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...]
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...]
Sip o’ the Week – 30 Years of Squatters
Founded in 1989 by partners Peter Cole and Jeff Polychronis, Squatters Craft Beers celebrated its 30th anniversary this past Sunday with a beer festival that took place in the parking lot adjacent to Squatters brewpub. It was a celebration of craft beers in general, not just of Squatters’ beers; and included a boatload of local breweries: Bohemian, Hopkins, Uinta, Red Rock, … [Read more...]
Utah’s First Barrel-Aged and Sour Beer Brewery: Toasted Barrel Brewery
“In heaven there is no beer, that’s why we drink it here.” ~Traditional drinking song Something new is brewing in Salt Lake City’s Marmalade District. Just off the 600 North exit from I-15, Toasted Barrel Brewery is transforming a former brine shrimp processing plant and abandoned dance club into Utah’s first barrel-aged and sour beer brewery. Toasted Barrel will complete a … [Read more...]
5 Questions Answered by 6 Utah Breweries
We checked in with some of our favorite breweries to see what is happening in 2018. Questions: How many barrels are you brewing annually? What is your flagship/or top selling beer? What is the most unique beer you came up with last year? What is the number one thing you’d like to see changed in Utah liquor laws? Anything else you’d like to update about your … [Read more...]
A Utahan Goes on a Bike Trip to Europe and Discovers European Beer
Trip to Europe: In my early twenties, a girl I studied with asked me where I had “traveled.” I replied that most summers we traveled to Lake Powell, and sometimes we had family reunions where I traveled to Saint George. I told her that three times I visited cousins in Oregon, traveling through Idaho to get there. She told me she had traveled to Paris, Frankfurt, Munich, and … [Read more...]
MacCools Opens a Beer Garden in Layton.
Layton, Utah— home of the Layton Hills Mall; Home of every chain store one could imagine and a huge amount of traffic and congestion. Due to a complete lack in central planning, Layton is a suburban sprawling mess. But Layton has at least one hidden gem. It's home to a locally owned MacCools, with a new beer garden addition which overlooks a nice field. MacCools' new beer … [Read more...]
Big Cottonwood Canyon May Be Cotton Bottomless
Tony Chlepas and his three siblings have owned the Cotton Bottom Inn since their mother passed away several years ago. Chlepas is the only one running the bar, his daughter Ashley is the manager. Two of his siblings want to sell the bar, which includes two buildings on the property, so they can retire. Chlepas and his other sibling want to buy the other two out, but they … [Read more...]
Hopped Up: Hoppers Brew Pub Brewer Wins Gold Medal
Donovan Steel, Head Brewer for Hoppers Brew Pub, won the gold medal in the “Munich-Style Helles” for his “Helles Festbier” at the 2013 “Great American Beer Festival” held in Denver Colorado. He beat out 41 other entries. A home brew shop is where Steel got his start in the brewing business. He took over as Hopper’s Head Brewer in 2007. As a small brewpub making small batches, … [Read more...]
Bohemian Brewery Designs a New 12-pack that Remembers Founder Joe Petras
[showtime] When you buy Bohemian Brewery’s new variety 12-pack, you’re also purchasing a history lesson. The brown box, decorated with black and red graphics, is covered with historic tidbits, facts about the “old school” techniques the Midvale brewers practiced, and about the background of the 12-pack’s three beers. Inside includes a picture of the brewery’s late … [Read more...]