Summer Twilight- Wasatch Beers

Maybe its because I started this new (to me at least) beer in the afternoon and not at twilight or the fact it is still spring and, but I am unimpressed with this beer. Part of that would come from the high regard I hold Wasatch Beers in. They make some of the best brews around as well as having a "personality." Even taking that out, this beer isn't anything to write home about.

It isn't bad, it is just bland. Every sip is reminding me of another beer which is just on the tip of my tongue but I cant seem to get it to come out. No aftertaste to speak of, but no unique aroma when you pop the top. It is easy to drain the bottle and enjoyable I guess, it just lacks something. Why would I buy this instead of Pabst? The beer doesn't give me any reason.

Final Rating- 5 out of 10

1st Amendment Lager- Wasatch Beers

You know that song by Vanessa Williams, "Save the best for last?" It isn't good. The cover done by the Me First and the Gimme Gimmes (google them, its worth it) on the other hand is good. That makes the cover have two things in common with 1st Amendment Lager, I saved the best of Wasatch and Squatters Summer Sampler for last and it is GOOD!

And by good I mean it is my favorite beer. Not just of Utah brews, but of everything I have had. It is excellent for two reasons: the taste and what it represents (along with showing me possibly the best proof for an existence of a God).

The taste is similar to other larger national beers. While this might be a downside to some, I think it is good because it shows not all Utah beers are some some obscure acquired taste. My first Utah beer was King's Peak years ago and that horrible thing turned me off from micro brews for about 8 years. So when you have friends over and they get a weird look at your beers in the fridge and reach for a Bud, recommend this one instead.

Back to the taste. While it is similar to some of the more known beers, it is "fuller". I know I said I wouldn't talk some weird beerspeek the average man wont get so let me explain. You know how some beers seem so foamy and when you drink it, there is more air and fluff than real substance? This beer doesn't have that. You feel it as it goes down your throat and it might be just me but I don't burp as much drinking it as I do others. Also no bad aftertaste!

The second reason I love this beer is because it stands up for the beer drinkers in Utah. Wasatch Beers has always been on the outside of mainstream Utah culture (read LDS). Their advertisements poke fun of all of us here and some don't like that. They also don't like the fact Wasatch Beers will use busty hot women to sell beer. In probably every where else in the country that is normal, but here that is going too far for those that don't even drink beer! To me, drinking a 1st Amendment Lager is standing up for us beer drinkers. Its doing your patriotic duty, like jury summons only a hell of alot better.

I also love the beer because it introduced me to this Ben Franklin quote:

"Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."

It was on the beer bottle back when I first got into the brew. I have heard alot of arguments for the proof of God. The banana as proof of a creator (youtube it, it is hilarious) was one thing, but if a missionary knocked on my door and offered me a cold 1st Amendment Lager I might just take the time to listen to him.


Final Rating 10 out of 10

Wit Bier- Squatters Brewery

The third beer to review in Wasatch and Squatter's Spring/Summer Sampler is the Wit Bier. For those not great with languages that translates to a White Beer, a Belgian Style White Beer to be exact.

This beer is tasty! I may be a bit biased as I lived in Belgium for some time as a kid and anything with the word Belgian in it reminds me of the good times there. Of course the best way to see if my bias has clouded my judgement would be have one yourself! Back to the review...

It is smooth with a slight but delicious after taste. By smooth I am meaning that when it hits your lips you do not recoil and mentally brace yourself. This could be the coriander and orange peel it is brewed with. I cant say for sure though as I don't know what they are or how they taste. This would be a good beer for someone who enjoys taste but doesn't want to be overwhelmed.


Final Rating- 8 out of 10

Chasing Tail Golden Ale- Squatters Brewery

Chasing Tail Golden Ale from Squatters Brewery is another beer in the Spring/Summer Sampler from the Utah Brewers Cooperative but unlike the Apricot Hefeweizen I reviewed last night, I do not recommend this beer as the first of the night.

It is bitter with a strong after taste. Its like after I take a sip my brain registers something slightly unpleasant and slows my hands down so I don't go back for another. Even my stomach tells me not to drink anymore, my burps taste atrocious.

Of course there are those who don't agree with me. It did win Gold Medal in the 2003 Great American Beer Festival for English Summer Ale category. So it is probably a very good English Summer Ale but just isn't that good to me.

That doesn't mean I wont drink it. It isn't TOO bad after all even with the strong taste and the burps from the bowels of hell. Its drinkable, just not that drinkable.

Final Rating- 4 out of 10

Apricot Hefeweizen- Wasatch Beers

It is fitting that my first review is of Wasatch Beer's Apricot Hefeweizen. It is fitting because many nights when I decide to knock a few back, its this beer that leads the way. The reason is for all of its tastiness, I cannot drink too much of it.

You ever get home from work or play and decide you want to have a few beers? Same here. Some days I want simple, easy to drink beers with very little taste and other times I want to taste the beer. The problem I have come across when I desire taste is that first initial beer. Sometimes the first beer is a bit too much and it causes me to drink it slower than I would like. That is where Apricot Hefeweizen comes into play.

The apricot is strong, you can smell it right when you pop the cap off. The first sip is fruity and I have heard some complain it tastes too much of apricot to their liking but I disagree, I think it it takes the bitterness away from it and allows for quick drinking that you would get from some other beers combined with the distinct tastes you get from microbreweries. This is the beers strength and weakness. That heavy apricot taste is great for your first beer. It drinks easy and has no bitter after taste. You will down it quick, feel good and look for another beer.

But its fruitiness is also its weakness. I have yet to meet a man (or woman) who can drink more than maybe one or two back to back. And this is coming from a man who spent some serious time drinking Boones Strawberry Hill. As much as I love the taste one or two is all I can handle in one sitting.

Wasatch Beers though has solved this problem though. Instead of having to buy a 6 pack and maybe not finishing it in a night (even though you can), Apricot Hefewiezen comes in their Spring/Summer Sampler (a compliation of beers Wasatch and fellow brewer Squatters release). So it makes the perfect product for a night with some friends, when everyone might want something a little different.

In summary, Apricot Hefewiezen is a great beer to start the night of drinking but doesn't have the staying power of some other brews. Pick up a sampler though and you will not be disappointed.

Final Grade- 7 out of 10.

Methodology

Like I said yesterday, I am doing this for the simple man out there. If someone told me a certain beer poured dark brown with a foamy white top, I would say that sounds awesome does it taste good?

There are some types of beers I generally don't like, stouts coming to mind. So don't be surprised to see me rate them poorly. Eventually you will see what kinds I like and what I don't and why. Rating beer is alot like rating movies. One person can give a movie a 1 out of 10 and another 10 out of 10. The one you should listen to is the reviewer you find closest to your own opinions. Hopefully you will find mine close to yours. If not just do the opposite of what I say!

Besides writing about the beers, I am going to give a rating to each of them as well from 1 to 10. Below is a little guide to help explain them.


10- One of my favorites, Utah brew or not. i would pull any sort of underhanded trick to convince the holder of said beer to put it down so I could yoink it from him.

9- Yes this beer alone is worth the trip to Utah.

8- A great beer. Solid in every way I would choose it over most anything.

7- A good brew. I would recommend it to friends and foes alike and count it a good day if I get the chance to chug one down.

6- Decent enough. Nothing against it per doesn't shine either.

5- Average. Wouldn't go out of my way to get it, but if the choice was between this beer and not drinking, I'd choose the beer.

4- Not very good. Drinkable, but just barely.

3- You are going to need to be really desperate or else had alot to drink before hand to stomach this one.

2- A bad beer. Do not drink this, it isn't worth it.

1- This brew should have never been made, it is an abomination. I should get a refund of the money I used to buy it as well as compensatory damages for the time I wasted lifting it to my mouth.

Why?

When you saw Utah in the title Id wager a cold Apricot Hefeweizen you thought of crazy white people with multiple wives. Well you were half right. I am a crazy white guy, but unfortunately do not have the multiple wives. Yet. What I do have is a love for the local beers my great state produces.


That's right, Utah brews some of the best beer in the nation if not the world in my humble opinion.


Now before I get too far along I want to set some expectations straight. I'm not some sort of official beer taster or have any training to detect the nuisances of certain beers. I am not a journalist, writer or a marketing guru so you wont (hopefully) see me writing things like "this rich beer has a full bodied taste that will bring to your attention the *some obscure German sounding thing*." What you will get is my honest opinion in a simple way what I think about the different beers one can buy here. My goal is to post a new brew review every Thursday or Friday but don't hold me to that. Sometimes drinking one comes over writing about drinking one.

So, maybe you will be coming to Utah for business or pleasure and would like to know a bit more about what to drink or you are a local who wants to argue which brew is the best. Either way, I hope you enjoy the blogs and more importantly, I hope you get a chance to try one of our cold brews soon!