Utah Beer News

The newest addition to Utah's craft beer scene arrived in late October 2020. Ogden River Brewing began as a humble dream of a bare-bones taproom but evolved into a state-of-the-art gastropub. It features a 10-barrel brewhouse, two spacious patios, including a rooftop bar and lounge with unobstructed views of the Ogden River and the Wasatch Mountains.

Career railroad conductor and longtime homebrewer Pat Winslow initiated the project with a crowdsourced Kickstarter campaign in 2017. It raised more than $30,000 — surpassing his goal and establishing a good base from which to launch his dream.

But Winslow knew he needed substantially more capital. That's when Lotus Craft, the hospitality arm of Lotus Company and the parent organization of Ogden River Brewing, entered the picture. Winslow and Bryan Wrigley, Founder and CEO of Lotus Company, shared a vision for what Ogden River Brewing could be. Their friendship grew into a business partnership.

I sat down with the brew team in early November — a week after Ogden River Brewing opened to the public — to learn more about Utah's newest brewery.

On the podcast you'll hear from:

• Pat Winslow, Ogden River's head brewer.
• Landon Jeffery, assistant brewer. He won Utah Homebrewer of the Year honors in 2019.
• And Patrick Bourque, former head brewer at SaltFire and Uinta. He serves as director of brewing for Lotus Craft.

Thank you to Pat, Landon, and Patrick 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 Ogden River Brewing.

For an accompanying article, please visit UtahBeerNews.com.

Enjoy the episode!

Episode 42 | December 10, 2020

In our last episode, Utah Beer News visited with Certified Beer Judge Jae Vanderwerf. Be sure to listen to Episode 41 to get the scoop on the Beer Judge Certification Program and a lot of other beer-y stuff related to tasting and analyzing beer.

And now, in this first-ever Utah Beer News Bonus Episode, Jae will take Utah Beer News listeners along for the ride as she judges an actual craft beer.

For an accompanying article, please visit UtahBeerNews.com.

Enjoy the episode!

Episode 41A | November 24, 2020

Today on the Utah Beer News Podcast you'll hear from one of Utah's relatively few certified beer judges. Jae Vanderwerf, who grew up in Portland and who spent some time in Minnesota, is no stranger to vibrant beer towns. When she arrived in Salt Lake about 18 months ago, she immediately fell in love with the craft beer scene here.

Even before landing in Utah, Jae had passed a pair of tests as part of the Beer Judge Certification Program. That's to say, she had already earned her stripes as a certified beer judge.

In 2020, Jae sought a way to give back to the beer — specifically, the homebrew — community that had given her so much joy. So, she began teaching a class to share her exemplary beer-tasting knowledge with others.

In this episode of the podcast we talk about:

• Jae's passion for craft beer and homebrewing
• What it takes—step-by-step—to properly judge a beer
• And how you can deepen your appreciation for craft beer by participating in a tastings class

By the way, stay tuned—in an upcoming "Bonus" episode, Jae will take Utah Beer News listeners along for the ride as she judges a local craft beer.

Thank you to Jae for taking the time to talk with Utah Beer News. And thank you for listening. If you enjoy this type of storytelling, it would mean a lot if you could please leave a review on your podcast platform of choice.

For an accompanying article, please visit UtahBeerNews.com.

And now, let's dive right in to learn more about Jae Vanderwerf, BJCP Certified Judge.

Enjoy the episode!

Episode 41 | November 10, 2020

Chris Jacobs grew up 45 minutes from Sierra Nevada Brewery in Northern California. He moved to Las Vegas in 1995 and immersed himself in the bar and cocktail scene on the Strip, working in various service industry positions.

A few years passed and he started focusing on the craft beer aspect of Las Vegas — which proved to be minimal at the time. Chris began developing beer programs centered on higher-end beers and worked to educate Vegas beer drinkers on the merits of craft beer.

At the same time, Chris's artistic venture — We Are Zombies — continued to thrive. One day he drew a hop beard on his existing zombie logo and voila — Beer Zombies was born — sort of.

"There was no game plan, no marketing. I didn't write a business plan," he says. "It was just an organic idea that turned into a company."

Beer Zombies, described as a "craft beer lifestyle brand, brewing project, and all-around craft beer ambassador," hit Vegas in 2013. Since then the brand has expanded and on New Year's Eve 2019 it opened a location in downtown Salt Lake City.

Utah Beer News caught up with Chris via Zoom as he busily worked on a variety of projects in Las Vegas. He just broke ground on a brewery. He's preparing for a smaller-scale COVID-era event in mid-November. And he's planning to open another Beer Zombies location on Black Friday.

During our conversation we discussed:

• The history of Beer Zombies as a craft beer brand
• Two beers brewed under the Beer Zombies brand that are available now in Utah
• And the interesting approach Beer Zombies takes to getting beer into the market while its brewery is under construction
• How Beer Zombies is weathering 2020 and making plans for 2021

Please take a few minutes to listen to what Chris has to say about beer and the role Beer Zombies hopes to play in Utah's vibrant craft beer scene.

Thank you to Chris for taking the time to talk with Utah Beer News. And thank you for listening. If you enjoy this type of storytelling, it would mean a lot if you could please leave a review on your podcast platform of choice. The Salt Lake Beer Zombies is located at The Gateway inside HallPass.

Enjoy the episode!

Episode 40 | October 30, 2020

As I mention in the introduction to each episode, we talk to the brewers, breweries, and everyday imbibers who contribute to the Utah craft beer community.

Ben Raskin is an everyday imbiber. But more than that he is someone who knows a thing or two about booze in the Beehive State. He has owned and managed bars. He has consumed his share of domestic beer and Wild Turkey.

I met Ben through a mutual friend — Dave Baker, whom you've heard if you've listened to any of our seasonal beer episodes. The first time we met was at Keys on Main close to a decade ago. Not long after, Ben got a daytime job at my former employer.

He is a skilled writer and communicator and, as you'll hear in the following episode, a master storyteller.

Ben is a fan of what we're doing here on the podcast. I'm excited to hear his opinions on a variety of topics I believe are of interest to the Utah Beer News audience.

We talk about beer, sure. But there's a whole lot more we dive into — from the life of a Utah bartender to a personal COVID-19 story to his first attempt at homebrewing.

Thank you to Ben for taking the time to talk with Utah Beer News. And thank you for listening.

Enjoy the episode!

Episode 39 | October 8, 2020

Utah craft beer enthusiasts today owe a huge debt of gratitude to Wasatch Brewery. The state's beer scene has exploded in popularity in the last few years with dozens of breweries and hundreds of beers quenching the thirsts of consumers.

But the beer landscape looked drastically different in the mid-1980s when Greg Schirf lobbied the state legislature to be able to open up shop at the top of Main Street in Park City. In 1986, Wasatch became the state's first modern-day brewery and a couple years later it opened Utah's first brewpub.

Since then the Wasatch Brewing brand has expanded and evolved. Yet the brewery that promises to "drink our share and sell the rest" remains a model of consistency and continues to innovate.

I had a chance to visit the historic building at 250 Main and chat with head brewer Nils Imboden. Nils, who joined Wasatch about a decade ago and has been head brewer in Park City for four years, is cranking out about 50 brands each year from the 15-barrel brewhouse. He also coordinates with the larger Wasatch/Squatters production facility in Salt Lake to satisfy the demand for the beer in 23 states nationally.

Wasatch is releasing a handful of new beers between now and the end of the year — everything from a Kellerbier Lime Lager (on shelves now) to a couple barrel-aged brews to a collaboration with L.A.'s Three Weavers Brewing to a Landbier Swiss-Style Lager that is near and dear to Nils's heart.

In addition to our discussion about new Wasatch beers, this episode of the podcast includes:

• The historical significance of Wasatch Brewing in Utah's craft beer history
• The advantages that come with Wasatch being part of the CANarchy Craft Brewery Collective
• A few notes on year-round favorites and recurring seasonal releases, including the popular wild-hop Clothing Hoptional
• Thoughts on the overall Utah beer scene — where it's been, where it's headed
• And what Nils hopes to be known for as a brewer

Thank you to Nils for taking the time to talk with Utah Beer News. And thank you for listening. Let's dive right in with the Wasatch story.

For an accompanying article about Wasatch Brewery, please visit UtahBeerNews.com.

Enjoy the episode!

Episode 38 | August 24, 2020

Lone Pine Brewing Company is nearly 2,500 miles East of Utah Beer News Headquarters (a mere 37-hour drive). But thanks to a distribution deal with Ogden-based Golden Beverage Company, Utah craft beer enthusiasts are now able to enjoy Lone Pine beers without crossing state lines.

Not long ago the award-winning Maine brewery began distributing its beers into Utah. And recently, Utah Beer News had the opportunity to sample three of its offerings—the Oh-J Double IPA, Brightside IPA, and Blueberry Sparkler American Sour Ale. You can visit the Utah Beer News Instagram to see tasting notes on those beers.

Last week I had a chance to visit with John Paul, co-founder and director of business development for Lone Pine. We talked about how a Maine-based brewery with distribution in about a dozen states decided to ship its product to Utah. It's an interesting story with—as you might expect—a bit of a local connection.

We also had a chance to dive into the brewery's short history and discuss how Lone Pine became the only New England brewery to medal at the 2019 Great American Beer Festival in the super-competitive Juicy or Hazy Imperial IPA category (which is often referred to as New England Style IPA). Its Chaos Emeralds beat out more than 150 entries to nab Bronze.

As social distancing continues, Utah Beer News visited with John Paul via telephone in early August. We talked about a range of topics, including:

• What the Maine craft beer scene looked like in 2016 when Lone Pine opened its doors and the exceptional growth it's experienced in the last four years.
• The philosophy behind Lone Pine and how it became one of the country's fastest-growing craft breweries.
• Why Lone Pine decided to start sending its beers to Utah.
• And we talk about which Lone Pine brews Utah beer drinkers can expect to find in our fair state.

Thank you to John for taking the time to talk with Utah Beer News. And thank you for listening.

For an accompanying article about Lone Pine Brewing, please visit UtahBeerNews.com.

Enjoy the episode!

Episode 37 | August 10, 2020

Cerveza Zólupez Beer Company sold its first bottle of beer in late 2018. And when it did, the Ogden brewery epitomized the term "small-batch beer." Javier Chávez Jr., a brewer with a law degree, brewed his beer five gallons at a time with recipes and ingredients that paid homage to his Mexican heritage. As much as he tried, Chávez just couldn't find a lineup of craft beers that not only paired well with Mexican food but that also honored Mexican culture and tradition.

And so started Zólupez Beer Company.

In the beginning, Chávez struggled to keep his beer store stocked. And at festivals, he would usually pour his last sample long before the last call. "It was frustrating to everybody involved, including myself," Chávez remembers.

But now, thanks to an agreement with Uinta Brewing Company, Zólupez beers are readily available (in Utah and Idaho, at least). Even more, Chávez says plans are in the works to build a brewpub of its own — complete with Zólupez beers and the authentic Mexican food that helped to put Chávez's professional brewing ambitions in motion.

As social distancing continues, Utah Beer News visited with Chávez via telephone in mid-June. Our conversation took place not long after Zólupez released its newest beer: Lager Mexicano. We talked about a range of topics, including:

• Chávez's fascinating background, which includes a law degree from Boston College and brewer training at Ballast Point in San Diego
• What it took to open Zólupez — as well as why the name holds special meaning for the owner and brewer
• A rundown of tasting notes and origin stories for Zólupez's most-popular brews
• How Chávez orchestrated the brewing of Lager Mexicano in Mexico days before cross-border commerce came to a standstill
• And, as one of the country's few Latino brewery owners, Chávez shares his thoughts on diversity and inclusiveness in the beer world

Thank you to Javier for taking the time to talk with Utah Beer News. And thank you for listening.

For an accompanying article about Cerveza Zólupez Beer Company, please visit UtahBeerNews.com.

Enjoy the episode!

Episode 36 | June 29, 2020

Welcome back for the second of our Virtual Tastings with Utah's brewers, breweries, and everyday imbibers.

This episode features Chad Hopkins, owner and brewer at Hopkins Brewing. Utah Beer News caught up with Chad on May 6, 2020, to chat about his Stonewall Sour Saison. In addition to talking about the beer, we also discussed how Hopkins is grappling with the current COVID-19 challenges.

If you're simply dying to see us taste the beer and talk about the brewery, you're in luck. A Virtual Tastings Video is available now on the Utah Beer News YouTube Channel.

And if audio and video aren't enough, don't you worry — there's an article that provides additional tasting notes and information about Stonewall Sour Saison. Check that out on utahbeernews.com.

Episode 35 May 20, 2020

This episode is slightly different from our typical podcasts. It's the first of what we will be many Virtual Tastings with Utah's brewers, breweries, and everyday imbibers.

Our inaugural episode features Rob Phillips, co-founder of RoHa Brewing Project. Utah Beer News caught up with Rob on April 29, 2020, days before RoHa released High on the Hop, a so-called "lazy" IPA. In addition to talking about the beer, we also discussed how RoHa is grappling with the current COVID-19 challenges.

Please forgive the slightly hollow sound quality on this one. I'm working through a few production issues while experimenting-slash-learning about conducting and recording virtual interviews.

If you're simply dying to see us taste the beer and talk about the brewery, you're in luck. A Virtual Tastings Video is available now on the Utah Beer News YouTube Channel.

And if audio and video aren't enough, don't you worry — there's an article that provides additional tasting notes and information about High on the Hop Lazy IPA. Check that out on utahbeernews.com.

Episode 34 May 15, 2020