As of this month, you can expect to see a new look from two of Utah’s most famous beer labels. Both Wasatch Brewery and Squatters Pubs and Beers will introduce new designs to represent their brands. Operating as one brewery since 2000, Wasatch and Squatters has been dedicated to making the finest ales and lager possible, bringing a combined total of over 100 years experience to the table. Noted as one of the first craft breweries since 1986, Squatters’ Hop Rising is the best selling craft beer in Utah by a wide margin, followed by Wasatch’s Devastator and Ghostrider brands Over the years, they have won numerous awards and are the single-most awarded wine brewery in the nation.
Noted as one of the first craft breweries since 1986, Squatters’ Hop Rising is the best selling craft beer in Utah by a wide margin, followed by Wasatch’s Devastator and Ghostride brands Over the years, they have won numerous awards and are the single-most awarded wine brewery in the nation.
Never shying away from their well-established labels, Wasatch and Squatters are constantly trying new recipes. One of these new Wasatch recipes that garnered a lot of attention recently was the Valentine’s Day special Live & Let Live beer. Combining two types of the same ingredient, the drink served a response to the political movement of the gay marriage debate in Utah.
“Our new beer has an attitude and we believe Live and Let Live will make life better for a lot of people in Utah” says Wasatch founder Greg Schirf. “Some of our political leaders would benefit from a hearty serving of Live and Let Live.”
Schirf also wishes that government officials would do away with the “Zion curtains,” referring to them as “an embarrassment.” Zion curtains are paritians seen in restaurants that separate bartenders mixing drinks from the customers who order them. The idea is to keep the alcohol out of sight from customers who wish not to consume alcohol. Although Governor Hunstman signed a legislation in 2009 allowing restaurants to remove them, legislation reinstated their requirement a year later in 2010.
Never shying away from political commentary, Schirf also compares the union of his two breweries as a “happy marriage.”
In regards to the Live & Let Live label, he jokes that Russia’s Vladimir Putnim could lay off the vodka and enjoy a drink of his new beer. “We realize this beer is not for everyone, and we will not force it on those who prefer more traditional brew styles,” he said with a grin. “These pairings are not the norm in Utah right now and we expect resistance from many. However, we are confident that in the near future Utah will look back and wonder why they didn’t embrace and celebrate Live and Let Lives’ natural combinations. They will also realize that Live and Let Live is not a threat to traditional beers.”
Utah Brewers Cooperative projects significant growth of production for 2014. Squatters and Wasatch bottled and draft beers are available in Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Colorado.