Rêve and CTR Return

It's time for the 14th iteration of Red Rock's Rêve, Belgian style tripel. This beer is one of my favorite seasonal beers. Belgian style tripels don't tend to find their way into my tummy as often as they used to, because of their boozy candy-like sweetness. This one is a different story - through the magic of barrel aging with the addition Brettanomyces and Bruxellensis yeast strains this beer becaomes a whole different beast. 

Pours a light 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. Tart vinous fruit come next balancing out the sweetness creating dry and almost puckering finish. 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. It’s 10.3% abv is more than enough to warm your inner beer geek. 

Rêve returns today (Wednesday, March 11th) at RedRock's Beer Store and it will be available at all Red Rock Brewpubs beginning Thursday March 12th. 

There are quite a few rye beers floating around the market right now but non have the explosive rye character of our next beer. Bohemian's spring seasonal  CTR "Choose the Rye" is a pale copper lager brewed with over 50% rye malts. Rye can be a somewhat difficult  grain to brew with. It has an oily porridge like stickiness that can make it a challenging mash to extract the wort from in high quantities. The resulting beer has a earthy and fruity nose with a taste starts with moderately sweet/musty rye and spicy european hops, the end has a touch of citrus to add balance to the spicy grain and hop bill.

For a 4% ABV beer this lager has a surprising amount of body you really get a sense of why rye beers are becoming so popular in the U.S. Available on tap at Bohemian Brewery and where BOHO has seasonal taps.

Cheers!

Aztec Brewing - Coming to Utah

Welcome to Monday. Right about now your body is is probably pitching a fit in regards to the loss of precious sleep. While nothing can adequately compensate you for that hour, I'll try and soften the blow with some new beer news.

Originally the Aztec Brewery was started in Mexico during Prohibition. When Prohibition ended, the brewery was moved to San Diego and became known as ABC - Aztec Brewing Company. In 1953 the brewery was purchased by a competitor from the Midwest. The brand was later retired and disappeared from San Diego. In 2008 the brand was resurrected and located in Vista, California where it has thrived in San Diego's competitive craft beer scene.

Utah Craft Beverages now has Aztec Brewing Co.'s craft beers available for special order through the UDABC in 22oz bombers! here are the beers Utah Craft will have available.

Noche de los Muertos Imperial Stout - An intense Imperial Stout with a hint of cinnamon spice. Big, rich and black as night. Dark roasted malts add complex character to the flavors, with a balanced
bitterness and mouth feel.

Chipotle India Pale Ale - Smoked jalapeño peppers known as chipotles add a smokey kick without excessive heat, giving this beer a complex, lingering lightly spicy finish. Cascade hops provide a clean, firm bitterness, to balance the sweet malt character. Hoppy but clean
citrus/grapefruit nose.

The Hop Serpent Imperial IPA - is a deliciously drinkable IIPA with plenty of hop aroma and flavor.

Aztec Sacrifice® Red IPA - Big, bold malty red India Pale Ale with a wallop of citrus hops and specialty malts. Rich toffee and caramel notes with a hint of roasted barley and firm hop bitterness. This is how red ales are done on the west coast!

Hibiscus Wheat Beer - An unfiltered wheat beer inspired by the Mexican Hibiscus tea “Jamaica.” Brewed with Hibiscus petals, ginger and allspice. This refreshing hefeweizen has a light slightly spicy floral citrus flavor with fruity tones. Pairs well with fish - especially

Aztec's beers will be available in the coming weeks at popular beer bars and restaurants.

Salud!

New Beer Friday 3/6/15

It was obviously a really slow beer week here in Utah, we really had to dig to find some some new morsels for this morning. While they may not be new to some they did catch my eye. You'll notice that we're starting off with a Goose Island beer. This one actually snuck in to the Beer Bar late last Friday. It won't be long before you start seeing other Goose Island beers on shelves soon. Yeeeah...

Goose Island Goose IPA - Pours a clear golden color. The nose is of grapefruit and sweet malts. The taste starts with a light malty backbone with a grassy/citrucy hop flavor in the end. Finishes dry. This is yet another session IPA to enter the Salt Lake market. Not to be confused with Goose Island's "Goose Island IPA" this is "Goose IPA". 4.0% ABV @ Beer Bar

Sockeye Maibock - Not tried this one yet. 6.5% ABV @ Bayou

Vernal Brewing - Brewers Handle Black Lager. Not tried this one. 4.0% ABV @ Vernal Brewing

Guinness Blonde - Deep golden in color with a nose of bready caramel and grassy hops. The taste starts bready with thin caramel and light grassy hops notes and pretty much remains that way throughout. Bitterness from the hops pick up gaining intensity to the end. The finish is crisp and lingering. A pretty standard lager. 5.0% ABV @DABC

Newcastle Bombshell - Pours bright gold. The nose has toffee and noble hops. The flavor starts malty and bready with a bit of mineral bite. Notes of honey and lemon come next with an herbal tea smack rounding out the the end. Lingering spicey hops in the finish. I'm not a big Newcastle fan, so this came as a pleasant surprise. Light and refreshing. 4.4% ABV @ DABC

The Hive Winery Elder Jack Wine - This came out yesterday, did not get a chance to try it. It's described as having a delightful berry nose and slight hints of black currant. As the wine opens and warms, the nose subtly changes allowing more of the black currant aroma to come forward to blend with the raspberry. A smooth well balanced wine, with a delightful flavor shifting from dominant raspberry with black currant undertones to black currant with soft raspberry highlights.

The Annex firkin today features Golden with Citra Hops and Lychee. If your not familiar with the Lychee it tastes like a combo of grapes, strawberries and watermelon. Should be delicious! Tapping is at 4:30 - $3 pints. Now that's the way to start the weekend!

Prost!

New Beer Friday 2/27/15

First, let me preface this week's New Beer Friday by saying all of these beers will be available at the Beer Bar, later this (Friday) afternoon. Unless the DABC is unable to get them into their system on time, then they will be available Monday afternoon. Check back here or the Utah Beer Facebook page for updates on their availability. 

The big news this week is Beer Bar's acquisition of Gigantic Brewing Company's brews. Gigantic makes a shload of highly regarded hoppy beers and is also known for their eye catching comic book style beer labels. Here's what made it to the market. I have no reviews for most of this week's new brews. Sorry.
Ginormous Imperial IPA
Gigantic IPA
Intensify Belgian IPA
Saboteur Baltic Porter
Catch 23 Experimental Pale Ale

Hopworks Urban Brewery Rise up Red - Pours a ruby/mahogany color with an fluffy off-white head filling top of the tulip glass. The nose is juicy with pineapple and grapefruit. some toffee sweetness as well. The taste starts with resiny grapefruit peel and juicy pineapple hops. Light caramel and toffee come next adding balance with a bit of berry fruitiness rounding out the back end. Moderately bitter finish. Not a brilliant red ale but quite tasty.

Hopworks Urban Brewery Organic Belgian Apple Ale - No review
Hopworks Urban Brewery Motherland Imperial Stout - No review
Hopworks Urban Brewery Nonstop Hefe Hop - No review

Base Camp Ultra Gnar Gnar IPA - No review

Oakshire The Perfect Storm Double IPA - No review. If this is half as good as their Watershed IPA we'll all be very happy hop heads.

This week the Annex has their Schwartz with Coffee bean and Cocoa Nibs in the firkin. Sounds damn yummy! Geoff tells me that last week's firkin was gone by 8pm, so don't procrastinate. Tapping is at 4:30pm. $3 Firkin Pints. Also look for a solid tap line up including Kettle Sour IPA, Berlinerweiss, Belgian Pale Ale, IPL single hopped with Centennial Hops and Milk Stout on Nitro.

Cheers!

The 5th Annual Gate City Brewfest

If there's two things this beer gnerd loves, it's beerfests and pub crawls. What if I told you there an event that combines both and it'll only cost you 25 quatloos?... er dollars. You'd be okay with that, right?

For the last five years the Pocotello Chamber of Commerce has put on the city's Annual Gate City Brewfest. Held in Old Town Pocatello, this expansive beerfest/bar-crawl will cover fourteen venues and feature over 70 different brews from over 30 breweries. If the cardio portion of the crawl isn't appealing to you, a free trolley service will also be available to get your ass to your next pint in Old Town.

Tickets are available now. and are $25 with unlimited pours from Noon to 6pm. The Red Lion in Pocotello is also offering a special rate for brewfest guests. Check in locations are the Elks Club, Hooligans, Portneuf Vally Brewing, and the First National Bar.

Poco is a fairly short drive from Northern Utah and this looks like a fest that's well worth the time and money.  If anyone has attended in the past, please share your feedback. Hope to see you there.

Cheers! 

New Beer Friday 2/20/15

Deschutes Jubel 2015 - Pours a dark ruby brown color. It has a nose of roasted malt and toffee with some spicy dark fruits. Some vinous barrel notes as well. The taste starts with fig, raisin and prune. Big malt sweetness comes next with some tobacco notes. The end has nice wine flavors from the barrel. It's a rich tasting beer, but not overly sweet. Impressive effort from Deschutes. 10.4% ABV @ Beerhive, Beer Bar

New Belgium Cocoa Molé -  Pours a muddy looking brown color. The nose has chile spices with rich chocolate notes. Definitely smells like molé. The taste starts with roasted malt cocoa and roasted chiles. The chile spices are at medium heat, so there a good amount of pepperiness on the back of the throat. This is a great marriage of chiles and cocoa. It is quite rich and delicious but not cloying. Reminds me of Ramon's Chocolate Molé from Red Iguana. 9.0% ABV @ Beerhive, Beer Bar

Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter - Pours a bright looking straw color with a good three fingers on top. The nose is all hops with dank weed, spruce and citrus rind. The taste follows the nose with malt lingering in the background. there is a bit of light honey like sweetness towards the end as well. Finishes super dry bitter. This is a hop extract bomb. Not for the timid. 6.2% ABV @ Beerhive, Beer Bar

The Annex's End of the Firkin Work Week Firkin is the Annex IPL (India Pale Lager) with whole leaf Amarillo and Mango. $3 pints, Tapping at 4:30. 

Cheers!

The Zion Curtain Part 6

I mean for Christ's sake, look at that thing up there! It shouldn't be this hard to get rid of a simple regulatory nightmare that the majority of Utahans don't want. But here we are, years later - still talking about this massive, international embarrassment, the Zion Curtain.

Many have tried, all have failed. Even it's creator, former State Senator, John Valentine actually said at one point on Radio from Hell that, "he didn't really like it". Maybe it's 6th time in front of public opinion's firing squad will put it out of it's misery.

The man who has stepped up to lance this boil on the state's ass is Republican Senator, Kraig Powell of Heber City. He quietly filed HB339 yesterday. Buried in the bill are lines that appear to tear down “separate preparation areas,” as they are officially known. Instead, restaurants will be required to post a sign notifying the public that they serve alcohol, as well as create a bar or lounge area that prohibits minors.

Hmm, imagine that. A way to shield a sheltered child's fragile psyche from the mind bending images of liquids being dispensed into a container before they've even entered the establishment. It's nothing short of astonishing! I'm in awe that an alcohol eschewing family would even dare try to spend their wholesomely earned shekels in such an "anti-family values" establishment. This could save people a lot of time, while earning a shload of celestial kingdom points.  

Will common sense win out over an uneducated and uniformed minority? Who knows. It all depends on if Utah's real lawmakers on Temple Square give it their blessing.

We've all spent too much time on this mess. Please hammer your representatives and senators today. Tell them to "tear down this wall"!

Cheers!

Nouvelle Bière Vendredi!!! (New Beer Friday)

I only found one this week new beer this week it's a local seasonal full of roasted goodness.

Moab Coffee Porter - This is a new seasonal offering from Moab. It has a pleasant coffee nose with hint of malt in the back. The taste is cold pressed coffee with raw and roasted grain some minor bitter cocoa bitterness. Finishes bitter and dry. If you're not big on coffee you may still enjoy this one. I drink a lot of coffee so I wouldn't mind it being a little ramped up coffee wise. 4.0% ABV On draft where you'll find Moab's seasonal taps.

Last week I screwed up the Bayou's firkin offering. This week is the much anticipated Annex IPL with Swedish Fish. So once again, if you feel your not not getting enough gelatin in your beer, today is one hoof smacking day. It goes without saying (but I'm gunna) these "gummi beers" are not Vegetarian/Vegan friendly. The Bayou taps at 3:30

The Annex is providing a "Lovers Day Firkin on Saturday (not Friday). They will be pouring The Annex Irish Red with whole leaf Amarillo and Rose Hips. The tapping will be on Valentines Day afternoon. call ahead for an updated time.

The Sockeye beers were much delayed for some reason. Here's the what and where that I could find.  The Beerhive has the Galena Gold, Hell-Diver Pale Ale, Dagger Falls IPA and Power House Porter. The Beer Bar has the Sockeye High Lakes Session IPA on draft and it's definatly been spotted at some Harmon's Grocery Stores.

Sante!

Lagerpalooza Pro/AM Competion

The Bohemian Brewery & Grill and Salt City Brew Supply are happy to announce the 1st, theoretically annual, Lagerpalooza home-brew competition. This will be a lager only event (and hybrid's), and one of the winners will have their beer selected to be brewed at the Bohemian's Brewery. Entries are due by April 25th, with judging and awards on May 3rd at the Bohemian Brewery.

To enter you need to create an account www.lagerpalooza-proam.com.  Completed entry forms and recipe sheets must be submitted with all entries, and can be printed directly from the website. Entry forms should be attached  to bottles with a rubber band only; Do not glue and/or tape your labels. 
Registration open is now open and will end April 24, 2015 at 7:00pm, MDT

Each entrant is limited to one (1) entry per sub-style. Each entry will consist of three 12 ounce capped bottles that are void of all identifying information. Only 12oz brown bottles will be accepted. Bottle will not be returned. Each entry coast $5

Entries can be dropped off at Salt City Brew Supply, 723 e. Fort Union Blvd. Midvale Utah 84047
801-849-0955

For more info:
www.lagerpalooza-proam.com
www.facebook.com/lagerpalooza
cody@saltcitybrewsupply.com 

Prost!

Squatters Sociable Krystalweizen

Squatters has a new beer coming to grocery store shelve towards the end of Spring.  Sociable is a Krystalweizen that uses will have a noble hop character.  Krystalweizens are often clean and softer on the tongue than tradition Hefeweizens and have less phenolic notes like banana and clove. 4.0% ABV.  Look for it 12oz bottles.

Prost!

Park City Brewery is Now On-Line

When Wort and yeast combine in the fermenters we can officially say that the state has a new brewery. So with no further delay, please welcome Park City Brewery to the Utah craft beer family! Beer hit the tanks last Friday (Jan 6) and with any luck we could be suck'n down their suds in a couple of weeks. PC Brewery will debut with four 4.0% beers that will be on draft an in cans. Kegs will be hitting bars and restaurants for sure soon (stay tuned for locations), not sure when the cans will store shelves though. Some higher gravity beers are in the works as well. They will likely debut when the brewery sales are stable and all of the state's requirements are met.

Here's a sneak peak of what you'll be looking for. These are what the cans will likely look like. Big Congrats top the PC Brew Crew!


 Cheers!

New "Big" Beer Friday

Quite a few "big" boozy beers for your New Beer Friday. Your tongues are in for a full frontal assault, so make sure your travel plans are in order before proceeding.

Firestone Walker §ucaba - Pours black with some dense brown foam. The nose is smooth with chocolate, caramel, toffee, candied fruit and char. The taste starts with a chocolate brownie character. A bit of fudge comes in next with Bourbon, oak, coconut and vanilla rounding out the end. It's one of the finest barleywines you'll find. So damn delicious! 12.50% ABV @ limited DABC stores

Sierra Nevada Barrel Aged Narwhal - Pours a viscous black with a thin cap of light brown foam. The nose  has dark chocolate. Lots of tart, dark fruit, vanilla and a hint of Bourbon. I think the best way to describe the taste of this beer is simply Bourbon soaked tiramisu. Big coffee, chocolate and vanilla notes with a bit of boozy burn. Complex and wonderful. 12.9% ABV @ Limited DABC, Beer Bar.

New Belgium Salted Chocolate Stout - Black in appaerance with a nose of phenolic Belgian yeast, banana, asphalt, vanilla and chocolate. The taste is similar to the nose...lots of belgian esters, roasted marshmallows, moderate roast with a touch of coffee, some oaky notes in the middle. The end has a slight herbal bitterness. A hint of sodium in the finish. 9.0% ABV @ Beer Bar, Bayou, Beerhive, Limited DABC stores

Sockeye High Lakes Session IPA - I haven't had this one yet. Sockeye describes it as a session-style IPA is crafted with the full flavors and aromas of its big brother (Dagger Falls IPA), but with a low alcohol by volume so as to increase drinkability without losing its signature full hop character. It has a fresh, piney hop aroma with a slight hint of caramel malt to balance the bite, and a hop forward flavor with citrus up front and a mild spiciness throughout. Comes in at a whopping 80 IBUs 4.0% ABV  @ Maverik C-stores, Smith’s Food stores, and Walmart Superstores.

Hive Preacher's Son Blueberry Honey Wine - This Melomel is described as having a silky smooth mouth feel and rich color, this pleasantly sweet wine will delight the senses. Rich, flavorful blueberry dominates the front flavor with delightful, delicate notes of clover honey. 13.3% ABV @ Hive Winery Note: this bottle features our friends Nate & Misti Cobb, steam'n up the label with a bit of "Romance de foncé".

The Annex's Firkin will be pouring their Annex Golden Ale with Haribo Gummi Bears. Yup! I said, Gummi Bears. I admit, I am curious. The Bayou has The Annex IPL in their firkin, it will be dosed with Swedish Fish. So If you feel your not not getting enough gelatin in your beer, today is your hoof smacking day. I guess it goes without saying these gummi beers are not Vegetarian/Vegan friendly. The Bayou taps at 3:30 - Annex at 4pm.

Cheers!

Epic Lil' Brainless Raspberries

Epic has a new beer in the can, that's a new take on an old favorite. The Brainless Line from Epic started out with a Belgian Style Golden Ale, then morphed into various fruity/barrel aged incarnations including Brainless on Peaches and Brainless on Cherries. A Brainless IPA came too, along with a two funky version of the peach and cherry ales. Brainless on Raspberries was the latest label in the line and it became a big hit. The fact that it wasn't barrel aged like some of the others fruit versions meant it could be produced more quickly and reach a wider audience.

The popularity of the raspberry version got the kids at Epic thinking that a less boozy, more portable version of the Brainless on Raspberries would be even more popular and approachable. The result is Lil' Brainless Rapberries.

One of the things that separates this beer (Lil' B'Razz as it's been nicknamed) from many other raspberry ales is the yeast. Like all of the other Brainless beers, it has that rich, estery and spicy, Belgian yeast funk backing it up. The raspberry is subtle and tart with some dry and puckering tannin notes. You get some floral bitterness on the back of the tongue. With a finish that is semi tart and dry. The ABV is a pleasant 5.2%

I don't usually go for fruit beers off the bat, but this one has a nice complex character that is very pleasing and drinkable. It's for sale right now at Epic's Denver Brewery (because that's where the canning line is) and is currently en route to Salt Lake. My guess is it will be for sale in Utah sometime in the next two weeks. The mood of the DABC will affect this timeline greatly so be patient. When it does go on sale it will be at DABC stores, The Annex and better beer bars.

Of course we'll spread the word once it goes on sale.

Skol!

New Beer Friday 1/30/15

It looks like Sockeye Brewing will dominate this New Beer Friday. These guys have been a staple in Boise for many years. They busting into the Utah market with six beers from their "Natives" Line. Coming soon a session ale that will be available in cans at grocery stores and on tap in select locations. I know the Beer Bar is stock these today, They will be popping up all over town in the coming days and weeks.

Sockeye Woolybugger Wheat - Pours a hazy straw/amber color with nice fluffy white head. The nose is bready wheat with a hint of tartness. The taste starts with wheat crackers and a bit of yeast. Lemon notes come next adding mild twang. Finishes light and mildly dry. This is nice drinking wheat ale, not too out of the box, but enjoyable. 5.0% ABV @ Beer Bar

Sockeye Galena Gold Sockeye Galena Gold - Pours a clear yellow/amber color. The nose is bready with some grass and orange peel. The taste starts with some dry biscuit and caramel. Herbal hops come in next and soon transition into some minor citrus notes. The end is slightly bitter and grassy.
This is a really nice drinking golden. A pleasant surprise. 5.9% ABV @ Beer Bar

Sockeye Hell-Diver Pale Ale - Pours a slightly hazy copper color with a good amount of foam cap. The nose is malty with a bit of dry biscuit with citrus hops lingering in the back. The taste starts with more biscuit and some rich caramel flavors. Grass and pine notes come next adding nice a balance to the malt. Citrus peel comes next on the back of the tongue, drying out the the end. Nice straight forward drinking pale ale. 5.0% ABV

Sockeye Dagger Falls IPA - Pours a hazy amber orange color with some nice dense foam. The nose is bright with grapefruit, tangerine, and pine The taste starts nice and grapefruity. There's a lot of citrus and tropical flavors going on here. Some earthy malts come next adding to the complexity. The end has nice floral/pine notes that leave you wanting more. The finish is dry and lingering. This is a damn fine beer. It has everything you want from an American style IPA. 6.5% ABV

Sockeye Power House Porter - It has a great nose full of coffee and cocoa aromas with a hint of dark fruit in the back. The taste starts with nice roasted malts and bitter chocolate. Coffee flavors come next adding a slight acidic character. Creamy "Whopper" malt flavor providing balance and body. Mild dark fruit rounds out the back end.A solid porter, very enjoyable. 5.7% ABV

Sam Adams Cold Snap - Pours a hazy, golden/honey color. The nose has sweet citrus notes with a slight spiciness. The taste starts bready and sweet. Orange peel comes next with nice yeast spices adding a bit of depth. The end has more citrus notes with a nice peppery character. Finishes grassy and clean. A nice surprise! 5.3% ABV @ DABC

Boulevard Pop-Up Session IPA - I haven't had a chance to try this one yet. It's described as having an assertive hop flavor and aroma while maintaining a thirst-quenching drinkability by balancing the bitterness with a slight caramel malt character. A blend of our base pale, Marris Otter, and amber malts creates a simple, yet adequate malt backbone that allows Mosaic, Cascade, Amarillo, Citra, and Centennial hops to shine with bright, fruity, citrus notes. At 4.3% ABV and 41 IBUs, Pop-Up I.P.A. is a full flavored beer that’s suitable for all-day drinking.

Ninkasi Expo 58 - Golden straw in color with a bit of haze. The nose has some nice spicy clove Belgian yeast notes with nice grassy hops. The taste has a bit of toasted grain up front. Clove and honey come next with a huge spicy/grassy hop punch in the end. Finishes crisp and dry with lingering yeast and hops. Probably not for everyone, but I found enjoyable. 5.0% ABV

Vernal Chocolate Raspberry Stout - Have not Tried this one either. Please share your thoughts.

Roosters Imperial Stout - For an Imperial Stout the nose is a bit subdued. Grainy and slight roasty with a bit of cola. The taste starts with roasted malts, sweet chocolate and some dark fruits. Vanilla and cola come next with a slight chocolate finish. At 9% ABV it's on the low side for style. Could use a bit more malt character. Not too bad for the first batch. @ Roosters locations and Beerhive

Wasatch Polygamy Nitro Porter - A hard pour produced a nice foamy nitro cap that contrasts well against the ebony body of the beer. Chocolate and black coffee dominate with caramel, raisin and fig. The taste is much sweeter than the standard Polygamy Porter. Mostly chocolate and vanilla up front with nice raisin and espresso notes rounding it out. The finish is light creamy. This is a nice beer. But it's not very porter-like. Had I not known I'd swear this was a Milk Stout. Very Drinkable. 5.5% ABV @ The Beer Store, Squatters/Wasatch location and DABC soon

The Annex Schwartzbier is all gussied up with lots of Coconut for the Annex's End of the Firkin Work Week Firkin. It's described as being like an Almond Joy. 4.0% ABV Tapping is at 4pm.

Also the Annex has on a fresh batch of Berlinerweis along with a killer single hopped, Amarillo Golden Ale.

Whew! is that enough for you?

Prost!

Polygamy Nitro Porter in Bottles

Nitrogen and Irish stouts have always seemed to go hand in hand. Draft offerings are always readily available and nitrogen conditioned bottled and canned beer have been around for consumers for quite some time. Nitrogen isn't a naturally occurring gas in beer so it doesn't absorb into the liquid as easily as carbon dioxide does.

So breweries have had to get creative in order to effectively deliver the gas into the beer. Back in the sixties Guinness patented a delivery system called a "widget" to get the nitrogen into their bottles and cans. Basically they use a plastic gas filled ball that ruptures when the container is opened releasing the gas into the beer. It's not the most cost effective way to get it done but it works quite well.

Ever since the widget's inception breweries have been trying to come up with a way to effectively deliver nitrogen into into a bottle or can without the floating plastic balls. Left Hand Brewing out of Longmont, Co. was the first to perfect and go to market with a non widget nitro beer. Now that the technology is available we'll probably start to see more and more nitrogen beers hitting store shelves.

Wasatch's Polygamy Porter has been a staple in Utah for well over a decade. Until recently it was only conditioned with CO2 gas. Over the last year or so, Wasatch has been offering it on nitro taps for their various accounts. It's proven to be a big hit. Now Polygamy Porter is getting the full nitro treatment and an ABV boost in Wasatch's new beer Polygamy Nitro Porter. This Polygamy Porter is slightly different coming in at 5.5% ABV.

This beer was just bottled so I have no tasting notes on it yet. The original Polygamy Porter will still remain, there are no plans to change anything to it's original recipe. It's for sale at the UBC's Beer Store today.

Also available today is Rooster's Iron Rooster Imperial Stout. For now it's for sale at both Ogden and Layton Roosters locations.

Cheers!

The 2015 Legislature Begins

Well, It's legislation time time again. It's that wonderful time of year when people who don't know you try impose their values onto you. Now don't get me wrong many good things come out the legislative session every year, but what we tend to focus on here at the Utah Beer Blog is how the people who are making the laws affect our ability to live in a more prosperous adult oriented pro-alcohol culture.

So over the next 45 days or so we will attempt to keep you up to date on all of the relevant beer and alcohol related issues that may affect the way you enjoy and live your lives. With the departure of John Valentine (the main alcohol opponent) from the Utah State Senate, many feel this is the time for great change. My experience spending time in those Business and Labor Interim Committee meetings tells me there will be no significant loosening of beer/alcohol related laws this session. Any real change is going to take at least a year or two of examination before it will come close to being heard in committee. However, some tweaking may come around this session in regards to the Zion Curtain or "Beer Burka" as we're fond of calling it here. But who knows? They've surprised us before.

In any regard stay close and please participate in the process. Help spread the word if you come across anything positive or controversial so we can support or defend our beer releated interests.

As of Today Rep. Curtis Oda has filed HB0016 a bill to clarify special event permits. Remember that whole Snowbird Oktoberfest fiasco? And Rep. Steve Eliason has put forth HB0048 a bill that would outlaw powdered alcohol from being sold in the state.

If these are of concern to you, now is the time to get on your Representative or Senator and start rattling their chains. Now go forth and do Thor's work!

Cheers!

Cartoon Courtesy: Pat Bagley

Remembering Kyle Trammel

Sad news this morning. Our friend Kyle Trammel who had gone missing this time last week, was found dead Thursday night in a remote area near Great Basin National Park in eastern Nevada. According to South Salt Lake police a passer by saw his black 2007 Subaru Legacy late at night and called it in to the White Pine County, Nev., Sheriff's Office. Kyle was located the next morning, police don't believe foul play was a factor. 

Kyle is a local guy who got into craft beer early in his life, working at the Beer Nut for many years before moving on to professional brewing jobs at RedRock and Bohemian Breweries. After years of learning the brewing trade here in Utah, Kyle made a move to Victoria, Australia where he took on the job as head brewer at Southern Bay Brewing located on the southern most tip of the continent. After nearly a year of making beer in Victoria, a new opportunity brought Kyle back to the states, to oversee and advise in the creation of Salt lake City's Beer Bar. His knowledge brought high standards and opened up a new pipeline for northwestern beer coming into the state. After Kyle's contract with the Beer Bar ended he started up his Beer Consulting business which aimed at helping bars, restaurants and start-up breweries become more beer proficient in regards to how they presented and sold beer. His next gig came soon after - helping to lay the groundwork for Ogden's first craft beer bar, the Barrelhouse. He was still under contract there until his disappearance.

This is a tiny representation of the guy I knew, there are many pages to be written in his book, I'm glad I have the honor to contribute a few paragraphs. This is all quite senseless. This is a  tragedy that didn't need to happen. Looking at the outpouring of concern from various broadcast and social media outlets, Kyle had far too many close friends and family members to confide in. If suicide is on your mind, perceived embarrassment or weakness should not be preventing you from getting help. Had one person known of Kyle's state of mind days before, this tragedy may have never occurred. 

Check back here or the various social media platforms for remembrance gatherings and interment.

http://utahsuicideprevention.org/

http://hope4utah.com/

http://www.sprc.org/states/utah    

Photo Credit: (right) SLUG Magazine and Chad Kirkland - (Probably my favorite photo of Kyle)

New Beer Friday 1/23/15

January has been brutally slow in the local beer world, but we've managed to put together a nice list of local options to help get the weekend started. Sadly, I've been "on the wagon" for most of the month so many of these beers, I have not tried. I have had a few from previous tastings, but those I've not tried are prefaced with "described as", these are the descriptions of the beer's producers.  

Bonneville Port Matcher Porter - Described as having sweet caramel malts and chocolate malt work together to give this dark English ale notes of bread, toffee and a hint of raisin. 4.0% ABV @ Bonneville, All Star Lanes and places with Bonneville seasonal handles.

Wasatch Rescue Dog American Brown Ale - Couldn't find any tasting notes on this one. If you've had it, please share your thoughts. 4.0% ABV @ Wasatch locations and where Wasatch has seasonal taps.

Alameda Barn Owl Imperial Brown - Is described as being brewed in the style of southern English brown ale, only much stronger (7.9% ABV). A myriad of specialty malts impart a smooth, layered flavor with notes of chocolate, caramel, and biscuit shining through. The perfect beer to celebrate the beginning of spring. @ Slackwater

New Belgium Yuzu Imperial Berliner Weisse - Pours a hazy, orange straw color with a small to moderate head. The nose is yeasty with Apple and Chardonnay. The taste is mostly yeast with some tart vine berries. Not as sour as I was hoping for. A bit more tartness would have made the fruit really shine. Yeast notes come next with a hint of floral hops. Somewhat dry finish. 8.0% ABV

Payette Pale Ale - Pours a semi-hazy amber/orange with a bright frothy head. The nose is floral with grapefruit and lemongrass notes. Malty notes way in the back. The taste is typical of a pale ale: graham cracker sweetness followed by floral and citrus hops. Finishes moderately dry. It's not a brilliant pale ale by any means, try Payettes's Rodeo Rye instead. 4.8% @ Slackwater

Payette North Fork Lager - Pours a very clear golden straw color with an average amount of head. The nose has herbal hops with a bit of toasty malt in the back. The taste starts with toasty crackers then transitions to herbal and grassy Euro hops. The hop bitterness is a little more subdued than I prefer in a lager but it's crisp and refreshing non the less. Still, it finishes with a nice lingering dryness. 4.4% ABV @ Slackwater


Returning Favorires

Uinta Tinder Rauchbier
Bohemian Grätzer
Avenues Proper Ro-Rye


Just in case your not aware Kyle Tremmel, Beer Consultant and former local brewer has suddenly disappeared and gone off the grid. Kyle is known for helping to get the Beer Bar off the ground and is currently contracted with Ogden's Barrelhouse as their Beer Consultant. Kyle failed to show up for work at the Barrelhouse earlier this week and has deactivated his mobile phone and suspended all of his social media accounts. This move is out of character for him, his family and we his friends are understandably concerned for his well being. There's a chance he may have left for the the North West. Kyle drives a black Subaru Legacy with the plate number X473CU. Any info should be directed to South Salt Lake Police 1-801-412-3600.

Vernal Imperial Stout and IPA

Back in 2011 when we first became aware of Vernal Brewing Co.'s plans to bring locally made craft brews to Eastern Utah, the owners always stated that they intended to package their beer for wider state distribution. Well, it looks like they're about to make good on that promise. I've received information that two new bottled beers are on coming on the horizon.

Vernal Brewing Imperial Stout and Vernal Brewing 50 Caliber IPA are in the planning stages and should be headed our way in the next few months. These are are both brewed to style ales (high point) and will be available at DABC stores in the coming months. We'll keep you up to date as to when they're going to be available.

Cheers!

Iron Rooster Imperial Stout

You'd be surprised how popular Imperial Stouts have become over the last few years. Most of the local breweries that produce them can hardly keep them on the shelves and many of those are coveted across the country.

Roosters Brewing is now throwing their hat into the local "Impy Game" with the creation of their up and coming, Iron Rooster Imperial Stout. No idea yet on the specifics of this high alcohol bomb because it's currently in the fermenters. Look for a beer full of huge roasted, chocolate and burnt malt flavors with an ABV well over 8%. We'll keep you up to date on it's release. Love the artwork for the label.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 1/9/15

Thanks for hanging in there during this slow time of the year, things look to be gathering momentum in the coming weeks. Look for a lot of changes in the coming months!

Ninkasi Expo58 - Pours a crystal clear straw yellow color with a fizzy cap of foam. The nose has some slight spicy yeast esters with a bit of floral hops. The flavor starts with malty with a bit of wood dryness. A bit of clove comes next with a hint of sulfur. The end has some floral and spicy hops notes. The finish is dry and light. 5.0% ABV
 
The Annex Kettle Sour IPA -  Pours a somewhat hazy apricot color with a thin to moderate amount of foam. Citrus and floral hops dominate the nose with a bit of sour dryness beneath. Look for sour green apples on the tongue with a bit of flowery bitterness and resiny citrus peel slightly underneath. The beer is not overwhelming sour, but there is some puckering. 4.0% ABV @ The Annex

Wasatch Brewmaster Special: Gose - Haven't tried this one yet. Look for lemony tartness with a light to moderate sodium finish. I believe this is the first beer produced on premises in the brewpubs's pilot system. 4.0% ABV @ Wasatch Brewpub in Sugarhouse 

Hive Rhubarb Wine -  It's described as having a slightly sweet nose capturing the essence of berries and floral notes. However, don’t let the nose fool you, this wine is unexpectedly dry with only a hint of sweetness which complements the berry notes in the wine. A soft and smooth wine with a slight tartness and subtle spice on the finish. Only 140 bottles produced.

The Annex's "Middle of the Firkin Wirkin' Week" firkin tapping has moved back to Fridays. So now I guess it's "End of the Firkin Wirkin' Week" Firkin? Today's offering will be their Bavarian Hefe with Lemon and Lime zest. I believe the tapping is at 4pm. 4.0% ABV

Returning Favorites
Desert Edge's Powdershot Porter and Desert Hell Helles 4.0% ABV


And congratulations go out to Salt Lake City's Beer Bar for making it into Draft Magazine's Top 100 Beer Bars issue. The feature's photo shows co-owner Richard Noel and praises Beer Bar's dedication to innovation, proper glassware and temperature specific storage. Prost, Beer Bar!

Cheers!

The Annex Sour IPA

Sour IPAs are one of those weird hybrid beer styles that should not work. One of the basic characteristics of a proper IPA is the caramel malt profile that provides a base for the resinous hops to build upon. Sour beers tend to shine best when you get that unripened tart fruitiness that you can feel deep within the jaw.

So whenever you cross styles like this one of the most important things to look for is balance and respecting the individual styles represented. It's not always easy to create a beer that can properly represent both styles equaly, but when it works it can be a thing of beauty.

The kids over at the Annex have done just that. They somehow managed to create a sour IPA that marries the best of both worlds. This new creation pours a somewhat hazy apricot color with a thin to moderate amount of foam. Citrus and floral hops dominate the nose with a bit of sour dryness beneath. Look for sour green apples on the tongue with a bit of flowery bitterness and resiny citrus peel slightly underneath. The beer is not overwhelming sour, but there is some puckering. A refreshing and bold way to start-off 2015. 4.0% This only at the Annex right now, it may end up at bars with an Annex seasonal handle.

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 1/2/15

Bohemian Kölsch - The Kölsch style of beer is an ale/lager hybrid originating from the city of Köln (Cologne), Germany. It's basically fermented warm like an ale then lagered or (cold conditioned) for a couple of weeks to give it that bright/clean taste. The Bohemian take on this beer is brewed with specialty Köln malt and Hallertau hops and a yeast unique to this style. The result is a beer with subtle fruit esters and a clean malty finish. It's filtered for a brilliant golden blonde presentation and served in a traditional .3 liter "Stange" glass. Available at BOHO for a limited time. 4.0% ABV

Hoptah Session IPA - "brewed with large amounts of Citra, Centennial, and Chinook hops, this lower-alcohol IPA doesn’t sacrifice any flavor. A full body and slight caramel sweetness balance the pleasant, resinous hop bitterness". 3.9% ABV @ grocery/convenience stores

FYI: Fore the next four months Uinta's Brew House Pub will be closed for remodeling. Look for a bigger and better space sometime this spring. The retail/beer store will still be open. A new shop is being finished as we speak. You'll be able to buy most bottled and canned options. Sadly no growler fills will be availble durring the remodeling. We'll keep you informed as to the pubs re-launch as it's time gets closer.

Cheers!

Hoptah IPA

Last May we informed you that Black Diamond Brewing Co. out of Concord, California was entering the SLC market with a session IPA designed especially for our area. Well, it's finally here.

It looks like Hoptah Session IPA just hit grocery store shelves a few days before Christmas. I haven't tried it yet, but a few of you have. It's described as being "brewed with large amounts of Citra, Centennial, and Chinook hops, this lower-alcohol IPA doesn’t sacrifice any flavor. A full body and slight caramel sweetness balance the pleasant, resinous hop bitterness". Please share your impressions if you've tried it and where you found it.

Thanks to Quentin for the photo!

Prost!

New Beer Friday: Boxing Day Edition

I hope, Santa was good to you... If not? Mikey will be! Every Friday is Xmas around here. My sleigh...er Volvo is always full of cheers for all of good girls and boys that are willing to pony up the quatloos for a bit of liquid happiness. If your burnt out on all of yesterday's stresses he's some relief for your body and mind.

RedRock American Session IPA - This showed up at limited grocery stores Christmas Eve, so I didn't have the opportunity to try it. My guess is that it's somewhat similar to RedRock's IPA Junior, a session IPA that's been poured at the brewpub for years. If you've already tried it let us know how it is. 4.0% ABV
 
Squatters: Take Out Rye IPA - Dark amber in color. Nice piney floral nose. A fair amount of fruity rye spiciness on the tongue. Hops are full and bitter. Mostly pine with some bitter citrus peel. Was hoping for a little more tropical hops to pair with the malt fruitiness. Good but not as great as some of their IPAs. 6.25% ABV @ Beer Bar, The Beer Store, Squatters Bottleshop. Wide distribution soon.

Mother Earth: Four Seasons Of Mother Earth - Winter (2014) Deep amber in color with some ruby highlights. The nose is very Christmas-y with cinnamon, pine and various dark spices. The taste is full of nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger blanced with a nice dose of toffee malts. Subtle hazelnut and rich spicy hops came next with a bit of coconut and Bourbon rounding out the back end. This beer reminds me of Bourbon gingerbread cookies. It's rich full flavors explode on the tongue. One of the few Holiday brews that truly hits the mark.  11% ABV @ BeerHive 

Returning Favorites

Epic Blue Law Porter -  Porter made with black berries and spruce tips picked from trees on Utah's Capitol grounds. This wasn't released last year, so it's been absent for a while. @ Epic, The Annex, some better beer bars.

Cheers!

Squatters 529 Oud Bruin is Back!

Well you bought up all of the Fifth Element Wild Saison. I hope you're proud of yourselves! If you somehow managed to miss-out on that boat, round three in the Squatters/Wasatch sour hat-trick hits today.

Squatters 529 Oud Bruin is a blend of new and old and is finally being released today, just in time for the holidays. 529 generally denotes the number of days the base sour beer spends getting all funk-i-fied in oak barrels. If you haven't had the pleasure, 529 Pours a deeper amberish color with a small sized off white head. The nose is of of cherries, dust and some spiciness. The taste starts with notes of cherry tartness, caramel and brown sugar. Tobacco notes come next as well as lemon peel and sour grapes. The finish is tart, woody and dry. @ Squatters & The Beer Store.

Squatters has limited hours today (Xmas Eve). They are open from 11am to 3pm. These are very limited releases and are gone when gone. I guess this makes up for me getting denied on Van Winkle Day.

Happy Holidays!

Thank You!

Just wanted to say, thanks to everyone who was able to make it out to the Big Ass Holiday Tasting on Saturday. Your generosity and friendship was overwhelming and it's without a doubt the best time of the holidays for Krin and I.

I'm sorry I have to cap the number of people who can attend, it's just not possible to accommodate a massive gathering in a private home. Next year we are looking to expand into a larger venue where it will be possible for me to drink even more of your brilliant beers!

Thanks again to everyone, hope your holidays are filled with beer. Looking forward to great beer year in 2015!

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 12/12/14

Widmer - Alchemy Pale Ale: The nose is citrusy and piney with some earthy caramel malts. The taste follows with toasty and medium sweet malt followed by some fruity tropical hops in the middle. The end is mostly bitter with piney notes. 5.8% ABV @ Beer Bar, DABC 

Widmer - Brrr: Deep copper in color with two fingers of white foam. The nose is dominated by dank malts and grapefruit, florals and a hint of skunk. the flavor starts citrusy with grapefruit, tangerine and herbal notes. A moderate amount of toffee and caramel comes in next with a bit of toasty grain. The is slightly piney and dank. This one is pretty nice, don't drink it too cold. A little warmth brings out some of the malt's complexity. 7.2% ABV @ Beer Bar,  DABC

Firestone Walker - 18 Anniversary Ale: Haven't had a chance to try the XVIII yet. This year's blend is 38% Parabola aged in bourbon barrels, 16% Helldorado aged in bourbon & brandy barrels, 16% Bravo aged in bourbon & brandy barrels, 14% Stickee Monkee aged in bourbon & brandy barrels, 5% Velvet Merkin aged in bourbon barrels, 4% Hydra Cuvee aged in bourbon barrels, 3% Wookey Jack, 2% Ol' Leghorn aged in new American oak, 2% Double Jack.13.0% ABV
If that sounds like it'll shoot a breeze up your skirt, then you can look for it a better beer bars and in select DABC stores.

Returning Favorites

Epic - Old Sage Brett Wild Ale
Epic - Santa Cruz Brown Ale

If you've RSVP'd to the party tomorrow, don't forget your taster glass and a plan for your ride home. Looking forward to seeing you!

Cheers!

A New Direction at the Annex & Tots for Tots

The Annex is teaming up with Yelp and Toys for Tots to bring you "Toys for Tater Tots"! Bring in an unwrapped new toy for donation and recieve a free order of the Annex's gourmet tater tots and a $3 firkin pint. The firkin will feature the Annex's Wheat Ale with Hibiscus and Lemon. Tapping is at 3pm. 

Speaking of the Annex, if you haven't been by recently you've probably missed the new upgrades to the brewpub. First off, that damn Zion Curtain/Beer Burka is gonzo! The remodeled bar is much more comfortable and appealing. 

Another great benefit that many people may not be aware of is that you can get damn near every beer Epic Brewing makes by the glass. You don't have to buy the entire bottle. 

Their new license means more than just doing away with the Zion Curtain it also means that you don't have to order food, just to get a beer, though you may be doing yourself a big disservice by not trying the new menu. 

Many have commented that the Annex's food was not very approachable to the masses. It was just too "foo-foo" for the casual beer crowd. The new menu offers comfort food with an emphasis on fresh ingredients combined with technical prowess. Their fried chicken and burgers and incredible, well worth the trip. 

Cheers!

Rebranding at Shades of Pale

Over the coming weeks you'll start to see a fresh look from Shades of Pale Brewing Co.. Not only will there be new artwork adorning the bottles but the bottles themselves will undergo a change. Look for new 12oz bottles to start popping up in grocery and convenience stores in the coming weeks.

The new brewery in South Salt Lake is also evolving as a new tap house and package agency is in the works. And since they're applying for a package agency license that mean higher ABV beer is on the way. Keep checking back for news on SOP's higher alcohol version of their new Misdirected IPA, coming soon. The 4% version is out right now, and is current being poured at Poplar St. Pub. (see previous post)

Cheers!

New Beer Friday: Repeal Day Edition

On this day in 1933, Utah cast the deciding vote to ratify the 21st Amendment of the Constitution,  which brought to an end the era of National Prohibition in the United States. Appropriately, it's also New Beer Friday. It's the perfect opportunity to celebrate beer's legal return to our lives with something new to share. Happy Repeal Day!

Shades of Pale - Misdirected IPA: This is a brand new label from Shades of Pale's new South Salt Lake brewery. It's a session IPA that will be available soon in 12oz bottles. Right now if you want to try it it's only available on draft at the Poplar Street Pub. Pours a slightly hazed golden amber color with a sturdy foamy head. The nose is a nice blend of citrus peel and flowery hops. The taste starts with some muted carmel malt and toast. Tropical fruitiness comes next adding some nice balance. The end is similar to the aroma - floral and citrusy. Finishes fairly dry. A strong contender for your session IPA dollars.
4.0% ABV

Wasatch - Cherry Coconut Porter: This is a new draft only seasonal from Wasatch. Pours black with a minimal amount of tan head. The nose is mostly of cocoa, coffee and roast. The taste starts with dark bakers chocolate and a hint of espresso. It's fairly dry. A slight cherry/prune tartness comes next to counter the dryness of the darker malts. The end has a hint of malt sweetness, but finishes mostly dry. I get no hint of coconut at all. Kinda reminds me of a stout but it's a nice wintery porter that you will likely find enjoyable. @The Beer Store, Poplar St. Pub and should be popping up where Wasatch/Squatters has seasonal taps. 4.0% ABV

For Firkin Friday at the Bayou, Hoppers has the New Zealand Draught with winter warming spices juniper berries, allspice, and star anise. Base beer is much like an English mild but fermented with lager yeast. Hopped completely with New Zealand Rakau, which have a pepper, pine, citrus and tropical fruit like flavor.

Cheers!

2014 Fifth Element is Finally Here

Alright kids listen up, that Fifth Element beer that we all cherish so damn much is being released today (12/2/14). You had better go buy some before Kent buys it all up. If you think I'm joking? I'm not... and he will, So.... Tally-ho, beer nerds! 

There's a one case limit and it'll probably be going for its standard price of $12.95 a bottle. Please call first before making the trip and remember the girl at the counter may not a fucking clue about what your geeking-out about so go easy on her. Capiche?

And to answer you next question.... "yes", Squatters 529 is likely being released early next week, so don't blow your 'beer wad' today or you'll be so very sad come seven days from now.

Cheers!

Talisman Brewing Company

If you think the new brewery trend is slowing down around the Wasatch Front, think again. Ogden is about to get a new brewery to fill the limbo-esque gap that Ruby River has left open. Husband and wife team: Dusty and Joann Williams have been craft beer enthusiasts for several years and are now ready to take their shared passion to the net level.

Talisman Brewing Company is currently working with Ogden City officials to iron out all the zoning requirements for the brewery. Dusty says, Ogden officials are eager to have their operation in their city. The operation will initially be operating at the Nano level on a 3bbl system and will have some 6bbl fermenters. The brewery will likely expand as demand grows.

Expect to see five flagship beers as well as a 6th beer that will be a season/rotational. Talisman will  initially start off with ales but will incorporate lagers as the brewery grows. Their five beers will be a Hefeweizen, Red Ale, Pale Ale, IPA, and a Porter. The ABV will range from around 4.5% - 8.0%. Dusty says they will be specializing in high point craft beer. "We aren’t messing around with the low ABV stuff". Look for this to be a production brewery with an onsite beer store, "tap room" for tastings and small menu food. Their main focus will be to sell onsite as well as distributing to select restaurants and bars. Once they build their volumes, the intend is to expand distribution to state liquor stores and Military installations.

Once the property has been nailed down they'll have a better idea of when brewing can commence. We'll (of course) keep you updated. Please feel free to join their social media accounts. Cheers!Congratulation, Dusty and Joann!

Facebook- Talisman Brewing Company
Twitter - Talisman@Talismanbrewing
Instagram- Talismanbrewingco
Website- www.talismanbrewingco.com (still in the works)
email- Info@talismanbrewingco.com

Cheers!