The 2022 Lagerpalooza is set for May 7. The two-part event features one of the country’s largest—if not the largest—lager-specific homebrew competition. Plus: The festival portion of Lagerpalooza returns after a Covid-19-imposed hiatus. Judging for the homebrew competition is set to take place on April 30. The all-ages festival starts at noon on Ma…

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. I like to share these mini-podcasts for your listening pleasure in case you’re on the…

You’re listening to our Virtual Taproom visit with Jeff Tito, president of the all-new Park City Brewing. These brief Virtual Taproom conversations are recorded via Zoom and the video is available now on the Utah Beer News YouTube channel. As I’ve done with previous Virtual Taproom episodes, I wanted to share the audio portion with the Utah Beer Ne…

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. I like to share these mini-podcasts for your listening pleasure in case you’re on the…

You’re listening to our Virtual Taproom visit with Kristin Martino, marketing manager for Salt Lake Brewing Co., and Libby Taylor, general manager of the West Side Tavern and Beer Ambassador for Salt Lake Brewing Co. These brief Virtual Taproom conversations are recorded via Zoom and the video is available now on the Utah Beer News YouTube channel.…

You’re listening to our Virtual Taproom visit with Joann Williams, co-founder of Talisman Brewing in Ogden. These brief Virtual Taproom conversations are recorded via Zoom and the video is available now on the Utah Beer News YouTube channel. As I’ve done with previous Virtual Taproom episodes, I wanted to share the audio portion with the Utah Beer …

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. I like to share these mini-podcasts for your listening pleasure in case you’re on the…

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. I like to share these mini-podcasts for your listening pleasure in case you’re on the…

Utah Beer News sat down with Pete Saltas, publisher of Salt Lake City Weekly and the festival director for the 11th Utah Beer Festival, as part of our Virtual Taproom series. Pro Tip: To watch the full Virtual Taproom video, please visit our YouTube channel (and please subscribe!) The Utah Beer Festival, which takes place in Salt Lake City on Aug. …

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. I like to share these mini-podcasts for your listening pleasure in case you’re on the…

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. I like to share these mini-podcasts for your listening pleasure in case you’re on the…

When Red Rock Brewery opened its doors in 1994, you could count the number of craft breweries in Utah on one hand. Now, obviously, the state boasts quite a few more. But the brewery that brought us the likes of Elephino Double IPA, Bobcat Nut Brown Ale, Marvella Belgian-Style Tripel, Grand Bavaria Weiss Bier, and many, many others remains as releva…

When Kevin Templin is asked to describe who he is—he starts with dad. Then brother. Then son. And finally, “brewer, I guess.” Not to take anything away from the first three identifiers but Templin is most definitely a brewer—and an extremely successful one at that. The founder and head brewer at Templin Family Brewing (or T.F. Brewing, for short) b…

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. I like to share these mini-podcasts for your listening pleasure in case you’re on the…

Level Crossing Brewing Company celebrated its two-year anniversary on March 30, 2021. I sat down with Founder Mark Medura and Head Brewer Chris Detrick to get insight into how Level Crossing not only weathered but also thrived in its first two years in business—the second of which included surviving a full-blown pandemic. This isn’t the first time …

You’re about to listen to our Virtual Taproom visit with Jeremy Ragonese, president of Uinta Brewing in Salt Lake City. These brief Virtual Taproom conversations are recorded via Zoom and the video is available now on the Utah Beer News YouTube channel. Jeremy’s voice might sound familiar to you, and not just because he’s been a fixture in the Utah…

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 nei…

We talk a lot about beer from a brewer’s perspective on the Utah Beer News Podcast. But often we don’t consider all the elements involved in understanding how a brewer’s creation gets into our glass. In this episode, I sit down with Rebecca Cardaccio, sales director at Proper Brewing Co. in Salt Lake City, to learn more about the sales and marketin…

You’re listening to our Virtual Taproom visit with Kevin Templin from T.F. Brewing in Salt Lake City. The brief Virtual Taproom conversations are recorded via Zoom and the video is available now on the Utah Beer News YouTube channel. As I’ve done with previous Virtual Taproom episodes, I wanted to share the audio portion with the Utah Beer News pod…

It’s no secret that the last year has proved to be a monumental stress test for Utah’s hospitality industry. And while several local breweries bent to a seemingly impossible degree, none broke. They are all still here and continuing to deliver delicious beers. In this episode of the podcast, we chat with Jeremy Ragonese, president of Uinta Brewing …

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 wher…

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 nei…

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 listene…

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 listene…

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 …

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 re…

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 time…

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 Ci…

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…

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.…

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 Mountain…

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 f…

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 landi…

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. Ch…

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 domesti…

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 legislat…

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 be…

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 fin…

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 grappl…

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, …

Determined and Resilient. Those are two words that definitely describe the folks responsible for bringing Grid City Beer Works to life. The idea for Utah’s newest brewery began six years ago. Construction got underway in mid-2019. And just weeks before Grid City had planned to open its doors to the public, many businesses were ordered to shut down …

The NCAA may have canceled its men's and women's basketball tournaments, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy our own March Madness — Utah Beer News style. On this episode of the podcast, which we recorded on March 6, 2020, Dave Baker and Tim Haran selected eight beers from eight different breweries to vie for the title in a beer bracket challenge.…

By Tim Haran

RoHa Brewing Project celebrates its three-year anniversary in April 2020. RoHa may be part of the new-brewery boom in Utah. But its brewer is no stranger to the state’s beer scene. Chris Haas — the Ha in RoHa — arrived in Utah 24 years ago to work for Squatters. Then he spent several years at Desert Edge Pub & Brewery in Trolley Square. That’s wher…

By Tim Haran

Dave Baker and Tim Haran discuss — and taste — a variety of Utah craft beers perfect for the colder days ahead. It's the Second Annual Utah Beer News Holiday Beers Podcast Episode. Green Urban Lunch Box (Mountain West Hard Cider) Albion Belgian Tripel (T.F. Brewing) Griswald's Holiday Ale (Red Rock Brewing) Holiday Ale (Kiitos Brewing) Barrel-Aged …

A markedly different craft beer landscape greeted Slackwater Pizzeria & Pub when it opened in Ogden in 2011. The most recent craft beer boom was in its infancy. Utah was still a few years away from embarking on its torrent of brewery openings. But Slackwater had a vision: A menu driven by innovative pizzas and an extensive beer list that prioritize…

This is a slightly abbreviated episode of the podcast. But I think the Utah craft beer community will find it interesting. Regular listeners will remember that Red Rock Brewery hosted our recent episode about the 2019 Utah Beer Festival. As part of that conversation, Shantel Stoff, the brewery’s sales and marketing director, gave Utah Beer News lis…

The Utah Beer Festival celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2019. It will feature more than 60 breweries pouring 200+ beers over two days. The event takes place Aug. 17-18 at the Utah State Fairpark. Salt Lake City Weekly organizes the annual event. We visited with City Weekly’s Samantha Smith and Pete Saltas to learn more about the festival’s histor…

Ogden is becoming quite the hot spot for craft beer. One brewery that’s contributing to that growth is Talisman Brewing Company. The husband-and-wife-operated brewery opened in 2016. It has served as a trailblazer of sorts for would-be production breweries in the northern part of the state. We sat down with co-owners Dusty and Joann Williams to lea…