Utah Beer News | December 2019

What a Year.

We're wrapping up what proved to be another exceptional year in Utah beer.

A handful of breweries opened. Countless new beers quenched our thirst and fulfilled our "rotation nation" itches, while many returning favorites reminded us that it doesn't need to be new for it to be tasty.

And who could forget the 5% hoopla that enveloped the state?

Yes, quite a year. It was hard to top 2018, but I think the Utah beer scene did pretty well for itself.

I'll compile an extended version of The Year in Utah Beer on the site in the coming days.

But for email subscribers, I wanted to give you a sneak peek at the five most-read articles on the site in 2019.

Of course, this is in just case you missed reading one. I'm confident you accounted for the majority of utahbeernews.com readership in the past 365 days. For that, I'm incredibly grateful.

Cheers,
Tim
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🍻 Top 5 of 2019 🍻

We covered a lot of ground on Utah Beer News in 2019. Thanks for coming along for the ride. Here are the year's five most-read articles:

5. A View of the Brew at UTOG Brewing Co.
4. A New Era for Utah Beer: 5% Brews to Hit Grocery Store Shelves, Tap Handles
3. Craft by Proper: Utah's Only Utah-Only Beer Bar
2. All Aboard! Level Crossing Brewing Rolls Into South Salt Lake

1. Get Your (Drinking) Game on with Ales & Allies

Our five most-downloaded podcast episodes:

5. Lagerpalooza, Salt City Brew Supply, Bewilder Brewing
4. Proper Brewing Co.
3. Level Crossing Brewing Co.
2. Craft by Proper

1. UTOG Brewing Co.

Next Month: Let Your Voice be Heard

Please keep an eye out for a special e-mail dispatch next month. It will include a link to a survey designed to help guide the future of Utah Beer News.

I sent one out at the beginning of 2019 and it proved to be extremely helpful in learning what is of interest to the Utah craft beer community. Plus, if you complete the short survey, you'll be entered to win a sweet prize pack.

Currently Drinking: As I write, I'm sipping a Pastry Style Stout from Kiitos Brewing. How about you?

'Tis the Season: Cheers to Festive Holiday Beers

In our Second Annual Utah Holiday Beers article, we hand-pick a six-pack of local brews that are sure to make the season even brighter.

Bewilder Brewing: New Brewery Now Pouring

Coming Soon: Beer Zombies to Invade Salt Lake City

Beer Zombies, a Las Vegas-based "craft beer lifestyle brand, brewing project, and all-around craft beer ambassador" is invading the Beehive State.

Beer Zombies Salt Lake City is expected to open in late December as part of the HallPass food hall concept at The Gateway. It, along with its sister company SkinnyFATS, will anchor the 11,000-square-foot eatery.

Chasen Mobley, beer director for SkinnyFATS, says they'll keep around 16 rotating craft beers on tap with plenty more available in cans and bottles. His December has been spent tasting as much Utah beer as possible.

"Quite literally, I've been hitting everybody up," he says. "We like to go out, find the best of the best, and provide that for our customers. We like to rotate a lot, switch it up."

The indoor/outdoor space should provide a unique addition to the Utah craft beer landscape. Keep an eye on social media for updates and give @BeerZombiesSLC a follow on Instagram.

News & Notes

• The last weekend of the Made in Utah Winter Fest takes place Dec. 21-22 at The Gateway.
• Mountain West Hard Cider is hosting an Ugly Sweater Day on Dec. 20. And its Movie Mondays continue with A Christmas Story on Dec. 23 and New Year's Eve on Dec. 30.
• Speaking of ugly sweaters, Shades Brewing is joining SaltFire Brewing, Dented Brick Distillery, and Beehive Distilling for an Ugly Sweater Pub Crawl on Dec. 21 from 2-8 p.m.
• Also at Shades, a pop-up kitchen will make an appearance at the brewery each Friday and Saturday from 5-10 p.m.
• Our friend Lindsay Frei is currently displaying her artwork at Slackwater Sandy.
• In what could be considered a crime against beer lovers everywhere, Utah disposed of 275 cases of beer, via The Salt Lake Tribune
• Zion Brewery conducted soft openings for its Station 2 brewery in St. George, but the official public opening is still TBD.
• We see on the social media that the Grid City Beer Works brewhouse has arrived!
• Congratulations to Hopkins Brewing Co. The Sugar House brewery celebrated its one-year anniversary on Dec. 14.
• Special releases are happening all over the place this month. A few we've heard about include: Hollahaze from T.F. Brewing (Dec. 21) and Holiday IPA from Fisher Brewing (Dec. 21).
• Also on Dec. 21, Level Crossing Brewing is releasing a West Coast IPA, as well as Santa Slayer Milk Stout and Peppermint Slayer Milk Stout (variations of the brewery's first stout — Oat Slayer — released earlier this month).
• Other events slated for Level Crossing Brewing in the next little while: A Christmas Story...Party! (Dec. 21), A Christmas Story movie screening (Dec. 22), Paint Nite (Dec. 26), and Will Baxter Band (Dec. 28).
• We're now able to order Fisher Brewing merchandise online.
• Congrats to the winners of the Utah Brewfest BJCP-sanctioned homebrew competition.
• Ballast Point Brewing Company was sold, via PorchDrinking.com

• Baby Yoda + White Claw + Permanent Ink = This. 😲