In post-prohibition Utah, there had not been a brewery since the original Fisher Brewing Co. closed in the 1960s. That is, until Greg Schirf came to the Beehive State. After graduating from Wisconsin’s Marquette University with philosophy and journalism majors and minors, respectively, and still only 21 years old, Greg Schirf hit the road, literally. He hitchhiked from … [Read more...]
Park City Brewing Makeover
Park City Brewing recently announced that “it is entering the Utah market with new ownership, beer, and branding. Park City Brewing offers five core beers and anticipates opening its first brewery and taproom in December 2021, located in Park City, Utah." According to the folks at Park City Brewing, “Head Brewer, Mike Perine has 15 years’ experience developing craft beer … [Read more...]
A Tour of Bars, Breweries, Speakeasies, and Pubs in Ogden
Ogden is overflowing with amazing bars, breweries speakeasies, and pubs When it comes to fall, I am a fan of spirits, and no, I don’t mean the ghost tour kind. Which I highly recommend, by the way. I mean the amazing libations, cocktails and drinks you can find in Ogden. With Ogden’s rich history of speakeasies and hidden drinks, it is the perfect spot to find that amazing … [Read more...]
Riverbend Bridges: Tacos & Beer in Ogden
There are two things a city should never be lacking and that’s good tacos and beer. Although Ogden has some great taco carts and breweries, options are a little more sparse outside the non-historic district. Ogden’s new Riverbend development project, currently in construction along Ogden River between 18th and 20th streets west of Washington Boulevard, recently became home … [Read more...]
SLC Downtown Frontline Bartender at Your Service
Our lives are truly enriched by great hospitality. Many downtown residents have felt the absence of the great spirit of downtown Salt Lake City due to the closure or limited access of bars and restaurants. We can breathe a big sigh of relief now that we can once again patronize our favorite watering holes. But Covid has taken a heavy toll on bar employees who have been … [Read more...]
Solstice Malt: When a Hobby Turns into a Career in Beer
James Weed was working 12-hour days in finance when his wife told him he needed to get a hobby. “She got me into homebrewing,” recalls Weed with a laugh. “I’m the type of guy that likes to do things himself, so I started growing my own hops and malting my own barley.” But finding small-scale equipment to malt the grain proved to be difficult. Online research led him to … [Read more...]
A Beer Barrel of Laughs: Local Brewers Combine Humor and Hops
Amid COVID-related shutdowns and shifting regulations, Salt Lake City breweries had to adapt over the last year — and creativity plus a healthy dose of humor went a long way in achieving that. Several breweries used the opportunity to release limited edition brews that alluded to the craziness of the pandemic. They found that the timeliness of these … [Read more...]
Are Utah Breweries Transforming into Hard Seltzer Factories?
Move over White Claw — craft seltzers have arrived in Salt Lake City. Several Capitol City breweries have recently added the fruity, bubbly beverages to their line-up, joining the ever-growing hard seltzer market that continues to see enormous growth. “We tend to make unusual beverages, like crazy sours, so seltzers were definitely up our alley,” said Alexandra Ortiz de … [Read more...]
Beer and Books: Fisher Brewing and Ken Sanders Rare Books Teamed Up to Create a Monkey Wrench Gang Beers
A. Fisher Brewing Company and Ken Sanders Rare Books have teamed up to produce a limited line of beers based on characters from Edward Abbey's iconic novel, The Monkey Wrench Gang, illustrated by R. Crumb. The beers, six in all, will feature the four main characters from the novel: Doc Sarvis, Bonnie Abbzug, George Washington Hayduke and Seldom Seen Smith. The two additional … [Read more...]
Epic Sour Brainless on Guava & Habanero
My son, Hank, and college friends of his were visiting us last weekend and my wife, Faith, picked up an array of interesting beers for a weekend cookout. One that got my attention - in part because it’s one of the strangest sounding beers I’ve ever come across - was Epic Brewing Co. Sour Brainless On Guava & Habanero, Cellar Reserve. What in the world?, I thought. It’s … [Read more...]