A Golden Age.
As we prepare to turn the page on another year, it's only natural to reflect on the past and look toward the future.
 For Utah craft beer, the near past appears to be sparkling and the immediate future looks equally as bright — by at least one measure.
The variety of quality beer available.
The (relative) influx of new breweries opening their doors and out-of-state beer offerings finding their way to liquor store shelves is exciting.
A half-dozen or so new breweries began brewing in Utah in 2018, and several more are poised to begin operation in the coming year.
I asked recently on social media: Will 2018 go down as the "Year of the Brewery" in Utah? Or are we just getting warmed up?
As a craft beer enthusiast and one who loves to see local businesses thrive, I definitely hope we're just getting started.
That's not to say certain forces couldn't disrupt the landscape.
- How many craft breweries can the market successfully support?
- Will breweries, retailers, and others be saddled with additional regulations?
- Could 2019 be the year the state ditches 3.2% beer in grocery and convenience stores?
That last question could be a hot topic during the next legislative session. This commentary in The Salt Lake Tribune addresses the issue and highlights a few of the hurdles related to selling (and drinking) beer in Utah.
No matter what the future holds, 2018 was, by and large, a good year to be a beer drinker in Utah. 🍻
What do you think? As always, if you have comments, questions, complaints, critiques, or story ideas, please let me know.
Thank you for subscribing and here's wishing everyone happy holidays.
Cheers,
Tim
|
Here are a few beer-y stories of note that I've come across in the last few weeks:
