Utah Beer News 🍻 February 2020

The Results.

Utah Beer News is nearing its two-year anniversary (May 17; no gifts, please 😆). It officially launched during American Craft Beer Week 2018 (though I'd published a few articles prior).

In that time, we've written 150+ articles, published 30 podcast episodes, and shared content across Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. This is our 21st monthly e-newsletter.

I've had the opportunity to chat with brewers, breweries, and everyday imbibers who make up a vibrant Utah craft beer community.

To some extent, as I got my feet wet, I was flying blind in terms of covering what mattered to Utah craft beer drinkers. A survey last January helped guide the coverage, and the most-recent survey — the one completed last month — provided even more insight.

As a thank you for subscribing, I'm sharing key findings with you first (a full article will hit the site next week). Below are the nuggets I found most interesting, so I hope you find them interesting as well.

As always, thank you for your support! If you missed out on the survey, or you'd simply like to share additional comments, please don't hesitate to let me know.

Key Findings

• UtahBeerNews.com site visit frequency is evenly split. 26% visit once a week, 25% visit at least once a month, and 29% visit less than once a month.
• 86% of respondents follow Utah Beer News on social media, while 54% subscribe to the monthly e-newsletter.
• In terms of social media, most respondents prefer to receive beer-related content on Instagram (56%), followed by Facebook (33%).
• Publications in which respondents receive their local beer information (participants could select all that apply):
  • 70% Utah Beer News
  • 54% Utah Beer Blog
  • 49% City Weekly
  • 31% SLUG magazine
  • 24% The Salt Lake Tribune
  • 17% CraftyBeerGirls.com
  • 13% FOX-13 TV
  • 11% Utah Stories magazine
  • 8% Radio
• More than 40% of respondents ranked "Social Media Updates" as the No. 1 way to receive beer-related information online. "Written Article" was the next most-preferred. "Audio" and "Video" were the two least-preferred ways.
• Topics of interest to respondents (ranked in order — incidentally, this is the exact same order as in our first survey):
  1. Breaking News (i.e. new beer releases, brewery openings) — 50% ranked this as their top choice
  2. Beer Reviews (i.e. tasting notes)
  3. Brewery Profiles
  4. Events
  5. Local Politics (i.e. liquor laws)
  6. Education
  7. Homebrewer Profiles
  8. Non-Utah Beer Information — 62% ranked this as their last choice
• Favorite Beer Style: IPA (20%), Hazy IPA (14%), Stout (14%), Pale Ale (10%), Pilsner (9%).
• Favorite Local Brewery (28 different breweries were mentioned, up from 19 last year. I'll list the full rundown in the article next week. Total mentions in parentheses):
  1. Fisher (25)
  2. Kiitos (23)
  3. T.F. (22)
  4. 2 Row (11)
  5. SaltFire (8)
• Trends: These were all written responses, not multiple choice. I'll share more on what people like/don't like in the article (more than 160 people responded to these optional questions), but the following stuck out:
  • Beer Trend to Stay: 16% said they are excited about the increased availability of sour beers.
  • Beer Trend to Go Away: Interestingly, 16% also said they wish the sour beer trend would fade. An equal percentage aren't fans of "beer that's not beer," as one person wrote. I lumped various adjunct-forward responses — pastry stouts, milkshake IPAs, glitter beers, etc. — into this group.
• And the biggest takeaway for me personally: I need to do a better job of promoting the podcast. Nearly half of respondents (47%) said they didn't know a Utah Beer News Podcast even existed (you can listen here, by the way). 20% occasionally listen and 11% rarely or never miss an episode.

Overall, 189 individuals took the survey, which was conducted on social media and through email via SurveyMonkey Jan. 23-31, 2020 (180 entered email addresses to be eligible to win one of four Utah Beer News Prize Packs).

Congratulations to Ryan Caggiano, Michael Dudley, Jennifer Reed, and Steve Sprague. 🎉🎉🎉 They were the lucky winners. You can see what they won on the site next week (or here).

St. Patrick's Day 🍀

We're less than a month away from St. Patrick's Day. I'll send out the March newsletter ahead of the holiday, and I encourage brewers and breweries hosting a St. Patrick's Day event to let me know so I can include it in the roundup. Thank you in advance.
 

Hello Again & Welcome

If this is your first time receiving this monthly dispatch, welcome! If you're a longtime subscriber, thank you for sticking with it. As always, feel free to drop a line to let me know what you think.

Currently Drinking: As I write, I'm sipping a Redline Irish-style Red Ale from Bonneville Brewing. How about you?

Cheers,
Tim

RoHa Brewing Project: Striking the Right Balance

3 Beers with a Brewer: RoHa, Bonneville

Ogden Beer: A Thriving Craft Beer Scene in Northern Utah

While Ogden might not have the concentration of breweries as does Salt Lake, it still has a lot to offer for those seeking tasty, independent craft beer in Utah. The Ogden Beer Scene is becoming a boomtown for beer lovers.

Beer News & Notes

• The Provo City Council opens door to allowing brewpubs.
• Fife Brewing Co. is listed on the Utah Brewers Guild website as "opening soon" (September 2020). The brewery, whose address is listed on the site as 61 E. 700 South in Salt Lake, has an Instagram account set up. It's also mentioned in this Standard-Examiner article talking about new ownership for MacCool's Public House. I've sent a message to Lotus Company (the new owners) to learn more. Incidentally, the article also mentions that Lotus is the company developing Ogden River Brewing, which, as you probably know, is hoping to open this summer. Once I hear back on these developments, I'll be sure to share what I learn.
• Speaking of MacCool's and Ogden River Brewing, the two are teaming up to host a four-course craft beer pairing dinner at MacCool's in Layton on March 15. Among the featured brews will be an Irish Red Ale that Pat Winslow, of Ogden River Brewing, collaborated on with Red Rock Brewery.
• Happy three-year anniversary to Fisher Brewing! The Salt Lake hotspot is celebrating with a special Anniversary IPA release on Feb. 22. Plus, get the details on an exclusive five-course dinner in conjunction with SLC Eatery on Feb. 24.
• The Utah Brewers Guild is hosting a variety of educational seminars. The next one is set for Feb. 25 and will discuss working with the DABC. For a complete schedule, and to get tickets, visit the Utah Brewers Guild on Facebook.
• Roosters Brewing is turning 25 in 2020. Throughout the year, the Ogden-based brewery plans to release special collaboration beers. The first one is now pouring — it's a Lime Rickey Milkshake IPA brewed in collaboration with Wyoming's Square State Brewing.
• Mountain West Cider House & Bar is throwing a Mardi Gras party on Feb. 25.
• Quarters Arcade Bar is hosting a Skee Ball tournament on Feb. 27.
• Also on Feb. 27, the not-yet-open Grid City Beer Works is taking over taps at the Antibalas concert at the Commonwealth Room. Be one of the first to try a Grid City beer.
• Red Rock Brewery is teaming up with Pictureline for a "red, white, and blue" photo contest. The winning photograph will be featured in a Red Rock restaurant for one year, and the winner will be awarded a $250 Red Rock gift card, as well as a $300 cash prize. The deadline to enter is March 1.
• Kiitos Brewing is now offering flights of beer at its taproom.
• This is cool — Utah's first foeder, according to SaltFire Brewing. It's currently filled with 620 gallons of wort and will be used to age various SaltFire brews. The first one should be ready in 18 to 24 months. 
• It appears Main's Lone Pine Brewing has expanded distribution into Utah.
• Is anyone streaming The Beer Jesus of America? It follows San Diego's Stone Brewing's attempt to become "the first US craft brewer to build, own, and operate a brewery in Germany." So far, it hasn't worked out.
• Craft by Proper is hosting a Crafty Cat Fundraiser & Alley Cat Race on March 7 to benefit the Salt Lake Bike Collective.
• Tracy Aviary's Birds & Brew: Lights Out Launch is set for March 12.
• The 4th West Fest and St. Patrick's Day Party, hosted by Red Rock Brewery and Mountain West Hard Cider, is set for March 14.
• The Brewery Comedy Tour is coming to SaltFire Brewing on March 18.
• Ogden is readying for its annual Spring Beer Fest on March 21 at Union Station.
• Each Tuesday through March, Roosters B Street Brewery is hosting Game Night Live trivia. The fun starts at 6:30 p.m.
• RoHa Brewing Project joins forces with Wildlands Network on Feb. 27 to facilitate conversations about wildlife and how to protect the wild spaces they need to survive in a Pints for a Purpose event.
• Here's a nice profile of Policy Kings Brewing owner Deandre Ridgel, by the Brewers Association.
• Homebrewers, get brewing for the 12th Annual Section 26 ReALE Home Brew Competition. It takes place on March 7 at Rio Tinto Stadium (beers need to be registered by March 3).
• A few awards to note... Congratulations to T.F. Brewing and Uinta Brewing on nabbing Best of Craft Beer Awards. RateBeer named The Bayou the "Best Beer Bar in Utah." Meantime, Epic Brewing and Squatters Craft Beers earned RateBeer honors for "best taproom" and "best brewpub," respectively.
• Save the Date: The Made in Utah Brewers Fest is scheduled to be held at The Gateway on May 9. And the 11th Annual Utah Beer Festival will take place Aug. 15-16 at the Utah State Fairpark.

• It's Pliny season... From The New York Times, "Here Lies the Skull of Pliny the Elder, Maybe."