Squatters Barrel Fever Double Bock

Here's a new small batch release from Squatters. Barrel Fever Double Bock appears to be Wasatch's Devastator Double Bock aged in High West Whiskey barrels and re-branded to Squatters. It's all made under the same roof. I guess it doesn't matter what label it's under. This beer has been aging for quite a few months and is finally ready to hit the market.

Barrel Fever is described as having woody - maple/vanilla notes with that great High West Whiskey character. It dials in at a big 11.2% ABV and will be available in 22oz. bombers. Dopple Bocks work great with barrel aging. The sweet toffee malt flavors work seamlessly with the whiskey notes. I'm really looking forward to trying this. As soon as it hits the shelves we'll spread the word. Hopefully by week's end or early next week.

And yes, I did notice that the labels refers to this lager as an ale. Weird.

Prost!

New Beer Friday 7/31/15

We've got a ton of new beers this week from all over the place including Italy, Denmark and a far off place called Vernal, Utah. 

Vernal Brewing - She's a Peach: The nose reeks of peaches. This high peach flavor continues all the way with this thing--there is very little else to it. If you like peach, this beer is for you. If you don't, you won't make it through the pint. The mouthfeel is quick and smooth. A fine summer beer. 4.0% ABV @ Vernal Brewing, and Vernal accounts
 
Sierra Nevada - Oktoberfest: Pours a deep orange-amber with a nose that is malty, grainy, and has a hint of noble hops. The taste is huge on caramel, bread, honey, brown sugar, raisin, and Grape Nuts. Grassy and herbal noble hop comes out strong in the finish. Mouthfeel leans towards thick and is sticky. 6.0% ABV @ DABC

Cristoffel Nobel:  Me no try yet. It's described as having a cloudy yellowish amber appearance. the nose is fragrant with fruit and noble hops. The taste is harp & dry bitterness. Alcoholic presence is felt. Oily,resiny & woody finish.Medium body but a little fat in mouth. Drinkability is ok. 8.7% ABV. @ Bayou
 
Brewfist Spaceman IPA: Me no try yet. It's described as having a slightly cloudy medium yellow with deeper orange colour in the middle. The nose has grapefruit, peach and mango up front with some sweet honey and caramel aromas present as well. The taste is bitter up front with some tropical fruit and grapefruit notes present. A somewhat dank flavor is present, some sweet caramel present as well. 7.0% ABV @ Bayou

Brewfist X Ray Porter: Me no try yet. It's described as having a very dark appearance with a fluffy mocha head that sustains nicely. The nose is of powder chocolate and a hint of grass. The taste is of chocolate and slightly fruity esters but leans more towards the chocolate and earthy hops initially with the dark fruits coming through in the finish. 8.5% ABV @ Bayou
 
To Øl - By Utter Means:  Me no try yet. Pours an opaque dark brown, two fingers of light brown foam. The nose has milk chocolate, musty/roasty grain. The taste starts earthy with molasses, fudge, some light toasted bread. Substantial hop balance is earthy and otherwise nondescript bittering hops. Body is a little lighter than expected. 7.0% ABV @ Bayou
 
To Øl - Black Malts and Body Salts: Me no try yet. Pours out pitch black, with an inch and a half of creamy, tan head. The nose has hints of coffee and roasted malts with a bit of citrus and tropical fruit. The taste has coffee, creamy chocolate, orange and pine are right up front in this one, slight floral taste near the end. Very well rounded flavor. Thicker body, a bit heavy on the carbonation. 9.9% ABV @ Bayou
 
To Øl - Nordic by Nature: Me no try yet. The nose is all IPA, strong lemon, grapefruit, and orange zest rolled in with some good hops. The lacing is quite awesome too! The flavor is clean, tart at first and then the bitterness kicks in, I think is this very well done. Citrus flavors dominate the overall character of this beer, you get a combination of Orange, lemon and grapefruit the entire time you’re drinking this beer. The hops show up in its aftertaste and they do not disappoint. 6.5% ABV @ Bayou
 
To Øl - Dangerously Close to Stupid IIPA: Me no try yet. The nose gives you a fair warning of what to expect from this beer, tropical fruits such as pineapple, mango, orange, grapefruit. The taste is the same. Very juicy and fruity with a pretty sharp bitterness.The exotic fruits is definitely present just like on the nose, sweetness from mango/pineapple and orange/grape on the citrus parts. Alcohol is well masked and the bitterness rounds off well. 9.3% ABV @ Bayou
 
Amager - Batch One: Me no try yet. Pours a cloudy red-orange amber. Moderate one finger light tan head and nice lacing. Aroma of caramel malt and a hint of light fruit. Caramel and sweet malt, slight light fruit, some vanilla and dark fruit. Abrupt bitter finish without aromatic hops. Moderate, creamy body. A decent moderately complex barley wine, but does not stand out in the crowd. 9.2% ABV
 
Amager Ryeking: Me no try yet. The color is black while the dark brown enormous head is compact and takes a really long time to settle. The nose has  roasted malts with a dose of rye, coffee and dried fruits.The taste starts with roasted rye, dried fruits and chocolate. Espresso rounds out the end with a finish that has burned bitter notes. 7.7% ABV @ Bayou

Xbeeriment #44 Smoked Stout: Me no try yet. Aroma of smoky toasted malt, mild chocolate and brown sugar. Flavor is dark toasted malt, charred coffee, milk chocolate, finishing with smoky dark malt with a hint of wood ash, more post-fire than smoky. Nice medium, lightly creamy body. A somewhat dry stout, leaning towards a foreign / export stout profile. The smoke is rather subdued, leaving a faint memory of the fire rather than smoke in one's eye and is mostly present in the finish.. Pleasant and full flavored, but I'd like just a little stronger malt support for the smoke in the finish.
 
Nøgne Ø /Terapin Imperial Rye Porter: Me no try yet. Pitch black with a thick, creamy, tan 2 finger head. Nose has coffee, roasted malts, dark fruits, booze, and tropical hops.
The taste starts with dark, sweet fruits up front. Big chocolate, roasted malts, caramel, toffee, coffee, and a little licorice follows. Creamy chocolate is the boss of this beer, but its other parts compliment it wonderfully. Beautifully balanced and complex. Hoppy tropical fruit flavor pops in and out as it warms. 9.0% ABV @ Bayou
 
Haandbryggeriet - Norwegian Wood: Me no try yet. Smells of roasted malt, sweet malt, slight hops, smoke, hint of coffee, hint of chocolate, and a hint of yeast. Fits the style of a Smoked Beer. Mouth feel is sharp and crisp, with a high carbonation level. Tastes of strong smoke, roasted malt, slight sweet malt, slight hop, and slight chocolate. 6.5% ABV @ Bayou
 
Haandbryggeriet - Norse Porter: Me no try yet. Poured a pitch-black color porter with a large dark brown foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of dry roasted malt with some strong dry coffee notes is very interesting. Taste is also dominated by dry roasted malt with huge coffee notes which are well balanced and avoid entering into astringency territory. Body is quite full for style with good carbonation and no apparent alcohol. Enjoyable beer with strong roasted/coffee notes.6.0% ABV @ Bayou

Cheers!

New Epic Growlers

You may have noticed that Epic Brewing is one of the few breweries in the state that doesn't offer growlers for their customers. The primary reason was that Epic only made "high point" beers and since growlers in Utah are primarily poured from taps - and Epic has no taps - growlers were'nt an option.

Apparently that is no longer the case. After checking with the DABC, it was ruled that Epic can fill a standard growler with any of their beers as long as it prepackaged and meets packaging and size requirements. So starting Thursday August 6th, Epic Brewing in Salt Lake City will begin selling prepackaged growlers.
 
Epic will rotate through its selection of over 40 beers, offering a different beer each week. Growlers will go on sale every Thursday morning until sold out. The cost will be $10, $16, or $20 depending upon which beer is packaged. There is an additional $6 growler deposit which will be refunded upon the return of a clean Epic growler. No other generic or brewery's containers will be accepted. 

The first release will be Hopulent IPA, $16 plus deposit. Weekly brand announcements will be made on Epic Brewing's social media accounts. Twitter: @EpicBrewing Instagram: EpicBrewing Facebook: Epic Brewing Company. The Utah Beer Blog will also spread the word as soon as we get the info. What are your thoughts on this new packaging option?

Cheers!

2015 Utah Beer Festival: Participating Breweries

We got our hands on the list of breweries that will be pouring their suds at this year's Utah Beer Festival. It looks like there will be over 50 different breweries pouring this year - that's defiantly a record for any beerfest in the state thus far. Conservatively that will equate to over 200 different beers that will be offered-up for the tasting.

You'll get 5 starter tokens when you enter the festival, that way you can start sampling beers right away, no waiting to buy tokens to get your first sip of beer. All draft beers/draft ciders are available in both 5oz sample pours or 12 oz. pours. High point beers will be poured into your 5oz taster mug. All draft samples are 1 token, high point samples range from 2-4 tokens (90% fall under the 2 token price). 12oz. beer prices vary from 3-5 tokens based on the price of the beer. Additional tokens can be purchased at one of the two token booths located at the festival. You can buy 5 for $5.

2 Row Brewing
Ace Hard Cider
Anchor Brewing
Angry Orchard    
Anheuser Busch    
Annex by Epic Brewing
Avenues Proper    
Ballast Point    
Black Diamond Brewery
Bohemian    
Boulder Beer    
Boulevard Brewing
Constellation Brands         
Desert Edge
Deschutes Brewery    
Diageo    
Epic Brewing
Firestone Walker Brewing    
Full Sail Brewing    
Heineken USA/ Strongbow
Hoppers Grill and Brewing
Kona    
Lagunitas    
Leinenkugel Brewing Company
Moab Brewery    
New Belgium Brewing    
Ninkasi
Park City Brewery    
Payette    
Pelican Brewing
Red Hook
RedRock    
RedRock High-Point    
Roosters Brewing
Rogue    
Samuel Adams    
Sapporo
Schofferhofer    
Shades of Pale    
Shiner
Sierra Nevada    
Sockeye Brewing    
Squatters
Squatters/Wasatch High-point    
Uinta    
Upslope Brewing
Vermont Hard Cider    
Vernal Brewing
Widmer    
Wasatch
Wing Nutz

Some of the breweries above are listed by their importer/distributor - so count on a few more breweries to be added to this list. Hope to see you there!

Prost!

New Beer Friday: Pie & Beer Day Edition

Oh yeah, Baby! It's New Beer  Friday, and if that's not enough for you to celebrate it's also Pie & Beer Day! I know that many of you have your Pie & Beer Day celebrations already planned out. Weather your celebrating at home with friends and family or hitting some of the many planned events around the Wasatch Front, these great new beer option can only make your day better.
 
Squatters - Safety Meeting IPA: All Vienna malts and 100% Summit hops - create a damn refreshing citrus blast in this seasonal session IPA. 4.0% ABV @Squatters - Pair with Cheesecake

Pelican - Golden Pelican:  Herbal, fruity and hoppy nose with a spicy rye flavor profile that works well with the fruity and spicy Aramis hops and farmhouse yeast. 8.5% ABV @Beerhive, Beer Bar, Slackwater, Bayou - Pair with Cherry Pie

Pelican - Flock Wave Pale Ale: Bright floral and citrusy nose. The taste has smooth wheat characteristics with a crisp citrus peel snap. Finishes light and dry. 5.9% ABV @Beerhive, Beer Bar, Slackwater, Bayou - Pairs with Rhubarb Pie

Full Sail - Session IPA: Light citrus in the nose. The taste is slightly grassy with cirus and pine beneth. Malts are light. Refreshing light body. It's not going to blow your mind but it'll do. 5.1% ABV @Beer Bar - Pairs with Quiche

Aztec  -Sacrifice Red India Ale: Dank, hoppy nose. The hoppy bitterness comes on strong and lingers throughout. Big caramel and roast malt flavors are intense as well. Quite dry and roasty for a Red Ale. 7.6% ABV @Beer Bar, Slackwater, Barrelhouse - Pairs with Pecan Pie 

Aztec  - Hop Serpent: Flowery and piney nose with a nice woody malty taste. A hint of char comes next with herbal hops and apricot. Interesting IPA. 9.9% ABV @ Beer Bar, Slackwater, Barrelhouse - Pairs with Apple Pie

Shiner - Ruby Redbird: This Radler has a spicy grapefruit nose and a palate to match. The taste is mostly grapefruit with ginger ale backing it up. This has much more of a snap than your typical raddler. 4.0% ABV @ Harmons  - Pairs with Custard Pie

Santa Fe - Black IPA: Roasted malt, pine and orange peel in the nose. The taste starts with a big dose of char and toffee. Strong piney hops come next with a hint of citrus in the back. Finished bone dry. I think I'm loosing my enthusiasm for the Black IPAs. It's a good representation of the style. 7.1% ABV @ Beer Bar, Slackwater  Pairs with Black Berry Pie

Deschutes - Pine Drops: Big piney/citrusy nose. Herbal up front with a nice dose of honey malt. The rest of the beer is an onslaught of resinous pine and citrus. So damn tasty! 6.1% ABV @ Beer Bar - pair with Key Lime Pie

Have fun and be safe this weekend.

Prost!

Pie and Beer Day Events

Not much happening this week, but there will be shload of Pie and Beer Day events to check out tomorrow. Here's what I've been able to confirm is happening along the Wasatch Front. Not seeing your event? Please share!

BarrelHouse - 315 24th Street, Ogden's BarrelHouse has teamed up with Pretty Smitty Pies to pair four (from scratch) pies with some of the BarrelHouses finest beers. Starts at 5pm and goes 'til there ain't no more pie. $5 per pie/beer sampler.

Beer Bar - 161 E. 200 South, Salt Lake City from 3 p.m. until the pie runs out. Pie Pass is $20 at the door, and includes five pieces of pie. Beer additional. Proceeds benefit KRCL Radio. 

Salt Lake Acting Company - 168 W. 500 North, Salt Lake City. SLAC is encouraging patrons to bring pie and beer to Friday’s production of “Saturday’s Voyeur.” Showtime is moved up to 6 p.m. so guests can be out in time to see fireworks. Tickets at 801-363-7522 or saltlakeactingcompany.org

 

Shooting Star Saloon - 7350 E. 200 South, Huntsville; 801-745-2002. Apple or berry pie à la mode served until pie runs out. Draft beers available. 

Squatters Brewery - 147 W. 300 South, Salt Lake City; 801-363-2739. Serving slices of peanut butter pie for $2.50; and draft beers for $2.50 

Uinta Brewing - 1722 S. Fremont Drive, Salt Lake City; 801-467-0228. Stop by the newly remodeled Brewhouse pub for pie and draft beers. 

Wasatch Brew Pub - 2110 S. Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, 801-783-1127. Serving slices of peanut butter pie for $2.50 and draft beers for $2.50

Note: there is no Pie & Beer Day event at the Annex

Prost!

Utah Pie & Beer Day

What is Pie and Beer Day? At it's most basic it's a play on words: "Pie and Beer" sounds like "Pioneer". It's origins are vague and it's time in Utah is unknown, but what we do know that it has been deemed important and it's here to stay. What was once reserved for backyard gatherings and tavern revelry is now out of the shadows of the Pioneers and ready for it's time in the light.

If you're like me and tend to spend any time here at the Utah beer Blog, your connection to Pioneer Day in Utah is mostly that of a spectator - you understand why some may find it important, but for the most part it's just a waste of a free day. Pie and Beer Day was created as a counter culture alternative for people that don't fit into the established green jello and hand cart mold that has been around for generations.

Every year, Pie and Beer Day's momentum increases. More and more people are discovering what this wonderfully kitschy day has to offer. It's not just about drinking beer or filling our, er... "pie holes" with pie but that other non-LDS cultures matter and that our way of celebrating life in Utah is just as legitimate.


The Pie and Beer Day manual is short and brief. Gather friends and/or family - bring pie and beer - have and consume. It's been this way for years and it's a formula that has proven to work.

If you're looking to step up your game and get out of the back yard, KRCL and SLC's Beer Bar are putting on their Second Annual Pie and Beer Day Celebration. The event is a fundraiser for the radio station and will feature pies and beers that are specifically paired for maximum enjoyment.

Look for pies (both sweet and savory) from Eva's Bakery - Copper Onion - Pago - Carluccis' Bakery - Tulie Bakery - Cafe Trio - 3 Cups - Great Harvest - Beer Bar and Taqueria 27

The locally made beers will be provided by RedRock - Squatters - Uinta - Wasatch - Bohemian - 2 Row - Shades of Pale - Hoppers - Desert Edge and Epic Brewing.

The event is on Friday July 24th (Pie and Beer Day) and will go from 3pm-5pm at The Beer Bar located at 161 e. 200 s. in SLC. This event is limited so you're thinking of showing up at 4pm your likely to be SOL. If you can't make it to Beer Bar, create your own celebration. You can't lose! We're talking pie and beer folks.

Sköl

Oskar Blues is Coming

One of the mountain region's most popular breweries has finally set it's sights on Utah. Oskar Blues was founded in 1997 in Lyons, Co and made a huge impact on the craft beer scene with their phenomenally popular Dale's Pale Ale. The brewery was also one of the first craft breweries in America to embrace cans as their primary packaging back in 2002.

In March of 2015 Oskar Blues acquired  Perrin Brewing Co. out Michigan - this acquisition was backed by a significant investments from Fireman Capital Partners, a Boston-based private equity firm that already has significant investments in two Utah-based craft brewers — Wasatch and Squatters, which make up the Utah Brewers Cooperative.

Now that you have an idea of who Oskar Blues is, here's what you really care about. Which of their beers are coming to Utah?  Oskar Blues current standard line up of beer consists of seven labels: Dale's Pale Ale, Mama's Little Yella Pils, Pinner, Old Chub, Old Chub Nitro, Deviant Dale's and G'Knight. It's likely most or all of these will be in the market in the next few months.

These are quality beers from a great brewery, any thoughts on Oskar Blues hitting the market?

Cheers!

New Beer Friday 7/10/15

Uinta - Ales for ALS Red IPL: Pours a ruby/amber color with a nice long lasting cap of  foam. Big citrus peel and pine in the nose. The taste starts juicy with orange and tangerine. Subtle caramel malts come next with pine resins rounding out the back end. The finish is fairly bitter and dry. Nice take on an India Pale Lager! 6.2% ABV @ Uinta, Beer Bar, Beerhive

Bohemian - Brewers Stache Munich Helles: Bohemian Brewery's newest "Brewer'stache" is a classic Munich Helles with a twist. The traditional smooth pilsener malts give way to the addition of Sterling hops. This hop variety is an American derivative of classic Czech Saaz and brings with it expected spicy flavor and herbal aroma. Hopped exclusively with Sterling, this lager is a great example of how a beer can be hoppy without the bitterness. Available only at Bohemian's pub in Midvale. Don't wait too long! 4.0% ABV @ Bohemian 

Wasatch Lemon Drop Saison: Pours a cloudy golden straw color with a nice pillowy white head. The nose is very light with some spicy yeast phenols. The taste is classic saison with nice clove and coriander spices on top of toasted grains. The Lemon Drop hops add a pleasant lemongrass bitterenss that counters the spiciness from the yeast. Nice light and easy drinking. 4.0% ABV @ Squatters & Wasatch locations - Wing Nuts too. Should be popping up on Wasatch/Squatters seasonal taps around town soon. 

Hive - Raspberry Jalapeno Stinger Hard Apple Cider: Hive's ninth hard cider is born from their beloved Raspberry Stinger Hard Cider which has been infused with fresh jalapenos. The jalapeno and raspberry front the taste buds with a full apple finish. The heat level on this stinger balances beautifully with the flavors and would be best described as mild. 6.9% ABV @ Hive Winery and Brandy Company in Layton, The Bayou and Slackwater Pizzeria in Ogden.

Uinta is also starting their own Firkin Friday this week in their newly remodeled Brewhouse Pub. The debut firkin will be HooDoo Kolsch w/ 3 lbs of locally sourced peaches. 4.0% ABV The tapping  will be at 5pm.

Did I miss something? Please share what you've found locally and where we can find it!

Prost!

Roosters Celebrates 20 Years

Utah may not be a powerhouse in the craft beer scene compared to other states, but we've got some serious staying power with five breweries surpassing the 20 year mark. Tonight (July 9), Roosters Brewing Company joins Wasatch , Squatters, Uinta and RedRock as they celebrate their 20th anniversary, with a pig roast, music and beer.

Roosters opened up in Ogden back in 1995, renovating a 119-year-old building that had been a Chinese laundry and a "house of ill repute" during 25th Street's "glory days". Brewmaster Steve Kirkland was Roosters' first employee, and he's still creating and brewing more than 26 unique beers, including their special anniversary Belgian Style Rye Ale featuring the brewery's original rooster logo. Chanticleer Belgian Rye is an earthy Belgian-style ale, enlivened with rye and possessing essences reminiscent of clove and citrus.

The all ages party kicks off tonight at 5pm and goes til dark at Rooster Ogden location - 253, 25th Street. Congrats Roosters on two great decades!

Cheers!

New Beer Friday - Independence Day Edition

For Independence Day we have a ton new local options for you. Enjoy your holiday weekend!

Laughing Dog - Huckleberry Cream Ale: This new entry into the market pours a slightly hazy golden color with about a finger and a half of foam. The nose is mostly berries with grainy notes. The taste starts like the nose with big berry note and a touch of tartness. Malts hit the tongue next - caramel is there but subdued. Not much in the way hops - which is appropriate. This beer was definitely made for the summer heat. 4.0% ABV @Slackwater

2 Row - Dangereux Saison: Sadly I haven't had the chance to try this one yet. It's described as being a "big" saison with a good dose of phenolic spiciness with a big citrusy hop character. 9% ABV @ 2 Row and better beer bars

Anthem Cider - Anthem Hops: Anthem Cider’s tribute to the Northwest’s love of hops, Anthem Hops is a cider dry hopped with Oregon grown Cascade hops for over three weeks. The result is a light lagerish cider with all the beautiful citrus and floral aromas of Cascade hops with a only slight bitterness on the finish. Shy of Dry. Mild Tart. 10 IBU. 5.5% to 6.9% ABV. GLUTEN FREE. @Undercurrent

Uinta - Gluten Free Saison: Made with millet and buckwheat. The saison yeast takes on the brunt of the work complementing the tartness from the grain bill. Most of the people I takes to (including myself) found this to be a rather enjoyable gluten free beer. A nice saison. 4% ABV @Uinta's Brewhouse Pub.

Uinta - Gluten Free IPA: Made with millet and buckwheat. This one is hop forward like an IPA should be. There's a good amount of tangerine-like rind bitterness. There is some of that "gluten free" tartness as well. It is slightly thin, but they say that will be corrected in the next batch. 4% ABV @Uinta's Brewhouse Pub.

Vernal - Smoked Porter: Me no try yet. 4.0% ABV @ Vernal Brewing

Vernal - Pilgrimage Pale Ale: Me no try yet. 4.0% ABV @ Vernal Brewing

Vernal - Allosaurus Amber Ale: Me no try yet. 4.0% ABV @ Vernal Brewing

Vernal - Little Hole Lager: Me no try yet. 4.0% ABV @ Vernal Brewing

Cheers!

Sour Brainless on Peaches - For SLC

A couple of weeks ago we had the pleasure of letting you know about the release of Epic Brewing's Sour Brainless on Peaches. It got a very limited release in the states where Epic distributes and Utah will will be no different.

There will be a few cosmetic changes to the bottle that you will receive in SLC. First: it will be in a 22oz bottle in stead of the special 375ml waxed cap bottle that came out of Denver. Second: It will not have the new label, it will have the label that came with the original release of "beautiful disaster". The approval of new label would take too long - the brewery wants the beer out to you asap.

The sad part of this is that there will only be 175 bottles - one per person. The price for that 22oz bottle is $19.99. They will go on sale at the brewery on Thursday July 2nd. Due to the limited amount available it will likely be gone in an hour. People will undoubtedly do what they can to maximize  their purchasing power, so if you're able to get your ass to the brewery early Thursday you probably should.

Don't stress if you don't get some, this just a first release from Epic's new sour program. The sours will continue to flow.

Cheers! 

New Beer Friday 6/26/15

Full Sail - Brewers Share Oatmeal Stout: Pours black with a frothy light beige head The nose is roasty with char and some espresso grinds. The taste starts roasty with a bit of ash. Espresso and bitter dark chocolate comes next with oats showing beyond the robust roasty malt. Light, tangy dark fruitiness rounds out he back end. Modestly hopped, gently bitter, with a little citrus as it warms. Not too bad but a little spendy for what it is. 5.5% ABV @Beer Bar - DABC

2 Row - Random IPA #1: Pours a slightly hazy amber color with a good two fingers of off-white foam the nose has notes of caramel, tangerine peel, piney hops with some orangey citrus - bit of booze as well. The taste starts with resiny hop flavors of pine, a bit earthy and bright citrus. Nice balance to this. Hoppy, but not a total hop bomb either. Fruity tropical bitterness rounds out the end. Nice full bodied DIPA - Slight alcohol heat. Hoppy but not over - this is pretty damn tasty! 8.5% ABV @2 Row Brewing, Beer Bar, Beerhive & Bayou

Shades of Pale - Beer X White IPA: Pours a murky orange with a foamy beige head that settles to a partial film on top of the beer. The nose is of malt, citrus fruit, tropical fruit, and pineapple aromas. Taste is much the same with citrus zest and tropical fruit flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of hop bitterness. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer with a great tropical aroma and some tasty flavors. If you want to try this beer you'll have to attend the WeeBEER Festival in Ogden this Saturday. It should be available for purchase at the brewery sometime next week.

And a quick reminder that there are two Beerfests happening this weekend. The WeeBEER in Ogden and Wendover Beer Fest in Wendover, NV. The WeeBEER Fest will be debuting Laughing Dog's beers in the market along with many other options and Wendover will have a lot of hard to find - not available in Utah beers. You'll win no matter which one you choose.

Cheers!

2015 Utah Beer Festival

This year will see the 6th Annual Utah Beer festival return to downtown Salt Lake City. Every year this festival (put on by The City Weekly) gets bigger and bigger with more beer and entertainment and food options.

The beer list has not yet been put together, but there will easily be over a hundred different beers and ciders to sample from local, national and international breweries. As soon as the list comes together we of course will spread the love.

The festival will occupy 200 e. in downtown Salt Lake and the west side of Library Square. As with previous years there will be three tiers of of tickets. VIP (all access), Early Entry (2pm entry) and Standard (3pm entry). The festival officially starts at 3pm and goes to 8pm. There is set limit on tickets, so it may sell out. All samples are 1-2 tokens (poured into 5oz sample mug that you get at the gate) 12 oz available for DRAFTS ONLY at designated booths, ranging from 3-6 tokens based on the price of the beer. Advance tickets can be purchased here

If all of that info works for you, then all you have to do is show up on Saturday, August. 15, 2015. Hope to see you there. 

Cheers!

Photo: Yours Truly - taken by Chris Detrick

Uinta's Brewhouse Pub is Complete

If you haven't been by Uinta Brewing in the last few years you may not recognize the place. The massive expansion that has dwarfed their original location is a high tech thing of beer making beauty. Earlier this year, one of the final phases of Uinta 3.0 began with the closure and remodel of their brewhouse pub. That remodel is 99% completed and the pub nearly ready for it's debut.

Set your Wayback Machine to about six months ago and remember the old pub. It was an adequate sized space for a brew house taproom. The U shaped bar made it easy to converse with others and the and the large windows washed the nicely furnished room with tons of natural lighting.

The new set up is slightly different, but still takes advantage of Uinta's green energy mantra of Earth, Wind and Beer. The space nearly triples the floor space and the bar has a long classical "L" shape and is equipped with a shload of tap handles - The seating has quadrupled and the patio has been expanded as well.

The kitchen has been revamped as well. The menu is much more diverse - full of classic pub fair designed by Chef Rick Esparza, former owner of the Urban Bistro. I've known Rick for a while, he's got great culinary skills and his menu is full of food designed around Uinta's beers.

For now Uinta's Brewhouse Pub still retains it tavern license, but they are working to acquire a full club license. The Breweries bottleshop is open (always was) and is still selling all of Uitna's beers. The Uinta Brewery is located at 1722 s. Fremont Drive in Salt Lake City.

It's a great space. Congrats and thanks to Uinta on providing us a brilliant new watering hole!

Cheers!

Ogden City Brew Supply

If your a home brewer along the northern part of the Wasatch Front you've likely encountered the difficulties in obtaining your home brew supplies the further north you go. There have been a few home brew shops that have come and gone - including Grains, Grapes and Grounds and the recently shuttered Union Station Fermentation.

Now comes word that the guys behind Salt City Brew Supply in Midvale are going to invest in Ogden and points north of Salt Lake County with the opening of Ogden City Brew Supply. They will of course sell beer kits  along with a long list of specialty grain, adjuncts, yeast and hops. Wine, cider and mead supplies will be available as well. brewers.

OGBS will be located at 2269 Grant Avenue and is looking to open their door by sometime in mid July.

Cheers!

7th Annual Evanston Brewfest

The season of the beerfest continues! This entry comes to us from our neighbor to the north, Evanston, WY. The Annual Evanston Brewfest often runs counter to Pioneer Day and offers an alternative to adults who are seeking more little more beer and less green jello. 

The Brewfest takes place on July 25th at Depot Square and goes from 1pm to 5pm. tickets are $25 in advance and $30 the day of. This is a 21+ event - no children allowed, so don't forget your damn ID! This was once a street festival, it's now enclosed in a small park. The move takes away from the charm of Main Street but it doesn't affect the taste of the beer. It's proximity to the Wasatch Front and Back makes it a relatively quick drive and there are many hotels to crash at should you need them. Here's a preliminary list of the breweries that are pouring. Hope to see you there.

Alaskan Brewing Co.
Black Tooth Brewing Co.
Blue Moon Brewing Co.
Bohemian Brewing Co.
Deschutes Brewing Co.
Epic Brewing Co.
Grand Teton Brewing Co.
Lagunitas Brewing Co.
Miller/Coors
New Belgium Brewing Co.
O'Dell Brewing Co.
Oskar Blues Brewing Co.
Prairie Fire Brewing Co.
Rogue Brewing Co.
Sam Adams Brewing Co.
Shades of Pale Brewing Co.
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Snake River Brewing Co.
Suds Brothers Brewery
Uinta Brewing Co.
Upslope Brewing Co 
Vernal Brewing Brewing Co.
Wind River Brewing Co.
More will be announced in the coming weeks.

Cheers! 

New Beer Friday 6/19/15

New Beer Friday is always great, but it's especially great when a local brewery debuts their beer. 2 Row Brewing is offering two of their beers for sale today, starting at 11am - at the brewery.

RedRock Gypsy Scratch 100% Brett Pale: Pours a hazy orange with a creamy white head. The nose has some wonderful Brett funk, along with tropical hop notes - some sweet malt as well. The taste is not tart. This is a young brett ale, instead the Brett takes a strong stance and adds an amazingly complex earthy quality despite being so young. Still getting some of the tropical flavors the nose suggested, but it's subdued. Medium-bodied, with a fairly crisp mouth-feel. Such a wonderful beer! Kudos to Brewer Chris Harlin for this great "out of the box" beer. 4.0% ABV @RedRock Downtown.

Rogue Fresh Roast: Poured a deep, brown that produced a thick, creamy, light brown head. The taste starts with some hints of coffee and roasted malts. Nice bready notes come next. Mild cocoa bitterness rounds out the end. The beer is very smooth and very easy to drink. 5.7% ABV @Beer Bar

2 Row Accelerator IPA: Pours a light amber with a large collar of foam. The nose was very sweet with big plunges of tropical/citrus fruits. The taste is much of the same. Some mild spicy hops with more tropical fruitiness. Malts balance nicely. The finish is semi dry and super clean. The body is thin to medium, with great carbonation giving it a light creaminess.7.0% ABV @2 Row Brewing

2 Row 24K Golden Ale: Pours a goldenrod color with a foamy, pillowy white head. The smell is fresh, lively citrus hops and a hint of sweet malt. The taste duplicates the smell and is so sweet and hoppy at the same time. Perfect balance with a creamy, smooth mouthfeel that is also crisp and refreshing at the same time. The drinkability of this is amazing. 5.7% ABV @2 Row Brewing

Ballast Point Calico Amber Ale: Me no Try yet - 5.5% ABV @Beer Bar

Ballast Point Wahoo White: Me no Try yet - 4.5% ABV @Beer Bar

Ballast Point Piper Down Scotish Ale: Me no Try yet - 5.8% ABV @Beer Bar

Cheers!

Roosters' Chanticleer Belgian Rye

It doesn't seem like it but Roosters Brewing Company is twenty years old! Back in the mid to late 90s there were actually quite a few Ogden breweries making beer for the Wasatch Front - including Mount Olympus Brewing, Naisbitt's, Ebenezer's and Ruby River. All of these have fallen by the wayside except for Roosters. Their staying power is due in large part to a loyal/local fan base and consistently made beers. 

In honor of their 20 year anniversary Roosters has created a Belgian Style Rye Ale featuring the brewery's original rooster logo. Chanticleer Belgian Rye is described as an earthy Belgian-style ale, enlivened with rye and possessing essences reminiscent of clove and citrus.

It's for sale today at both Ogden and Layton Roosters locations. Congrats to Roosters on 20 years!

Cheers!

A New Begining to Epic's Sour Brainless on Peaches

What began as a happy accident last year at Epic's Salt Lake City brewery, has now morphed into a new direction for our states original maverick brewery. Though sour beer have always been a part of Epic's larger plan the immediate and overwhelming success of the (one off) soured batches off Brainless on Peaches and Brainless on Cherries proved the time and investment Epic is making is due to pay off in a big way.

Shortly after opening the Denver Brewery, in August of 2013, Epic's owners purchased three 60 hectoliter Oak Foeders from New Belgium Brewing. These wonderful wooden vessels are the basis for what will come in Epic's new sour program. The first beer to be blended from the previous "wonderful mistake" is recreation of the locally famous "Wild" Brainless on Peaches.

Co-Owner Dave Coles said, "We isolated and banked the wild yeast (wonderful disaster), then attempted several fermentations, but nothing worked. Even the tincture of time failed to revive this wild strain to anything remotely close to its one-time-strength and glory. Wild Brainless on Peaches remains a true one-off, lost forever". Well, lost but not forgotten. After time and several trials, the brew teams from Salt Lake and Denver managed to create a new and exciting wild blend that was equal to or better than the original experiment.

Brainless on Peaches emphasizes the fruit's aromatics, not its sweetness. The sourness is derived from the Lactobacillus and Pediococcus with a little bit of Brettanomyces funk and tartness layered in, adding depth and complexity. The finish is tart, sour, and very dry, with maybe a touch of perceived sweetness from the Brainless Belgian Yeast. This is a beer that should be appreciated on the warmer side of cold. "We took our time crafting this beer" Dave adds. "we hope you’ll take yours enjoying it".

The initial release is very small, with only a few cases going to each market. If sour beer is your passion then I encourage you to seek it out. Future releases are planned but no firm timelines can be established. Look for release announcements and availability on our social media accounts and website in the months of June and July. Because of Utah's unique laws, it looks like our allotment of  Sour Brainless on Peaches will come later in July. Better late than never, eh?

Stay close, we'll get the details out as soon as they're available.

Cheers!