Wasatch Evolution Amber

If there is one thing that hoppy and malty beer drinkers can almost always agree upon, it's that Amber Ales are an acceptable alternative. When I think of a perfectly balanced beer, it's Ambers that I think of.  And when someone isn't sure exactly what to drink, Ambers are what I advise.

This beer uses Tennanger hops.  It has a reddish brass color and maintains a slight head.  The flavor comes across as lightly toasty, slightly spicy, and has some estery/fruity and floral notes in the background.

My overall conclusion: its a lawn mower beer -> light bodied, thirst quenching, and sessionable.

The main fault of this beer comes back to the Utah Beer 4.0% ABV requirement to be sold on draft or in grocery stores. It's tough to make a beer malty at 4.0% ABV. It ends up a little hollow or watery on the mouthfeel.

Wing Nutz - Wings & Beer

Wing Nutz is a local chain in Salt Lake. It's a place I like to frequent to get my hot wings fix.

These guys have quite a variety of sauces and they aren't overly vinegary, like you might get at a Chili's or a Wingers (another local chain).

Also, they strictly do not fry their wings. I've had some sauces that are really good & some that are bad. I can't remember the bad ones, I don't order them anymore.

Actually, I don't order anymore. I let my wife order the wing combinations, because I can't remember.  So I'm guessing here:  chili garlic, parmesan curry, jalapeno honey BBQ, traditional, and southern hotties.  You can also get them as either chicken or "hog" wings.  Hog wings are pork shanks.

Wasatch Brewing : Belgian White Ale

This is a prime example of how when you are evaluating a beer, you really need to give it two or three tries, especially if you don't like it the first time around.  Much of the experience you will have in trying a new beer depends upon things that have nothing to do with the beverage: mood, food, personal bias, palate fatigue, etc.

When I first tried this beer, two or three years ago I was not impressed. I was at a conference, I was tired, I was eating greasy pub food, and I think that all overwhelmed the subtitles of this beer.

Also since that time, I have brewed a citrus-herb saison and a hefeweizen with moteuka hops (lemon-lime flavors).  Because of that, I'm better at picking out specific citrus flavors in beer.

This beer is a 6% Belgian White Ale flavored with orange peel, coriander, and spices. It bills itself as like Blue Moon but bigger, better, and bolder.  It pours hazy straw with a creamy white head.

Snowbird Oktoberfest 2012

Oktoberfest always holds a special place in my heart.  I lived at Ramstein Germany from 1983 through 1988.  I was 11 to 15 years old.

I began my love of beer while living in Germany.  Now an important disclamer note here:  Germany has vastly different drinking laws than the United States.  I do not advocate changing the US drinking laws to match Germany's.  Also, some day I'll write a post about how I ended up in the emergency room after a night of binge drinking.

Not a fun memory.

Anyway... so I grew up drinking a lot of Dortmonder Exports and Schwartzlagers.  So when I get nostalgic, that's what I go for.

While living in Germany, I never made it to the actual Oktoberfest.  I don't think my mother was willing to risk having my brother an I exposed to that much drinking.  Also, the mid-1980s was a bad time for Americans living in Europe.  American military and their families were the targets of choice for Libyan sponsored terrorism.