Photos
SB 314: Fun-Killer
During the last legislative session, Sen. Valentine introduced Senate Bill 314. This bill proposed several changes to Utah’s already convoluted liquor laws and was objected to by the Downtown Alliance, the Utah Hospitality Association and written without consulting the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Because legalese is not most people’s first language and some of the changes were very subtle, here’s a quick rundown of SB 314’s effects. … read more
The Night Shift
Making beer is a time-consuming process and some companies make so much of it, they have to be running at odd hours to meet demand—sometimes continuously. While most of Utah’s brewing companies aren’t boiling away 24/7, many do have a brewer or two who work a late night or early morning shift. SLUG wanted to see how these beer makers work so we sent three of our favorite photographers to capture the odd shifts at five Utah breweries. … read more
Concealed Consumption
I’ve always been an advocate of imbibing throughout the course of the day. However, due to legal limitations imposed by our fine government, I find it rather hard to do so without teetotaling eyes peering down on me. What most people don’t understand is that drinking in public can be a fun and rewarding habit. Here are some tips and tricks I’ve developed to keep myself within my functioning parameters of inebriation through the divine art of concealed consumption in public. … read more
Giving You the Business: A Look at Growth Within Utah’s...
As the national economy swings dangerously above a pit of crocodiles on a rickety rope bridge, the craft beer industry is up ahead, bushwhacking its way forward. You will not find Salt Lake’s craft beer fanciers catching a self-loathing buzz in an alleyway after spending their last three bucks on a Pfeifferhorn Lager from Epic Brewing Company. These well-made beers aren’t popular because they take the edge off your shitty life—they’re popular because they’re well-made to begin with. … read more
Bringing the Brew From Beyond the County Line: Shades of...
The sky’s the limit for Trent Fargher and Alexandra Ortiz de Fargher, owners of Shades of Pale Brewing Company in Park City. They will join Dale Harris, owner of Zion Canyon Brewing Company in Springdale, to circulate their brews throughout Salt Lake County. Through Ortiz and Fargher’s subtle infusion of juniper to their Belgian wits and Harris’ wholesome use of the mineral-rich groundwater of the Virgin River, these breweries seek to employ Utah to command craft brewing. … read more
Utah’s Beer Missionaries
For most of my adult life, I’ve been a beer guy. Growing up in Utah, I never really knew about the differences between “Utah beer” and “regular beer.” Let’s face it, if you’ve had any youthful experiences with beer in Utah, you’ve likely heard the terms “piss,” “water” and “near beer,” especially from those outside of the Zion Curtain. So why would anyone outside of Utah want to try any of this pissy, watery beer? The answer is simple: Utah beer is none of those things. … read more
The Odd Beer Out
Drinking delicious, locally made beer has become a no-brainer. With so much to choose from, even here behind the Zion Curtain, the consumer’s cup literally runneth over in a marketplace full of options. However, the standard styles—pilsner, stout, amber ale and hefeweizen to name a few—are no longer enough. Increasingly, brewers all over the world are pushing the envelope of what is considered normal for beer, and the results are as tasty as they are groundbreaking. … read more
Cooked With Love: The Black Lips Release Arabia Mountain
It was a windy afternoon in Austin, Texas during SXSW when I found myself sitting poolside at a swanky hotel with Cole Alexander and Ian Saint Pé of Black Lips in a cabana that was clearly marked as being reserved for someone else. “We like to come in and improvise. See, this was reserved,” Alexander says as he picks up the sign. “This was reserved for us.” … read more
Localized 8
On Friday, June 10, come out to The Urban Lounge to give your aural senses a swift thrashing on all accounts. Prep your ears for the blackened atmospherics of Moon of Delirium and the rolling, uncontainable stomp of IX Zealot. The auditory assault launches at 10 p.m. with Beyond This Flesh, and $5 gets you
High Octane Meets High Point: Wasatch’s Devastator Race Car
Jon Lee is an adrenaline junkie and self-described former “snow bum” who cut his teeth boarding fast in the Wasatch Range and the Rockies. As head brewer at the Utah Brewers Cooperative (which combines the talents of Wasatch and Squatters under one roof), Lee splits his time crafting award-winning beers and driving number 93—The Devastator—named after the popular Wasatch label brew. … read more