Cold Case Ice Cream is delivering more than dessert. With high-butterfat, inclusion-packed flavors and a built-in mystery game inside every six-pack, the Utah-born company is gaining national attention and gearing up for major production growth.

Utah’s craft whiskey scene is shaped by more than grain, yeast, and time. The state’s dry climate plays an unusually powerful role in how spirits age, intensifying the relationship between whiskey and the barrels that hold it.

Low humidity accelerates evaporation during aging, often claiming 14–18 percent of a barrel’s contents as the “angel’s share.” Unlike more humid regions where alcohol evaporates faster, Utah barrels tend to lose more water, concentrating flavor and driving proof upward over time. That accelerated interaction pulls sugars, tannins, and spice from the wood more quickly, creating whiskeys that often taste older and more structured than their age statements suggest.

To understand how Utah distillers are deliberately harnessing climate, char, and finishing barrels to shape flavor, two producers at the forefront of that experimentation — Sugar House Distillery and Spirits of the Wasatch — shared how barrel choices influence everything from sweetness and spice to texture and proof.

*The remainder of this article is available to Utah Stories subscribers and includes in-depth reporting from Utah distillers on barrel selection, aging techniques, and experimental finishes.

Inside Ritual Chocolate’s Heber City factory, guests learn how to taste chocolate like professionals during weekly bean-to-bar classes. From Madagascar’s bright citrus notes to savory pairings with olive oil and smoked salt, the experience blends science, craftsmanship, and Utah creativity into one unforgettable night.

As tech corporations grow larger than nations, their influence over our habits, beliefs, and daily lives only intensifies. This piece examines how corporate power shapes our choices—and why supporting local businesses may be the last real safeguard of personal autonomy.