Oktoberfest.
In this space a month ago, I wrote about so-called "made up" beer holidays. These types of holidays aren't limited to beer, of course. In fact, as I type on Sept. 1, a quick Google search tells me it's World Letter Writing Day. Huh.
 But what's not made up is the rich tradition and history associated with Oktoberfest (if you'd like to learn more, an early Utah Beer News podcast episode discussed the annual event).
We didn't get to celebrate fully in 2020 (and even this year the Munich Oktoberfest is canceled). In 2021, however, it appears we have a full slate of local events at which to raise a liter or two while wearing lederhosen.
Here are a few local Oktoberfest celebrations I’ve come across (the weekend of Sept. 25-26 is going to be a doozy!) Please feel free to let me know of others to include in a potential roundup on UtahBeerNews.com.
- Bewilder Brewing: Mark your calendars for Oktoberfest at Bewilder Brewing. It runs Sept. 18-26 and promises to deliver a plethora of German-style beers and German-themed menu items.
- 4th West Oktoberfest: The 6th Annual 4th West Oktoberfest is set for Sept. 25-26. Hosted by Mountain West Cider, the all-ages event features live music, food trucks, games, and, of course, beer and cider (21+ for that last one, obviously). Purchase tickets here.
- Snowbasin: The northern Utah resort canceled a good portion of its popular Blues, Brews, & BBQ series this summer due to staffing issues. But Snowbasin is back in the festival game with SnowWiesn, an Oktoberfest-themed event scheduled each Sunday from Sept. 12 to Oct. 3.
- Snowbird: I’m happy to see the Snowbird Oktoberfest event is back on the calendar after skipping a year for the first time in nearly five decades. It started on Aug. 14 and runs weekends through Oct. 17.
- Talisman Brewing: Ogden’s Talisman Brewing is planning to celebrate its five-year anniversary with “Talismania.” The Oktoberfest-style event is scheduled for Sept. 25.
- T.F. Brewing: The “third-ish” annual Templin Family Oktoberfest will take place on Sept. 25. Purchase tickets here.
Prost!
Tim
Currently Drinking: As I write, I'm enjoying a 24k Golden Ale from 2 Row Brewing. How about you?
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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. Connect with me personally on Untappd.
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Brave Noise Beer: A Collab With a Big Goal
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 Brave Noise Beer is a new collaboration designed to advocate for safe spaces and inclusive environments. Breweries are banding together to brew a pale ale—and at the same time make their code of conduct policies easily accessible to the public.
Brave Noise is a collaborative effort to provide inclusive and safe environments for women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ throughout the beer industry, according to BraveNoiseBeer.com. “It’s a “collaboration with a big goal. A safe and discrimination-free beer industry.”
I received word that Wasatch Brewery is one of nearly 80 craft breweries (so far) that is participating in the effort. It plans to brew the beer next week, with a release date to be determined.
For some background, I shared in the June e-newsletter a story from Brewbound chronicling a “tidal wave of sexual harassment allegations and toxicity in craft beer.” Brienne Allan, production manager for Notch Brewing in Massachusetts, shared in her Instagram Stories hundreds of experiences from industry employees of “workplace discrimination and allegations of sexual harassment and assault” at craft breweries.
LET ME KNOW: If other Utah breweries—or homebrewers—are brewing Brave Noise, please feel free to send me a message.
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Utah Beer Festival: Right Event, Right Time
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The right event at the right place at the right time. The 11th Utah Beer Festival is exactly what the festival-starved craft beer community needed. Returning after an unplanned and unwelcomed hiatus in 2020, Utah’s largest beer-sampling event delivered as promised.
Salt Lake City Weekly first brought craft beer to the Utah masses with the inaugural fest in 2010. Its 11th iteration—held Aug. 21-22 at The Gateway after a coronavirus-induced postponement in 2020—went down as easy as a crisp craft lager.
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Brewery Folks: Got news, notes, or events to share? Don't count on me to find it on social media. Please send the info to Utah Beer News directly if you'd like me to help spread the word.
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🎙Utah Beer News Podcast:
Beer News for Your Ears 🎙
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The Utah Beer News podcast provides another avenue for us to tell stories about the Utah beer community. We'd love for you to subscribe, take a listen, and let us know what you think!
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🥇 Awards: Utah Brewers Win Big in Idaho
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Templin Family Brewing led Utah brewers’ efforts with eight medals, including two gold, at the International Beer Awards in Idaho Falls. Level Crossing Brewing nabbed six medals, including two gold.
In all, 16 Utah breweries claimed 42 medals. The medal count nearly doubled the 24-medal effort at the 2019 North American Brewers Association event.
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Your Chance to Win: Where Am I?
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EXCITING NEWS! I'm starting a new feature over here at Utah Beer News—and it's exclusively for e-newsletter subscribers (like you!) Here's the deal:
- Email me with your best guess as to where the above photos were taken (i.e. in this instance, the name of the brewery—both photos were taken at the same location). One guess per email address each month, please.
- I'll select two names from correct, eligible entries to each win a $25 gift card
That's it! The deadline to enter is Sept. 10, 2021. I'll announce the winners here next month. Good luck!
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August's Winners: Congrats! 🍻
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Congratulations to Chaz S. and Katherine C., who correctly identified that the photo below 👇 👇 👇 was taken at none other than Grid City Beer Works in South Salt Lake.
I've notified the winners via email. Thanks to everyone who submitted a guess (there were quite a few correct answers). Be sure to try again this month.
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 Each month, I gather beer-related news and notes to share with Utah Beer News email subscribers. Much of what's mentioned in this space is obtained from social sites, taproom visits, email newsletters, etc. (and a few are sent directly to me).
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Reminder: It's always best to confirm event dates, times, and locations with the individual organizers.
- Fisher Brewing is looking to more than double its space. Permits are pending, but Building Salt Lake has the lowdown on what could transpire—including a permanent canning line, added brewing capacity, and private event space.
- “In Pursuit of a Dream” is a new video blog from Shades Brewing. Here’s Episode 1, Episode 2, and Episode 3.
- Bewilder Brewing is now a Certified Craft Malt brewery.
- For many in the food and beverage realm (including me), GastronomicSLC.com is a must-read website. Squatters recently brewed a limited-edition beer named Mister Melling’s Nitro Cream Ale in honor of the site’s founder and head writer, Stuart Melling.
- Congratulations to Chris Jacobs, owner of Beer Zombies, who joined Candace L. Moon, partner at the Craft Beer Attorney, as Industry People of the Year in the Craft Beer Marketing Awards. To learn more about Jacobs, who opened a Beer Zombies location in Salt Lake in 2019, check out our article and podcast episode.
- Growlers to-go (dine-in required) are now available at Slackwater Sandy.
- Grid City Beer Works is extending its hours and opening the dog-friendly rooftop deck seven days a week.
- Happy two-year anniversary to Heber Valley Brewing. It released a Red Rye IPA to celebrate. Also, check out live music at the brewery on Saturdays.
- Hopkins Brewing in Sugar House is now serving the first Utah-made sake from Tsuki.
- Kiitos Brewing is about to celebrate its four-year anniversary and plans to commemorate the occasion with an event on Sept. 25.
- Your opportunity to invest in Mountain West Hard Cider is drawing to an end. The Salt Lake-based cidery plans to close its equity crowdfunding campaign in the next little while.
- It appears that Bootstrap Brewing is expanding into Utah. The Longmont, Colo.-based brewery is known for beers such as Insane Rush IPA, Lush Puppy Juicy IPA, and Stick’s Pale Ale.
- The popular wild hops harvest took place on Aug. 27 in Summit County. Volunteers harvested 102 pounds of fresh hop cones. Keep an eye out for the annual Clothing Hoptional—a fresh-hop beer brewed by Wasatch Brewery to benefit the Summit Land Conservancy and open space in Summit County.
- Speaking of Wasatch Brewery, the venerable institution will celebrate its 35th anniversary with an event on Oct. 23. Stay tuned for additional details.
- The Beer & Fear Fest, dubbed “the premier beer and Halloween-themed festival of 2021,” will be held the first four weekends in October at the Utah Motorsports Campus in Erda. Organizers expect 50+ brands of beer, as well as plenty of family-friendly activities. Haunted drive-in movies, monster trucks, zombie paintball, and more. Tickets (at a variety of tiers) can be purchased here.
- Brewery tours are back (by appointment) at the Wasatch and Squatters West Side Tavern & Cold Beer Store. Cost is $10 and includes the tour, a flight, and a glass to take home. Contact Libby at mtaylor@utahbeers.com to reserve your spot.
And finally…
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Brewery Folks: Got news, notes, or events to share? Don't count on me to find it on social media. Please send the info to Utah Beer News directly if you'd like me to help spread the word.
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