive that this could be legal to do, but this is Utah. Anything is possible. Find out who your repesentative is and keep your eyes on this one.

Squatters, RedRock Updates

Two weeks ago, I mentioned that there were three outstanding Utah beers that are incredible, must-try beers. Two of those are back for another release. Reve from RedRock will be out soon (no date yet, but soon). And Fifth Element from Squatters hit the brew kettle on December 31st, for a release sometime in September 2009. This one will have to spend some time aging in oak before it's bottled, then a few more weeks or month in the bottle for conditioning.

Also, Jenny has Hop Rising returning this month. In addition, she's currently got a new Belgian Golden Strong in the fermenter called Hell's Keep. We should see it released in late February in 750ml bottles. The ABV. is still unknown, but will probably be in the neighborhood of 8-9%. Cheers!

New at Roosters

Roosters has some seasonal brews worth checking out.

The Holiday Rosemary Porter pours a dark ebony brown with a sturdy finger of foam. The nose is of roasted malts and rosemary. A little buttery as well. The taste starts with roasted malt and caramel. next comes the rosemary and hints of cinnamon. the end has a slight piney bite. The finish was a little on the dry side. Mouthfeel is on the thin-side of medium. A unique, but tasty spiced porter. 4.0% abv.

Also available on tap is the Deep Powder Dortmunder. I love Dortmunder's, they hail from all places Dortmunder, Germany! They're typically pale golden lagers with classic a clean character. Look for notes of biscuity malts, moderate bitterness and an overall dry tone.

Deep Powder Dortmunder pours a clear golden yellow with a thick one finger white head. The nose is malty and grassy with a bit of a sour funk. Taste is nice, malty sweet at first then dry grains come next. Grassy hops and a bit of citrus round out the end. The finish is bitter and dry. Mouthfeel is on the lighter side. 4.0% abv. A nice session lager.

Available on tap at the Ogden and Layton Brewpubs. Cheers!

Powder Hound

Yeah! more new beer. Powder Hound is a seasonal offering From Big Sky, available at the state stores.

Poured a clear, rusty amber color with one finger of light tan head. The nose was of lightly roasted malt, caramel, chocolate and a hints of floral hops.

The taste starts with toasted biscuit and hazelnut, along with notes of maraschino cherry and red grape. The end is mildly earthy and piney. The finish was dry and nutty. Nicely balanced. Lacks real depth or complexity. Drinkability is high, definitely sessionable. Wouldn't go out of my way for it, but I'll defiantly try it again. 6.2%ABV.

I should note that Desert Edge also has a beer called Powder Hound that predates Big Sky's by a few years, check it out when Chris has it on tap. Cheers!

Hazed & Infused

Here's a relatively new beer to the area, that you probably never got a chance to try. Even though this offering from from Boulder Brewing has been around since November not many have noticed it. One of the thing that makes this brew so delicious is it's great hop profile. Hazed and Infused is brewed with Centennial, Willamette and Cascade hops then is "dry hopped" with Crystal and Centennial hops. If your not familiar with "Dry Hopping" it's the process whereby hops are added uncooked or "dry" to the beer at different stages of fermentation. Many beer styles, such as pale ales or IPAs, are traditionally dry hopped to produce the authentic fresh hop flavor.

This brew really shines. Pours a clear light amber orange with a large three fingers of fluffy creamy white head. The nose is an intense bouquet of citrus and pine( I think I felt it move).

The flavor is even better, very hoppy for an APA, hoppier than some IPAs. Excellent grapefruit and tangerine find balance in soft floral and sweet grass. Solid caramel malt backbone. Complex and flavorful. Body is medium, soft, creamy and smooth. Extreme drinkability. One of the best American Pale Ales available in town.

Beamish is Back!

Back in early '06 Beamish & Crawford makers of Beamish Irish Stout quietly decided to pull the plug on Beamish exports to America. The company apparently wanted to concentrate on their Newcastle brand which was experiencing record growth in the states. Well it didn't last too long and after a near three year hiatus, Beamish is back bitches!

So what's the big deal? We already have Guinness and Murphy's in town, why do we need another? Well, there aren't many real Irish Stouts available around town. Most of the Guinness consumed in the states is made domestically. Murphy's Irish Stout, is made in Ireland, but is now owned by Heineken. That leaves us with Beamish. Irish owned and imported.

If you've never tried Beamish I'm confident you'll like it as much as or better than Guinness and Murphy's. Pours a very dark brownish black with a thin half-finger of creamy, tan nitro foam. The nose is of roasted malt and dark chocolate. The taste starts like the nose with roasted malt and dark chocolate. Light caramel and toffee come next. The end is slightly sweetness with a dry tobacco bitterness in the finish. The mouth feel is super creamy and smooth, but a little on the thin side. Drink ability is excellent! The nitro makes it feel fluffy and light.

The one drawback that Beamish has is it's ABV. Because of Utah law, anything over 4.0% ABV has to be sold in Utah liquor stores and can not be served on tap. Beamish comes in at 4.1%. That's right. A whole "0.1%" is keeping us from enjoying this on draft! Unfukanbaleevable!!!

The Utah Beer Year '08 Part Two: Electric Bugaloo

First of I apologize for the delay on part two. My Internet has been down.

June also brought a little known option for purchasing your high ABV beers. The D.A.B.C.'s warehouse, located at 1700 south and 900 west, has everything the state carries all in one place. All alcoholic bevs over 4.0% begin their statewide journeys at the already overcrowded booze hub. It's not a perfect place to do your shopping, but it does give an alternative option for the person who needs that special brew yesterday. We also found out that I secretly like Blue Moon and ABBA. I in-fact, still like Blue Moon and ABBA and remain confident in my manhood on both fronts.
Ahh children... You raise them, nurture them, give them the benefit of your knowledge, (or lack there of) send them out into the world to find their way. When they do find their way back hopefully they will bring back knowledge, experience and good beer. Well, we raised our kid well. On a recent whirl-wind trip of Italy my freshly (high school) graduated daughter knew to forgo the Gondolier T-shirt and Colosseum paper weights, and bring back the ol' man Venetian suds. Ah... the benefits of a high school education.

July. If your gunna drink Uinta, you'd better grab a bottle opener. Our buddies at the wind powered brewery began the industry preferred switch to vacuum caps from twisties. What's the difference? Well, if you try to twist off a vacuum cap with your grubby little paws, all your going to end up doing is turning your fleshy little mitts into hamburger patties.
Squatters began bottle conditioning for the first time at the brew pub. This is a great thing for Squatters. It gives Jenny and the crew a little more independence from the Utah Brewers Co-op. Now they don't have to rely on UBC's bottling facility every time they want to produce high gravity and unusual styles for Utah's Beer lovers.
Due to it's proximity to Salt Lake(a mere 1 hr 15 min. from mi casa) I decided to make Suds Brothers Brewery in Evenston, Wy an honorary Utah brew pub. Why the hell not, it's closer than some places, the beer is pretty good and it's not restricted to Utah's 4.0% draft cap. Please check 'em out.

In August, a ray of light was shined upon beer lover with the creation of the Type 5 package license. This allows breweries and brewpubs to sell their high alcohol beers right from brewery or brewpub without having to go to a state liquor store. As long as it's brewed and bottles on premisis. Can you say "really fresh beer?"
Utah's Uinta Brewery was one of the few breweries chosen to represent at the 2008 Great British Beer Festival. It's Britain's largest beer festival. They were able to sampled limited amounts of Anglers Pale Ale, King's Peak Porter and Uinta 14th Anniversary Barleywine.
One of Utah's best beers ever made it's debut in August. Squatters' Fifth Element was a true labor of love for Brewmaster Jenny Talley and became an instant hit both locally and nationally.
Utah's second best beer scribe Del Vance published the second edition of his book Beer in the Beehive. It's the bible for Utah Beer lovers a must read. Now if we can just get him to crack the whip on his new bar the "Beerhive House"!

September saw the debut of Utah's first all-locally-made beer. Desert Edge Brewmaster Chris Haas put together a special beer made from all local ingredients. Radius, was made with ingredients grown within 150 miles of the Wasatch Front.
Let's face it, we get rheamed in the beer tax department. So is it too much to ask that our State Liquor stores actually have refrigerator units? Many citizens don't think that's such an unreasonable request. So the guys at tributetobeer.com put together an online petition to get the ball rolling on this much needed improvement. Please sign it!

October started in Stockholm, Sweden where Uinta/Four+ entered four of it's labels in The Stockholm Beer and Whiskey Festival. Anglers Pale Ale, Anniversary Barley Wine, Wildfire Extra Pale Ale and the never before released Bourbon Barrel Barley Wine. Of the four only Wildfire managed to get a nod from the judges.
On the heels of that festival came the '08 Great American Beer festival. Where Squatters, RedRock, Wasatch, Bohemian, Desert Edge and The Utah Brewers Coop brought home medals.
Wasatch debuted it's newest 6.0% bottled beer. White Label is a Belgian Style Witbier in the tradition of Hoegaarden and Blue Moon.

November gave us a new state-of-the-art wine store with a huge selection, computers to assist in pairings and no beer... well, they have five labels and one of those was a cider. Bummer.
Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. had his staff begin to draft a bill to get rid of private clubs. While I believe the Gov. is truly sincere. It'll never happen in my opinion.
Also in the politics and beer department, Rep. Christine Johnson re-introduced "the Home Brew"bill. The bill made it out of the Business and Labor Interim Committee and is headed back to the house and senate to be voted on. It is expected to pass this time.
Four+ Brewing re-released a new stronger version of it's Monkshine Belgian-Style Pale Ale.The recipe was adjusted, the alcohol was amped up and it was moved to the state liquor stores.

And finally in December The Logan City Council approved a chance in city ordinances allow the manufacturing and sale of alcoholic beverages within the city limits. This is paving the way for Cache Valley Brewing to open it's doors in the next few years.
The Twelve Beers o' Xmas made it's return, making at least a dozen days in December bearable. And Finally, Boulevard Brewing appeared in the Utah Market... to some anyway. It's availability is limited.

Thanks for Checking out The Utah Beer Blog, and for all the great input. Utah's beer community is huge! and is only getting bigger! Cheers!

The 2008 Utah Beer Year in Review

This was an atypical beer year in Utah. We had a banner year in the new beer department. One of the best in recent history. And of course to counter that, many of our glorious elected leaders whipped out a new batch of laws and used them to pee in our collective punch bowls. So what happen??? Glad you asked. Commence O' ye official 2008 Utah Beer Year in review.

January started with a new brew and and a new way of thinking for Wasatch Brewers. Greg Shcirf and his clan debuted the first in a new line of high gravity beers. Devistator Double Bock was an immediate hit, both with it's flavor and punch; as well as it's typical Schirf-esque label. Sam Adams Utopias made it's first appearance in Utah as well. This amped-up-super-uber-beer has it's own cult following. Some love it, some hate it. If your able to pony up the coin for the two-hundred-plus-dollar bottle you can decide for yourself.

Every year a local legislative douche-bag rears his or her's head and does their best to "protect the children" from whatever the Ivory Pulpit deems fit. It's usually the tiniest squeak from the previous Sundays sermon. January's douche-bag wanted to do-away with... and I'm not joking... ALL COLD BEER. Luckily, the bad man was dismissed. What an ass!

In February, McCools in South Jordan, Utah, became the 500th establishment in the US selling cask ales. This is the 3rd McCools in Utah, and all have cask beer engines. Also in February, the home brew bill died due to lack of time in the legislative session... more later.

March was rather quiet. However it provide the world with a shit-load of ammo for their ridicule Utah guns. Some "culture victim" decided that they would put together a "Root Beer" Pong league. Really! Root Beer Pong! These are the same types of people that concoct so called "Mock-tail" parties to experience a social tradition that's denied to them because of some primitive superstitions. If your going to set yourself apart, great! Just do it with a little integrity. Faux cussing, faux indecent attire (rolling up the magic jammies so they don't show), and now faux drinking of alcohol? Appearance and intention is just as important as the act. What's next a smoking section for bubble gum cigars or snorting lines of Fun Dip?

April saw the Utah Brewers Coop retain a place in America's top 50 breweries. Even though Utah is dead last in U.S. for beer consumption.

Utah's brewers had another great showing in The World Beer Cup. Local brewers entered 56 beers and came back with 6 medals. Two gold, three silver and a bronze. That may not sound like a lot, but it gave Utah's beers the fourth highest winning percentage by states entered.

In May, Four+ Brewing debuted a new beer. Rype a Belgian style wheat beer brewed with orange peel and spices. It tastes a lot like a Belgian Style Witbier but looks nothing like one. No matter, it's damn tasty!

Jon Lee one of the brewers at the Utah Brewer's Coop, had brewed a special, one-time beer in celebration of his first child. The Ava Lee Triple dials in at 9% ABV, but was only available in bottles at Squatters' three locations. This was a one time batch and will never be brewed again(maybe).

June brought with it warmer weather and Big Sky...Brewing, that is. Big Sky Brewing out of Missoula, Montana started shipping Moose Drool Brown Ale, Scape Goat Pale Ale and it's Big Sky IPA. And there was much rejoicing...Yehhhh!

Salt Lake Under ground Magazine(SLUG) reached new highs and lows. While they published their first ever issue devoted to beer(HIGH), They tapped me as Guest Contributor(LOW). They may never recover. On the heels of the SLUG issue, the 12th annual Mountain Brewers Fest: Salt Lake's Best Beer Festival(except it's in Idaho) was held in Idaho Falls. Utah's brewers shined, bringing home 19 medals and giving me the worst hangover in a decade.

To Be Continued

The Best Utah Beers You Probably Never Had

When we talk beer here, I generally try to limit the topics to local beers and breweries or to suds available to Utahans. Which isn't always easy. I get it. Utah isn't exactly a "beertopia".

Sometimes it's tough having such a narrow topic, but I'm constantly surprised about who much there is to talk about. Plus it does no good when we're constantly being put down by word-of-mouth, from people who wouldn't know a good beer from their own asses. Because we get such a bad-rap about our local suds, I feel occasional reminders are needed to dispel the myths.

Many people from outside of the Zion Curtain are frankly just stunned by the fact that we actually have beer here. And the notion that the beer we have is actually tasty; is just beyond their comprehension. So I decided to throw out three of Utah greatest accomplishments in the art of brewing. Unfortunately, unless your a beer-geek-gnerd-snob-dweeb or dork you may have never heard of...or tried any of these.

The First beer is what looks to be a regular seasonal from RedRock Brewing. Rêve debuted in the fall of '07 to much praise from beer enthusiasts and consumers alike. Rêve received the bronze medal at the '06 Great American Beer Festival and the silver medal in '07. Before ever seeing a consumers chalice. Rêve pronounced Reev is a Belgian style triple that's oak aged.... Well 'till brew master Kevin Templin says it's ready.

This fine ale pours alight golden honey color with with a moderate fluffy white head that dissipated to a very thin froth. The nose is a little boozy with banana, cloves malt and ripe mango. The taste is very much the same starting with candied sugar and cloves that transitions into toasted malt and banana. The end is sweet and oaky. The alcohol is warming and welcomed, masked well by Rêve's full body. It adds a whole new dimension to the beer. You really get a good sense of the oak in the finish. Don't get me wrong, it's got a kick. It's 10.2% abv is more than enough to warm your inner beer geek.

Next comes what is possibly Utah's highest rated beer ever. Squatters' Fifth Element is a colaborational brew that was many years in the making. With input from some of Americas finest brewers, brew master Jennifer Talley crafted a masterful representation of the Saison style that in just a few short months has risen to the top of heap on ratebeer.com's best Saisons. A hell of an achievement considering the company that it keeps. No word yet on if Fifth Element will be made again.

Pours a cloudy apricot/straw color with a fizzy white head that reduced to a thin froth. The nose has a bit a of barnyard funkiness to it, with hints of lemon. The tastes starts with light citrus notes then transitions intotart green apples and peach. Next comes a dry oakiness that compliments the tartness well.The finish is a combination a champagne like dryness and bitter florals. Light and dry but highly drinkable. It's 6.75% ABV is well hidden.

Last is what may be the best beer made in Utah that you never got a chance to try. Back in '05 Uinta Brewing Company purchased a batch of spent Bourbon and Sherry barrels with the intent of experimenting with their Anniversary barley wine. After two years of aging in the American whiskey and sherry, the result was one of the most complex yet smooth ales ever to come from a Utah brewery. Labeled simply BBB (Bourbon Barrel Barleywine) this phenomenal effort was never intended to see the light of day on store shelves. It was instead given out as a promotional gift to out of state beer distributers and brewing companies. As well as being entered in the Stockholm beer and whiskey festival. Were it received high marks.

How did I come by it? Well, let's just say it made an appearance at an out of state beer festival. If you know of a bottle or know how to get your hands on one, snatch it up. You've found a very rare and precious thing. Steve at Uinta said "there is no intent to ever put BBB into production" but also said, "you never know".

Pours a dark amber/orange with a thin cap of foam. The nose was a nice perfume of Bourbon, malt and vanilla. The taste started with hazelnut and sweet malt. Next comes smooth Bourbon with dark ripe fruits; raisin and fig.The finish had a rounded, well hidden boozy mix of whiskey and pine.

Let me know if you've tried any of these, or if you think that there's a beer out there worth mentioning as exceptional. Cheers!

Lost on the Boulevard

First off let me preface today's "beer spewage" by saying "I can't find these beers!"However much as I'd like, I can't tell you anything about them. So, I need your help in tracking them down! Anyway, I have It under good authority ("AndytheJerk" & Carlson Distribution) that Boulevard Brewing Co. out of Kansas City, Missouri has entered the SLC market with two of it's six; year-round beers.

Founded in 1989, Boulevard Brewing Company has grown to become the largest specialty brewer in the Midwest.

Boulevard's American-style Wheat Beer and their Lunar unfiltered Brown Ale are said to be available at right now at Macey's Foods and Reams. I don't have either of these stores near my home, and the stores I have visited have turned up bupkis. I called Carlson Distribution, they assured me that they are available, but couldn't be specific about exactly which stores are carrying them. So please brothas & sistas help me help you. Cheers!

Twelth Beer o' Xmas'08: Moose Drool

I don't know about you guys, but the Twelve Beers o' Xmas '08 has so far made me younger, smarter and much more attractive to women.... Wait. Hold on for a moment please..........My wife has just informed me that "This is not the case" and that I'm still asleep.

Okay, while I still may be suffering the effects the last eleven days, I think my palate may still be on track(I hope). So for the last beer, I'm gunna leave you with a treat that was denied to Utahans for far too long. So, for the Twelfth Beer o' Xmas that the Beer Lush pushed on thee. Moose Drool from Big Sky Brewing.

This is one of those beers that for years was constantly being smuggled in to the state by fans who loved it's rich flavor and kitchy name. Now It's available to y'all statewide.

Pours a clear deep brown with red highlights. The head is a firm, tan pillow two fingers in size. The nose is of fresh bread, roasted malt and caramel. The taste starts out sweet malty and a little smokey, bit of chocolate too. This dries up fairly quickly and switches to mild malt with a moderate amount of bitterness. Big chocolate flavor and fruity yeast are present in the end. Good full mouthfeel. Drinkability is easily the strong point of this beer. Moose Drool just seems to hit all the right notes, making it a damn good drinker anytime of the year. One of the easiest drink'n beers to come into the market in a while. Cheers and Happy Holidays!!!

Eleventh Beer o'Xmas '08: Samichlaus

All I have to say for today is "14.0%"... Well that's not all I have say. I mean c'mon what kind of beer dork would I be if I didn't spew forth a little more of this "Diarrhea of the Pie-hole" that I call beer information. Anyway, yeah that's right today's beer packs one hell of kick in the groin.

Once upon a time this was the strongest beer in the word according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Now, it's not even in the top ten. Still this is one potent som'bitch.
Samichlaus hails from Austria where it's brewed only once a year, on December 6th. It's stored and matured afterwards for over 10 months before it is bottled. Samichlaus is strong enough where it can mature for many years which many would say(including myself) brings out it's best qualities.

Ahemm. The third Beer o' Xmas that the Beer Lush pushed on thee. Samichlaus from Brewery Castle Eggenberg.

Pours a dark, clear orange/amber with not much of a head that turns to zero head.
The nose is like a fruity rum punch apple, maple, orange peel, molasses and toffee.
The taste is quite sweet. it's starts with a rich buttery maple syrupy caramel. Next comes brown sugar, pear, raisin, plum, fig and cooked apples. The finish is sweet and boozy with a little vanilla and oak. The carbonation is very soft and it feels a little slick in the mouth. It has Qualities similar to Gand Marnier and is available throughout Utah. Kippis!

Tenth Beer o' Xmas '08: Orval Trappist Ale

This is perhaps one of the best beers in the world. It's readily available throughout Utah and if you've never tried it.... well then shame on you! This beer and it's monastery has quite the long history.

The monastery was born from an act of gratitude around 1070 A.D. The Countess Mathilda of Tuscany was widowed and her wedding ring had accidentally fallen into a fountain. She prayed to the Lord and at once a trout rose to the surface with her precious ring in its mouth. Mathilda exclaimed "Truly this place is a Val d'Or!" Which I gather means "Fuck'n Awesome!" In gratitude, she decided to establish a monastery on the site.

Beer has been brewed at the monastery since it was founded. However, the beer we enjoy now has it's roots in the 1930's with some English influences, such as the infusion brewing and "dry-hopping". This results in a beer whose characteristic aroma and taste are owed more to the hops and to the yeasts than the malts. So. With that brief glimpse of Catholic history all out of the way, the Tenth Beer o' Xmas that the Beer Lush Pushed on thee is....Duhhh.

Pours a rich dark orange color with a dense two fingers of foam.
The nose is malty with fruity esters, Belgian yeast, honey and some mild lemon.
The taste starts with a light malt sweetness blended well with lemon, tart apples, and some barnyard yeastiness. The end is full of hops with a slight tartness that lasts through to a dry finish. Nice moderate carbonation.
This ale manages to pulls off the neat trick of being very mild and subtle, yet deeply complex. A true world class beer. L'chaim!

Ninth Beer o' Xmas'08: Wasatch WinterFest

For the Ninth Beer o' Xmas that the beer lush pushed on thee, Wasatch's Winterfest!
This a a brand new offering from Wasatch and man is it yummy.

Pours a clear ruby color with a moderate fluffy off-white cap of foam. The nose is bright with citrus and pine with subtle spicy caramel malt beneath. The flavor starts out with grapefruity hops and a bit of orange zest. Next comes a faint hint of gingerbread then transitions to a rich maltiness. I think there may be a little roatiness in there as well. Very nicely balanced with a well hidden 7.1% abv.

This is one of the best beers to come from Wasatch in the last few years. This is only a seasonal so stock up. Everyone I've talked to that's tried this gives it high marks.
Kampai!

Eighth beer o' Xmas '08: RedRock's Griswald's Holiday Ale

When me thinks of the words Griswald and Holidays usually the first thing that pops into my tiny mind is the movie Nation Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and that great shower scene with Beverly De Angelo. Secondly, I remember that the shower scene in question actually happened in the movie National Lampoon "Vacation". Then thirdly, I become sad for a moment, then I go back to imagining the shower scene.

Well much to my wife's delight I now have an additional image to occupy the vacuum that is my mind when those two words are uttered together. So on this, the 20th of December 2008, The Eighth Beer o' Xmas that the Beer Lush pushed on thee is Griswald's Holiday Ale from RedRock.

Pours a clear golden amber color with a thin cap of foam. The nose is mostly of nutmeg and cloves with touch of maltiness beneath. The taste starts out with malty then the spices kick in. Nutmeg and Clove are very pronounced then transitions into a Cinnamon spiciness. The finish is bright and piney. This bitch screams Hallelujah! Jebus I'm coming home! Available on tap at Redock's SLC and Park City Locations as well as the Bayou until Christmas. De Angelo!

Seventh Beer o' Xmas'08: Squatters' IPA

One of the best craft beers made in Utah is also one of the best craft beers in the U.S. Squatters India Pale Ale is a multi award winning brew that is perfect drinking year round.

So, the seventh beer o' Xmas that the beer lush pushed on thee... Squatters IPA!!!

Poured a golden copper color with a thick solid cap. The nose was a perfume of fresh hop cones. Very piney and flowery with a tiny hint of pale malt beneath. The taste was fresh with notes of spruce needle, grapefruit zest and flower petal. An ample amount of dry and roasted malts compliment nicely the fresh hoppiness. The finish was dry and leafy with a body that has a medium feel. This is an awesome IPA The ample amount of hops mask the alcohol well and provide for a great session. Definitely check this one out. Did I mention the fresh hops? 6.0% ABV. Salud!!!

Picture stolen from the Sunday Beer Club. Thanks Don.

Sixth Beer o' Xmas '08: Delirium Nocturnum

Thanks for hangin' in there everyone. We're at the half-way point of our journey on the inebriation express. Next stop, Pink Elephants. Right about now, you should be seeing these demons of the drink; if not? you will be soon.

Singing... The Sixth Beer of Xmas, that the beer lush pushed on thee.... Delirium Nocturnum! This strong, dark beauty hails from Belgium and has a bit of a kick to it. So be respectful or that Pink Elephant will be showing you the business end of that trunk. Mark Alston knows what I mean... Eh Mark???

Pours a dark brown with amber highlights. Two fingers of foam quickly fade to a thin cap. The nose is of apple, dark fruit, bubble gum, maltiness and spices. The flavor starts slightly sweet, with musky malts and an earthy spiciness. The end has some prunes with a mild tartness to it. Alcohol is noticeable and it finishes dry. Creamy and medium-bodied in the mouth. A good Belgian dark ale. Definitely worth a try, especially for lovers of the Belgian style.

Fifth Beer o' Xmas '08: Rype From Four+

The fifth beer o' Xmas that the beer lush pushed on thee is Rype from Four+. This is a strange but good locally made brew. It has all the characteristics of a Belgium Witbier, without the "Wit-ness". For some reason it looks more like a Pale Ale. But that does nothing to detract from it's taste.

Poured a very clear amber-tinted golden color with a thick, frothy two fingers of head. The nose is of orange zest, yeasty breads and coriander. The taste started with orangey twang that transitions to a malty wheat backbone. Yeasty notes come next with a finish that was spicy and lemony. The mouthfeel is nice and creamy. Nicely balanced. It’s 4.0% abv makes it a great session beer.

Fourth Beer o' Xmas '08: Mikkeller's From/To

The fourth beer o' Xmas come to us from The Mikkeller Brewery in Kobenhavn, Denmark. The guys at Mikkeller have become true Rock Stars in the international beer community after just a few years. Their success is partly due to the breweries focus on creating challenging beers that test the boundaries of conventional styles and where quality always comes before quantity.

Mikkeller Beers are quite hard to get a hold of in Utah. As far as I know The Bayou is the only place selling them, and Salt Lakers are sucking them down.

That being said. The fourth Beer o' Xmas that the beer lush pushed on thee is Mekkeller's From/To. This is a hard one to describe. It's classified as a Baltic Porter. But if I were to describe it, I would say, "If a nice British Porter knocked-up a Belgian Strong ale. From/To would be the progeny. Or the little-shit in this case".

Pours a dark black color with a nice finger of tan colored head that remained for quite a while.
The nose has notes of coffee, roasted malt, moist-dark fruit topped with a subtle dose of floral hops. The flavor starts with coffee, chocolate and a hint of smoke. Next comes plum, cloves and a hint of maraschino cherries. The end has a warm booziness to it with just a hint of orange peel. Any detectable bitterness comes from the roasted malts not much in the way hops.
Looks much heavier than it is. Moderate body with low carbonation lend a semi-creamy texture. ABV is at 8.0%. Skaal!

A Wee Heavy Third Beer O' Xmas '08

The first and second beers o' Xmas were a bit on the leafy side. Sorry, that's just my pallet I guess. But don't worry Doug, I promise a nice variety in the coming days. So today I thought we'd move to the opposite end of the spectrum(so-to-say) and try something somewhat sweeter. A scotch Ale, or as some would call a Wee Heavy. These have a much more pronounced malty caramel and roasted malt flavor. As well as a low tea-like bitterness. They'll defiantly warm your cockles or your cocklettes if your a woman.

So, the third beer of Xmas that the beer lush pushed on thee: Traquair's House Ale.

Pours a Deep Amber/Brown colors with a very thin cap of foam.
The nose is very Earthy with a Musty Yeastiness and Dark Fruits
The taste starts with Caramel/Toffee and biscuit malts next comes an Earthy Peatiness with a very mild amount smoke flavor. A slight Black tea bitterness rounds out the end. Very little hop profile. It's a smooth and very drinkable beer at 7.2% abv. It's a modest beer for the most part, but it will warm you nicely. Slainte!

2nd Beer of Xmas '08: Rogue Yellow Snow

Well the snow has finally fallen. And with the fluffy white stuff comes the usual hazards. Black ice, dead batteries, Internet porn wrist and of course yellow snow. Now as twisted as I am, I would never recommend any of those to you. Except the porn. Have you guys ever seen that girl that does that one thing where she takes that Kiwano fruit and.... ahh... sorry. Maybe I'm getting a little off-topic here. Anyway as I was saying, I would not normally recommend any of those hazards to you, except for today. Today I must recommend that you my bothers and sisters in beer land consume yellow snow. Now in this case the mug o' piss is a delicious blessing. And should only be imbibed if contained within packaging such as that above.

So with that being said, the second beer of Xmas that the beer lush recommended to thee; Rogue's Yellow Snow IPA. Yellow Snow has been missing on liquor store shelves for a couple of years, but it's back in Utah now and it's pissier than ever!

Poures a semi-cloudy yellowish orange color with a thick pillow of head that stuck around throughout the beer. Tremendous lacing as well.
The nose is a nice airy and floral perfume with grapefruit hops and a bit of sweet malt.
The taste starts with big citrus notes out of the gate. Then Biscuity malts become noticeable in the background. The end has a hint of pine and florals. The finish is dry, bitter, and lingering. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a nice creamy oily slickness. Way over-balanced. And that why it's so good! it's like chewing on a grapefruit peel. Pure heaven. Prost!

The Twelve Beers of Xmas '08: The Second Coming

Continuing a tradition started last holiday season, The Utah Beer Blog begins it's second year of The Twelve Beers of Xmas. This is an attempt to provide inspiration to Utah's beers lovers; to get out and try a new beer or at the very least revisit an old favorite. Ahhh, who am I kidding! this is about enjoying some good beers while trying to stay sane through-out the holidays. Anyway, starting today and continuing 'till Xmas eve. The recommended beers will be limited to those that are available to consumers in the State of Utah.

So with out further adieux....

The first beer of Xmas that the Beer Lush recommends to thee; Sierra Nevada's Anniversary Ale 2008. This is the first time this beer has been available in Utah.

It pours a hazy, honey-amber color with a stiff two fingers of soapy head. The head retention is excellent, leaving nice rings of lace. The nose is mostly of piney and floral hops with just a hint of malt in the back.
The taste starts dry and grassy with hints of lemon rind. Next comes a fruity and bready caramel malt foundation. The lemon and grassy bitterness returns in the end rounding it all out with a medium dry finish. What a nice beer! I knew Sierra Nevada would not disappoint, I loved this nice flavorful crispy seasonal beer.

It's classified as an American IPA but it feels more like an APA. It's 5.9% ABV gives it a medium body that complements the season well. Cheers!

Repeal Day!

Today marks 75 years since Prohibition was officially repealed in the United States with the ratification of the 21st Amendment to the Constitution. On December 5, 1933, a 3/4 majority of states needed to ratify the 21st Amendment was reached when Utah adopted the 21st Amendment. It not only officially ended national Prohibition which began with the 18th Amendment in 1919.

Today American consumers of legal drinking age have access to nearly 13,000 labels of beer from small regional microbrews to the largest multinational labels. I'd say we've rebounded quite well. Cheers!

The Second Coming. Wa-Hoo!!!

It looks like Cache Valley Brewing is one step closer to becoming reality. Tuesday night, the Logan City Council voted to approve a brewpub in historic downtown Logan!!!

This won't be the first time the name Cache Valley Brewing has been established. Back in 1888 Jacob Theurer started the first Cache Valley Brewing. It served the people of Cache County until it closed up shop 1912. The brewery known as "Jake’s" was built on the north side of the present state highway on the south side of Johnson grove.

As the city increased in population more saloons were opened up and the liquor evil became so great that in 1909 there were about nine saloons doing business in Logan.

The agitation for the abolishment of the saloon evil became so intense that on December 23rd, 1909, an ordinance was passed by the City Council which prevented the sale or manufacture of liquors of any kind in Logan City.

The ordinance became effective January 3rd, 1910, and Logan was the first settlement in the Valley and one of the first in the state to adopt such a reform. Later the county passed a similar ordinance, then the Utah Legislature passed a prohibition law and finally, the National Prohibition Law was passed October 28th, 1919.

It is interesting to note that as early as 1882 the citizens of Logan started the movement for prohibition and were among the first to get it adopted. It would be a great Justice if CVB could re-open it's doors nearly a century after it was forced to close them. We'll try to keep you updated on CVB's status. Cheers!

New Brewery/brew pub in Logan???

Utah could be getting another brew pub soon! A new start-up brewery/brew pub is so far meeting little controversy. The brewery, which is just in the planning stages right now (Cache Valley Brewing) would potentially open up downtown next year.

Remember this is Utah. Even though we are making huge strides in the legalization of adulthood around the state. All thing alcohol will stir controversy. So, what's the stink? Odors. An individual raised a concern about the possibility of the brewery emitting odors that could "stink up" the downtown area and it actually saw some discussion during a city meeting.


Really.... offensive odors?.... in a restaurant! Do you seriously think anyone would invest in an endeavor knowing that it's signature menu option would emit questionable odors, while people are eating? Well at least it's original. I was expecting the whole, "it will turn our five year olds into raging alcoholics" shit. Well let's hope hope this project gets off the ground. Our friends in Cache County could use some craft beers close to home. Cheers!

Better, Stronger, Faster. Monkshine

Four+ Brewing has re-released a new stronger version of it's Monkshine Belgian-Style Pale Ale. Monkshine debuted a couple years back as Four+'s pilot beer. It was a 4.0% brew that met with mixed reviews, due to it's "earthy" bitterness. It was probably a little too different for the everyday beer drinkers pallet. So they tweaked it a little. The recipe was adjusted, the alcohol was amped up and it was moved to the state liquor stores.

Now comes word that Monkshine was just re-re-released to the state liquor store system and that the new "bionic" version comes in at a whopping 6.8% ABV. I haven't tried the newest incarnation, it's just hitting the stores now. So, I guess that means I'm gunna have to drink some. Damn, this is a tough job.... Cheers!

Roosters' Seasonals

Steve Kirkland Brewmaster over at Roosters has got a few seasonals coming to their Ogden and Layton locations. Both brew pubs are currently serving a Nut Brown Ale, a fall favorite, nuttified with a healthy dose of Victory malt from Briess. Pours a nice cloudy brownish color with a firm creamy tan head. The nose is sweet with roasted caramel malts. The taste is maltly with a nice nuttiness. the finish is is slightly piney.

Steve Also has his "Nein, Aber Ich Habe Drie Schwestern Dunkel Weizen". Man, you'll need a beer after trying to spew that name out! Steve said that he wanted to give this brew a "traditional" German name, so he used the only phrase he was able to remember from high school German class, which means “No, but I have three sisters.” Damn Steve, that class sounds like it must have been a real yawner. I think we are all grateful you didn't take Russian! Anyway, his Dunkel is a creamy lager blending the goodness of wheat and roasted malts. Pours an opaque brown with an inch of tan foam. The nose is malty with toffee and caramel. The taste is very malty with, caramel, banana and toffee. The finish is nicely hopped.

And coming in next couple weeks, Steve will be offering-up his unique Holiday Rosemary Porter which uses fresh rosemary at the end of the boil as well as a “dry-hopping” in the fermenter. Also, after the Dunkel is gone, he'll be serving the Deep Powder Dortmunder, a very crisp, blond lager. This is a good time to get your asses into Davis and Weber Counties and try these beers! If that's not an option for you, the Bayou also pours Roosters' seasonals. Cheers!

More Holiday Suds Arrive!!!

Mark Alston at the Bayou has just receive a stellar list of holiday and not-so-holiday ales for the intermountain beer kindred. This years batch has some familiar labels, as well as some new, hard to find bottles that rarely find themselves to this side of the Zion curtain. Theses are special orders for the Bayou only and should last through the end of the year. Here they are. Thanks Uncle Mark!!! Cheers.

Ridgeway

Bad elf.

Very bad elf.

Seriously bad elf.

Criminally bad elf.

Insanely bad elf.

Warm Welcome.

Santa's Butt.

Pickled Santa.

Mikkeller Santa's Helper

Mikkeller From/To

Olafbrikken Kloster Jul

De Ranke Pere Noel

De La Senne Xmas Zinnebir

Serafjin Christmas Angel

Struise Tsjeeses

Jenlain Noel

Kulmbacher Eisbock

Face Plant at Hoppers

Hoppers has a great "post canyon" refresher to help reacclimate yourself to normalcy after a full day of Utah's greatest snow on earth. Brewmaster Donovan Steele has put on tap a tasty Hefeweizen called Face Plant Wheat. Face Plant uses a German Kloster yeast, which provides a nice nose of banana, pear and vanilla. A very assertive fruitiness is present though this light bodied brew. Not much clove but the banana is in full force. Available only on-tap at Hoppers. Cheers!

Utah Home Brew Legislation

Well here we go again. One more try to get home brewing officially legalized in the state. Big, big thanks go to Rep. Christine Johnson for proposing this bill again. Last year the bill passed in both the house and the senate but died due to lack of time left in the session. If you have any interest in following the bills progress I'll post updates as often as possible. Starting today.

Yesterday the bill made it out of the Business and Labor Interim Committee and will go back to the house and senate to be voted on. Below is a link to a copy of the legislation and also an .mp3 of the committee meeting. If you want to listen it hits at 1:45:20 - 1:54:28 on the podcast. I'd chop it up and post it, but I just don't have the damn time. Cheers!

link to copy of legislationhttp://www.le.state.ut.us/interim/2008/html/00001845.htm

mp3 audio at 1:45:20 - 1:54:28http://recordings.le.state.ut.us/mp3/committee/rw025-1119081.mp3

Per Diem at Squatters

Jenny just tapped and brand new beer over at Squatters.
"Per Diem" is patterned after a Belgian Single, Per Diem is blond and refreshing with a hint of phenolic character derived from the traditional Belgian yeast used in the fermentation process.
She’s also working on a Belgian Golden Strong, bottle conditioned, corked and caged. Also, Holiday Nut Brown Ale will come on tap Monday the 24th at 4pm. Cheers!

Here Comes the Gov.

It looks like we're one step closer to doing away with
the dreaded private club memberships. Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. isn't waiting for the state liquor commission to come up with a proposal. The Governor is having his own staff draft a bill for the 2009 Legislature to consider.


The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission voted back in July to start work on a proposal to eliminate requirements that would-be drinkers in Utah fill out applications and pay membership fees before being allowed into a private club. But in August, commissioners voted to "slow the process of drafting legislation on the private club membership issue at this time," after one member, Kathryn Balmforth, raised concerns about the need for any change to the law.



It's believed that the governor's office is stepping in because of political pressure surrounding the issue. In my opinion it would seem a prudent move on the governors part, due to the current economic climate. If we're truly seriously about competing for tourism dollars in a time of curbed luxury spending against states that offer true hospitality for adults who want to do adult things; then we have no choice but to enact these changes sooner than later.



I think Huntsman really has his shit together on this issue, and I hope the LDS Church and the state legislature have the foresight to see past their "political sensitivities" and concentrate on what's best for the state. Thus ends this sermon. Cheers!

Source: Deseret News

New & Returning Beers for Utah's Holidays

Who's your buddy?

Who's your Pal?

You know I've got your back, and that I'd never let you guys and gals enter the Christmahanukwanzaka season without a little liquid holiday help. So I've compiled a list of new and returning beers to help ease your upcoming burdens, or at the very least to help wash down Auntie Roberta's pineapple, fig upside-down, uber-strudel. These beers are only available at our glorious state liquor stores, unless otherwise noted. And if your aware of anything not on my list please post it up in the comments section. Cheers!

New Local UTAH Beers:

WASATCH WHITE LABEL BELGIAN STYLE WITBIER

WASATCH WINTERFEST SEASONAL ALE

REDROCK REVE' BELGIAN TRIPPLE ALE

Domestic, Craft & Imports:

FIRESTONE WALKER PALE 31

FIRESTONE WINDSOR PALE ALE

AVBC WINTER SOLSTICE'08

FULL SAIL WASSAIL ALE

FULL SAIL WRECK THE HALLS'08

FULL SAIL EQUINOX ESB

FULL SAIL LTD 02

FULL SAIL RESERVE 21 DOPPELBOCK

FULL SAIL BOURBON IMPERIAL PORTER

MACTARNAHANS BLACKWATCH STOUT

AFFLIGEM DUBBEL ALE

SIERRA NEVADA CELEBRATION ALE

HAZED AND CONFUSED IPA

ROGUE DOUBLE DEAD GUY ALE

SPANISH PEAKS HONEY RASPBERRY ALE

The Following are from the "Bad Elf" Line From Ridgeway Brewing in the U.K. (only available at the Bayou)

BAD ELF

VERY BAD ELF

SERIOUSLY BAD ELF

CRIMINALLY BAD ELF

INSANELY BAD ELF

SANTA'S BUTT

WARM Welcome

New Wine Store

The Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control will open it's second store dedicated to the sale of select wines on Friday, November 14th. The store,which will boast an inventory of over 5,000 different items, is located at 280 West Harris Avenue (1602 South 300 West) in Salt Lake City and will be open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 10pm. It is over 12,000 sq. ft. in size and has plenty of parking. The stores beautiful design and experienced wine staff will make shopping for the perfect wine a pleasant experience. But, for those patrons who prefer the adventure of finding their wine or have an inclination toward the techno age, the store has a kiosk equipped with computers programmed to help them help themselves find the perfect wine or champagne to accompany any meal. Utah has long been known for its expansive selection of fine wines produced both domestically and world wide. State wine buyers say that consumers in other states may be able to find the same products offered in our wine stores, but they would be hard pressed to find them all under one roof.

So what does this have to do with beer? Well, if it's anything like the SLC Wine Store it should have a better selection of craft and imported suds and this is a good thing for beer lovers on the west side of town. As I write this, the stores grand opening is still four hours away. So I can't be certain about the selection. If your in the area, stop in and let us know how the selection is. And don't forget the AHA Rally at Squatters tonight at 6:00 pm. Cheers!

AHA Membership Rally

"Give a man a beer and he can waste an afternoon, Teach a man to brew and he can waste a lifetime". Drinking craft is one of my favorite pastimes, but I never got a true appreciation for it until I became a home brewer. I've made some incredible stuff and some real shit, but all the while I was having a blast.

If you've been thinking about it, or already are a home brewer you should consider attending the American Homebrewers Association's Membership Rally on November 14th at Squatters.

The AHA is the national organization for homebrewers and beer enthusiasts! They're about promoting the community of homebrewers and empowering them to make the best beer in the world and dedicated to all aspects of homebrewing and beer culture: technical, artistic, sensory and social.

Current AHA members receive free admittance and can RENEW for just $33; all others pay $33; which gets them admittance to the rally as well as a ONE-YEAR membership to the AHA. Meet brewers Jenny Talley and Jason Stock, " VIP Brewery Tour" Appetizers for everyone" 12 house beers on tap- $3.50 pints " and a chance to win great door prizes from the AHA and Squatters. Plus it's a great opportunity to meet other like minded individuals and help expand Utah's beer culture. Hope to see you there!

DON'T FORGET TO R.S.V.P. !!!

Budweiser: American Ale

Over the last couple years I've had the opportunity(along with many other beer gnerds) to sample some of Anheuser-Busch's experimental beers. These are beers that are occasionally offered at beer festivals to showcase what they're capable of doing, and to get some insight into what the consumer has a taste for. Most of these will never see shelf time at stores. Those that do will probably have little-to-no advertising and bearly a mention of who makes them. You've probably seen them. Shock Top Belgian White, Stone Mill Pale Ale, Jack’s Pumpkin Spice Ale, Winter’s Bourbon Cask Ale and Beach Bum Blonde Ale.

So what the difference between these (besides the size of the Anheuser-Busch font) and Budweiser American Ale? Advertising. You can't watch prime time tv or a sporting event without seeing it. The others, not so much. Why? not because they're awful, but because they want you to think that your getting a true craft beer. Not Corporate wannabe. So how is it?... Well... OK... It doesn't qualify as a great beer, it doesn't really fit a style guideline. But it's good enough to drink.

Pours a deep, clear amber with a firm two finger head that had moderate sustainability. The nose is lightly roasted biscuit and caramel. The taste is roasted grain and caramel with Just a faint hint piney hops. The hops fade quickly and give in to the malt. The finish is crisp and dry. Mouthfeel is on the side.

Lets not kid ourselves this is not an exciting beer. It is a transformational beer. A good entry level ale for people looking to get out of the macro rut. But if you want a good, widely available American Pale Ale look to Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale or Uinta's Cutthroat Pale Ale. Both will run you about the same, and are far better representations of the style and the term "American Ale". Cheers!