Local Brews

[LinuxMintyFresh]

Just a few weeks ago Salt Lake City had its First Annual Beer Festival. Utah has come into its own over the past few years in the beer market - some say it's because the beer has to taste good if its going to be so watered down - so I wanted to share with you some of our award-winning breweries that I think have really stepped up their game.

Four+
A newer line from Uintah Brewery, listed as a new Brewery. Uintah has always been on the lower end of my personal brewery spectrum-- until recently. This newer line is a series of flavorful, complex, subtle, and all-around yummy brews. Suggested Brews: Punk'n Harvest Pumpkin Ale, Wyld Organic Extra Pale Ale.

Uintah
This brewery offers a basic line of beers that range, in my opinion, from mediocre to decent. Recently however they have begun to offer another new line of high alcohol content (9-13.2%) beers sold in wine-sized cork-topped bottles known as their Crooked Line. These new beers are amazing for a guy or gal that likes some robustness to their beer. Suggested Brews: Tilted Smile Imperial Pilsner, Labyrinth Black Ale.

Wasatch
A Park City beer batcher that has always been a local favorite. Wasatch is an eco-friendly company that helped pioneer Utah's beer scene. They serve no-nonsense beers that find spots in taps at almost every bar in the Salt Lake Valley. Known collectively with Squatters as the Utah Brewers Cooperative. Suggested Brews: Devastator Double Bock, Evolution Amber Ale.

Squatters
My favorite brewery, located in downtown Salt Lake. Serving a nice variety of high quality beers and great food at their pubs, Squatters doesn't have a brew that I don't like. Known collectively with Wasatch as the Utah Brewers Cooperative. Suggested Brews: Captain Bastard's Oatmeal Stout, Organic Amber Ale, Vienna Lager.

Bohemian Brewery
Known for their robust, hoppy, Czech style beers. Best when served on-tap which can be found at some of the better bars in the area. Suggested Brews: Viennese Lager, Cherny Bock

Honorable mentions: Desert Edge, Red Rock, Moab, Rooster's


Now is your chance to plug some of your favorite local beer artisans. I'm looking forward to hearing and seeing what your favorites are

 

[King Bongo]

Up in Ontario Canada, we have the Ontario Craft Brewers. This a collective of Craft Brewers fighting for shelf space and recognition against the big breweries. There are a lot of good options being offered up, with some of my personal favorites being Nickel Brook and Mill St.

 

[CraigarTA]

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones to have a brewery in town. So I just head over with my growler and get it refilled with more Elk Head Beer

There a small place in a commercial warehouse, but they always have 12 styles on tap and give samples so you decide.

 

[_JP_]

We have microbreweries here in Central Ohio, and they put out great stuff!

Utah has come into its own over the past few years in the beer market - some say it's because the beer has to taste good if its going to be so watered down

Please explain the "watered down" part.

 

[LinuxMintyFresh]

We have microbreweries here in Central Ohio, and they put out great stuff!



Please explain the "watered down" part.

Oh, for a beer to be sold in grocery stores it has to be brewed at 3.2% by weight, 4% by volume. That also includes beer on tap at bars.

You can get higher content beer at the (state run) liquor stores that close at 7 pm (10pm at some key locales), but they can't sell it "ready to drink" so it's all warm, which ruins most beers.

 

[Gophred]

Near beer is what one gets when one lives in a theocracy.
-Fritz

 

[AL3X]

In Vancouver, although it's very popular here, a favorite is Granville Island Brewing. I love the pale ale.

 

[Jwolf24601]

The Draft House, in Las Vegas.

 

[evandood]

Blue Point Hoptical, very nice IPA ...

 

[Bullwinkle]

Barley's in the short north Columbus Ohio alwasy puts out some nice beers. Seems like it might a be good place for a central ohio b&b get together.

 

[Rivguy]

We have a number of microbreweries in my area that make excellent beer. We are also fortunate that many of the local stores carry a wide variety of micro beers from many parts of the country. I never buy beer made by the so called major brewers anymore with the possible exception of Sam Adams. I don't drink that much but when I do, I want it to be of top quality.

Cheers,

Doug

 

[LinuxMintyFresh]

We have a number of microbreweries in my area that make excellent beer. We are also fortunate that many of the local stores carry a wide variety of micro beers from many parts of the country. I never buy beer made by the so called major brewers anymore with the possible exception of Sam Adams. I don't drink that much but when I do, I want it to be of top quality.

Cheers,

Doug

Just something I'm curious about; does anybody here actually drink and enjoy things like Bud Light or Coors? My parents only drink Bud Light with salt, and some of my more hipster friends "like" PBR, but I can't see why anybody would enjoy drinking such flavorless and boring beers.

 

[homebrewer]

I live in Richmond VA, which tends to have a great appreciation for craft beers, but unfortunately not very many local sources. Legend Brewery is the top of the heap in town... Their normal year round line-up is atrocious. That being said, their seasonal releases are usually amazing. Hefe, Wit, Barleywine, and triple are always exceptionally good and I look forward to them every year.

I a slightly jealous that you get regular access to Unita though. We were able to get their beer sporadically here for the past few years, but not with any regularity. Their winter beers seemed to be better than average, and I'd be curious in having a few more of their beers year round...

 

[Mycon]

You forgot:

EPIC
Epic Brewing is a brand-new company featuring only higher alcohol content beers. Due to that, you can only get them in bottles either from state liquor stores or the brewery itself (which is about 2 mins from my place )
My fave so far: Sour Apple Saison

Also, many of the local grocery stores have started a build your own 6-pack deal featuring mainly local beer.

 

[M80]

but they can't sell it "ready to drink" so it's all warm, which ruins most beers.

That statement is completely untrue.

 

[Psicko]

In Phoenix we have tons of local breweries. I think Four Peaks was one of the first, if not, it is one of the first that is remaining. Nearby there is Sleepy Dog brewery. We also have Papago brewing company, San Tan Brewing company, Electric Daves brewing company, As well as a few more that I am forgetting at the moment.

I really like four peaks Raj IPA, especially cask conditioned. It is a british style IPA.

As far as warm beer bieng ruined, that is generally not the case. from my experiences a good beer is good at room temp. Also, what seems to ruin beers, is the going from cold to warm, and back again. The extreme change of temperature a few times will cause it to go bad.

 

[LinuxMintyFresh]

You forgot:

EPIC
Epic Brewing is a brand-new company featuring only higher alcohol content beers. Due to that, you can only get them in bottles either from state liquor stores or the brewery itself (which is about 2 mins from my place )
My fave so far: Sour Apple Saison

Also, many of the local grocery stores have started a build your own 6-pack deal featuring mainly local beer.

You're right, I did forget Epic. If I'm not mistaken, their porter was very nice.

That statement is completely untrue.

Except that it is true . Skunky flavors often originate from light exposure, but temperature does make a big flavor difference is many beers. "Ruins" might be an exaggeration or personal preference, but it definitely has an effect on flavor.

 

[M80]

Except that it is true . Skunky flavors often originate from light exposure, but temperature does make a big flavor difference is many beers. "Ruins" might be an exaggeration or personal preference, but it definitely has an effect on flavor.

Unless you are putting your beer in the oven, normal cold to warm temp changes will not affect the flavor of the beer.

Unless you are talking about the temp the beer is served at? I agree that makes a difference.

Buying beer warm then cooling it in the fridge will not affect the flavor. There is no difference between that and buying it cold.

Bottled/canned beer is generally packaged cold and shipped unrefrigerated. Just about every beer you've had out of a bottle or can has been cold and then returned to room temperature.


http://www.portfolio.com/views/columns/first-draft/2008/05/02/Beer-Storage-Tips/

 

[LinuxMintyFresh]

I'm not talking about changing temperatures frequently (though I wouldn't recommend going from the fridge at ~38F to room temp during the summer at ~80F a lot), but the temperature at which you store the beer. Beer does go bad and the wamer the storage, the faster that happens. Beers that haven't been pasteurized or that don't have the yeast filtered out are especially prone to change at room temp. You're oven reference is misleading -- 75F should be the upper limit for storage and is easily reached in any house. Personally, I'd never store beer anywhere near that limit.

http://www.consumersbeverages.com/beerinfo/index.html
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/101/store

Edit/ Response to M80 below (I didn't want to clutter the thread too much): It's all beside the point. Please, let your beer get as warm as you want. I'll keep mine cool. If you have nothing to add to the current topic, you don't need to participate.

 

[M80]

I'm not talking about changing temperatures frequently (though I wouldn't recommend going from the fridge at ~38F to room temp during the summer at ~80F a lot), but the temperature at which you store the beer. Beer does go bad and the wamer the storage, the faster that happens. Beers that haven't been pasteurized or that don't have the yeast filtered out are especially prone to change at room temp. You're oven reference is misleading -- 75F should be the upper limit for storage and is easily reached in any house. Personally, I'd never store beer anywhere near that limit.

http://www.consumersbeverages.com/beerinfo/index.html
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/101/store

Well...now you are talking about storage. I agree that in the long term warmer temps will shorten the shelf life of your beer. But that applies if you are storing it for, I would say at least a month. You started out talking about liquor stores selling beer warm. For the amount of time the beer (should) sit on the shelf the warm temp won't matter. If you find a store that is letting it go bad, call the brewery. I have done this before after accidentally buying beer that had gone bad because it had been on the shelf way too long. They reimbursed me and called their distributor and made sure the store did not do that again.

I agree it is possible for temp to affect beer, but just because a store sells beer warm does not mean there is a problem with it; like you originally claimed.