Utah Beer News

A recession and a hops shortage didn't dissuade a trio of beer-loving visionaries from opening a brewery in the heart of craft beer country.

Upslope Brewing sold its first beers in 2008 in Boulder, Colo. It's now Colorado's fourth-largest independent craft brewery in a state that boasts more than 400.

Upslope distributes to a handful of states where it strives to be the après everything beer. One of those states is Utah. In fact, in 2016, Upslope developed a beer brewed specifically for Utah — a Belgian Style Blonde Ale brewed with guava that catered to the state's then-4% ABV limitations for beer sold in grocery and convenience stores.

Since then — the brewery that seems to zig when others zag — has staked its claim to being a business for good that makes even better beer.

Marketing Director Katie Hill and Regional Market Manager Antal Maurer visited with Utah Beer News to talk about what sets Upslope apart. Plus, we were joined by Katie Flanagan, a veteran of Utah's hospitality industry, who recently finished her first year as Upslope's Utah market manager.

During our conversation we discussed:

• Why Upslope is so invested in and excited about the Utah market
• What craft beer drinkers — and hard seltzer drinkers — can expect from the Boulder-based brewery in the Beehive State
• How Upslope became a Certified B Corporation — and what that entails in terms of corporate social and environmental responsibility
• And we get to hear some fun stories involving the 13-year-old Upslope brand — including why it took so long to brew a Hazy IPA

Thank you to Katie, Katie, and Antal for taking the time to talk with Utah Beer News. And thank you for listening. I hope you enjoy hearing more about Upslope Brewing. If you enjoy this type of storytelling, I'd really appreciate if you could please leave a review on your podcast platform of choice.

And now, let's jump in to learn more about Upslope Brewing.

For an accompanying article, please visit UtahBeerNews.com.

Enjoy the episode!

Episode 51 | April 19, 2021

We're back with another visit with Joey Cardaccio, the beer and service manager at Slackwater Pub & Pizzeria in Sandy. Each month we visit with Joey for our Virtual Taproom and 3 Beers with Joey segment that you can watch now on the Utah Beer News YouTube Channel.

This month Joey highlights three beers that are worth checking out — two are from neighboring states and one is from Minnesota.

The three beers we talk about this month are:

• Solarized Yuzu Double IPA (Odell Brewing)
• Barrel-Aged Pentagram Dark Sour (Surly Brewing)
• Quarantine Dreams Hazy Double IPA (Revision Brewing)

Give a listen to learn more about these three beers. Joey also gives us the scoop on events happening at Slackwater in April 2021.

We recorded our conversation on April 5, 2021, and, as I mentioned, you can catch the full video on our YouTube channel, as well as on our Facebook Page.

Thanks to Joey for taking the time to talk with Utah Beer News. And thank you for listening. If you enjoy this type of storytelling, I'd really appreciate if you could please leave a review on your podcast platform of choice.

Enjoy the episode!

Episode 50 | April 6, 2021

You're listening to our Virtual Taproom visit with Chad Hopkins and Matt Yeager from Hopkins Brewing Co. in Sugar House. The brief Virtual Taproom conversations are recorded virtually, obviously, and the video is available now on the Utah Beer News YouTube channel.

But I also wanted to share the audio portion with the Utah Beer News podcast listeners. Rather than the more in-depth interviews and brewery histories typical of our podcast episodes, these bite-sized conversations will feature more so-called "newsy" information. We'll talk about new beer releases, upcoming events, and general happenings at Utah's craft breweries.

If you're in the Utah beer industry and would like to be a guest on an upcoming episode, please send me an email at [email protected].

Chad Hopkins is a longtime homebrewer who opened his own brewery at the end of 2018. And Matt Yeager is a brewer at Hopkins. We caught up with them to find out what is new at the Sugar House brewery and to get a sneak peek at this week's popular Small-Batch Friday releases.

We recorded our conversation on March 25, 2021, and, as I mentioned, you can catch the full video on our YouTube channel, as well as on our Facebook Page.

Thanks to Chad and Matt for taking the time to talk with Utah Beer News. And thank you for listening (and for bearing with us as we dial in the virtual technology and audio—we'll get there).

If you enjoy this type of storytelling, I'd really appreciate if you could please leave a review on your podcast platform of choice.

Enjoy the episode!

Episode 49 | March 27, 2021

You're listening to the second in what I hope will be several so-called Virtual Taproom visits with Utah's brewers, breweries, and everyday imbibers. These brief conversations are recorded virtually, and the video is available on the Utah Beer News YouTube channel.

But I also wanted to share the audio portion with the Utah Beer News podcast listeners. Rather than the more in-depth interviews and brewery histories typical of our podcast episodes, these bite-sized conversations will feature more so-called "newsy" information. We'll talk about new beer releases, upcoming events, and general happenings at Utah's craft breweries.

If you're in the Utah beer industry and would like to be a guest on an upcoming episode, please send me an email at [email protected].

This time we don't visit a taproom. Rather, we visit a spot in the south end of the Salt Lake Valley that is quickly becoming a fan favorite for craft beer lovers in Utah.

Joey Cardaccio, who manages all-things beer at Slackwater Pub & Pizzeria in Sandy, gave us the scoop on Slackwater, which opened its Sandy location in November 2019 (it already had a longstanding presence in Ogden). He also provided us with a few details about his background in beer.

To cap our "3 Beers with Joey" conversation, Joey highlighted three new or interesting beers currently available at Slackwater. Whenever I visit, I always ask for his recommendation for my first beer.

The three beers we discussed in the inaugural episode:

• Caravan Double IPA (Uinta Brewing)
• Brunch Beer Grapefruit Wheat Ale (Proper Brewing)
• 10 Ton Truck IPA (SaltFire Brewing)

We recorded our conversation on March 19, 2021, and, as I mentioned, you can catch the full video on our YouTube channel, as well as on our Facebook Page.

Thanks to Joey for taking the time to talk with Utah Beer News. And thank you for listening (and for bearing with us as we dial in the virtual technology and audio—we'll get there).

If you enjoy this type of storytelling, I'd really appreciate if you could please leave a review on your podcast platform of choice.

Enjoy the episode!

Episode 48 | March 22, 2021

You're listening to the first in what I hope will be several Virtual Taproom visits with Utah's brewers, breweries, and everyday imbibers. These brief conversations are recorded virtually, and the video is available on the Utah Beer News YouTube channel.

But I also wanted to share the audio portion with the Utah Beer News podcast listeners. Rather than the more in-depth interviews and brewery histories typical of our podcast episodes, these bite-sized conversations will feature more so-called "newsy" information. We'll talk about new beer releases, upcoming events, and general happenings at Utah's craft breweries.

If you're in the Utah beer industry and would like to be a guest on an upcoming episode, please send me an email at [email protected].

To kick things off, Rob Phillips and Chris Haas, two of the three founders of RoHa Brewing Project in Salt Lake City, graciously agreed to be the test subject for this new format. We recorded our conversation on March 11, 2021, and, as I mentioned, you can catch the full video on our YouTube channel, as well as on our Facebook Page.

Among the tidbits...

• We discussed the release of Fuzzy Pucker Peach Sour, the first of a series of three sour beers RoHa plans to release in the coming months. The others: Bumpy Pucker Raspberry Sour and Dimple Pucker Blood Orange Sour.
• Renovations to the RoHa taproom, which will provide more space for beer drinkers to spread out
• The upcoming Gemini Hard Seltzer release. RoHa is currently working with the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (DABC) to get its line of seltzer to the public sometime this spring. Two flavors are scheduled so far: Black Cherry and White Grapefruit.

Thanks to Rob and Chris for taking the time to talk with Utah Beer News. And thank you for listening. If you enjoy this type of storytelling, I'd really appreciate it if you could please leave a review on your podcast platform of choice. Enjoy the episode!

Episode 47 | March 19, 2021

Welcome to the 2nd Annual Utah Beer News Beer Bracket Battle. Longtime listeners of the podcast might remember that our inaugural Beer Bracket Battle had hit the airwaves just as non-essential businesses were forced to shut down in order to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

That was last March. It seems like much longer, though, doesn't it?

As a refresher, in our first competition, my buddy Dave Baker and I matched up eight local beers in head-to-head tastings. We pitted IPAs against each other, for instance, in one matchup and dark beers in another. Templin Family Brewing's Granary Kellerbier bested seven other beers to come out on top a year ago.

And now here we are back for another go. This time we have selected eight different beers from eight different breweries — and none of the beers or breweries are repeats from the inaugural battle.

Plus, we have an additional taster. Dave is back, but this time we also welcome Ben Raskin. You might know Benny from Episode 39 of the Utah Beer News Podcast. Ben is an everyday imbiber. But more than that he is someone who knows a thing or two about booze in the Beehive State.

If you're new to the podcast, as a reminder, Dave Baker is a longtime craft beer connoisseur and an award-winning homebrewer. He also is a professional writer and editor (as is Ben).

Whether or not you're an NCAA basketball junkie or you couldn't care less about One Shining Moment, the fact that you're listening to this podcast means there's a good chance you're a fan of Utah craft beer.

For the sake of time (and the health of our livers) we opted to forego a field of 68 or even 64. Rather, we selected our very own Elite Eight. Eight beers from eight different Utah breweries vying for the title of 2021 Utah Beer News Beer Bracket Battle champ.

It's not really a contest, of course, and there are no prizes awarded. With that in mind, here are a few housekeeping items:

• This is in no way scientific. It is for entertainment purposes only.
• We didn't create spreadsheets evaluating, say, IPA rankings. We didn't track sales data to learn which beer is Utah's best-seller. We didn't look at Untappd ratings.
• This year I made a concerted effort to grab beers from breweries that weren't represented in last year's competition. I also expanded the footprint to include Ogden breweries (next year, I'll do my best to track down beers from the southern half of the state).
• I picked up each of the eight beers at the source — the individual breweries. And let me tell you, wouldn't it be nice to at least have an option to have craft beer delivered to us? Write your representatives.

For an accompanying article about the 2021 Utah Beer News Beer Bracket Battle, please visit UtahBeerNews.com.

Enjoy the episode!

Episode 46 | March 15, 2021

Episode 45 of the Utah Beer News Podcast strays from its typical format. As listeners of the podcast know, generally, I like to sit down with brewers and let them share their stories. But for this episode, it's just me. I don't have a guest, but I hope you'll give it a listen.

Here's what you can expect in the podcast episode, with approximate timestamps:

• Introduction 0:00 - 1:35
• Survey Analysis 1:36 - 18:24
• Recent/Upcoming Features 18:25 - 21:37
• Most-Read Articles of 2020 21:38 - 24:07
• Thoughts on 2020 24:08 - 27:42

Additional Resources:

• 2020 Utah Beer Year in Review
• 2021 Utah Beer News Survey Results
• Top 5 Articles of 2020
  1. Coronavirus Outbreak: Utah Breweries React & Respond
  2. Grid City Beer Works: Where Innovation & Tradition Meet
  3. Coronavirus Update No. 8: Breweries Get Go-Ahead to Reopen
  4. Coronavirus Update No. 2: Utah Breweries Show Resilience
  5. Ogden Beer: A Thriving Craft Beer Scene in Northern Utah

For an accompanying article, please visit UtahBeerNews.com.

Enjoy the episode!

Episode 45 | March 8, 2021

There's something to be said for a barrel-aged beer. In an era of "rotation nation" in which beer drinkers clamor for a constant stream of new beers, the time and patience and technique it takes to blend beer and barrel into a single entity — capturing the soul of the base beer and the essence of the barrel is truly something to savor.

Salt Lake City's Proper Brewing ignited its barrel program in late 2019 with Monolith — an imperial stout aged in grenache and rye barrels. Since then, it has sourced wine and spirits barrels to age a Barleywine, a Double IPA and, most recently, a Gruit — an ancient beer style that substitutes herbs for hops.

Utah Beer News visited with Jeff Bunk, who is spearheading Proper's barrel program, as well as Jack Kern, the brewery's head brewer. Among the topics we discussed:

• How Proper is approaching its barrel program
• The current barrel-aged releases available to beer drinkers
• A handful of beers currently aging and expected to be released in the coming months (you might be surprised to learn what's on deck)

And we delve into a few non-barrel related topics as well, such as:

• How a sense of camaraderie and cooperation permeates the Utah beer scene — as Jeff and Jack explain, that wasn't always necessarily the case
• Some behind-the-beer details on Proper Beer, the brewery's flagship that took home a gold medal at the 2020 Great American Beer Festival.
• And a whole lot more!

One note: When you hear "Andrew" and "Rio" mentioned in the podcast, those folks are Andrew Tendick and Rio Connelly, two of Proper Brewing's founders.

Thank you to Jeff and Jack for taking the time to talk with Utah Beer News. And thank you for listening. If you enjoy this type of storytelling, I'd appreciate if you could please leave a review on your podcast platform of choice.

And now, let's jump in to learn more about Proper Brewing and its booming barrel program.

For an accompanying article, please visit UtahBeerNews.com.

Enjoy the episode!

Episode 44 | February 9, 2021

In Episode 43 of the Utah Beer News Podcast, we visited with Matthew Ostrander, Chief Cider Curator at Ibantik Craft Beverages. Be sure to give that episode a listen to learn all about the good work Ibantik is doing to help grow the craft cider scene in Utah.

Matthew provided us with so much insight into craft cider — and alcohol in Utah in general — that I couldn't fit it in a single episode. The following Bonus Episode features snippets I hope you find interesting. Among the tidbits:

• Matthew answers my question about overall craft cider production
• We talk about the lack of cold storage in Utah liquor stores and the impact that does or doesn't have on craft cider
• Matthew discusses what could constitute a "bad" cider — and he also offers up a cool story about his first cider (which decidedly wasn't a bad one)
• We delve a bit into Matthew's mission to find a cider that he could mistake for beer — and he found one
• Matthew lets everyday consumers know how they can place a special order for their favorite cider
• And we discuss the current alcohol darling — hard seltzer — and how its popularity is affecting craft cider

For an accompanying article, please visit UtahBeerNews.com.

Enjoy the bonus episode!

Episode 43A | February 4, 2021

As I mention in each introduction, Utah Beer News is here to share stories from brewers, breweries, and everyday imbibers. Well, this time on the podcast we get to chat with our first Chief Cider Curator.

Matthew Ostrander holds that title at Ibantik Craft Beverages. Ibantik is an organization whose mission is to grow the craft cider scene in Utah.

And it's doing just that. As a Utah-licensed brokerage, Ibantik works with hard cider producers from coast to coast to get craft cider on liquor store shelves and to make them available for consumers to enjoy in Utah's bars and restaurants.

Ostrander's first sip of an alcoholic beverage took place in an English pub in the mid-90s. And, you guessed it, it was a cider. Since then, he's sampled and enjoyed hundreds of hard ciders from all around the world. You can find his tasting notes for many of them on HardCiderReviews.com.

Recently, he visited with Utah Beer News to talk about cider and cider culture. In this episode, Ostrander shares insight on:

• The history of cider in America
• Why he is so passionate about bringing new craft ciders into Utah
• What ciders you can expect to find on liquor store shelves now and potentially in the future
• And why cider is experiencing a boom much like craft beer has experienced in recent years

Plus, we chat about two places you have an opportunity to learn even more about craft cider:

• He takes to Instagram Live to host Cider Saturdays — an informal chat about and tastings of interesting ciders.
• And coming up is a series of Cider Pairing Meals. The first is set for Sunday, January 31, 2021, at Hopkins Brewing in Sugar House. You can visit Hopkins Brewing on Facebook for additional details and to purchase tickets to the five-course brunch. And keep an eye on Ibantik's social media for future cider pairing meals.

Thank you to Matthew for taking the time to talk with Utah Beer News. And thank you for listening. If you enjoy this type of storytelling, I'd appreciate it if you could please leave a review on your podcast platform of choice.

And now, let's jump in to learn more about Ibantik Craft Beverages and its Chief Cider Curator Matthew Ostrander.

For an accompanying article, please visit UtahBeerNews.com.

Enjoy the episode!

Episode 43 | January 25, 2021