Utah Liquor Laws

If your visiting Utah and are curious about the states liquor laws or live here and are still confused here's a brief explanation of the laws to help you navigate the new Adult friendly Utah.

These new laws go into effect as of July 1st 2009.

Bars: Offer a full range of alcoholic beverages. The alcohol per drink is limited to 1.5 oz of primary alcohol per drink. Beers of all types and strengths are available as well as wine. No membership required, however I.D. is required if you appear to be younger than 35 years of age. No smoking allowed by state law.

Taverns: Offer only beer. Beer must contain no more than 4.0% Alcohol by Volume.

Restaurants: Alcoholic beverages can be ordered with dinner or in the restaurants bar area. The purchase of a food item is required in the bar area, usually the cheapest thing on the menu. Chips & Salsa etc. No children allowed in the bar area.

Brew Pubs: Offer craft beers made in house. There is no limit to strength of beer that they can sell in bottles, as long as they have the proper licence. Beer on draft is limited to 4.0% ABV. Some brew pubs will also have a bar licence to sell liquor and wine.

Beer: Beer containing an alcohol content of 4.0% and below can be purchased at convenience & Grocery stores. As well as bars, taverns, private clubs, restaurants & brew pubs. Beer Above 4.0% can only be purchased at Liquor stores, bars, restaurants, private clubs & Brewpubs with the proper licencing. There is no set limit to the amount of alcohol a beer can contain in Utah. Keg's are not available for purchase by the public and the brewing of beer and wine at home for personal consumption is legal.

Wine: Is available for purchase only at Wineries, liquor stores, state run wine stores, restaurants, bars and brew pubs with the proper licence. Utah's state wine stores have one of the best wine selections in the country.

Liquor: Is available for purchase only at Distilleries, Liquor Stores, Bars, Restaurants and Brewpubs with the proper licence.

State Liquor stores are closed on Sundays. But alcoholic drinks are available at bars on Sunday and 4.0% beer is available at convenience and grocery stores on Sunday.

Note: Bars are the former "Private Clubs". Even though the private club system has gone away some establishments have opted to stay private. Meaning you will need to be a member to enter. This mostly affect golf courses, fraternal organization and the like. Some Bars have opted to remain "private" and will require memberships. These will be a very small minority as far as Bars go.

Utah's Liquor Laws are now the closest they've been to normal in quite some time. Because Utah's Liquor laws have the misfortune of being written by people who don't imbibe (not all but most). The laws tend to be in a state of constant change. Which often adds to confusion. These are the basics. I'm not going to get into all the little technicalities that are out there because they affect a relative minority of drinker. Cheers!

1842 Pils at Bohemian

Bohemian's recreation of the original 1842 Czech Pilsner is done, and I gotta say they that they've done a fantastic job. This is a delicious pils that you must try because it will likely never be made again. At least with this special malt.

Pours a hazy straw color with a nice, sturdy two fingers of foam. The nose is crisp and clean with nice spicy Saaz hop aromas. Toasted malts are also strong in the background. The taste is pleasantly crisp with a firm Pilsner malt body that lets the spicy hop notes shine in the finish. Well balanced. There are some peppery notes that hang in there for a short time but then leaves the palate clean. Light to medium body, but it does possess a sturdy mouthfeel. It's gentle carbonation makes it feel almost creamy.

1842 is dangerously drinkable. If this is close to any representation on the original beer brewed by Josef Groll it's no wonder why it became the most popular beer style in the world. Prost to Bohemian and Geoff Fischer from Crosby & Baker for getting that rare malt. 4.0% abv.

Epic Brewery Blog

Ahhh the Interweb. It's a fine thing. Not only does it keep us in monkey-porn but it allows us to follow the subjects we love. Like beer!

The Guys at the soon to be Epic Brewery invite you to follow their progress as they begin the creation of Utah's newest brewery. From shopping for tanks, to the first beer in the bottles, it looks like we'll get a front row seat to most of the happenings as they raise Epic from the ground-up.

In the photo above it looks like Kevin is loading up the car with Ninkasi Total Domination IPA to be consumed in his hotel room. I know Kevin, and he would never-ever bring beer across the border into Utah to share with his friends (hint, hint).

Also, this just in. Bobby over at the Bohemian Brewery says that their recreation of the original 1842 Czech Pilsner will go on tap this evening. I guess I know what I'm doing tonight.
Cheers!

Desert Edge Steamer

Chris Haas Brewmaster over at Desert Edge Brewery has got some new specials on tap.
The HB 51. beer is gone it apparently sold like crazy, I hope everyone got to try it. So to fill it's place Chris has put on his Centennial Steamer.

If your not familiar with steamers or Steam Beer their one of the few 100% American style of beer. Steamers are usually brewed with a special strain of lager yeast that works better at warmer temperatures.

Chris' is amber in color with a moderate malty nose. the taste is toasty and malty with a mild fruitiness. It finishes malty with a light hop presence. medium to light bodied.

Also, on the seasonal taps. Downhill Dunkelweizen, Red Butte Bitter and Road Rage Rye.
Cheers.

Brain, Brain, Brain What is Brain???

We need your help! Jamie Burnham from the Beer Nut called the other day to tell me that they're putting together Utah's first Home Brew competition. Yea!

The competition is tentatively scheduled for August 1st, but we'll get into the specifics after the details have been hammered out. But for now what we need is a good name for this annual event.

So I'm putting out the call to every smart-ass, savant, egg-head and nut-job to submit some names for the competition.

There is no prize as far as I know, just the satisfaction of knowing that your brain cells are good for something else other than working on that perfect ass-groove for your mother basement couch.

Just put the name and the name you want to be credited with in the comments section.

Also, I had my first Deschutes beer bought in Utah last night. Go and get 'em! Cheers!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Lindzee O' Michaels

Park City listen up! Your beer options just got a boost. Last week a new bar opened in the PC that plans to specialize in top tier beers. Lindzee O' Michaels isn't a beer bar but is working on a providing residents and tourist with a variety hand picked beers to satisfy your inner beer dork.

Lindzee O' Michaels currently has 47 beers available and plan to expand the list as their business expands. One of their gimmicks is serving Mickey's Malt Liquor in a paper bag. Perhaps they should provide an extra bag for your head. Just in case one of your friends sees you drinking Mickey's.

Lindzee O' Michaels is located at 825 south Main St. in Park City. Cheers!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Utah's Gett'n all Grow'd - Up

OK this is the final "it's legal to home brew" post because... well it's finally legal. Throughout the whole damn process of passing the bills - then signing it - brewing-up the tributes and finally national home brew day last week. Today is the day.

So, no more talk about it being legal. Now it's just a part of life. Now all our concerns should be focused toward more home brew clubs, home brew competitions and helping Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Oklahoma make it legal.

Also legal today, serving a drink across the bar in a restaurant. Yep those fucked-up partitions separating you and your children from evil, known as the "Zion Curtains" are no more.

I heard a nice quote from a bartender on Fox13 news this morning "one small step for man, one giant leap for Utah". I guess that says it all. Cheers!

Deschutes & Other New Beers in Utah

You should start seeing Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale & Black Butte Porter in state stores with in the next week or so. If sales are descent we could see more of their labels in the coming months, so do your duty. But not at the expense of our local guys.

Also I'd like to thank the "Original" Andy for bringing this up. Unibroue Maudite and Rogue's Yellow Snow are listed as 50% off at the liquor stores. That's great news! However, this means that the state stores will no longer be carrying them.

Not to worry though, The Bayou - who originally brought these beers into the state to begin with, will still be selling Maudite and Yellow Snow there.

Other new beers out there for you to enjoy.
- Sam Adam's Imperial White
- Sam Adam's Imperial Stout
- Sam Adam's Imperial Double Bock
- Rogue's Double Dead Guy Ale
Cheers!

2009 Mountain Brewers Festival

Alright kids, it's time to start thinking "Beer". Well - we're always talking beer around here, but in thirty days the 15th annual Mountain Brewers Festival returns, and if you've never made the short roadie north to Idaho Falls your really missing-out. Besides being Utah's best beer festival MBF is also a sanctioned NABA Brewing competion.

Judges at the annual event include brew masters from major national breweries as well as experts from small, independent breweries. Also judging are beer journalists and certified judges. Evaluation and judging of beers are conducted in blind tasting sessions which lead to the award of Gold, Silver and Bronze medals.

Over eighty breweries will be offering hundreds of beers from all over the world for just one low price.

Tickets will be available in town shortly at local breweries and brewpubs as well as on line for around 20 bucks or 25 the day of. Even though it's not a terribly long drive I'd encourage picking up a hotel room. Trust me you'll be glad you did. Cheers!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

A Lil' Taste of Japan

Uinta/Four+ Brewing is debuting a new summer beer in the coming weeks that's got a little sumthin' different than the traditional summer beers.

Sum'r is made with variety of hops known Sorachi Ace. Sorachi hops were previously grown by Sapporo for use in their beers, but has since apparently dumped them for more recent varieties available in Japan. This has opened up the world market to these hops and apparently Uinta has bought-up a shload of them.

Now don't confuse this with a Japanese Lager, such as Sapporo 'cause it ain't.
The unique qualities that set Sorachi Ace apart from other hop varieties is the strong Lemony profile that they posses, which is different from the usual grapefruit or pine character of American hops.

Sum'r is described as a light Organic Pale Ale with with a moderate malt backbone and a Lemony/citrusy finish.

I'm a Hop-Head, but my experience with this variety is limited. So I'm anxious to check this one out. Apparently Uinta is the only brewery in the area to have them. Sum'r should be in grocery stores in the next week or two. Cheers!

The HB51 Beers Debut Today

One of the great things about living in this area is the great sense of community. There are very few places around the world where competitors actually enjoy collaborating with each other on their crafts.

All of the brewpubs that participated in the brewing of the HB51 beer have kegged their individual interpretation on the collaboration amber ale. And as promised they are all very different.

Wednesday evening the participating brewers gathered together at the Desert Edge brewpub to show off their brews. Desert Edge offered it's unfiltered version - Hoppers aged it with oak - RedRock had it's filtered version - Squatters added Amarillo hops via a hopback and Wasatch dry-hopped with nine pounds of Amarillo.

As promised they were all very different and unique. A perfect example of how an individuals personal touches can make a common beer somewhat special.

The HB51 beers are available starting today at the brewpubs listed above. The Utah Brewers Coop will also have the Wasatch version available. All brewers encourage patrons to try every version.

Note: The Bohemian Brewery was slated to participate but for some reason had to opt-out.

And speaking of Bohemian, some sad news. Owner/Brewermaster Joe Petras collapsed earlier this week and is said to be in serious condition at an area hospital. No specifics available right now.

Let’s all send our best wishes and prayers for Joe's recovery.

Good News for Neigborhood Taverns

Salt Lake City took another step toward toasting neighborhood bars on Tuesday as the City Council finalized a set of conditions for Andy's Place, a beer tavern at 479 E. 300 South that has requested a zoning amendment in order to serve liquor.

If stamped by the City Attorney's Office, the conditional use, permitting neighborhood bars in residential mixed-use districts, would take effect later this spring. The zone includes a 12-block swath just east of downtown -- roughly from South Temple to 400 South, as well as pockets of the capital, including near west Capitol Hill, 1000 South and Main Street and just south of the Salt Lake Bees' baseball park.

To pour spirits along with beer, neighborhood bars must fashion a security plan, add landscaping buffers, light parking areas and abstain from any outside amplified music. The more Draconian measures proposed by some council members were scrapped. Such as mandating Breathalyzer tests, mounting cameras to record patrons and limiting a bar's business hours .

Besides Andy's, JAM in the Marmalade district has submitted a similar zoning amendment permit in order to stock booze above its beer taps. The city is expected to rule on that request later this year. Cheers!

- source salt lake tribune

Local Coffee + Local Beer Makes Homer Something, Something

I luvs me a good coffee stout. If you duz too? then Sqautters has some roasty goodness to help you get both of your buzz's on.

Espresso Stout is on the nitro tap. It's made with our local Millcreek Coffee. It's got a blend Mexican and Guatemalan beans that were roasted, then given a 24hr rest. The beans were then slightly crushed, then hung in the stout for 9 days. The result is coffe-gazmic. Cheers!

Epic Brewery News

Last week the "Beer Gnerd of the Wasatch" ('lil ol' me) gave you the first news on Epic Brewery, Utah's newest craft brew endeavor that will be opening soon. Today brotha's and sista's I have some more specific info on it, it's truly a unique concept for this area.

As I mentioned last week the main thing that will separate Epic from the rest of our beloved brewpubs and breweries is it's commitment to create local beers that are all 4.0% ABV and above.

Also, no signature labels will be made. Most, if not all breweries have a standard beer that is always made to keep revenue steady. This will not be the case with Epic.

The newest tidbit of info takes the concept a bit further. I'm not sure how to word it, but for now let's call them "Boutique Breweries". The concept here is to have multiple small breweries set up around the state to allow for beer to be made fresh and localized for the various regions of Utah.

So for instance you'll have a small brewery in downtown SLC, that will make a few different rotating beers. Then soon after you'll have another open up in the south end of Salt Lake County-Then another in Park City-then in Ogden and so on.

The Epic breweries could be making the same beers at the various spots with "personal touches" here and there or mix them up completely. Tasting rooms will be available as well as a beer store.

Local guy Kevin Crompton has been hired as Epic's Brewmaster. Kevin has worked for Uinta, Kona, the Utah Brewers Coop and most recently at Bohemian Brewery. Congrats my man!

I don't think Epic will immediately rewrite what our local brewers do. Utah does low ABV beer very well, I don't think that this will cut into that market too much. But as Utah's population increases and people from outside of the state relocate, I do think that the winds of change are upon us, and this may be a look at things to come... maybe sooner than would have thought. Cheers!

Mmmm More Beer

Ok ya'll, It's time to get your panties in a bunch. The Bayou just got a shload of absolutely killer beers for you to coo over.

Some are not exclusive to the Bayou, but most are.

Eisenbahn Lust
Mikkeller:
- Beer Geek Brunch
- Beer Geek Breakfast
- Monk's Brew
- It's Alive
- It's Alright
- Simcoe IPA
- Warrior IPA
Geants Saison Voisin
Ridgeway foreign extra stout
Thriez:
- Blonde Farmhouse Ale
- Amber Farmhouse Ale
- Extra Farmhouse Ale
Boulevard:
- Long Strange Triple
- Double Wide IPA
- The Sixth Glass Quadruple
- Saison
- Saison-Brett
EKU 28
Kulmbacher Eisbock

These are best shared, cause they ain't cheep! But well worth savoring. Cheers!

New Brewery in the SLC

   Who's your buddy?... Who's your pal?... That's right, Mikey's got your back. I've got some more happy beer news to keep you beer-geeking for another day.

Todays tidbit? Well, it looks like there's a new brewery destined to set up shop in Salt Lake. Epic Brewing will be the first Utah brewery since prohibition began to only brew and sell beer that contains more than 4.0% abv. Definatly a unique concept for a Utah brewery.

The People behind Epic are reportedly beer geeks with sizable backing looking to test Utah's apatite for big beers.

This new brewery will reportedly do no signature labels. All the beers produced will be seasonals or will have limited availability. I don't know how that will work, but I guess we'll see.

It's apparently a pretty hot gig. Brewers from all over the U.S. Have been applying for it. It'd be nice if a local guy could land it.

No info yet on when production will begin or where the brewery will be located. But a years time is not out of the question.

What do you think. Will Utah's beer drinkers be able to sustain a brewery such as this? Will you be willing to drive to the brewery or liquor store to get these beers vs. Hitting your local Qwik-E-Mart for some quick 4.0% suds?
Or is it too much too soon?
Cheers!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Moab's Desert Select Series

Here's some updated info on Moab's new series of beers.

- The series will be known as the Desert Select Ales.
- The first released will be the Black Imperial IPA.
- Second will be the Belgian Style Triple.
- The third will be a Scotch Ale (aged in French oak).

They're going to run you about $13 - $15 for a one liter bottle.
And for now they will only be available for purchase at the brewpub in Moab.
Moab Brewery has applied for the class 5 packaging licence, and as soon as that it issued you be able to buy unopened bottles to go.

All beers are hand bottled at the brewery and are bottle conditioned.
These are small batch series. only 800 (approx) per bottling.

More info as I get it. Cheers!

Moab's Triple & Black Imperial IPA

Sometimes breweries and brewpubs outside of the Wasatch Front tend to get overlooked in beer news. Well here's some good news for all regarding Moab Brewing.

Looks like our brothers and sisters in the desert are joining the high ABV revolution that's been going on in the state.

Within the next few weeks Moab Brewing will introduce two brand new ales, their first high ABV beers ever. The first is a Belgian style Triple and the second is a Black Imperial IPA. Black IPA's are the new, hot style around the country. Mixing the roastiness of porters with the leafiness of IPA's. You wouldn't think the two styles wouldn't meld very well together, but ohhh man they do! Trust me I had my fill of them this weekend. It'll be nice to have a local beer riding the crest of this trend earlier than later.

RedRock has one on tap right now that's quite tasty, go check it out.

I'm still gathering info, no word yet on where they'll be sold (brewpub or Liquor stores), or their names. But I do know that they are in the states distribution system.

Also new to liquor stores Full Sail Brewing's Keelhauler Scottish Ale. Should be available any day now. More to come. Cheers!

Double-Wammy from Wasatch

Wasatch's Summer seasonals are now available. They were scheduled to be released separately, but luckily for us, we got a spring double-wammy. Both Twilight and Summerbrau were released earlier this week.

Twilight is a 4.0% Kolsch that should be available at most grocery stores.
Summerbrau is a 5.6% copper-hued Czech-style pilsner that can be purchased right now at the Utah Brewers Coop and should be at state liquor stores shortly. I hear really good things about the Summerbrau. It's feeling warmer already. Prost!

Beer Wars LIVE info for Utah

Just a reminder that the documentary Beer Wars LIVE premier is tonight at 6pm MDT.
Remember this film only plays once. So if you were planning on checking it out this weekend... well you'll be shit-out-of-luck.
There will be a live discussion after the film via satellite hosted by Ben Stein. Also be aware that ticket prices are around $16. A list of theaters is below.

Also, if your a fan of Deschutes' beers they'll be hitting the SLC market on may 1st. There's been no announcement on what lables will be available, but if I were to guess I'd say Black Butte Porter, Mirror Pond Pale Ale, Inversion IPA, Obsidian Stout, Bachelor ESB and their Cascade Ale. If anyone has any info I don't have please let us know! Cheers!

Century 16 (Salt Lake) 125 East 3300 South @ State Street, Salt Lake City

(4/16) 6:00 pm.

Century 16 (Sandy) 7670 South Union Park Avenue, Sandy

(4/16) 6:00 pm.

Cinemark 16 (Provo) 1200 Town Center Boulevard, Provo

(4/16) 6:00 pm.

Cinemark 24 (Jordan Landing) 7301 South Jordan Landing, West Jordan

(4/16) 6:00 pm.

Cinemark University Mall 1010 South 800 East, University Mall, Orem

(4/16) 6:00 pm.

Tinseltown 14 (Ogden) 1038 Newgate Mall, Ogden

(4/16) 6:00 pm.

Tinseltown 17 (Layton) 720 West 1500 North Layton Hills, Layton

(4/16) 6:00 pm.

HB51 Home Brew Recipe

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that a hand full of Utah brewpubs were brewing up a special collaboration beer to commemorate the passage of HB51: The legalization of Home brewing beer and wine in Utah.

Each brewpub will put their own special spin on this brew and encourage Utah's home brew community to participate in making it as well. If your interested in making the HB51 beer here is the recipe.

5 Gallon Batch All Grain

6.25# Pale Malt 2-row
1.25# Munich Malt Weyermann
.75 # Cara Munich II Weyermann
Gravity 1.045 Plato 11.08
Hops
.25 oz Columbus 12% for 60 Minutes
.25 oz. Columbus 12% for 35 Minutes
.25 oz. Centennial 9% for 5 Minutes
Total IBUs 25.9
------------------------------------------

Extract with grains 5 gallon Batch

1.25# Briess Gold DME
3.3# Coopers Light LME
1# Munich Malt Weyermann
.5# Cara Munich II Weyermann
Gravity 1.045 Plato 11.12
Hops
.25 oz Columbus 12% for 60 Minutes
.25 oz. Columbus 12% for 35 Minutes
.25 oz. Centennial 9% for 5 Minutes
Total IBUs 25.9
-------------------------------------------

6 Gallon Batch all-grain

7.75# Pale Malt 2-row
1.50# Munich Malt Weyermann
.75 # Cara Munich II Weyermann
Gravity 1.045 Plato 11.19
Hops
.25 oz Columbus 12% for 60 Minutes
.50 oz. Columbus 12% for 30 Minutes
.25 oz. Centennial 9% for 5 Minutes
Total IBUs 26.4

Use your Favorite ale yeast on any of these. You can buy your ingredients at the Beer Nut (thanks for the recipe Jamie!) or your closest home brew supply shop. Happy Brewing!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Guinness 250 Anniversary Stout

Fergal Murray, Guinness' Brew Master has created a new beer in honor of their 250 years
anniversary. The maker of the world’s top-selling stout has come up with a new stout beer for the U.S. market, a maltier, fizzier version of its older, creamier beer that also has 5% alcohol compared to the 4.2% in Guinness Draught.

“This is more about refreshment and zing,” said Murray. The limited-edition Guinness 250
Anniversary Stout is scheduled to be available in U.S. bars and selected stores on Friday, April 24, the first new stout Guinness has exported to the U.S. since it began selling Guinness Draught here in the mid 1960s.

The anniversary stout will be available only in the U.S., Australia and Singapore. It's expected to be on sale for about six months. No word yet on if it's definitely headed to Utah, but odds are pretty good that we'll see it in the liquor stores a few weeks after it's nation-wide release. Cheers!

1842 in 2009

In 1842 the world was changed forever. The citizens of Pilsen in the Czech Republic not only built a new brewery but also hired Josef Groll, a Bavarian brewer to brew an experimental beer using bottom fermenting yeast. Groll had been experimenting a long time with new recipes for bottom-fermented beer and on the 5th of October 1842, Groll produced the first batch of Urquell beer, which was characterized by the use of soft Bohemian water, very pale malt, and Saaz hops.

The Beer industry in the United States was basically built on this beer. Due to it's drinkablity and it's longer storage life. Today, nearly 90 percent of the worlds beer is a variation of this original golden beer,
making pilsner most popular beer style in the world.

Last Tuesday at The Bohemian brewey in Midvale, Utah Brewers tried to replicate as an
authentic recreation of the original 1842 Czech Pilsner as close as possible, using truly authentic
imported Czech floor malt, from Weyermann Malting co. Mashed using a true triple decoction,
long 2 hr boil, three hop additions all with Czech Saaz hops, and fermenting with Bohemian's
Czech lager yeast.

The Floor Malted Bohemian Pilsner malt from Weyermann(R) is actually Hand Crafted in the last floor malting facility in the Czech Republic. It is produced from Tolar and Hanka barley varieties which have their genetic roots in Hanna barley, which was the variety used by Josef Groll to brew the first Pilser Urquell in 1842. The malting process used to produce this malt is very labor intensive and traditional and produces as an authentic "old" malt as you can find today.

So between the malt used and the mashing, brewing and fermentation method, it's as authentic of the Original Czech Pilsner from 1842 as they can recreate. Bohemian's 1842 Pilsner, should be more bitter and have more hop aroma than their normal Pilsner. It will ferment and lager for about 5-6 weeks and should be available around the 15th of May. Prost!

Wasatch's Summer Seasonals

Well it's that time of the year, when we say Bon' Voyage to the winter seasonals as the weather turns warmer. Wasatch's new line of summer beers will begin their debuts next week. And as this is good news, I'm sad that their Winterfest beer will be going away for the season. What a great beer!

On Monday, April 13, Summerbrau Lager debuts it's a 5.6% German-style lager. It's straw in color, made with imported German pale malts and a generous amount European hops (Saaz, Hallertauer?). creating a crisp, clean, golden body, with a bitter finish.

The second, Summer Twilight arrives next month. It's a classic, golden-hued 4% German-style Kolsh Ale. First brewed in Köln, Germany These ales are light to medium in body with a very pale color with a hop bitterness that is medium to slightly assertive. It can also have a somewhat vinous and dry flavor.

Although these styles are very different they do have their similarities. I guess we'll have to wait and see how different they really are. Cheers!

RedRock Medals Down-Under

Red Rock Brewing Company recently won three awards at the 16th annual Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA). Held in Melbourne each year, the AIBA, Australia’s most prestigious beer event, has become firmly established on the international brewing calendar as a renowned and
recognized barometer of diversity in beer brewing across the world.

Red Rock took home medals for their Wit Bier, in the Witbier category, Nut Brown Ale and Red Rock Rêve, a barrel-aged Tripel that is currently
available at Red Rock for a limited time.

Attracting 1074 entries from 42 countries in 2008. The AIBA remains the largest showcase for
premium beer and brewing excellence in the Asia Pacific Region and has also been instrumental
in helping to promote the Australian brewing and related industries internationally. Entries are received from as far afield as Europe, USA and the Asia Pacific region, including China, Japan and Tonga - plus all states of Australia. Judging took place from February 9-19, 2009.
Nicely done RedRock!

Snowbird Brewfest

A local Brewfest will be held in conjunction with a Backyard BBQ Competition at Snowbird Resort on Sunday, June 21st. The brewfest will rap up the final days of the Grill on the Hill BBQ Competition & Brewfest.

The best pit men and women in the country will be battling it out in this Kansas City BBQ Society sanctioned competition, features top chefs vying for $10,000 in prize money. Mmmm BBQ. The brewfest will feature mostly local craft beer. No word yet on what breweries or brewpubs will be participating. BBQ and craft beer the perfect gift for Father's Day.

Note: this is not the Utah Brewers Festival. I've tried to contact the organizers, but have had no response as to the status of this festival.

More details coming soon.

Collaboration Between RedRock & New Belgium

There's a positive trend right now in the craft brewing industry where brewers get together from various cities and towns to collaborate on beers, just to try and make them better. De Struise/Allagash, AleSmith/Mikkeller/Stone. There are too many to mention.

Now comes word that our own Kevin Templin From RedRock will be working on a collaboration beer with Chris McCombs of New Belgium Brewery. The beer is scheduled to be made today at RedRock. Coincidentally, Kevin was voted by readers of the City Weekly as Utah's Best Brewer today. Congrats Kevin!

Anyway, I don't have a lot of info on what style of beer they're making. What I do know is that the beer will be called Paardebloem (Flemish for dandelion) and will be made with no hops. Instead Dandelions and other herbs or spices will be used for bittering. Sounds pretty cutting edge... or old-school depending on your perspective.

Kevin will travel to Fort Collins next to New Belgium's place to assist on the creation of the brew there. Obviously this will be a special brew, no word yet on when it will be ready.

Also, in other RedRock news. Part of this years batch of Rêve: Belgian Style Triple will be poured over Utah cherries and re-fermented for one year before it's release early next year. Yum!

It's looking to be a good year for RedRock. Cheers!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

MADD in Utah is Drunk with Power

--Keeping a record of everyone who enters a bar.
--Mandating surveillance video and requiring bars to keep tapes for 180 days.
--Keeping hotel bars out of public view in lobbies
--Banning bars from restaurants.
--Selling beer, wine and liquor in state liquor stores only at room temperature.

Each of these was laid out in a position paper that MADD's Utah chapter circulated to lawmakers during the legislative session that ended March 12 as the only way to change the state's unique liquor laws without endangering public safety.

The Utah chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving advocated for those changes and more as lawmakers debated "normalizing" the state's notoriously quirky liquor laws earlier this month so that customers wouldn't have to fill out an application and pay a fee for the right to enter a bar.

But an Associated Press review of national MADD policies shows nearly every proposal on a list of the Utah chapter's "must haves" for the liquor law overhaul are not endorsed by the national MADD organization and never should have had MADD's name attached to them.

"We try to give some reasonable flexibility, but on matters of key issues, obviously, anything that would portray MADD inaccurately as a prohibitionist organization we have to be pretty clear on and we have to speak with one voice." said Chuck Hurley, MADD's national executive director.

Hurley sent chapter president Art Brown an e-mail on March 10 reminding him that local chapters must adhere to national policies. The e-mail followed an AP article that mentioned Brown suggested electronically tracking all bar customers, not just those who appear younger than 35.

In the 1990s, MADD founder Candace Lightner became critical of MADD for taking positions on reducing alcohol consumption that she said strayed from the organization's mission. Since then, she said MADD is back on track putting the focus on stopping drinking and driving, not drinking in and of itself.

She laughed out loud when told of some of the positions taken by Art Brown.

"This is not at all in line with MADD's philosophy," said Lightner, who says she and most of the people she know occasionally drink. "His heart is in the right place and at least he's active in doing something, but I'm not sure this is the best way to go about it."

It's probably time for MADD to cut ties with Art Brown and let him form his own neo-prohibitionary group. The Utah chapter has obviously gone rogue and is just using MADD for it's political clout to suit it's own narrow agenda.

Sadly, no April Fools stuff here.

Cheers... i think.

The HB51 Beer

To help celebrate the signing of HB51, local brewpubs in Salt Lake City and its surrounding areas have decided to create a special beer to commemorate the legalization of home brewing in Utah. As well as to salute our local home brewers, all the while having a little fun in the process.

Desert Edge, Hoppers, Red Rock, Wasatch, Bohemian and Squatters brew pubs will be brewing the same beer but with one very specific variable either altered or added. All malt, hops, water, and timing will be identical, but each brewery will integrate one different variable to show their customers, especially the local home brewers, what changing one important factor can do for a beer.

The brew is a session amber ale and will be on tap at all 6 brew pubs. The Desert Edge version will be unfiltered, Hoppers will be aging with oak, Red Rock will offer it filtered, Wasatch will dryhop, Bohemian is going to ferment it with lager yeast and Squatters is making it
with whole Amarillo hop flowers added via hopback.

The release date of the HB51 beer is May 1st. it coincides with the Big Brew National Homebrew Day, May 2nd. Those interested can pick up a recipe sheet at each of the 6 brew pub locations.

I'm not sure if the official name of the beer is HB51. I'm sure all appropriate suggestions will be considered. But one thing is certain this will be a great thing for Utah's growing beer culture. Cheers!

Photo Courtesy: Chris Detrick/The Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Brewers Coop in the Top 50 for '08

Even though we rank dead last in beer consumption around the U.S. our suds do sell pretty well. For the third year in a row, the Utah brewers Coop has been ranked as one of the top 50 craft breweries in the country by volume.

Here's a list of the top 50 (2008 sales)

1. Boston Brewing Company, Boston MA
   
2. Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Chico CA
   
3. New Belgium Brewing Company, Fort Collins CO
   
4. Spoetzl Brewery, Shiner TX
   
5. Pyramid Brewries, Inc., Seattle, WA
   
6. Matt Brewing Company, Utica NY
   
7. Deschutes Brewing Company, Bend OR
   
8. Boulevard Brewing Company, Kansas City MO
   
9. Full Sail Brewing Company, Hood River OR
   
10. Harpoon Brewery, Boston MA
    
11. Alaskan Brewing and Bottling Company, Juneau AL
    
12. Magic Hat Brewing Company and Performing Arts Center, South Burlington VT
    
13. Anchor Brewing Company, San Fransisco CA
    
14. Bell's Brewery, Inc., Kalamazoo MI
    
15. Shipyard Brewing Company, Portland ME
    
16. Summit Brewing Company, St. Paul MN
    
17. Abita Brewing Company, Abita Springs LA
    
18. Gordon Biersch Brewing Company, San Jose CA
    
19. Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn NY
    
20. Stone Brewing Company, Escondido CA
    
21. Rogue Ales, Newport OR
    
22. Long Trail Brewing Company, Bridgewater Corners VT
    
23. New Glarus Brewing Company, New Glarus WI
    
24. Kona Brewing Company, Kahlua-Kona HI
    
25. Dogfish Head Brewing Company, Milton DE
    
26. Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Paso Robles CA
    
27. Great Lakes Brewing Company, Cleveland OH
    
28. The Lagunitas Brewing Company, Petaluma CA
    
29. Flying Dog Brewery, Denver CO
    
30. Sweetwater Brewery, Atlanta GA
    
31. Bridgeport Brewing Company, Portland OR
    
32. Rock Bottom Brewery, Louisville CO
    
33. Odell Brewing Company, Fort Collins CO
    
34. BJ's Restaurant and Brewery, Huntington Beach CA
    
35. Victory Brewing Company, Downington PA
    
36. Mac and Jack's Brewery, Redmond WA
    
37. Lost Coast Brewery and Cafe, Eureka CA
    
38. Big Sky Brewing Company, Missoula MT
    
39. Pete's Brewing Company, San Antonio TX
    
40. Otter Creek Brewing Company, Middlebury VT
    
41. Karl Strauss Brewing Company, San Diego CA
    
42. Breckenridge Brewing Company, Denver CO
    
43. Gordon Biersch Brewery, Chattanooga TN
    
44. Anderson Valley Brewing Company, Boonville CA
    
45. Boulder Beer Company, Boulder CO
    
46. North Coast Brewing Company, Fort Bragg CA
    
47. McMenamins, Portland OR
    
48. Utah Brewer's Cooperative, Salt Lake City UT
    
49. Capital Brewing Company, Middleton WI
    
50. Blue Point Brewing Company, Patchogue NY
    

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Home Brewing in Utah is Finally Legal!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bigger, Better Beer Selection

Last November I was geeked to go check out the new super-wine store in SLC. I though it would be a great beer outlet considering it's size and the fact that it was new. But alas... I was found wanting. The had three meager bottle of beer and one bottle of cider. I was a sad, sad beer dork.

Well not no more! The 300 west wine store has created a new - much larger beer selection that specializes in the higher end stuff. So if your looking to pick up a couple cans of Pacific Western Genuine Draft, you going to have to go elsewhere mon frère.

Other better beer stores are located at the "old" wine store at 300 e. 300 s. & the liquor store on Fooothill Blvd.

Alert: Governor Huntsman signed the Homebrew Bill to today! You are no longer deviants, fraught with mischief. Cheers!

New From Four+ Brewing: Hive

Utah has a new beer to start-off spring. Hive is the sixth label to come out of Four+ Brewing in SLC. Hive is made with local honey and is similar in color. I wasn't able to get my hands on a bottle before writing this, but Local Beer proponent Douglas Byrd did and here's his trustworthy review.

2 oz. bottle from Smiths Marketplace. Pours a crystal clear golden color with a medium white head. The aroma is a heavy dose of honey, some sweet toasted malts also. The taste is similar; crisp and easygoing malts, some light citrus, and a nice honey flavor. Very quaffable and a nice beer for a hot Summer day. Too bad it was snowing today. Not bad. Simple and easygoing. A thin and fizzy mouthfeel.
I labeled it as a golden ale. Beer Advocate labeled it as a light lager, but it says honey ale right on the label.

Since this beer is just debuting it won't be everywhere immediately (as I found out).

Also, this is no secret but Four+ has changed the name of it's nationally successful Wildfire Organic Pale Ale to Wyld Organic Extra Pale Ale. Nothing has changed but the label. If you haven't tried this one yet, get out and grab one. They're quite yummy!

Also, in the coming months Uinta/Four+ will be debuting a new, yet to be named organic summer ale. This should be another good year for new beer labels in Utah. And thanks to Doug for helping to get the word out. Cheers!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Could "Alcops" Be Returning to Utah Store Shelves?

I don't know why I keep coming back to this subject. I guess at a fundamental level I find it draconian. Whereas you establish a set of laws then then alter them on a technicality so that they fit an individual or group agenda.

I refer to so called "alcopops". As you'll recall last summer state officials lead by Attorney General Mark Shurtleff began a state-wide cracked down on sweet and fizzy, intoxicating drinks such as Mike's Hard Lemonade that -- save for their alcohol content -- bear a remarkable resemblance to soda pop.

The sugary beverages had long been taxed as flavored beers. But state authorities reclassified them as liquor, raising the taxes on a six-pack thus moving them to state liquor stores even though they contained the state required 4.0% alcohol by volume.

The state of Utah's reasoning was this; because the the beverages in question contained flavoring extracts that were made with distilled spirits, they were in fact themselves spirituous in nature even though the beverages themselves derive their alcohol by mean of fermentation. Such as beer.

In California a similar law was passed. Substance abuse foes and lawmakers passed a law making "alcopops" liquor as well, and thus subject to higher taxes. Since the new tax rate kicked in Oct. 1. California has only collected about $9,000 in taxes, That's nothing in state of it's size and population.

Beverage makers admit they aren't paying the new taxes. They say they don't have to because they have reformulated the drinks -- more than 6,000 varieties -- to transform them into simple beers by limiting the amount of distilled spirits they contain.

They won't explain how. The formulas, they say, are trade secrets. And beverage-industry officials and federal regulators say there are no tests to determine how much distilled spirits the drinks contain versus those acquired by fermentation.

Now, I don't pretend to know the exact Utah law on these beverages, but it seems to me that if the formulation of the beverages are changed, eliminating the need for flavoring extracts these beers would revert back to being simple beers. Thus making them available to be purchased at grocery and convenience stores under Utah law.

And just to reiterate, I don't drink these beverages. In my opinion, the way the state of Utah went about abolishing them was pretty slimy and made convoluted liquor laws even more murky.

If anyone has a better grasp of this law please offer it up. Cheers!

Hard Times Ale

Coming next week, Roosters in Ogden is offering up Hard Times Ale. It is a no-nonsense, no-frills, bare-bones brew to help craft brew lovers get through these tough economic times. Brewmaster Steve Kirkland, waived his salary for a day and brewed a special beer using a less expensive malt and hop bill recipe than his other beers and plan to pass the savings on to friends of Roosters. That'd be you!

Hard Times Ale is light in body (though not a "lite" beer) and very drinkable. My guess is that It'll go down much easier than the stock market. Hard Times Ale, A Brew to Get You Through!

Also on tap at Roosters in Ogden and Layton:
-Irish Stout. Brewed with a peated Malt which has the smoke of a peat fire passed through it
to impart a smoky quality to the grain and a taste of The Ol' Sod.
-Deep Powder Dortmunder. A golden lager with low hop and a dry, bread like flavor.
Cheers!

The Smokestack Series Comes to Utah

Last November Boulevard Brewing out of Kansas City, Missouri entered the Utah market with two of it's staples, their Unfiltered Wheat and their Lunar an American version of a Dunkel Weizen.

Now comes word that Boulevard's Smokestack Series is now on it's way.

The Smokestack Series features bold, complex beers with higher alcohol content, and
includes both traditional varieties and experimental brews. The first four releases consist of
Boulevard Saison, a “farmhouse” ale, Long Strange Tripel, a Trappist-style “abbey” beer, Double-Wide I.P.A., an India pale ale, and The Sixth Glass, a Belgian-style quadrupel ale.

The Bayou plans to introduce these ales to beer lovers in the coming months. The beers
are packaged in 750 ml champagne bottles with cork-and-cage closures. No word yet on the pricing. Cheers!

St. Patrick's Day Micro's

Looking for some good seasonal to drink on St. Patrick's Day that aren't green? Well here ya go.

Hibernian

A very malty, Irish style ale. Clean filtered and reddish brown in color. Low in
bitterness, however, has a slight hop finish to it. Up front character is caramel malt tones. The Hibernian Society is an international organization of Irish culture.

Oatmeal Stout

Our heaviest ale, medium bitterness, made with 8 different types of malt, very dark, served using a nitrogen push. This rich, full bodied brew will dazzle your tongue with many different malts, a hint of chocolate and a suggestion of coffee.

Squatters brings back Hop Rising. Now made with whole Amarillo flower instead of pellets. And special for St. Patty's Day they have McGrueh's Dry Irish Stout on nitro.

Hoppers has Bruce's 80 Scottish ale. It's an amber hued ale that's very rich, toasty, roasty, smoky and malty with hints of fig and Bourbon. East Kent hops were used and add a very slight, crisp 'n clean bitterness.

If you have an absolut hard-on for green beer there is an option at The Utah Brwewers Coop. They have a green infused Provo girl Pils called Green Girl. Slainte!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Hell's Keep

With out a doubt Jennifer Talley has turned Squatters into the place in Utah for authentic Belgian style ales. Her latest offering is Hell's Keep a Belgian Style Strong Ale. Beer dorks and artist have been waiting moths for this one. Some for the beer itself and others for the "subjective" label that won the label design contest.

Personally I saw a lot of good artwork done for this label, but William Swartzfager artwork really looks nice on the bottle.

Poured into a tulip: a lightly hazy honey/orange with a dense 3 fingers of white foam, which fade into a moderate sized cap. The nose is lemony coupled with dusty-oak and a wild yeastiness.
The taste starts with dry apricot and pear followed by spicy malty grains. The end is lemony with notes of straw and wheat. The finish is nice and dry with a lite champagne like carbonation.
This beer is very crisp and refreshing. Just so easy going down and incredibly light on the palate. The the 7% ABV doesn't have any burn and is well hidden.

The only problem is I can see with this beer is it's deceptive ABV. it's so lite and unnoticeable It'll catch up with before you know it. Hell's Keep is bottle conditioed and served in a nice wax dipped champagne style bottle.

Another rock-solid offering from Squatters, probably the best to date. If this one finds an audience(which it should) we could see it distributed state-wide. But for now you will only be able to enjoy it at Squatters Downtown and Park City Pubs starting tomorrow 3/17. Cheers!

The Pity Date

Damn! So close. If feel like I've been on a date over the last couple of days. I was looking really good, spent a lot of money on dinner & drinks, then when I go to "close the deal" she says "Take me home, I'm not interested".

That's how I feel about the Senate's decision to go home early and not debate HB 349.
Now, I know that this woman I speak of figuratively was way out of my league and that in some ways this was a pity-date. But I did expected her to at least let the date play out 'till midnight.
Bitch!!!

Thanks to everyone who kept the updates coming throughout the session and please send thanks to Rep. Oda (coda@utah.gov) for sponsoring the bill. And while your at it; ask if he and the Utah Beer Wholesalers Association will pursue the bill again next year.

But don't be too sad, this was a good year for adults who want to to adult things. Plus it looks like Mark Alston will be keeping his patio "as is" for another year. But if you still feel like drowning your sorrows go try Brewmaster Donovan's new Scotch ale over at Hoppers. It debuts today! Cheers!

High ABV Beer On Tap Legislation in Limbo

Well today is the last day. If hb 349 (the high abv on tap bill) is going to pass it has to be voted on by tonight at midnight. There is one problem standing in the bill's way. It's not on the Senates calender for today. At least as noon yesterday.

I sent emails to Rep. Oda the main sponsor of the bill, and to Senator Greiner the Senate sponsor. I asked if they knew of the status of HB 349. Rep. Oda was kind enough to respond by saying "Be patient".

Now I don't know if that means "it's on the calendar" or "maybe next year". So I'll leave it up to y'all.

But the info I have as of this morning leads me to believe the bill died in the Senate.

I would be very happy to be proven wrong. I'd also like to thank Rep. Oda for taking the time to respond. I know it's very busy on the hill right now. Cross your fingers.

Also-also. Congrats go out to Utah beer lover/devotee Douglas and his wife who had a baby boy yesterday. Milk Stouts all around. Cheers!

The End of an Era!!! Thank God.

Most of you have probably heard that Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. announced a deal Monday that would make the most sweeping changes in decades to Utah's liquor laws, including an end to the state's one-of-a-kind private-club law.

The liquor-reform package was hammered out during weeks of intense negotiations with the governor's staff, legislators and representatives of the hospitality and restaurant industries and the LDS Church.

The compromise legislation would do away with private clubs, replacing them with a scanner verifying the validity of the identification presented by anyone who appears under age 35. Data would be stored on-site for a week. There would be no centralized law-enforcement database

For restaurants that serve alcohol, the bill would do away with the so-called "Zion Curtain," a glass barrier that servers must walk around to distribute drinks to patrons. Under the proposed changes, bartenders would now be able to pass a drink to a patron across the bar.

New restaurants would need a separate area for mixing drinks, away from the view of children. Existing restaurants would be grandfathered, but might qualify for $30,000 in assistance if they chose to renovate to conceal the mixing of drinks.

These demands on new restaurants will create situations in which they are treated differently than existing establishments and might discourage eateries from locating in the state.

Part of the liquor-reform package also would toughen penalties for drunken driving: Repeat offenders could forfeit their vehicles; underage drunken drivers could lose their licenses; and bar owners could face more legal liability if drunken patrons are involved in accidents.

The bill is expected to move quickly through the Legislature, starting in the Senate. If it passes and is signed by the governor, the private-club provisions would kick in July 1; the restaurant changes would take effect May.

Other Liquor related legislation to pass, the tacky and labor intensive D.A.B.C. tax stickers are going away. This will save the state over one million bucks a year. Maybe the money could go into purchasing beer coolers for liquor stores. Hint-hint...

As of this morning, there is no change on the status of HB 349 "the heavy beer on draft bill".

And of course the Utah Homebrew Bill. No longer will you feel like a deviant when making your next batch of "Bourbon Barrel aged-Triple-Imperial-Dry Hopped-Dopple IPA with Brettomyces"!

Well... maybe a little. Cheers!

Bruce's 80 Scottish Ale

Donovan Steele, Secret Agent and Brewmaster at Hoppers in Midvale has a new seasonal ale available this Friday the 13th. Bruce's 80 is a Scottish ale that's been aging in the tank for several weeks.

Dono descibes this first time offering as an amber hued ale that's very rich, toasty, roasty, smoky and malty with hints of fig and Bourbon. East Kent hops were used and add a very slight, crisp 'n clean bitterness.

Dono says, he really likes working on the seasonals. "It gives me the time and freedom to do research and formulate a new batch...at the end of the day I feel a little better about my student loans".

Sounds like money well spent! Available only at Hoppers. Cheers!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

North Coast Comes to Utah

Yeah more new beers! New to area liquor stores is what looks to be quite a nice line-up from North Coast brewing out of Fort Bragg, Ca.

North Coast Brewing has entered the market with their Blue Star Wheat Beer, Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout, PranQster Belgian Style Golden Ale, Brother Thelonious Belgian Style Abbey Ale and ACME Pale Ale. Quite a diverse line-up eh?

Also on the radar is LEINENKUGEL'S Berry Wiess, GRIESKIRCHNER WEIZEN, SAMUEL ADAMS CHERRY WHEAT & FULL SAIL RESERVE 21 DOPPELBOCK.

March is looking like a great month to get your beer-on. Who knows, if the Gods are nice we could see these on tap sometime. Cheers!

No More 3.2 in Utah?

Well the cat is out of the bag. If you haven't heard there's this bill on the hill that was quietly introduced at the beginning of February that would allow beer above 4.0% abv to be sold on draft in Utah.

HB349's original intent was to make it easier for beer distributors to get a wider range of products out to costumers, by bypassing the DABC warehouse all together. The bill would also give buyers the ability to negotiate prices, instead of buying the state of Utah's set rate for high ABV beer that we all pay. This could mean better prices beer in the state.

But as I mentioned earlier, the part of this bill that has everyone in tizzy is the promise of high ABV beer on tap. This would create a whole new market for beer in Utah. Without the 4.0% restriction brands from all over the world could be making it's way into Utah. Your favorite Portland brew could be on tap a your favorite watering hole in as soon as 6 months.

There is a downside however. Local breweries that have made it their business by selling established 4.0% brands such as Cutthroat Pale Ale and Polygamy Porter will loose their state imposed monopoly on the taps. If you go to any decent be bar in town you'll notice that the majority of beers on tap are local. And frankly, that's the way it should be.

Will the local brewers tweak their recipes to make higher ABV beers to compete? Will local brewpubs be given the ability to make stronger stuff on tap for customers? The bill at this point is just too vague and convoluted to say.

For this reason many (including myself) think this bill will never make it in to law. Even though it has passed favorably in the House.

Bar owners that knew about the bill have been sitting on this hopping that it would slide beneath the radar and pass into law. That's why it's gotten so little play in the press in this unprecedented liquor reform session at the Capitol.

Hb349 is huge for Utah, what are your take on it?

Beer Wars

2008 was a big year T.V. documentaries on beer. I think there were probably four or five Docs produced by various cables channels, praising the craft brewing and the history of beer in general. Well there's a new documentary coming. This one to debut in theaters.

Beer Wars is set in the classic David and Goliath story about Sam & Wanda two small, independent brewers who are shunning the status quo while battling the might and tactics of Corporate America.

Told from an insider’s perspective, the film goes behind the scenes of the daily battles and all out wars that dominate one of America’s favorite industries.

Click on the poster or the title for a link to the trailer. Cheers!