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...]
Is the Rise of Hard Seltzer the Future of Craft Beer?
It all started with a few billboards for White Claw... That was before I saw the end caps in supermarkets. Then I believe the ads appeared on buses and Trax. “Could this really be happening?“ I thought. “Could this White Claw and ‘hard seltzer’ replace beer as La Croix and energy drinks are replacing soda?" Consumer fads are hard to differentiate from actual cultural … [Read more...]
Impact of COVID Imposed Restrictions on Ogden and Its Businesses
Over the past eight months, small businesses and restaurants have struggled to survive restrictions established to confine the spread of Covid-19. Some have shut their doors for good, among them Kaffe Mercantile’s downtown location at 2276 Washington Blvd. The popular coffee bar still operates two other cozy sites at 1221 26th St. on Ogden’s east bench and 930 … [Read more...]
Utah Distillery Owners Chime in On How They Are Handling COVID-19 Closures
Owners of Sugar House Distillery and New World Distillery talk about measures they have taken to pivot and adapt to COVID-19 closures. Dina Blaes Regional Director for Salt Lake County offers recommendations. LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: WATCH THE VIDEO: Utah’s distilleries have been media darlings in recent years. Thanks to Utah liquor law changes over the past few years … [Read more...]
Whiskey with a Heart: Alpine Distillery Bottles Spirit of Community
American whiskey has been in Rob Sergent's family blood for generations. Historically, his ancestors would have picked stone fruit (fruits with a stone pit) from their family farm and added the fruit to their moonshine whiskey. As a teething child, Rob remembers the traditional medicine for painful gums was to take a cloth, dip the cloth in sugar and bourbon, and apply this … [Read more...]
WATERPOCKET ® SPIRIT RELEASE: TEMPLE OF THE MOON GIN
Waterpocket ® Distillery is proud to announce the release of Temple of the Moon gin, the latest addition to the Waterpocket® House Spirit line. Affectionately named for the iconic monolith formation in Capitol Reef National Park’s Cathedral Valley, this juniper-forward, London dry style gin offers an impeccable blend of botanicals with uniquely complex aromatic qualities … [Read more...]
New World Distillery Hosts Tour for the Deaf in Eden, Utah
On September 28, New World Distillery will add a tour for the Deaf at 3:30 pm. The tour for the Deaf in Eden, Utah, is curated by Chris Cross with two interpreters on hand to interpret the tour and tasting for those in attendance. The World Deaf Day is celebrated every last weekend of September on a Sunday. As required by law the distillery is closed on Sundays, so owners … [Read more...]
Beehive Distilling Has a New Place to Call Home
When it comes to gin in the Beehive State, Beehive Distilling has been leading the way since 2013 with its much-beloved, hand-crafted Jack Rabbit Gin. If you are a local, you’ve come to expect to see Beehive Distilling’s award-winning Jack Rabbit Gin, Barrel Reserve Gin and Organic Vodka on the top shelf of nearly every bar, as well as most food and cocktail events. Owners … [Read more...]