Chad Krusell is the new head brewer of Desert Edge Brewery, taking over from Chris Haas, who held the job for 16 years. Chad’s goal is to “keep the system going and keep the beer flowing.” He is gradually working to incorporate some of his own recipes in small batches to see how well they do. “I love it,” he says. “It is a cool place to work. I worried about taking over from someone who had been here so long, but everyone is so nice, from the customers to the owners to the bar staff.”

Krusell moved to Desert Edge from Uinta Brewing and likes the transition from a “huge facility” to a smaller establishment where he can make all the decisions. He likes to “brew a beer, walk 100 yards to sit with customers and get automatic feedback.” He can serve beer right out of the tanks and see if the customers like the changes.

Desert Edge’s best seller is its Utah Pale Ale. Krusell says they are brewing it all the time, and it is seldom more than three weeks old because it goes so fast.

The original concept for Desert Edge was to distribute only as far as they could deliver on a bicycle. They’ve expanded slightly. Their brews are available at Porcupine Pub and Grille, The Bayou, Beerhive Pub and Bar-X, as well as Stella Grill, Red Butte Cafe and Martine Cafe, which are owned by the same group that owns Desert Edge.

Krusell started as a home brewer, reading lots of brewing book. He had hands on training at Uinta and says of the job, “It is a perfect mix of brain and brawn. There are problems that come up every day that need to be solved and I am constantly moving.”

Krusell sees brewing as the perfect job, combining mental skills to solve problems and hone physical skills. “At the end of the day,” he says, “it is something to be proud of—an honest day’s work.”

Desert Edge is located at 273 Trolley Square – 801 521-8917