Beer in the Beehive

Earlier today I was wandering around Ken Sanders Rare Books Store in downtown Salt Lake City, and came across an interesting book. I thought that I would share this book with you all, especially for those of you in Utah who may find this interesting. I saw the book Beer in the Beehive: A History of Brewing in Utah by Del Vance, founder of Uinta Brewing Company. This book was filled with rich information about the early days of beer making, even as early as the pioneers. Alcohol is always a hot topic of discussion in Utah, and this book sheds some light on the long history of brewing in Utah culture. I highly recommend checking this book out. Here are a couple articles from Slug Magazine and The Salt Lake Tribune about the book.

Fermentation without Representation

In my interview with Kevin Crompton, we talked about his collaborative project with DC Brau Brewery. This project is an imperial spiced pumpkin porter called “Fermentation without Representation”. This is a fantastic beer and an interesting experimentation from Epic. This beer has a rich flavor with a touch of chocolate, spiced pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and vanilla that leaves a smooth and strong taste and an AVB of 7.6%. This is a great beer to get for the holiday season and enjoy with friends. For more information about the beer, check out Epic Brewing Company’s website in my links to the right. In the meantime, here are some other links to a couple articles about “Fermentation without Representation”.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/all-we-can-eat/post/a-beer-for-those-without-a-political-voice/2011/11/04/gIQAIcbfsM_blog.html

http://www.drinkinginamerica.com/epic-dc-braus-fermentation-without-representation/

Interview with Kevin Crompton

I am super excited for this post today because I recently conducted an interview with Kevin Crompton, the head brewer of Epic Brewing Company. This was an amazing interview with Kevin because you rarely get to hear about operations of a brewery from the perspective of the Brewmaster.

            I asked Kevin a series of questions about brewing in Utah. Kevin talked about the future expansion plans for Epic in Utah and out of state. He also discussed how Epic Brewery was founded and his teamwork with David Cole and Peter Erickson. Kevin talked about his experiences as a Brewmaster, and his views on what makes Epic unique. Also, he talked about his latest collaboration with Washington DC’s new brewery, DC Brau Brewery, and their joint project “Fermentation without Representation”, a rich spiced pumpkin porter beer.

            I learned a lot about Epic Brewery through this interview, such as the fact that Utah now has 40 full strength beers, and about 2/3rds are Epic’s. Also, that Kevin Crompton is one of two master brewers in the United States from the Master Brewers Association of America (MBAA). Kevin Crompton is a down to earth guy and was very informative about brewing in Utah.  The interview begins with Kevin describing the expansion of the brewery on the property next door where there are now two residential houses. Click the audio link below to listen to the full interview (its totally worth your time), and my sincere apologies about the random street sounds. It was hard to find a quite space both inside and outside the brewery.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/35311553/KevinCromptonInterview.mp3

Something Epic

           Welcome friends and beer lovers! This Blog is dedicated to the finely produced beers in Utah that contribute to the eclectic culture that exists in this state. I think that Utah has a lot to offer when it comes to beer and has a growing culture of beer making. So for my first post, I would like to talk a little bit about one of my favorite breweries here in Utah. Epic Brewing Company is one of Utah’s premier breweries and has made an impact on the beer culture in this state. David Cole and Peter Erickson founded this small brewery, and teamed up with brew master Kevin Crompton to create a brewery that would take beer in Utah to the next level. Together, this team has produced some of Utah most interesting and innovative beers. This brewery has taken the initiative to be more experimental with beer, and with each release of the same style of beer is slightly different than the previous. They have a unique style, qualities and characteristic to their lines of beer that is a different experience with each batch.

            Epic produces three series of brews that offer different levels of taste to the consumer. The Classic Series provides a group of basic beers that are finely crafted and simple for the average beer drinker. One of my favorites from this group is their Pfeifferhorn Lager, a delightful flavor that is refreshing with a hint of spice. Their Elevated Series is a unique group that varies subtly in flavor with each release of the beer style. The Brainless Belgian-Styled Golden Ale is my personal favorite in this group that has a rich flavor of malt and spicy noble hops. The Exponential Series is Epic’s Finest and most creative that explores the world of beer making with a higher alcohol content that the previous two series. My personal favorite from this group is the Wit Beer that has a rich and strong flavor that is brewed with wheat, oats, Belgian yeast, malts, and a dash of hops. The unique aspect about Epic is the ability of the consumer to look up the details of each release of beer from the Elevated and Exponential series and see the slight variations and experimentations with each.

            Epic is one of my favorite breweries and has developed a quick following over the last year and a half. Epic has received great reviews from local papers and is getting recognition outside of Utah, as seen with the collaborative project recently with the DC Brau Brewery.  This is just a little bit of info about Epic, and there will be more to come over the next week. In the mean time check out the link to their website under my links to the right, and if your in Salt Lake City, take the chance to sing by their brewery on 825 South and State Street.