City Weekly August 14, 2025

Beer Issue The

Utah brewing breaks new ground; local trends and tips; plus everything to know about the 15th annual Utah Beer Festival.

BY

CITY WEEKLY STAFF

S AP

BOX

Bubble Boys

On August 3, NORAD scrambled fighter jets to intercept a civilian aircraft that entered a “Temporary Flight Restriction” zone in New Jersey. What was this very special, very sensitive zone?

A golf club. Why was it so special and so sensitive? U.S. president Donald Trump was enjoying a round of golf there.

The day before that, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers increased the outflow of Little Caesar Lake into

Ohio’s Miami River at the request of the Secret Service. Why? Vice President JD Vance went kayaking on the river and a higher water level was required to “support safe navigation of U.S. Secret Service personnel.”

Or maybe not. An anonymous source, The Guardian reports, says the real purpose was to create “ideal kayaking conditions” for the Very Special Important Politician.

At this point, I should mention that I’m only picking on Trump and Vance because they happen to be in office. This kind of thing is far from new ... but it got old a long time ago.

In 1992, a woman I didn’t know then, but have now been married to for 25 years, was eating with friends at a hotel restaurant when the Secret Service barged in and demanded that everyone leave. Then-president George H.W. Bush was on his way to that hotel, and The Little People needed to get out of his way.

Over the 12 years I lived in St. Louis, I lost count of the times that air and ground traffic were disrupted for hours at a time because apparently it’s unthinkable for the hoi polloi to use runways, roads or sidewalks during (or for hours before) a big-name politician wants to fly in on a special plane and proceed by motorcade (without regard to the publicly posted speed limits, of course) to wherever he or she happens to want to go.

America treats its politicians like the kid in that old Seinfeld episode, “The Bubble Boy”—isolated and coddled lest contact with regular human beings harm them.

The rest of us apparently exist only to provide these power-mongers with votes, and occasionally with audiences carefully curated for high levels of adoration and applause. Outside those contexts, we’re to be neither seen nor heard.

Okay, that’s not completely true. We also fork over $3 billion per year for the Secret Service, $800 million for the Capitol Police Department and heaven only knows how much for military air cover, etc., to ensure that Very Special Important People never experience discomfort due to unintentional contact with us mere mortals. They definitely want to hear from us, or at least our employers’ payroll departments.

To which I retort: MOOPS! (If you know, you know.)

Don’t fall for the fiction that these pampered pols “work for you.”

THOMAS L. KNAPP

The William Lloyd Garrison Center for Libertarian Advocacy Journalism

Care to sound off on a feature in our pages or about a local concern? Write to comments@cityweekly.net or post your thoughts on our social media. We want to hear from you!

THE WATER COOLER

What would constitute a perfect day for you?

Scott Renshaw

My first instinct was to say “a day at Disneyland with nobody else there,” but I don’t think that’s quite right. Peoplewatching and enjoying the vibe of the crowd is actually part of the fun, provided it doesn’t tip over into “shoulder-toshoulder overwhelming.” So maybe more specifically “a day at Disneyland with just the right number of people there.”

Katharine Biele

Nothing to do; 70-degree weather; a bottle of wine and cheese.

Wes Long

I’d say that time spent with my family, cat, special someone and a book all make it close to perfect. Knowing that I was of meaningful support or service to someone else puts it over the top.

Bryan Bale

It might involve visiting a museum, relaxing on the beach, climbing a mountain, exploring ruins, hitting the slopes, playing music with friends or spending the whole day in the peace of my own company.

Krista

Maggard

A morning walk with my pup, a good workout or hike, hit the farmer’s market and/or grab brunch and home in time for some chores/errands and then leisure the rest of the night!

OPINION

BY CHRISTOPHER SMART

Trump Burgers

Hey Wilson, have you ever had a Trump Burger? You’ve got to go to Texas to get one, but you better hurry because the owner of the fast-food chain is about to get deported to ... well, who knows where.

Too bad, ‘cause them Texas MAGAners love them Trump Burgers. The buns even have “TRUMP” branded into them— for real. They also serve a First Lady Chicken Sandwich and a joke menu item called “the Biden Burger,” which has a 1-ounce meat patty with “old tomato” and “the oldest buns available due to cheating and inflation.”

Customers also can pick up merchandise, including ball caps that say, “Trump 2024 The Revenge Tour.” Roland Mehrez Beainy, 28—a Lebanese national—is co-owner of four Trump Burger joints in the Houston area. He reportedly would ask Latino customers if they had green cards. But oops, he is now facing deportation himself after allegedly overstaying his visa and orchestrating a “sham” marriage.

“Despite false claims to the contrary, Roland Mehrez Beainy does not have any immigration benefits that prevented his arrest or removal from the United States,” ICE said in a statement.

For his part, Beainy said most of the claims are false. “Ninety percent of the s--t they’re saying is not true,” he told the Houston news site Chron.com.

Needless to say, the Trump Organization isn’t wild about Trump Burger. It sent a cease-and-desist order for infringing on intellectual property—the Trump name. “Intellectual,” of course, having any number of connotations.

Don’t Like the Weather? Fire the Weathermen! Well Wilson, there’s an old saying that goes like this: We might not like the weather but there’s not a lot we can do about it. Now, however, we’re in the Trump era, and there is

something we can do about it—fire the weatherman.

That’s just what the president of the United States did the other day. He fired a bunch of those damn weathermen. The weather report was a hoax: hot and dry; cool and wet; windy and warm.

You’re right Wilson, this is not the first time that weathermen lied. They must all be Democrats.

Now, we find this is not an isolated incident. Erika McEntarfer, the U.S. Commissioner of Labor Statistics, reported the U.S. added only 73,000 jobs in July, which Trump branded a stinkin’ lie. “Today’s Jobs Numbers were RIGGED in order to make the Republicans and ME, look bad,” he posted on Truth Social.

Trump knew exactly what to do—he fired her. She was, no doubt, a Biden appointee. And that ain’t all, Trump said she faked the numbers before the 2024 election to help Democrat Kamala Harris. Of course, the fact that the commissioner could not change the numbers is also a lie.

“All of the people producing the numbers are career civil servants,” said Heidi Shierholz, the Labor Department’s chief economist from 2014 to early 2017. “They’re not political. There’s literally no way the commissioner could change the numbers without a huge number of people saying, ‘That’s not what we put out.’”

Well, if that’s the case, then why did the weather get better after Trump fired the weathermen?

New Poll: Utahns Favor the Criminal Presidency

A poll published last week reveals that Utah voters favor the criminal presidency by 50% to 38%. Of the voters questioned, 32% said they somewhat favored the criminal presidency, while 18% said they strongly favored it. By contrast, 23% said they somewhat disapproved of the criminal presidency, while 15% said they strongly disapproved.

Most analysts in the Beehive State said they were not surprised by the finding. Rube Goldberg, CEO of Rube’s Polling, said Utahns like to vote for Republicans. “Data since 1980 reveal that Utahns just vote for Republicans, no matter what,” he said. “Voters tell us that it saves them a lot of time because they don’t have to stay up on the issues.”

No one knows for sure where Utahns get their news. It could be Fox or Joe Rogan or Tucker Carlson.

Despite Trump’s campaign promises to end wars, Utahns, by a large margin, endorsed the president’s plan to bomb Iran: 55% said the bombing did significant damage to Iran’s nuclear program. A majority favor his Middle East policies, generally, including turning Gaza into a beach resort similar to Mar-a-Lago—only bigger with a lot of golf courses.

Much of Trump’s support grows from the belief that he is a person of faith, according to polling. Some 53% of registered Republicans in Utah agree, despite his three marriages, losing a civil suit for sex abuse, and the affair with a porn star, not to mention links to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. One evangelical leader put it this way: “They gave him a mulligan.” Or two. Or three. Or four...

Postscript—That’ll do it for another scrumptious week here at Smart Bomb, where we keep track of tariffs so you don’t have to. Well Wilson, stuff is gonna cost more. Coffee will cost more. Clothes will cost more. Cars will cost more. Just about everything will cost more. But don’t worry, the White House says you’ll hardly notice, unless you’re on the wrong side of median income.

Get this Wilson, a double quarter pounder with cheese meal at McDonald’s is $17.69. For real. A cappuccino at Starbucks is $5.55. It’s getting so bad that some people are considering making coffee at home. No Wilson, not college students, they just put their Sugar Cookie Almond milk Frappuccino, $7.45, on the plastic.

According to Newsweek, a $2.50, one-pound package of cherry tomatoes from Mexico could go up to $3.50; a $10 bottle of European olive oil could sell for up to $15; a $15 bottle of wine from France, Italy or Spain could go for $18 to $20.

According to the Budget Lab at Yale University, the average household will lose $3,800 of purchasing power per year as a result of all President Donald Trump’s tariff policies. American consumers have yet to feel most of what’s coming in price hikes.

Oh well, only 3-and-a-half years to go in Trump’s second term. You’re right Wilson, time flies when every day is a new nightmare. CW

Private Eye is off this week. Christopher Smart writes the weekly Smart Bomb column, available on cityweekly.net

HITS & MISSES

BY KATHARINE BIELE | @kathybiele BY

HIT: Long Divisions

Expectations are low, if not nonexistent, when you’re in the minority. These days, that just means not MAGA. So it was stunning to hear Rep. Blake Moore speak out against gerrymandering, especially with Trump calling for Texas to do just that. It was enough to earn Moore a mention in Newsweek, like it was some major revelation. It wasn’t. Before he was elected to Congress in 2020, Moore served as co-chair of the group that ran the 2018 initiative that won voters an independent redistricting commission. Then, he was outspoken about partisan efforts to redraw voting boundaries. Now he’s more of a “both sides are the problem” guy, but that’s not nothing. Rep. Celeste Maloy, at a telephone town hall, was kindasorta against gerrymandering—at least when the federal government is involved. Finally, one small bright spot: Sen. John Curtis took a baby step for green energy by placing holds on presidential nominees.

MISS: SNAP Judgements

Speaking of Rep. Maloy, the congresswoman recently highlighted a constituent poll on Medicaid. And what a “surprise,” some 70% said they agree that “it’s reasonable to require ablebodied adults with children over 14 to work 20 hours a week to receive Medicaid or SNAP benefits.” No, she didn’t note that most Medicaid recipients already work or that new rules would add confusion and paperwork to a process that could kick qualified people off the rolls. And there’s no evidence work requirements increase employment. Still, it seems Republicans are determined to kick the poor when they’re down. Remember when Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins suggested Medicaid recipients replace those immigrant farm workers? And who can forget Sen. Joni Ernst reminding us that “We’re all going to die.” If SNAP benefits are canceled, then it won’t be just “able-bodied adults” who die—it will be children.

MISS: Lake Houses

We’ve got development and we’ve got environment—the two are like quarreling sisters. In Utah and the West, there is no doubt that housing—especially affordable housing—is an issue. Also, there’s no doubt that water and ecosystems are at risk and create both an environmental and health challenge. Bear Lake’s sprawling trends have residents worried about the future of the lake and all it supports. Meanwhile in Millard County, the Southern Utah Wilderness Society is questioning how mineral extraction from the Sevier Dry Lake will affect the environment there. Not unlike the Great Salt Lake, the Sevier Dry Lake is a migratory stopover. If the groundwater is tainted and industry grows, then “BLM has rubber-stamped a decision to irreversibly alter the extremely wild and remote nature of Utah’s West Desert,” SUWA says. CW

Living Downwind

After years battling to extend and expand the flawed 1990 Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA), downwinders have finally claimed a victory with all of Utah, New Mexico, Idaho and Mohave County, Arizona, added to the program. The expansion also includes new categories of uranium workers and a handful of communities across the country contaminated by radioactive waste from weapons production and storage. The expansion was a last-minute addition to the federal budget bill signed into law on July 4—the controversial bill that cut Medicaid and scores of other programs benefitting Americans.

For decades, many downwinders exposed to radiation have been ignored and denied help. But while the recent expansion is overdue and could eventually provide assistance to thousands of survivors of nuclear weapons activities, advocates stress that it’s a partial victory. The expansion still excludes many communities that continue to suffer as a result of radiation exposure. Advocates had pushed for the entire state of Arizona to be included, as well as Nevada, Montana and Guam, which was impacted by fallout from weapons testing in the Pacific.

The Senate passed a bill in 2024 that included those additional states, as well as zip codes around St. Louis, which were harmed by waste from the Manhattan Project stored nearby. The Senate bill also included medical benefits and a five-year extension to file claims. But that bill languished in the House. As a result, the entire RECA program expired in June of 2024.

Refusing to give up, affected communities and their Congressional allies continued pushing for the reinstatement and expansion of RECA. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, co-sponsored the Senate bill and managed to get a scaled-back version included as the last item in the recent Budget Reconciliation Bill. While the expansion is a major step toward justice, impacted community members say the fight is far from over. They plan to continue organizing, speaking out and pushing with one voice until justice reaches additional communities. Sadly, too many have already died waiting for justice and more will die as they continue to wait. And no amount of compensation can ever bring back those lost lives.

Those now eligible for RECA benefits must apply before December 27, 2028. Compensation has increased to a uniform $100,000, but claim forms and new requirements have not yet been posted by the U.S. Justice Department, which oversees RECA.

In addition, the process of proving residency and getting medical records for approved cancers to file claims can be onerous, particularly for those who were children at the time of the nuclear testing or who live on tribal lands. Add to that the cutbacks in personnel at the Department of Justice—which is still processing claims filed before RECA expired in 2024—and it’s unlikely that newly eligible applicants will see anything anytime soon. Justice again will be delayed. CW

MARY DICKSON

SEPTEMBER 12, 13, AND 15

Gates: 7:00 PM. | Pre-show: 7:30 PM. Show: 8:00 PM. Draper Amphitheater

Gallery Roundup

August 2025

Exhibitions

and events including Xi Zhang’s Strings , Finch Lane Gallery openings, Art Access “Partners” and more.

BY SCOTT RENSHAW scottr@cityweekly.net @scottrenshaw

Xi Zhang - Strings: A Chance to Say Goodbye

The complex emotions of watching a loved one experience memory loss become the psychological landscape of Strings, an exhibition of works by University of Utah Department of Art & Art History faculty member Xi Zhang inspired by the cognitive decline of his grandmother.

In an artist statement, Zhang says, “Having been raised by her, I witnessed her quiet, unconditional love—an everyday grace that later became shadowed by memory loss and disorientation. A s her recognition of me faded, I became a stranger to someone I had once called home. In response, I turned to painting as a means of imagining her inner monologue—one that could no longer be spoken aloud. These works attempt to breach the transparent walls that formed between us, translating silence into color, gesture, and space.” The dreamlike nature of Zhang’s paintings employs washes of acrylic color and featureless faces (“The Labyrinth” is pictured) to evoke that melancholy disconnection between the self and the external world.

Strings is currently on display at Bountiful Davis Art Center (90 N. Main St., Bountiful) through Aug. 22. Visit bdac. org for gallery hours and additional information.

“Water, Land and the Work of Art: A Conversation on the Great Salt Lake”

Oscar Tuazon has made an artistic practice of investigating the power structures that govern access to land, water and infrastructure, manifested locally in the current sitespecific installation Salt Lake Water School (pictured) at the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art. Inspired in part by this work, UMOCA this week presents a panel discussion exploring the intersection between artists, activists and scientists in drawing attention to the environmental challenges facing the Great Salt Lake.

Scheduled participants include Kyle Roerink, Executive Director, Great Basin Water Network; Dr. Paul Monty Paret, Associate Professor of Art History at the University of Utah; Emily E. Lewis, Partner, Culp & Kelly, LLP and host of Ripple Effect podcast; and Dr. Kevin Perry, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Utah. The conversation will ad-

dress how the urgent issues involving the Great Salt Lake require understanding of law, environmental science and ways of showing impacts to the public.

“Water, Land and the Work of Art” takes place at the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art (20 S. West Temple) on Thursday, Aug. 14 at 6:30 p.m. The event is free, but online registration is required at utahmoca.org. Oscar Tuazon’s Salt Lake Water School is on display at the Museum through Sept. 27.

Jordan Layton: Held in Place / Andrew Rice and Jason Manley: Underground Library

People exist in relation to the places they inhabit, and those places can exert a powerful influence on us. Two new exhibitions at Finch Lane Gallery investigate that pull in complex ways.

In Held in Place, University of Utah alum Jordan Layton explores how domestic space reflects the encroaching influence of economic and political systems. Using reclaimed furniture and found architectural elements, Layton draws attention to the ways in which our homes are quietly reshaped by suburban expansion, extractive development and late capitalism.

Meanwhile, the joint exhibition Underground Library finds a unique intersection between the mythological and the concrete. Andrew Rice employs imagery from comic books and other pop-culture illustration to create abstracted landscapes, while Manley builds immersive environments reconstructing elements from his own childhood home (“Archi-script, Closet” is pictured); the combined impact captures the way memories of the past create our present.

Held in Place and Underground Library are on display at Finch Lane Gallery (54 Finch Lane) through Sept. 12. A Gallery Stroll artist reception will be held Friday, Aug. 15, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Visit saltlakearts.org for gallery hours and additional information.

Art Access: Partners opening reception

For more than 40 years, Art Access has dedicated itself to the idea that art belongs to everyone, regardless of ability, and that there can be resources available to develop creativity of all kinds. And for 30 of those years, the “Partners” program has been a key part of that mission, connecting emerging artists with disabilities with mentors for 25 hours of oneon-one mentoring in the artists’ chosen artistic media.

The 2025 “Partners” project features three emerging artists: digital artist Alex Means; multidisciplinary watercolor artist Katie Felgar; and colorblind digital/graphite artist Kage Guenther. Working with them are local artists Jordan Brun and regular City Weekly contributor Cat Palmer. Original pieces by these artists will be available for purchase at an opening reception.

That reception will be held at Art Access (230 S. 500 West #110) on Friday, Aug. 15, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Visit artaccessutah. org for additional information about the program and exhibition hours.

Xi Zhang’s “ The Labyrinth”

Oscar Tuazon’s Salt Lake Water School

From the Underground Library exhibit

theESSENTIALS ENTERTAINMENT PICKS,

City Weekly Utah Beer Festival

Once upon a time, the idea of a grand celebration of any kind of alcoholic drink in Utah seemed preposterous; this was hardly considered the place either for creators or consumers of adult beverages. That was before an explosion in the market for craft brews and spirits, driven in part by talented local brewers helping to teach Utahns what great beer could taste like. Celebrating the growth and success of that industry and its customers is what led to the creation of the initial Utah Beer Festival by City Weekly in 2010, and we’re back for more in 2025.

Over 200 different beers, ciders and other libations will be on tap in 5-oz. sample pours from vendor booths representing more than 50 Utah-based and national creators of fine alcoholic fare, as well as food trucks and merchandise vendors. Live music will also be available on the festival grounds by great local bands, and transportation via Trax is convenient and safe.

The 15th annual City Weekly Utah Beer Festival returns to The Gateway (400 W. 200 South) Aug. 16-17, 3 p.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. – 7 p.m. Sunday, with early access one hour ahead of general opening for VIP and “early beer” ticket holders. Advance ticket prices for the 21+ event begin at $20 admission only/designated driver passes, $35 advance/$40 day-of-event single-day passes which include 10 punches for sample pours, to $90 for VIP packages. Full weekend passes are also available. Visit utahbeerfestival.com to purchase tickets and for additional event information. (SR)

Utah Dance Film Festival

There’s no denying that the performing arts have a particular energy live and in-person that can’t be duplicated in a virtual format. Yet it’s also true that an ephemeral art like dance has the potential to vanish entirely without creating some kind of record. “Dance for the camera” might have really found its sea legs by necessity during the peak of the COVID pandemic in 2020-2021, but the unique melding of choreography and cinema continues, and gets a local showcase every year in the form of the Utah Dance Film Festival.

The 2025 incarnation of the festival showcases 26 short films capturing dance performances created around the country and around the world in three programs. Utah-based creators are also at the center of several of the featured films. Brigham Young University dance faculty member Liz Dibble offers Zero Sum Game (pictured), which explores the tensions of polarized political debate, while Samantha Stone and Micah Vassau get surreal in Cantaloupe-a-dopamine and the Dance of the Melonless Mind, about wildly differing responses to an unexpected gift. And rather than offering mere fixed-camera records of a dance performance, these works fully embrace the unique editing and other creative opportunities afforded by the medium of film.

The Utah Dance Festival takes place Aug. 16 – 17 at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center (138 W. 300 South), beginning with a free Tahitian dance workshop at 11 a.m. on Aug. 16, and concluding with an awards presentation on Aug. 17. Online presentation is also available. In-person tickets are $14.50 for each showcase; visit saltlakecountyarts.org for full schedule and to purchase tickets. (SR)

FuelFest

The going-on-a-quarter-century success of the Fast & Furious movie series is just one piece of evidence in the enduring appeal of car culture, as the vroom-vroom of speeding machines grabs at something that is somehow both primitive and specifically of the modern world. Those movies helped make a star out of actor Paul Walker, who tragically passed away in 2013. In the wake of that passing, the actor’s brother, Cody Walker, has continued the disaster-relief non-profit Reach Out WorldWide that Paul founded—and to help support the work of that organization, Cody also created the touring FuelFest event as another celebration of car culture.

FuelFest features exhibits showcasing more than 600 custom, rare and exotic vehicles, including movie-used vehicles from the Fast & Furious films. Guests can participate in “drift ride-alongs” and other interactive attractions, plus experience the all-new Taste of Tokyo area with special exhibits dedicated to Japan’s own underground car culture. Attendees can even register their own cars to participate in a “people’s choice” judged competition. As an additional treat for Fast & Furious fans, series co-star Tyrese Gibson (“Roman”) will be a special guest for the event. Add in live music performances, and you’ve got a full day of raucous fun.

The Salt Lake City stop for FuelFest comes to the Utah State Fairpark (155 N. 1000 West) on Saturday, Aug. 16, from 1 p.m. – 8 p.m. Tickets start at $35, with special VIP access tickets also available. Children under 12 are free. Visit fuelfest.com to purchase tickets and for additional event information. (SR)

Have a Drink

Utah brewing breaks new ground; local trends and tips; plus everything to know about the 15th annual Utah Beer Festival.

OBeer Issue The

The festival and this special issue City Weekly celebrate the talented and dedicated Utah brewers who continue to push the growth and evolution of our local beer community, which—as I learned in college—pushes the growth and evolution of all Utahns, whether they drink or not. These beers don’t just fill our bellies, they fuel our souls, providing the connective tissue that gathers us together on those hot summer nights and through those long, cold winters, assuming we ever have one of those again (yikes, amirite?).

ne of my favorite classes in college was a freshman-level course on food and culture. It explored the anthropological intersection of human societies and human diets—everything from the staple crops of different global regions to learning about, and sampling for myself, the insect-based cuisine that is common in many parts of the world.

What really struck me, and what I’ve always remembered most from that course (beside the mouthfeel of dried cricket), is the universality of alcohol throughout human history. At the time, I had never tasted one drop of the “hard stuff,” and still would not for several years. But my little 18-yearold brain was blown by the degree to which people, dating as far back as recorded history allows, found their own ways of converting something into a fermented, pro-social beverage: wheat, corn, rice, grapes, apples, potatoes, sugarcane, honey, palm sap—the list truly goes on and on.

There are, in fact, three certainties in life: death, taxes and hooch.

This year, City Weekly is hosting the 15th edition of the annual Utah Beer Festival, an important milestone for the state’s best and booziest party. Over two days at The Gateway (see page 36), guests can sample from more than 200 beers and ciders, representing nearly every local brewing team and a few special selections from out-of-state and around the world. No matter what kind of beer you like, you’re guaranteed to find it there, as well as some new favorites you might not expect.

But beer is also a business, and business is hard. In the pages that follow, you’ll hear from the people working behind the scenes to expand into new parts of the state and into new flavors and brewing techniques (page 14). You’ll read about the shifts in consumer habits and trends that keep brewers on their toes, just as tariffs and inflation put new pressures on their supply chains and bottom lines (page 30). You’ll see how a smart cluster of bars and restaurants can breathe new life into a long-dormant part of the city (page 24). And you’ll even find some tips for the people like me, who might be late to the scene but who are game to try something new (page 34).

Let this issue guide you to your nearest barstool. Order something you’ve never tasted before and tell ‘em City Weekly sent you. And, of course, make your way to The Gateway this weekend (it’s in the free fare zone!) for a truly one-of-a-kind gathering of the best people in the state.

Cheers

—Benjamin Wood Lager Lieutenant

BEER NECESSITIES

Utah’s brewing industry evolves and adapts with new locations, new faces and bold flavors.

BY MIKE RIEDEL COMMENTS@CITYWEEKLY.NET @UTAHBEER

The past year has seen its share of ups and downs regarding Utah’s beer scene. Last May, two of Utah’s original craft beer brands were yanked from Salt Lake City, where they had been brewed for decades. Monster Beverage Company—which owns the Squatters and Wasatch brands—opted not to renew the lease of its large regional brewery, effectively shutting down all operations.

While that was a blow to fans of craft beer, other enthusiastic locals are chasing their passion by opening new breweries in Utah, even as surrounding markets show slow to negative growth. It’s these success stories we’ll celebrate here: the brewpubs that are currently pouring and those that are just weeks away. Craft beer remains strong in Utah, and these stories are a testament to that.

Utah Brewing Growth Bucks National Trends

Most people see the finished pint: the crisp lager; the hoppy IPA; the rich stout. But behind every glass of Utahbrewed beer is a story that begins long before the tap is pulled—a story of shared bags of grain, borrowed hops and late-night calls about stubborn fermentation.

At the center of this collaborative spirit is the Utah Brewers Guild.

While officially a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association, the Guild’s true purpose is to serve as the connective thread for the state’s brewers. It fosters a tight-knit community, educates a curious public and acts as the single, powerful voice ensuring the passion poured into every pint is protected across the Beehive State.

Stephanie Biesecker, the Executive Director (and “Grand Poobah”) of the Utah Brewers Guild, is tasked with keeping this complex ecosystem of industry and consumers in sync. The Guild has evolved significantly since its inception.

“There were 15 craft breweries in Utah in 2011,” Biesecker noted over a pint of local suds. “Now there are 37.”

This growth is notable in the current national climate. But Biesecker said the resilience of Utah’s brewing industry stems from the state’s unique culture.

“A lot of states are seeing a lot of shrinkage in their brewery numbers, and we are still growing,” Biesecker said. “I think the strength also comes just from our breweries wanting to get involved in the community and work together as a team. Utah has a great reputation for that.” The state is not entirely immune to national trends, however. The recent closure of Squatters/Wasatch— two foundational Utah brands—was heartbreaking for the community. But Biesecker clarified that the closure wasn’t a reflection of the local market’s health. Squatters/ Wasatch was owned by Monster Beverage, which has been

consolidating production nationwide.

Biesecker said that in spite of the brands’ corporate ownership, the local managers still operated as a local brewery, participating in the Guild and contributing to the community.

“[The closure was] definitely not because the market wasn’t supporting them,” Biesecker emphasized.

A significant part of the Guild’s work involves navigating Utah’s unique legislative landscape. A major victory occurred in 2019 when the law changed, raising the alcohol by volume (ABV) limit for beer sold in grocery and convenience stores from 4% to 5%. Before the change, sales of beer with 5% ABV or higher were restricted to state-run liquor stores.

“Having 5% in cans and draft was a huge advantage,” Biesecker explained. “As soon as that changed, a lot of people noticed the selection just quadrupled as far as beer sold at the grocery stores.”

While the public mostly sees the Guild through its events and festivals, advocacy remains a core, albeit less visible, function.

“One of our biggest goals is to advocate for better legislation for the beer community,” Biesecker said, “so that our businesses can continue to grow and our craft breweries can continue to thrive.”

This advocacy requires professional lobbyists, a significant expense for a non-profit. The Guild funds these crucial efforts primarily through membership dues—

tiered by a brewery’s annual barrel production—and its signature annual festival.

This year, the festival underwent a rebrand, evolving from the Wild West CoLab Fest to the Great Bear Mashup. It remains a collaboration festival, meaning “every beer that we serve is specifically for our festival,” Biesecker said, which ensures that attendees are getting the freshest beer possible.

The Guild’s membership structure extends beyond just breweries. They offer a “Utah Craft Producers” tier for beer-adjacent businesses like local cideries, kombucha makers and even Utah’s own James Weed, owner of Solstice Malt.

Associate memberships cater to trade organizations and suppliers, such as glassware companies or out-ofstate hop farms. For the beer-loving public, the Guild offers an Enthusiast Membership with discounts, special merchandise, and networking opportunities.

“It’s really the best way to donate to the guild,” Biesecker emphasized.

Not every Guild initiative is a fundraiser. Events like “Pint Day,” held over the Thanksgiving weekend, are designed merely to break even. The goal, Biesecker explained, is to bring awareness and attention to Utah’s local craft breweries.

For more info visit utahbrewersguild.org.

Utah Brewers Guild executive director Stephanie Biesecker

WolfDog Brewing Pioneers The Sandy Market

For those in the beer choir, the “Utah Shuffle” is a familiar tune—a classic song-and-dance that adult beverage lovers must perform to get a drink. But that jig has become easier as of late, as regions that once shunned alcohol have become wise to the economic benefits a craft brewery can bring.

Sandy has long been a tough nut to crack. But one brewery, WolfDog Brewing Company, has finally managed to massage the city and will bring its vision to life in the coming weeks.

“I mean, we’re still in the process, but everything’s been great so far,” said Derik DeBoard, Brewmaster and owner of WolfDog.

Navigating the local landscape required finesse. “We just had to figure out the proper zoning for the area and being so close to the high school,” DeBoard said. “I had to jump a couple of hoops there, but everyone’s basically on board now.”

One of those hoops was the type of license under which the brewery operates.

The city initially pushed for a full restaurant and bar license, but DeBoard successfully argued that a tavern license was, counterintuitively, the safer option for a location so near Jordan High School.

“If we’re 21 and older, we won’t have the problem of accidentally serving underage kids,” he explained. “As a full restaurant, we’d just be flooded with kids every day, and the chances of them getting away with drinking somebody else’s beer just goes to the roof. So we kind of met in a common ground there—tavern license, 21 and older, no kids allowed.”

With the regulatory hurdles cleared, DeBoard’s philosophy is centered on inclusivity. He wants to create a welcoming space with a diverse tap list, steering clear of the trend of breweries flooded with IPAs.

“I just want to make something for everybody,” he remarked. “I truly believe there is a product for everybody to enjoy. I want to have one of every type of style, basically, and build a community where our members can help decide on what we’re going to make next.”

When the doors first open, WolfDog will focus exclusively on draft beer, pumping the brakes on packaging for the first few months to get established. The brewery will also have a very limited menu of frozen options, primarily to meet licensing requirements.

Instead, DeBoard is fostering a symbiotic relationship with his neighbors. “We are next door to multiple food locations, so we are going to allow people to bring food inside to be eaten here,” he explained, “as long as you’re ordering from our neighbors.”

That sense of community is core to the Utah beer scene, and DeBoard is paying it forward. As a thank you to Proper Brewing for employing him while he was planning WolfDog, he is dedicating a tap handle to them for his entire first year.

“I’m going to bring one of the brewers from there over here basically every month to brew whatever they want,” he said. “We’ll put it on draft here and send a couple of kegs to their brewery. We will always have draft handles available for anyone in Salt Lake, Southern Utah, things like that.”

Despite minor setbacks with equipment, DeBoard is aiming for a late August or early September opening. Located about two blocks south of the Real Salt Lake stadium on State Street—with the Expo Center and Jordan

Commons nearby—WolfDog Brewing is poised to become a prime spot for pre or post-event drinks.

DeBoard’s invitation is simple: “Just come on down, drink with the pack,” he said. “If you come, check out a soccer game, stop in for a beer, walk over, enjoy the game, and come on back for another before you go. Just come and enjoy.”

Look for WolfDog Brewing soon at 9680 S. State Street.

Bewilder Brewer Hops West With Rabbit’s Foot

While Salt Lake City stands as the undisputed hub for craft beer in Utah, its sprawling valley is dotted with communities craving a fresh, local pint closer to home. As craft beer slowly finds its way into every corner of

the region, it’s now West Valley City’s time, thanks to a seasoned local brewer and a pair of restaurant veterans, armed with a hallowed book of burger recipes that are poised to breathe some new life into SLC’s sister city to the west.

The brewer is Cody McKendrick. His journey in craft beer began two decades ago as a homebrewer, a passion that led him to co-open Salt City Brew Supply, which served the homebrewing community for 14 years. In 2019, he took the leap into professional brewing with the launch of Bewilder Brewing Company.

For McKendrick, the jump from hobbyist to professional was driven by a simple desire to share his passion with other people, he said, and to bring new beer varieties to the market—citing styles like a Kolsch or ESB as but two examples.

Derik DeBoard, owner and head brewer of WolfDog Brewing

“What has always driven me in craft beer is the ability to make a beer that is not available here,” McKendrick stressed, “to bring a little bit of an experience from a different place to a consumer here.”

While Bewilder has persevered through difficult economic times and is now on a strong growth trajectory, McKendrick wasn’t actively seeking a second venture. The opportunity, he explained, simply presented itself.

“It was with a partnership group that brought a lot of value and a lot of skills that I don’t have,” he said. “Being able to partner with them not only to bring this concept to market, but also to learn from them … was an opportunity I just couldn’t pass up.”

His new partners are Rob Dutton and Ron Lay, the brilliant restaurateurs behind the legendary Lucky 13 and Trolley Wing Company. Their expertise in creating badass wings and burgers will be on full display at the new location, named Rabbit’s Foot.

The building’s large, well-equipped kitchen offers opportunities to create a more expansive menu than their other locations allow. While it currently operates as a bar for patrons 21 and over, the long-term plan is to divide the large space into a bar and an all-ages restaurant, a change that will be implemented in a year or two as business demands.

The beer at Rabbit’s Foot will be distinct from Bewilder’s portfolio. McKendrick said his philosophy is that every brewery should be representative of the community it is in.

“At Bewilder,” he explained, “our beers have evolved to include not only the nod heavily to traditional European beers, but also to hoppier beers—and for us, a lot of hoppier lagers.”

For the new West Valley location, sales trends suggest the community skews more towards lighter beers.

“I drink a lot of lighter beer too,” McKendrick admitted, “and I’m really excited at the opportunity to try and come up with something new.”

Although the original plan to install a five-barrel brewhouse on-site was derailed by skyrocketing tariffs on Chinese stainless steel, beer is already flowing. In the meantime, McKendrick is working with local producers—including Bewilder and others—to contract brew beers specifically for the Rabbit’s Foot taps.

Ultimately, McKendrick wants his West Valley neighbors to know this is their space. With partners who have lived in the area for years—including one who is a retired West Valley City firefighter—the roots are already deep.

“We want to be a part of the community. We want to support the community,” he stated emphatically. “We’re part of this community. We want to be a big part of this community. And we hope people come out and support what we’re trying to build.”

Find Rabbit’s Foot Brewing at 3318 Decker Lake Drive in West Valley City.

Kiitos Turns Heads With Bold Mash Press Flavors

In a world crowded with craft breweries, finding a truly unique voice can be a subtle art. But for the crew at Kiitos Brewing in Salt Lake City, standing out has become their signature. Armed with a rarely-used piece of brewing technology, they are pushing the boundaries of beer, and the results are turning heads not just locally, but around the globe.

At the helm of this innovation is head brewer Patrick Bourque, a seasoned veteran of the Utah beer scene. His

journey began with a decade of homebrewing, which unexpectedly netted him a handful of gold medals in competitions and pivoted him away from a career in nursing.

Starting on the packaging line at Uinta Brewing Company, Bourque methodically built a formidable resume, shaping the initial beers at SaltFire Brewing, returning to Uinta as head brewer and, later, building Ogden River Brewing from the ground up as director of brewing operations. After a three-year stint as a co-owner at Offset Beer, he was given the opportunity to join Kiitos.

While Bourque has a proven talent for getting breweries off the ground, the draw to the established Kiitos was a unique challenge.

“I have kind of a special place in my heart for production brewing,” he said. “Kiitos was in need of someone who had that sort of background. I saw it as an opportunity to apply a more quality control-focused as well as

an efficiency-oriented mindset. It’s kind of something I nerd out on and thrive in.”

At the heart of this opportunity is Kiitos’ reputation as one of the few breweries in the United States with an operating mash press. This specialized system gives brewers a creative freedom others can only dream of.

Where traditional brewing systems require a high percentage of malted barley for its husks to create a natural filter bed, the mash press mechanically separates liquid from solid.

This allows brewers to work with notoriously difficult, huskless grains—like millet, buckwheat or rice—that would turn a normal mash into an unworkable, porridgelike sludge.

“The mash press is certainly a unique thing,” Bourque notes. “I’ve spent the last year getting pretty creative with it.”

Cody McKendrick, co-founder and head brewer at Rabbit’s Foot Brewing

from page 18

His first major test was Fonio, an ancient West African grain new to the North American market. The goal was simple but profound: to showcase what a single, novel ingredient tastes like on its own—a curiosity for consumers and brewers alike.

“We love to claim that we were the first brewery in the United States to make a 100% Fonio beer,” he said.

Having mastered the 100% Fonio brew, Bourque then applied that knowledge to a new IPA, blending Fonio 50-50 with malted barley.

“The idea there was to take what we learned … and apply those tropical notes that come from the grain itself to something that is already tropical, to enhance it a little bit,” he explained.

For Bourque, the mash press has been a creative reawakening. He describes the process of using new grains and complex enzymes as both risky and rewarding.

“I don’t feel like I’ve been this out of my creative comfort zone in a very long time,” he admitted. “It’s awakening parts of my brain that haven’t been used in a while.”

The innovation doesn’t stop with Fonio. Bourque has already run sake rice through the press and has his sights set

on Kernza, a perennial grain promoted for its sustainable qualities. In a collaboration with the company Sustain-A-Grain, Kiitos plans to produce what may be the nation’s first 100% Kernza beer, followed by a novel 50-50 Kernza-Fonio blend.

Looking to the future, Bourque’s mission is clear.

“When there’s 10,000 breweries out there in the United States and we’re one of a few with a mash press, I say let’s get crazy,” he declared. “Let’s do something unique. Let’s try things that other breweries aren’t able to try and really show the customers that there’s still creative ingenuity that can happen in the brewing world.”

Find Kiitos at 608 W. 700 South in Salt Lake City.

Logan Brewing Expands With Home Range

For decades, Cache County was a tough nut to crack for craft beer. People tried to make Logan breweries happen for years, but the taps effectively ran dry in 1912 with the closure of the original Cache Valley Brewing. A 110-year drought ensued.

That barrier was finally broken in June of 2022 by Prodigy Brewing and, now, a new chapter is being written by two pals—Chris Sisneros-Kidd and Cullen Williams—who have set a course to bring innovative suds to the thirsty northern Utah valley with their venture, Home Range Brewing.

The duo’s journey to Logan is a tale of two distinct but complementary paths. For Sisneros-Kidd—a Laramie, Wyoming native—beer was a family affair.

“My dad has been a home brewer my whole life, and he’s also a professor,” he explained. “He used to teach a class where they would brew a beer and then have a party and drink it all in our backyard at the end of the semester. I just grew up around a craft beer enthusiast.”

Williams, by his own admission, was never the brewer. Instead, he found his way into the community from the frontof-house, bartending and eventually managing Coal Creek Brewing in Laramie. It was there that he and Sisneros-Kidd, who was brewing at Coal Creek, worked closely together. The partnership formed when Sisneros-Kidd decided to move. As Williams recalled, “He was like, ‘Hey,

man, I’m leaving Coal Creek. I’m headed to Utah. I might open a brewery in Logan someday. Just keep that in mind.’”

That someday has arrived, and it’s named Home Range Brewing. The name itself is a declaration of intent.

“This is our home range—Cache Valley,” Williams explained. “We wanted to be reflective of the community.”

This hyper-local focus is even embedded in their logo: the Maguire’s Primrose, a flower that exists only in Logan Canyon and nowhere else on Earth.

At its core, the brewery’s philosophy is driven by what Sisneros-Kidd calls “drinkability.” While quality is a given, he searches for balance in every batch.

“Even in beers where we’re dry-hopping or using interesting locally grown ingredients, I’m always searching for balance and drinkability,” he said.

This commitment is most evident in Sisneros-Kidd’s passion for Saisons. The original concept for Home Range was a farm brewery, and that spirit lives on. They are one of only three breweries in Utah with operating oak foeders—large barrels used for aging and fermentation.

Though they initially planned for one, Continued on page 22

Patrick Bourque, head brewer at Kiitos Brewing

Continued

an opportunity for a two-for-one deal gave them more flexibility.

The foeders are kept “clean”—free of wild yeast—and play a crucial role in their unique Saison process.

“We have a house mix culture that actually started as my sourdough culture,” Sisneros-Kidd explained.

After an initial fermentation with two yeast strains isolated from that culture, the beer is moved to the foeder where a special diastaticus strain is pitched to achieve the perfect, dry finish.

The local connection runs deep. All of their Saisons use Solstice Malt, grown just 15 minutes down the road. In a perfect circle of sustainability, the grower then picks up their spent grain to feed his cattle.

Drawing from their shared history at Coal Creek, the pair also brought an affection for traditional English ales to Logan by installing a beer engine.

“We just fell in love with true cask English ales,” Williams said.

The lower-ABV style—served at cellar temperature with a gentle, natural carbonation—was an entirely new experience for most local patrons. But the reception has been overwhelming.

“They love it. We have a kind of a cult

following for our cask beer,” Williams reported. “When we ran out of our first batch, I think people were starting to plan riots. We’re already thinking about adding a second engine.”

Ultimately, the beer and the space are designed to work in concert. Williams envisions Home Range Brewing as a vital “third space” for Logan—a place outside of home and work where people can gather and connect.

“The beers are a reflection of that,” Williams explained. “Beers that are good enough that any beer nerd can sit there and pick it apart, but they also can just blend into the background of a good conversation. That’s where this space and our team come into play.”

For Sisneros-Kidd and Williams, Home Range Brewing is more than a business; it’s a commitment to a place and its people. “We think we’re off to a good start,” Sisneros-Kidd remarked.

Williams adds, “We chose to be here in Logan. We don’t want to be anywhere else. And I think that’s an important thing.”

Find Home Range Brewing at 186 N. Main Street in Logan. CW

COURTESY PHOTO

Cullen Williams (left) and Chris Sisneros-Kidd (right), co-owners of Home Range Brewing

Continued from page 20

9 AM - 4 PM

Where

CENTRAL PLANNING

Food, beer, cider and even a few potions breathe new life into a Salt Lake City neighborhood on 900 South.

BY BRANDI CHRISTOFFERSEN comments@cityweekly.net

Over the past few years, an area near downtown Salt Lake City known as Central Ninth has experienced what can only be described as an awakening. What was once considered to be among the rougher parts of town, the neighborhood has blossomed into an inviting, vibrant and hip district.

Located on 900 South between West Temple and 600 West, Central Ninth’s rejuvenation has attracted many small business owners and entrepreneurs, with coffee shops, ice cream parlors and workout studios opening their doors.

The neighborhood is also home to an array of taprooms, breweries and bars. And although each establishment has its own unique character and vibe, Central Ninth’s inviting atmosphere makes one feel comfortable no matter where and who they may be: 20-something; middle-aged; senior; straight; gay; shorts; flip-flops; dresses; heels—all are welcome.

$5

Below are some of the watering holes that make up this eclectic neighborhood. But before sitting down at the bar, enjoy a quick bite. Stop into Vertical Diner at 234 W. 900 South for a 100% plant-based delight. Dine in a colorful 60s-styled restaurant, where one can order breakfast all day long or enjoy a tasty vegan burger with hand-cut fries.

“We get a lot of people that are vegan or have restricted diet needs. However, most of our regulars are not plant based,” said Vertical Diner server Jordan Ogg. “They just really like the food.”

Other delicious food options include sandwiches and more at Central Ninth Market, pizza at snowmoBAR, Mediterranean classics at Laziz or try one of SLC’s hidden gems—The Pearl at 917 S. 200 West. This latter location features an innovative Vietnamese menu crafted by famous local chef, Tommy Nguyen. Although everything that Nguyen creates is unbelievable, according to server Jared Asplund, “the Banh Mi, with or without pork, is a classic and everybody loves it.”

Scion Cider

Referred to as a “stewardship” by general manager and co-owner Rio Connelly, Scion Cider is home to over 225 different ciders, including the cidery’s own small-batch brews. With the allure of a European bistro, the bright brewery invites customers in to share a flight of its distinctive ciders.

Connolly said the team behind Scion was looking to try something different when they opened what is only the fourth cidery in Utah.

“Utah is a cider desert and we wanted to change that,” he said. “We are here to support the entire cider community. We promote ciders from all over the state.”

With their three tiny stills, Blanche, Rose and Dorothy—each named for a Golden Girls character—Scion produces 70 to 90 gallons of cider at a time. With summer favorites like the Scion Sapsucker, Pie Cycle and Anjou Pear, guests can rehydrate from Salt Lake’s stifling heat while enjoying the lively atmosphere.

scionciderbar.com

916 S. Jefferson Street

Cheese plate and cider at Scion Cider

DÉLICE FRENCH BAKERY AND CAFÉ

Continued from page 24

Policy Kings Brewery

Brand new to the Central Ninth neighborhood is Policy King Brewery. As Utah’s first black-owned brewery, Policy King’s relocation to SLC from Cedar City was praised by Mayor Erin Mendenhall as “an important milestone” in the local craft beer scene.

On their social media, co-owners Deandre and Sara Ridgel say they are “dedicated to creating a welcoming space where community, culture, and craft beer come together.

The Ridgels definitely set the brewery up for fun and entertainment with a wide variety of craft beers on tap. The selection changes frequently so ask one of the exceptional servers for their recommendations.

policykingsbrewery.com

79 W. 200 South

Thieves Guild Cidery

Walk through the doors of this immersive taproom and one enters a realm of old-world charm and fantasy. Reminiscent of a medieval tavern with a collection of skulls displayed on the walls, the atmosphere is somehow still warm and welcoming. Each of the tables are arranged comfortably around the bar to allow enough room for a quick game of Magic: The Gathering or a full-blown D&D quest.

“The atmosphere is so amazing,” first-time patron Olivia Hamilton told City Weekly, “it helps you to immerse yourself in the surroundings.”

But what if one has never played a role-playing game in their life? Not to worry, says bartender Nate (Kitty) Smedley.

“All who drink are welcome here,” Smedley said.

Cider lovers will delight in the inventive brews, delicious meads and classic beers. Whether a customer is in the mood for something light and summery like the Crossbow Cider or dark and distinguished like the Death and Decay Rose, the Guild’s got them covered. The bar also serves some of the most creative cocktails, in the form of their Potions—Stamina, Health and Mana.

“The potions are so fun,” patron Ashleigh Anderson told City Weekly. “They come in cute little glasses with a bubble on top.” thievesguildcidery.com

117 W. 900 South

Water Witch Bar

The moment visitors walk into Water Witch, they will understand why it was named a 2025 Outstanding Bar finalist by the James Beard Foundation.

“It’s a bar that has a good drink menu, but isn’t pretentious about it,” said Nick Noufer, a local regular. “You can just hang out here.”

This was echoed by fellow regular Devon Clark. “The high and low of [their selection] is amazing,” Clark noted. “You can get a cheap beer, a Twisted Tea, or order a top-shelf shot.”

Known around the community as a fun place to grab a frosty brew, Water Witch has been a neighborhood-focused bar since it opened in December of 2016.

“We pride ourselves on having a lot of regular clients,” bartender Kenzi Anderson said. “Over at that corner of the bar are guys that I see several times a week. And yet, we have a constant flow of new faces as well. It’s a nice mix.”

With everything from beers on tap to bourbon, bitters, brandy and whiskey, Water Witch will “beckon” you through its doors.

waterwitchbar.com

163 W. 900 South

Thieves Guild Cidery

IN AND OUT

Tariffs, inflation and shifting customer preferences keep Utah brewers on their toes.

BY THOMAS CRONE comments@cityweekly.net

For brewers everywhere, there are beers that one loves to make (because they’re great, while still allowing for creative license) and beers that one needs to make (because they sell, thus providing the means to make more beer).

At times, those beers cross over—the perfect combination of flavor and commerce. And for brewers in Salt Lake, these and other general patterns revealed themselves through quick chats with City Weekly

Chad Hopkins, the eponymous brewer/owner of Hopkins Brewery in Sugar House, said that his 30,000-foot view suggests the craft beer scene has seen a retrenchment in recent years, with a number of small breweries dying in markets of varying sizes.

“It’ll boom, then it’ll slow down,” Hopkins noted. “People go to micro beers, then back to macro beers. Right now, we’re finally done calling everything an IPA. Everyone was reinventing the IPA: smoothie IPAs, cold IPAs, sour IPAs, everything IPAs. That trend is finally starting to fizzle. And the hazy IPAs are finally fizzling.”

As the IPA craze ebbs, Hopkins said he is seeing a return to “beer-flavored beer.”

“I like all the funky, silly IPAs,” he added. “But ultimately, I really like a nice, light lager. So we’re back to that trend.”

Hopkins said this shift has seen “historic stuff” coming back to the taps and beer fridges. He pointed to the classic amber ale, asserting that it had nearly disappeared completely but is now regaining popularity.

“People have been experiencing palate fatigue,” Hopkins said. “Some heavy IPAs and fruited this, fruited that … you drink just one and you’re done.”

He also suggested that consumers are no longer pushing for the highest-possible alcohol-by-volume (ABV) content at bars and breweries.

“People are gravitating to sessionable beers,” Hopkins observed. “That’s hit the market nationally—session beers and session IPAs—and we were already doing that before it tended to blow up nationally.”

But fruited beers remain a presence on Utah menus, as well as other interesting offshoots including, yes, at least one vegetable variant.

Just as pickleball has become a massively popular sport for average folks, pickle beers have increasingly been offered, locally and regionally, and coming in various forms, from lagers to sours, goses and even seltzers. To add to the variety within that niche, some have branded themselves as brinier than the rest, or spicier.

Hopkins still maintains a love for bold tastes, especially with sours. He points to his pre-brewpub days as a home brewer for proof positive.

“When I home-brewed, I was passionate about traditional sours—barrel-aged sours that’ve been aged for years,” he recalled. “In my basement, I had five-gallon barrels all over and I won some medals in home brew competitions. It’s always been a goal to have those at the brewery.”

Finding the right balance of popular styles vs. passion projects might be a different equation at some point for Hopkins, as the small footprint of the current brewpub calls for keeping some crowd-pleasing styles on the tap roster at all times.

His goal, he said, is to expand the brand in 2025 with a canning line, though the simple spatial needs of that have proven tricky up to this point.

“We may have to find another brewing space, we’re not sure about that yet,” Hopkins said. “But the canning line would allow us to be done with the limits of draft-only that we have now.”

Adding to the uncertainty of that particular situation is the current rollercoaster of tariff threats from the Trump administration. Hopkins said that the canning line manufacturers that he’s spoken to have held a firm line on pricing for the moment, but he expects that costs for that hyper-specialized equipment could “skyrocket” in time.

The tariff situation has, to date, not affected his brewing operation, though, with Hopkins’ emphasis on sourcing American brewing ingredients. But he has seen the restaurant side of his operation hit with various price jumps; as an example, he’s using a Pacific rockfish for his menu now, rather than the Icelandic cod that jumped $15 a pound.

Costs are always a factor in every step of the process, and Hopkins said that he’s got a fermenter on site with “some wild cultures that’ve been hanging out for years” awaiting the right moment for a new creation.

Across town, at Templin Family Brewing, owner Kevin Templin had his own take on tariffs and cost markups, noting with a quick and assertive “nope” that the noise around that topic hadn’t visited his business to this point. And, ideally, it won’t for a bit.

For example, he noted that aluminum is definitely a cost concern for brewers with a canning component, and Templin headed off the worry of rising prices on that front by signing a deal that will carry the business through any short-term disruptions or runaway pricing.

“The stuff happening right now doesn’t affect me,” Templin said. “We contracted out for 800,000 cans ahead of time, saying ‘this is X-amount that we’ll pay.’ If tariffs drive that up, that’ll fall on the aluminum makers now, not on me.”

As for what will fill those many, many cans—well, Templin chuckled a bit when told of Hopkins’ picks for new (or, more accurately: new/old) styles making a comeback. Amber ales, for example?

“I’d say almost the opposite of that,” Templin replied. Instead, Templin said he sees a strong, steady market ahead for lagers and IPAs, and particularly the “crisp” and “clean” varieties that don’t challenge consumers.

A flight of beers at Hopkins Brewery

Continued from page 26

Kevin Templin said the quality of local beers continues to improve

Continued from page 30

“Lagers are and always will be popular,” Templin said. “Those really are getting some wind in the sail. And IPAs will never go away. They’re here to stay, that’s for sure. And they’re always developing, changing into what the consumer likes. IPAs from the 1990s aren’t like those in 2025. They’re completely different beers.”

Generally, Templin said the local scene is on the climb, and the overall quality of the beers being produced keeps going up.

“You think your beer’s good now? Think of what they’ll be in three years. And six years? Even better,” Templin remarked. “You can’t rest and make the same beer, over and over again.”

Ultimately, he feels that his buying base wants quality and that will always come with a bit of a price.

“And it doesn’t matter what the economy does,” he says. “If prices go up or down or sideways, I’ve got to buy what I need. It’s like if you need gas for the car. If it’s $30 a gallon and you’ve gotta have it, you’ll pay. And I’m not going to compromise on the malts and the hops we use.”

At RoHa Brewing Project—a cozy brewpub tucked between State and Main Streets on Kensington—a neat trick has been utilized to allow for sales and creativity to live in harmony.

On Wednesdays, the spot has a firkin promotion, in which the unique contents of a small, 10-ish gallon keg are offered

to the pub’s regulars. They’re attuned to the fun, unusual offerings that come in that wooden container on a weekly basis. Matthew Veylupek previously worked as a bartender at RoHa, making the fulltime transition to brewing over the past couple of years. As the recently-appointed head brewer, Veylupek’s now able to help oversee the firkin production, which allows him a chance to get creative.

“We’ve just made a red beer, a michaelada, a fruity, dry-hopped IPA and a vanilla pumpkin latte lager,” he said.

With roughly 70 pint pours in a firkin, the weekly offerings at RoHa have a limited lifespan. You can miss out even on the day of, if you’re not paying attention.

Still, RoHa is going to make its rent through the sales of lagers and IPAs and when this writer talked to him, Veylupek had some of the latter on draft, typical of their percentage. And lagers are wellrepresented, too, with sours hanging out and darker beers on the near-horizon for fall and winter.

Every Friday, he and his staff sample beers from around town, a process that gives him a familiarity with titles from across the local landscape. Pressed on some favorites, he specifically noted offerings at Kiitos, SaltFire Brewing and TF.

“There are so many breweries making awesome beer in Salt Lake that it’s hard to choose a favorite,” he said. CW

Continued on page 34

ACQUIRED TASTES

New to beer? Have no fear with these tips from local brewers.

BY NOEL SIMS comments@cityweekly.net

Do your friends only hang out at breweries? Are you tired of over-paying for weak Utah cocktails? Is bread your favorite food and have you always wished you could consume it in liquid form? If the answer to any of these questions was “yes,” it might be time to try drinking beer.

If you’ve only tried a warm Miller Lite in a frat backyard or a sip of your friend’s craft double IPA, you might think that you just don’t like beer. But SLC brewers offer a world of beers that are far more interesting than a bland lager and less in-yourface than a bitter, hop-heavy IPA.

Taking a dive into the world of craft beer can be overwhelming. Often, the best brews for the beer-skeptical have unfamiliar names that give away nothing about how they might taste.

What’s a Kolsch? A Helles? Personally, I’ve never ordered a Gose because I don’t know how to say it. (Editor’s note: It’s pronounced “Goh-zah” and has a delicious and distinct salty flavor).

Head brewers at two Salt Lake breweries have some advice for anyone who is intimidated by beer, but wants to give it a shot.

First, know that you’re not alone. Kyle

Luce, brewery manager at Templin Family (TF) Brewing, said that when he was a server at a San Diego craft brewery, people would ask him what he’d recommend to someone who doesn’t like beer roughly “five times a day.”

Second, don’t be afraid to get something simple. Matt Veylupek, head brewer at RoHa Brewing Project, said that sometimes, people are afraid that light craft beers will taste the same as a Miller Lite or a PBR. But if you grab a beer from a local brewery, he said, its freshness and smallbatch brew will give it an automatic boost.

“Sometimes those [national] beers have an off flavor and they get skunky because they’re old and people think, ‘Oh, this is what beer tastes like,’” Veylupek observed.

Aside from freshness, Veylupek pointed to versatility as the main strength of light craft beers. While Coors Lite and Miller Lite might taste roughly the same, a single craft brewery might have a dozen different light beers to try that all offer something distinct.

At RoHa, for example, the Crisper Drawer golden ale and the Lone Ranger Mexican lager are both light, but the golden ale has a subtle hop aroma while the Mexican lager is brewed with flaked corn that gives it a sweeter flavor.

At TF, the brewery offers plenty of crushable options. Luce explained that for the thousands of different styles of beers in the world, their flavor mostly comes down to how brewers use just a few ingredients: grain, yeast, water and hops.

“Lawnmower beer [is] kind of our wheelhouse,” Luce said.

Different grains have different flavors and roasting them to create a darker malt creates even more possibilities. Different strains of yeast ferment under different conditions and can yield fruity notes or a clean flavor profile that leaves more room to taste hops or malt.

“Playing with all that,” Luce noted, “it really is like cooking.”

TF has so many light options that it can be hard to know where to start, but anything a customer picks will have something unique to offer, Luce stressed.

“Our Helles is a perfect example,” he said. “It is very malt forward, without being a stout or something too far off about deep end.”

He also recommended giving a Kolsch and a pilsner a try. And if a patron is really intimidated, they can ease into things with a shandy, which is half lemonade and half beer.

Once a person has mastered lawnmower beers and feels ready to take on a new challenge, Luce recommended thinking about what they like to eat and drink besides beer.

Fruity cocktails? Coffee? Sweets? Go with a beer that has flavors you already know you like. If fruity is what you’re after at TF, give the Berliner Weisse a try, or if you’re looking for coffee notes, check out a stout.

For the truly adventurous, both RoHa and TF have IPAs that their head brewers contend make good first forays into the world of hoppy beers.

At RoHa, try out the Shambo Juicy IPA, which has some fruity notes to balance out the bitter hops. And at TF, go for the 210 IPA. At 6%, Luce said it offers “lots of hop character, without the repercussions of a hangover.”

If you are looking to explore more craft breweries in the area, look out for these beer novice-approved options: the cerveza and Lemonade Stand Sour at Fisher; the Plum Berliner Weisse or Thai Tom Kha Sour Ale at Shades; the Coconut Stout at Kiitos; the Lei Effect Gose and LeisureBrau Cold IPA at Proper; or the Kolsch from Bewilder Brewing. CW

The patio at RoHa Brewing, tucked between State and Main Streets.

Listen as City Weekly columnists, and Southern Europeans, John Saltas and Ron Yengich discuss everything. Yes, everything.

DRINK IT UP

The 15th annual Utah Beer Festival returns to The Gateway on August 16 and 17.

BY BENJAMIN WOOD bwood@cityweekly.net

The end of summer is just around the corner, which means it is time once again for the Utah Beer Festival, City Weekly ’s annual celebration of beer and brewing. This year marks the 15th edition of Utah’s best and booziest party, with two full days of drink sampling, food truck noshing, on-stage rocking and more, conveniently located at The Gateway in the heart of Salt Lake City.

The party will spread out along Rio Grande Street and includes the area around the Olympic Legacy Plaza. But keep an eye out for new indoor spaces to beat the heat (or the rain, depending on what Mother Nature throws at us) and an enhanced VIP experience at Flanker, which also includes admission to the Dreamscapes installation by the Utah Arts Alliance. Merchandise and retail vendors will also be participating, and City Weekly is proud to continue the festival’s partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention for the second consecutive year.

“Our 2024 festival was a great success at The Gateway so we’re excited to be back,” said Pete Saltas, publisher of City Weekly. “And, with our 15th anniversary year, we’ve learned Utahns want to come together and enjoy the final days of summer with great food, music and, of course, beer. Nearly all of Utah’s fine breweries will be serving their unique, award-winning beers.”

Nitty-Gritty

The Utah Beer Festival features over 200 beers and ciders from local, regional and national breweries, with both high- and low-point samples available in 5-ounce pours. The festival will be open from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 16, and from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 17. On both days, early-entry tickets are available, allowing guests and VIP ticket holders to begin sampling at 2 p.m. on Saturday and at noon on Sunday.

Tickets can be purchased at the event, or in advance at utahbeerfestival.com. Single-day admission is $35, which includes an initial 10-punch card for sampling. VIP tickets ($115) and weekend passes ($50 for GA, $180 for VIP) are also available online, as are entry-only passes for $20, which do not include a punch card for sampling.

Additional punch cards are available for purchase at the event, and general admission ticket holders can enjoy discounted admission to Dreamscapes, while VIP tickets automatically include Dreamscapes admission.

The Utah Beer Festival is a 21+ event, and pets are not allowed.

Navigation

The Utah Beer Festival is conveniently located inside the Utah Transit Authority’s free fare zone, with multiple Trax stations surrounding The Gateway, the city’s recently-upgraded bus corridor on 200 South running alongside the festival grounds and the UTA On Demand microtransit service (available to west-side residents) including the area. The regional Frontrunner train also stops nearby at North Temple Station and Salt Lake Central Station, offering a direct connection to out-of-town guests, but riders should note that Frontrunner does not operate on Sundays.

A GreenBike docking station is located near the festival entrance on 100 South, beneath the skybridge, with a second bikeshare location behind The Gateway on 500 West and others in the surrounding neighborhood. City Weekly will also provide a free bike valet service, offering supervised storage for micro-mobility devices of all types. Buffered bike lanes on 200 South provide a safe cycling connection to Rio Grande Street, and west-siders can take advantage of the Folsom Trail connection to 500 West. The festival’s downtown location facilitates ridehailing services like Uber and Lyft, and paid parking is available at The Gateway (the Utah Beer Festival does not offer validation) with limited street parking and other commercial garage options available in the surrounding neighborhood. Festival guests who choose to drive are reminded to do so responsibly.

Noms and Notables

In addition to beer samples, food and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase. Saturday’s food truck lineup includes Jamaica’s Kitchen, Maize Tacos and Salt City Barbecue, while Sunday will feature Hog and Tradition, Cluck Truck and Bomb Dilla.

Both days feature a top slate of live music. Saturday will kick off with Glitter Bombs and Master Kennedy, headlined that evening by Brazuca Band. On Sunday, Grimwood and Mountain Country Band will open the event, with a closing set Sunday night by The Utah County Swillers.

A new highlight for this year will be Questionable Trivia, open to all ticket holders. And festival guests are encouraged to explore the additional programming at The Gateway, like Flanker, Seabird, The Depot, Dreamscapes and the recentlyopened Museum of Illusions.

Visit utahbeerfestival.com and follow City Weekly on social media for additional information and the latest updates. CW

Sample from more than 200 varieties of beer and cider at the Utah Beer Festival.

A brewery can take many forms, and the Wasatch

City Weekly’s Best Of Utah Top 10!

A popular symbol for the baking profession, the pretzel also happens to be a uniquely well-suited complement to many kinds of situations and environments. Whether seasoned with salt or submerged in sauce or sweetening, there’s a reason why this baked delight is such a mainstay. If you’re looking to find a pretzel in its ideal form, why don’t you give the following places a try?

Whether you’re dealing with chronic pain, recovering from an injury or surgery, or just looking for a safe, effective treatment to improve your quality of life, SoftWave Therapy can help.

Wild Dogs, Wild Horses

East of Wall and Fixed show radically different approaches to authenticity vs. outrageousness.

BY SCOTT RENSHAW scottr@cityweekly.net @scottrenshaw

East of Wall BBB

There’s an independent film mini-tradition—perhaps most notably in the features from director Chloé Zhao (The Rider, Nomadland)—of using non-professional actors to add a layer of verisimilitude to stories of oftenmarginalized people. There is, however, a fairly fine line between “naturalistic” and “amateurish,” so all credit to writer/director Kate Beecroft for taking a story in East of Wall that could have coasted on its authenticity, and making it into something that remains engaging both as narrative and as striking filmmaking.

Beecroft casts real-life South Dakota horse rancher Tabatha Zimiga and her daughter Porshia as same-named versions of themselves, trying to scratch out a living from selling horses and rodeoing after the death of Tabatha’s most recent husband and Porshia’s stepfather, while Tabatha tries to support her own kids and several locals left effectively parentless by substance abuse or incarceration. Then, unexpectedly, a potential financial savior emerges in the form of a wealthy Texas-based horsetrader (Scoot McNairy), who offers to buy the ranch while

still allowing the Zimigas to live and work there. It certainly helps strengthen the film that the mostly non-professional cast gets effective back-up from McNairy and the always-reliable Jennifer Ehle, making a meal of playing Tabatha’s hard-drinking mom. Yet even the other cast members are allowed some genuinely emotional moments—addressing the generational impacts of teenage pregnancy, poverty and alcoholism—which Beecroft guides them into underplaying. She also finds a great balance between leaning into the everyday lives of working the ranch and the ways kids find to blow off steam, and offering dreamy visuals. That material gets a lovely presentation by Beecroft and cinematographer Austin Shelton, capturing the mysterious beauty of the Dakota Badlands and the exhilarating bursts of freedom Porshia experiences when she’s on horseback. The plot may be fairly thin and episodic, and the subtext unnecessarily turned into text at times, but East of Wall proves to be an effective example of how to turn real life into real cinema. Available Aug. 15 in theaters. (R)

Fixed BB

After overseeing innovative TV animation like The Powerpuff Girls, Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack and Star Wars: Clone Wars, Genndy Tartakovsky spent nearly a decade laboring in the franchise family-feature mines of the Hotel Transylvania series, so it’s understandable that he might want to get back to something edgier. Unfortunately, there’s a danger involved in making an R-rated animated feature, something I refer to as “the Sausage Party dilemma:” You don’t want to fall back on the assumption that a naughty cartoon is inherently interesting just because it’s naughty.

That problem is all over Fixed, as Tartakovsky focuses on a mutt named Bull (voiced by Adam DeVine), whose rambunctious behavior—particularly his inability to stop humping Grandma’s leg—convinces his owners it’s time for Bull to get neutered. The horrified realization that the Big Snip is forthcoming sends Bull and several neighborhood dog buddies (Idris Elba, Fred Armisen and Bobby Moynihan) on an all-night odyssey to live it up, and maybe even confess his feelings to his purebred borzoi next-door neighbor (Kathryn Hahn) before he’ll be lacking the sack.

All the voice actors fully commit to the over-the-top material, and there are a handful of decent gags, including naming the dog-park where the pooches congregate Wiggly Field. But Tartakovsky and co-writer Jon Vitti (The Simpsons Movie) keep trotting out situations—drug hallucinations, a visit to a doggie sex club, various copulating combinations, etc.—that rarely find actual jokes, assuming the outrageousness of the situation itself will do all the comedic heavy lifting. And the chances to find specific humor in stuff like dog shows just seem to pass by without much effort expended.

Tartakovsky always brings jagged, distinctively funky animation ideas to the table, like synchronized dog pee turning into the Bellagio fountains or literalizing the notion of having animals pretend to be people by putting several of them in a trenchcoat. Otherwise, there’s a whole lot of adolescent sniggering at the mere idea that you made a cartoon dog say “fuck.” It takes more balls to know you can do anything, then picking your spots. Available Aug. 13 via Netflix. (R) CW

2 Row Brewing

73 West 7200 South, Midvale

2RowBrewing.com

On Tap: “Czech One-Two” Czech Pilsner

Avenues Proper

376 8th Ave, SLC avenuesproper.com

On Tap: Steamy Wonder Rye Steam Ale

Bewilder Brewing

445 S. 400 West, SLC

BewilderBrewing.com

On Tap: Pink Boots - Pink Pony Pilz

Bohemian Brewery

94 E. Fort Union Blvd, Midvale

BohemianBrewery.com

NEW Releases: Kölsch, Dusseldorfer “Alt” Bier

Bonneville Brewery 1641 N. Main, Tooele

BonnevilleBrewery.com

On Tap: Peaches and Cream Ale

Chappell Brewing

2285 S Main Street

Salt Lake City, UT 84115 chappell.beer

On Tap: Pie Hole - Strawberry Rhubarb Tart Ale

Corner Brew Pub Sugar House 2110 S. Highland Drive, SLC saltlakebrewingco.com/wasatch

On Tap:  Top of Main Coalition Hellfire Chili Pepper Ale

Craft by Proper

1053 E. 2100 So., SLC properbrewingco.com

On Tap: Steamy Wonder Rye Steam Ale

Desert Edge Brewery

273 Trolley Square, SLC DesertEdgeBrewery.com

On Tap:  Centennial Steamer, California Common Lager

Epic Brewing Co.

825 S. State, SLC EpicBrewing.com

On Tap: Chasing Ghosts IPA

Etta Place Cidery

700 W Main St, Torrey www.ettaplacecider.com

On Tap: Imperial Cider, Fig-Tamarind Session Mead

Fisher Brewing Co.

320 W. 800 South, SLC FisherBeer.com

On Tap: A rotation of up to 17 Fresh Beers!

A list of what local craft breweries and cider houses have on tap this week

Grid City Beer Works

333 W. 2100 South, SLC

GridCityBeerWorks.com

On Tap: Cask Nitro CO2

Helper Beer

159 N Main Street, Helper, UT  helperbeer.com

Hopkins Brewing Co.

1048 E. 2100 South, SLC

HopkinsBrewingCompany.com

On Tap: Solstice - West Coast Pilsner

Kiitos Brewing

608 W. 700 South, SLC

KiitosBrewing.com

On Tap: Sake Rice Lager (collab with Tsuki Sake); Tropical Haze IPA

New Launch: Fonio Fusion - 6.6%

Level Crossing Brewing Co.

2496 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake LevelCrossingBrewing.com

On Tap: El Santo Mexican Lager

Level Crossing Brewing Co., POST

550 South 300 West, Suite 100, SLC LevelCrossingBrewing.com

On Tap: Fruit Bat Sour Ale

Moab Brewing

686 S. Main, Moab

TheMoabBrewery.com

On Tap:  “Big Drop” West Coast Pilsner

Mountain West Cider

425 N. 400 West, SLC MountainWestCider.com

On Tap: Watermelon Blueberry Hard Cider

Offset Bier Co

1755 Bonanza Dr Unit C, Park City offsetbier.com/

On Tap: DOPO IPA

Ogden Beer Company

358 Park Blvd, Ogden

OgdenBeerCompany.com

On Tap: 11 rotating taps as well as high point cans and guest beers

Park City Brewing

1764 Uinta Way C1

ParkCityBrewing.com

On Tap: Park City Palmer - Hard Iced Tea

Policy Kings Brewery

79 W. 900 South, Salt Lake City PolicyKingsBrewery.com

On Tap: Kings Proper Kolsch

Prodigy Brewing

25 W Center St. Logan Prodigy-brewing.com

On Tap: 302 Czech Pilsner

Proper Brewing/Proper Burger

857 So. Main & 865 So. Main properbrewingco.com

On Tap: Steamy Wonder Rye Steam Ale

Proper Brewing Moab 1393 US-191, Moab properbrewingco.com

On Tap: Blizzard Wizard Hazy Pale Ale

Red Rock Brewing

254 So. 200 West RedRockBrewing.com

On Tap: Gypsy Scratch

Red Rock Fashion Place

6227 So. State Redrockbrewing.com

On Tap: Grand Bavaria

Red Rock Kimball Junction 1640 Redstone Center Redrockbrewing.com

On Tap: Bamberg Rauch Bier

RoHa Brewing Project

30 Kensington Ave, SLC RoHaBrewing.com

On Tap: Smoove Brain Session IPA

Roosters Brewing Multiple Locations RoostersBrewingCo.com

On Tap: Cranberry Lime Seltzer

SaltFire Brewing 2199 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake SaltFireBrewing.com

On Draft: Hot Blonde Summer Ale

Salt Flats Brewing 2020 Industrial Circle, SLC SaltFlatsBeer.com

On Tap: OPEN ROAD SERIES #3 - Barrel Aged Grand Cru

Scion Cider Bar 916 Jefferson St W, SLC Scionciderbar.com

On Tap: Scion Cider Spruce Moose 6.3% ABV

Second Summit Cider 4010 So. Main, Millcreek https://secondsummitcider.com

On Tap: Blackberry Lime 6.5%

Shades Brewing 1388 S. 300 West, Salt Lake City ShadesBrewing.beer

New Batch: Coyote Ugli (New England Style Double IPA)

Shades On State

366 S. State Street, Salt Lake City

Shadesonstate.com

On Tap: Six Wheat Under Hefeweizen

Silver Reef 4391 S. Enterprise Drive, St. George SGBev.com

Squatters Corner Pub – Valley Fair

3555 Constitution Blvd, West Valley City squatterscornerpub.com

On Tap: Salt Lake Brewing Co. Emigration Amber Ale

Squatters Pub Brewery / Salt Lake Brewing Co.

147 W. Broadway, SLC saltlakebrewingco.com/squatters

On Tap: Salt Lake Brewing Co. Bee Sting Honey Lavender Ale

Strap Tank Brewery, Lehi 3661 Outlet Pkwy, Lehi, UT

StrapTankBrewery.com

On Tap: “Blood For Ra” American Sour with Tart Cherry and Vanilla; “Pineapple Haze” Hazy IPA with Pineapple

Strap Tank Brewery, Springville

596 S 1750 W, Springville, UT

StrapTankBrewery.com

On Tap: “Orange Hopsicle” Hazy Pale; “Trouble” American Sour with Mango and Passionfruit

TF Brewing

936 S. 300 West, SLC TFBrewing.com

On Tap: Twelve taps and high point cans available.

Talisman Brewing Co. 1258 Gibson Ave, Ogden TalismanBrewingCo.com

On Tap: Thirst Trap (watermelon wheat); Lucky Punk (pilsner)

Thieves Guild Cidery 117 W. 900 South, SLC thievesguildcidery.com

On Tap: Death and Decay Rosé - 6.9%

Top of Main Brewery

250 Main, Park City, Utah topofmainbrewpub.com

On Tap: Top of Main Brewery Hop Carousel IPA

Uinta Brewing 1722 S. Fremont Drive, SLC

UintaBrewing.com

On Tap: Was Angeles Craft Beer

UTOG

2331 Grant Ave, Ogden

UTOGBrewing.com

On Tap: Golden Grant 5% ABV.

Vernal Brewing

55 S. 500 East, Vernal VernalBrewing.com

Zion Brewery

95 Zion Park Blvd, Springdale ZionBrewery.com

Cocktail Hour

Alpine Distilling

7132 N. Silver Creek Road, Park City 350 Main, Park City

435-200-9537

AlpineDistilling.com

Beehive Distilling

2245 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake 385-259-0252

BeehiveDistilling.com

Clear Water Distilling Co. 564 W. 700 South, Pleasant Grove 801-997-8667

ClearWaterDistilling.com

Dented Brick Distillery 3100 S. Washington St, South Salt Lake 801-883-9837

DentedBrick.com

Distillery 36 2374 S. Redwood Road, West Valley 801-983-7303

Distillery36.com

Eight Settlers Distillery 7321 S. Canyon Centre Pkwy, Cottonwood Heights 385-900-4315

EightSettlersDistillery.com

High West Distillery 703 Park Ave, Park City

435-649-8300

HighWest.com

Distillery: Outlaw Distillery

The Hive Winery and Spirits Company 1220 W. Jack D Drive, Layton 801-546-1997

TheHiveWinery.com

Holystone Distilling 207 W. 4860 South, Salt Lake City 503-328-4356

HolystoneDistilling.com

Moab Distillery 686 S. Main, Moab 435-259-6333

TheMoabDistillery.com

New World Distillery 4795 2600 North, Eden 385-244-0144

NewWorldDistillery.com

Ogden’s Own Distillery 615 W. Stockman Way, Ogden 801-458-1995

OdgensOwn.com

Outlaw Distillery 552 W. 8360 South, Sandy 801-706-1428

OutlawDistillery.com

Silver Reef Brewing and Distillery 4391 Enterprise Drive, St. George 435-216-1050

StGeorgeBev.com

Simplicity Cocktails

3679 W. 1987 South #6, Salt Lake City

801-210-0868

DrinkSimplicity.com

Spirits of the Wasatch Distillery 3697 W 1987 S Building 5, Salt Lake City

855-927-2824

wasatch.co

Sugarhouse Distillery 2212 S. West Temple #14, Salt Lake City

801-726-0403

SugarhouseDistillery.net

Vintage Spirits Distillery 6844 S. 300 West, Midvale 801-699-6459

VSDistillery.com

Waterpocket Distillery 2084 W 2200 South, West Valley City 801-382-9921

Waterpocket.co

Spirit of the Week

“Our small-batch, single-barrel Bourbon Whiskey is infused with just the right amount of local, organic honey. The local citrus and clover honey used contributes a raw natural sweetness that enhances the delicious sweet corn, caramel, and vanilla flavors inherent to our bourbon whiskey.”

Cocktail Recipe

Ginger Gold Rush Cocktail Ingredients:

1.5 oz Ginger Liqueur (like Domaine de Canton)

1 oz Outlaw Honey Bourbon

0.5 oz Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice Piece of Mint

Brandied Cherry, for garnish

Directions: Mix the Ingredients in a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake until the mixture is well-chilled. Strain the mixture into a chilled cocktail glass and add your garnish. Savor the unique blend of ginger’s warmth, honey bourbon’s sweetness, and the refreshing zing of lemon, complemented by the subtle freshness of mint.

Visit outlawdistillery.com for more information.

Spirit of the Month: Honey Bourbon Whiskey

Daily Dose of Dosas

With

Lavanya Mahate at the helm, SV Cafe is set for success.

BY ALEX SPRINGER comments@cityweekly.net @captainspringer

Indian food fans in the West Jordan area will no doubt be familiar with the restaurant formerly known as Sri Balaji. It opened in 2017 as a passion project from Hindu Temple priests Manikandan Ji and Satish Nenmali Seshadri, and it soon became a popular destination for West Jordan diners. Earlier this year, philanthropist Dr. Dinesh Patel and Saffron Valley restaurateur Lavanya Mahate took over management of this South Indian restaurant, while Seshadri returned to Chennai, India to lead his own gurukul, or residential school. Since then, Mahate has used the restaurateur skills that netted her a James Beard Award nomination to maintain this legacy of South Indian cuisine. Now dubbed SV Cafe, this local spot is ideal for anyone with an affection for dosas.

A dosa is not only a delight to eat— there’s something special about its crispy, savory, crepe-like texture—but it’s got a prominent spot in Indian culinary history. For more than 2,000 years, people have been mixing dosa dough and putting it on a hot griddle until it reaches a golden brown color and crispy texture. Dosas are a staple of South Indian cuisine, and getting a few more spots around town that know how to make them as good as SV Cafe does is a definite win for Utah’s Indian food scene.

My first experience with a dosa was actually at Saffron Valley, where chicken tikka masala dosas are plentiful—and enormous. Any good dosa starts with a dough made from fermented rice and lentils. The dough is cooked super thin, and then can be stuffed with just about anything. The dosas at SV Cafe stick to the same vegetarian menu pioneered by the original founders, so you can expect fillings like potato masala ($9.99) or paneer makhni ($12.99). They’re also available without fillings, so diners can take advantage of all the homemade chutneys on display.

I had the opportunity to attend a Dubai chocolate dosa event at SV Cafe, where attendees got to try one of the restaurant’s most popular new desserts. An SV Cafe chef was on hand prepping dosas for the crowd, and the mixture of melted chocolate, toasted pistachios and a crispy kadaif crumble works really well together. If you’ve yet to experience something adjacent to the Dubai chocolate trend, this dosa is definitely for you.

As SV Cafe primarily sticks to the Southern region of Indian cuisine, there were a few small bites on the menu that were new to me. I was a big fan of the idli ($6.99), which are steamed rice cakes that are either served alongside some chutney or doused in a spicy, veggie-based stew called sambhar. The idli have a wonderful, fluffy texture that I would compare to a savory corn muffin. They’re great on their own, but I really liked the sambharsoaked versions which absorb all those excellent flavors from the veggie stew.

On the sweet side of things, SV Cafe also has plenty of refreshing, small bites. My personal favorites were the kesari squares, made from a semolina fudge and topped with cashews. They definitely have a way of catching the eye, especially when they’re symmetrically arranged on

a serving platter. Their vibrant gold color lures you in, and each bite is composed of a silky texture and subtle, syrupy sweetness. I could eat a few dozen of these and not even think twice about it.

In addition to the wide variety of South Indian street food and desserts on display at SV Cafe, the Indo-Chinese menu boasts some great stuff as well. I’ve been a longtime fan of the grillable Indian cottage cheese known as paneer, and this section of the menu has plenty of great paneer dishes. For example, the paneer wok-fried rice ($13.99) adds cubes of the hearty cheese to fried rice tossed with vegetables, and the paneer hakka noodles ($13.99) does the same with stir-fried noodles. Those who want their paneer with a bit of extra kick will want to check out the chili paneer ($11.99), which adds a fiery chili sauce to the mix.

As a new addition to Mahate’s Saffron Valley brand, SV Cafe will continue to benefit from her restaurant expertise, and things are already off to a great start. With Mahate’s proven brand at the helm of this passion project that began nearly 10 years ago, SV Cafe can really lean into the regional cuisine that has made it such a fixture in West Jordan. It’s a trend that I hope to see continue as Utah’s dining ecosystem continues to evolve. We’ve always had a thriving Indian food niche along the Wasatch Front, but even that has only provided a small taste of what Indian cuisine has to offer. Here’s hoping we get many more spots like SV Cafe in the future. CW

BACK BURNER

BY ALEX SPRINGER | @captainspringer

Beer Brunch at Flanker

In honor of the 2025 Utah Beer Festival, the team at Flanker (flankerslc.com) will be hosting a beer brunch to kick off the festival’s second day of operation on Aug. 17. The menu will feature more than 100 beers to pair with the festival-appropriate brunch menu. Drink specials include $60 rosé bottles, $5 Bloody Marys and $24 pitchers of domestic beer. There will be plenty of beer on tap during the Utah Beer Festival, but there’s nothing wrong with a little pre-gaming in a boozy, brunchy setting. The beer brunch at Flanker starts at 10:30 a.m., and it’s a great way to send off this year’s Utah Beer Festival.

Hearth and Hill’s Regional Dinner Series

The Park City location of Hearth and Hill (hearth-hill.com) will be hosting the fourth installment of its popular regional dinner series, and will focus on Japanese cuisine. Helmed by Executive Chef Brandon Giles, the event will feature a seven-course meal with highlights that include koji salmon with a sweet onion dashi, soba noodles, oyster mushrooms and pickled daikon, an A5 Wagyu steak with wasabi satsusaimo puree and black garlic yakiniku along with a miso cod with roasted kabocha squash. The past three installments of this series have been excellent, and this one is shaping up to follow suit. This event will take place on Aug. 20 at Hearth and Hill Park City at 6 p.m.

Ciao Ramen at JINYA Ramen Bar

Not one to miss a chance for a culinary collab, JINYA Ramen Bar recently teamed up with Italian chef Gianluca “QCP” Conte for a limited-time dish called Ciao Ramen. Inspired by the flavors of Italy, Ciao Ramen starts with a tomato puree soup base, which is infused with garlic, herbs, olive oil and chicken broth. The ramen is topped with sous-vide chicken, some sauteed spinach, cherry tomatoes, chili oil and basil oil before it gets a tableside sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan. The collaboration coincides with the ramen restaurant’s 15th anniversary, and is currently available at all JINYA Ramen Bar locations.

Quote of the Week: “They who drink beer will think beer.” – Washington Irving

The Human Experience

Debut album by Mel Soul and The Heartbeat explores what it means to be a person.

BY EMILEE ATKINSON eatkinson@cityweekly.net @emileelovesvinyl

If you ask different folks what the human experience is all about, you’re sure to get a wide range of responses. Every person has a different story—and for local band Mel Soul and The Heartbeat, their new album offers a glimpse into what they think the human experience is.

Mel Soul (Melanie Lewis) is a prominent figure in the local music scene; if you’ve been out to venues around town, there’s a good chance you’ve seen her on the stage. She’s performed as a solo act for a long time, but in the past couple of years she’s put together a band, Mel Soul and The Heartbeat.

The group came together around 2022, and has seen a few members come and go, but its current iteration has notable compatibility. The band includes Nathan Kilker on guitar, David Desprez on bass/background vocals and Ryan Mills on drums. Because Lewis had previously been primarily a solo artist, there were some growing pains associated with changing into a group setting. “When it was just me and my songs and little independent producers I used to work with,” Lewis explained, “the process was a lot faster, but the quality wasn’t always as intact, as we got it to our new album as it is now.”

Once the group was locked in, though, it was smooth sailing. Most of the songs on The Human Experience were Lewis’, and have been sitting on the shelf for years

waiting to be recorded. “Some of them have been written since the beginning of my career. And some of them kind of morphed into what they are now when I introduced them to the band,” Lewis said. “These are just kind of the top nine that I felt like were the strongest.”

As for the title, Lewis had the name floating around in her head for a while, but using it for this album was solidified after having a conversation with one of her bandmates. “I always thought, before the band came together, it’d be really cool to have an album named The Human Experience, just because of the type of songs that I write and the variety of experiences I’ve had, and I feel like they can relate to almost anybody,” Lewis said. “It didn’t really hit me what the name would be until me and my bandmates had just a random tangent conversation about life, and then all of a sudden my guitarist says, ‘It’s the human experience.’ That, to me, was a sign where I was like, ‘That’s what I need to name it.’”

The Human Experience offers an eclectic collection that shares the band’s version of what it means to be human, but leaves it open for the listener to interpret it in their own way. “I had a songwriting teacher explain to me one time when I gave her a really vulnerable song that if you want to take away some of that fear, that vulnerability, you have to realize that once the listener listens to the song, the songs are no longer about you, they’re about the listener,” Lewis said.

As mentioned above, the band has been playing these songs live for a while, so it’s great to finally have the songs online to add to our playlists. Last year for KRCL’s 801 Day, Lewis played the track “(801)” live, and this stunning track made it on to The Human Experience. It’s a love letter to Utah presented in the band’s upbeat, cheerful sound. It has a delightful Americana feel, complete with fiddle infused throughout the song. While the song highlights our beautiful Beehive State, it also details a bit of Lewis’ journey as a

MUSIC

musician, growing up amongst the mountains with the best snow on earth and her love for her family.

As you listen through The Human Experience, you’ll discover plenty of great sounds and lyrics, but you’ll also find exciting surprises, like a cover of Britney Spears’ “... Baby One More Time.” The band’s approach comprises a more folky/Americana sound, yet it fits so well with the iconic pop track. Hearing songs covered in a different genre is always fascinating, and Mel Soul and The Heartbeat really nail this one, as the combo of the fiddle, prominent bassline and Lewis’ vocals make for a stunning experience.

Lewis is glad to have these songs out for everyone to pull their own interpretation from. “I’m just really excited to have them out finally for them to absorb whenever they need to,” she said. “There’s been many albums that I listened to when I

was little that the songs just made me feel less alone if I was ever depressed or going through anything. That’s really just my goal in general as a musician and as an artist, to try and give that to people as well.” Mel Soul and The Heartbeat opened themselves up on The Human Experience, sharing their thoughts, feelings and background, and they hope the album will help you explore your own human experience and what that means to you. This debut album from the band is a great introduction, and they hope listeners think so as well. “The Human Experience is all different emotions and vibes, and we just feel like we captured our sound in one album, our first album,” Lewis remarked. The Human Experience is streaming everywhere now, with a vinyl release planned for the future. CW

BEST BAR IN UTAH!

GREAT FOOD

MUSIC PICK S

Park City Song Summit @ City Park 8/14-16

The Park City Song Summit makes its triumphant return this summer with a new venue, an incredible lineup and tons of other activities to check out. Thousands of attendees come out each year to the Summit, often at Deer Valley or Canyons Village in years past, but this year you’ll want to head to City Park (1400 Sullivan Ave) if you want to partake in the festivities. This event is unique for while it features great performances by beloved acts, it also focuses on group events, called Song Summit Labs, where folks can sit together and discuss music, mental health, social equity, recovery and much more. The Summit was highlighted by Rolling Stone last year, which praised the festival for being empowering and focusing on mental health. The lineup this year includes Goose, Greensky Bluegrass, Dawes & Friends featuring Duane Betts, Cimafunk & La Tribu featuring Pedrito Martinez, Anders Osborne and more. If you’re looking for a festival that is more than just music, head up to the Park City Song Summit. It runs from Thursday, Aug. 14 through Saturday, Aug 16, and tickets can be found at parkcitysongsummit.com. (Emilee Atkinson)

TUESDAYS

WEDNESDAYS

MUSIC PICK S

Nine Inch Nails @ Maverik Center 8/14

Upon first listen in 1989, Nine Inch Nails’ “Head Like a Hole” was like Skinny Puppy joined forces with Slayer to make a synthy dance track that kills. Blasting through my Sony Walkman’s headphones, both eardrums would bleed during the chorus, all that rage and beautiful guitar cacophony in a swirling vortex of sonic nastiness. An amazing 37 years later, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are still shaping my music-listening trajectory. The lead single from their Tron: Ares soundtrack, “As Alive As You Need Me To Be,” dropped last month, and is the first release under the Nine Inch Nails moniker since the band issued their two free instrumental Ghosts albums in 2020. Honestly, the sneak peak of this soundtrack has given me something to believe in. “The struggle with Nine Inch Nails work for us is from a lyrical perspective. If you’re not being honest with yourself, I’ve noticed you can’t fool anyone else into believing it,” Reznor told The Talks. “And it’s harder to be honest than I wish it was!” NIN has such a strong back catalog. Pretty Hate Machine and Broken & The Downward Spiral are bona fide classics, essential to any collection. Also, Nine Inch Nails continue to set the bar for what a live performance should truly be. You never know what you’re going to get (bar “Hurt” at the end). Boys Noize opens. Catch these artists on the Peel It Back tour at Maverick Center on Thursday, Aug. 14. Doors at 7:30 p.m. and tickets for the all-ages show are sold out at time of press, but resale tix can be found at ticketmaster.com. (Mark Dago)

Cyndi Lauper @ Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre 8/14

Cyndi Lauper burst colorfully onto the pop music scene with her aptly-titled 1983 debut album, She’s So Unusual. With her brightly colored hair, irrepressibly sassy attitude and hook-filled pop music, Lauper cut a memorable figure on MTV, then in its ascendancy. Lauper may have seemed custom-made for the visual medium of the video music channel, but she stood apart from the then-current crop of pop tarts thanks to her genuine and formidable musical chops. Behind her thick and unapologetic Brooklyn accent, Lauper was a seasoned songwriter and experienced live performer. She’s So Unusual shattered records, giving Lauper four hit singles, including “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” “Time After Time” and “She Bop.” 1986’s True Colors was another smash, and Lauper sustained her creative momentum even when the hits stopped coming. Her 2003 jazz standards album At Last reminded anyone who might have missed it that she’s a remarkably versatile talent, while 2016’s Detour found her tackling country and Western. Her current Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour comes full circle, celebrating her debut single and signaling a planned end to her touring days. Lauper comes to the Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre on Thursday, Aug. 14 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 and up from ticketmaster.com. (Bill Kopp)

Pantera @ Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre 8/20

The legends of heavy metal are coming to town this weekend! It’s Pantera, the American band that rose to fame in the 1980s, and has made its mark in history glamming, thrashing and grooving throughout the decades. The Abbott brothers, guitarist Dimebag Darrell and drummer Vinnie Paul formed Pantera in Texas in 1981, while vocalist Phil Anselmo joined in 1982 and bassist Rex Brown joined in 1986. The release of their album Power Metal in 1988 had a slightly heavier sound than the glam metal of their early days, which was the catalyst for their mainstream breakthrough album Cowboys from Hell, released in 1990.

Songs from this album, like “Domination” and “Medicine Man,” brought them heavy-metal relevance, still recognizable today. While the Abbott brothers are no longer with us (Dimebag Darrell was shot and killed by a fan on stage in 2004, while Vinnie Paul passed away from heart failure in 2018), Anselmo and Brown have continued with other music projects. They announced this major tour in 2022, which is scheduled to continue into 2026. Their two most notable ballads—“This Love” which is about lust and abuse, and “Hollow” as the closing song on their album Vulgar Displays of Power—are sure to bring on the nostalgia of the height of the heavy-metal era. Pantera plays at Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre on Wednesday, Aug. 20. Doors open at 7 p.m. and tickets cost $40.50 at ticketmaster.com. (Arica Roberts)

Wilco @ Ogden Amphitheater 8/20

Few bands start off in one specific direction, only to change course midway through their career. After all, once the template has been established and audience expectations raised, it takes a certain amount of risk to reset the bar. Born from the remnants of the pioneering Americana band Uncle Tupelo, Wilco initially followed the same tack, but soon branched out with experimental forays, Beatles-esque melodies, art rock, folk rock, indie rock and any number of assorted idioms in-between. While their initial album A.M. remained true to their alt-country origins, subsequent efforts such as Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and A Ghost Is Born won them an impressive array of kudos, including a pair of Grammys for the latter In fact, they’ve always been staunchly independent When their previous record label, Reprise Records, rejected Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, the band streamed it for free on their website, and subsequently sold it to Nonesuch Records, which wisely chose to physically release it the following year. The 2002 documentary I Am Trying To Break Your Heart detailed that journey in depth, and while the band’s founder, leader and longstanding member Jeff Tweedy’s simultaneous solo career has occasionally shifted the spotlight from the band, they’ve managed to remain a potent force. As a result, when Wilco reconvened with recent albums like 2022’s Cruel Country and 2023’s Cousin, and then embarked on their current tour, their superstar status was fully reaffirmed. An Evening With Wilco takes place at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 20 at the Ogden Amphitheater. Tickets cost $36.34 and are found at 24tix.com. (Lee Zimmerman)

free will ASTROLOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

Rama is the star of the ancient Hindu epic story, the Ramayana. I love him! He’s one of my favorite legends! His heroic journey isn’t fueled by a greed for power or personal glory. Unlike 90 percent of modern action heroes, he’s not pumped up with anger or a lust for vengeance. Instead, he is animated by a sense of sacred duty. Against all odds, and in the face of bad behavior by weird adversaries, he acts with exemplary integrity and calm clarity. During your upcoming exploits, Aries, I invite you to be inspired by his exalted and unwavering determination. As you proceed, ask yourself, “Is this in rigorous service to my beautiful ideals? Are my decisions and words in alignment with my deepest truths?” Be motivated by devotion as much as by hunger. Aim not just for novelty and excitement, but for generosity of spirit.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

In the Mexican festival of La Noche de Rábanos—Night of the Radishes—giant radishes are carved into elaborate altars and scenes. Humble roots become fancy art. I think you’re engaged in a metaphorically similar process, Taurus: sculpting with uncommon materials. Something you’ve regarded as modest—a small breakthrough or overlooked strength—is revealing unexpected value. Or perhaps a previously latent or indiscernible asset is showing you its neglected magic. Celebrate your subtle but very tangible luck. Take full advantage of half-disguised treasures.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20)

In Zen archery, the aim is not simply to hit the target. Instead, it’s to align one’s body, breath, mind and bow so fully that the arrow releases itself naturally and effortlessly. It shoots itself! I would love for you to adopt this breezy attitude in the weeks ahead, Gemini. See if you can allow an evolving project, relationship or vision to reach a new maturity, but not through pushy effort. Rather, trust life to bring you the precise guidance exactly when you need it.

CANCER (June 21-July 22)

In ancient Rome, the priestesses known as the Vestal Virgins tended an eternal flame. They never let it be extinguished, not even for a moment. Their devoted focus on nurturing the fire was both a religious practice and a symbol regarded as essential for the well-being, prosperity, and survival of the Roman state. I propose, Cancerian, that you engage in your own version of Vestal Virgin-like watchfulness. Assign yourself the role of being the keeper of a sacred promise or resource. What is it, exactly? Identify this repository of spiritual wealth and dedicate yourself to its sustenance.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

In medieval Europe, pilgrims traveling to the shrine of Saint James in Spain often wore scallop shells. These were badges to signify they were on a sacred path in quest of divinely inspired transformation. The shell also had practical uses. It was a scoop for food and water, underscoring the humility and simplicity embraced by wayfarers on the road. I invite you to acquire and wear your own equivalent of this talisman, Leo. You have begun a new chapter in your self-perception, and life is asking you to proceed without pretense. You don’t need definite answers. You don’t have to rush to the end of the journey. The becoming is the point. I hope you seek out inspirational symbolism and generous companions to help nurture your brave transformations. (PS: Your best conversations may be with people who will lovingly witness your evolution.)

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

In ancient Greek drama, the peripeteia was a term for the moment when everything turns. The pivot doesn’t happen through force, but through the revelation of what was always true. I see the coming weeks as your peripeteia Virgo. There may be no fireworks or grand announcements. Just a soft spiraling crackle that signifies a realignment of the system, a cathartic shift of emphases. Confusion resolves. Mysteries solve themselves. You might say, “Oh,

yes, now I see: That’s what it all meant.” Then you can glide into the future with a refined and more well-informed set of intentions.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

In coastal Portugal, there’s a lighthouse called Farol do Cabo da Roca. Built on a cliff where land ends and the Atlantic Ocean begins, it marks the westernmost edge of continental Europe. We might say it’s a threshold between the known and unknown. I believe you will soon be poised at a metaphorically similar place, Libra. An ending is at hand. It’s not catastrophic, but it is conclusive. And just beyond it are shimmers, questions and a horizon that’s not fully visible. Your job is to finish your good work, even as you periodically gaze into the distance to see what’s looming.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

I invite you to channel the spirit of Kali—not in her form as the destroyer, but as the fierce liberator. She has the power to burn away stagnation, neutralize the poison of old lies, and slice through illusion with a sword of compassion—and so do you. I believe you are ready to sever a bond that has secretly (or maybe not-so-secretly) limited you. Don’t be afraid of the emptiness that results. It may appear to be a void, but it will quickly evolve into a fresh sanctuary. Into this newly cleared room, you can pour your strongest longings and most rebellious love. What are the wildest versions of your truths?

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

In some early maps of the cosmos, Sagittarius wasn’t just an archer. Your sign was symbolized by a centaur with wings: part horse, part bird, part god. I bring this to your attention because I suspect your own hybrid nature is extra wild and strong these days. A part of you wants to roam, and a part wants to ruminate. A part wants to teach, and a part needs to learn. How should you respond to the glorious paradox? I say, don’t force harmony. Let contradiction become choreography. Maybe liberating joy can arise through a dance between apparent opposites.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

In Sardinia, there are tombs carved into rock called Domus de Janas—“houses of the fairies.” People once left offerings to court the help of beings they couldn’t see. They believed that fairies are real and can exert effects in this world. In modern times, fewer Capricorns actively consort with invisible presences than any other zodiac sign. But I hope you will take a short break from your usual stance. Mysterious and mythic influences are gathering in your vicinity. You’re being nudged by forces that defy explanation. What do you have to lose? Why not have fun making room to be delighted and surprised by miracles and wonders?

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

Thou shalt embrace the confounding contradictions, Aquarius. That’s the first commandment. Here’s the second commandment: Thou shalt caress the tricky incongruities. Third: Thou shalt whisper endearments to the mysterious ambiguities and invite the mysterious ambiguities to whisper endearments to you. Fourth: Thou shalt rumble and cavort with the slippery paradoxes. Commandment number five: Thou shalt chant spicy prayers of gratitude to the incongruities, paradoxes, contradictions and ambiguities that are making you deeper and wiser and cuter.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

In early medieval gardens, there was sometimes a space called the hortus conclusus. It was a walled sanctuary that protected plants and herbs from harsh weather and predation by animals. It comprised a microclimate and provided a private, peaceful space for contemplation, prayer and study. Sometime soon, Pisces, I would love for you to create your personal equivalent of a hortus conclusus—even if it’s metaphorical. You will harvest maximum benefits from surrounding yourself with extra nurturing. The insights that would come your way as you tend to your inner garden would be gently and sweetly spectacular.

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Pamper Yourself

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urban LIVING

Power for the People

Electricity history is pretty interesting here in our state. Most of us in Utah get our power from Rocky Mountain Power (RMP). The company, which was originally known as Utah Power and Light, serves most of Utah and some parts of Idaho and Wyoming. It’s a division of PacifiCorp and is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy.

We first got electricity in Utah in 1881 through a company called Salt Lake City Light, which made it the fifth city to have central station electricity. Salt Lake City led the way of light and power with electric street lighting, which the Salt Lake Daily Tribune noted were more brilliant and efficient than gas lamps.

It took until 1968 for parts of Utah to completely transition from gas street lights to electric ones.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ACROSS

1. Classic auto, for short

6. Pancake order

11. Keeps in the loop, in a way

14. In ___ fertilization

15. Ali’s boxing daughter

16. Panama, e.g.

17. Easter egg found within a subway system?

19. Former Notre Dame coach Parseghian

20. Nonspecific number

21. Mauritians of long ago

22. Bashful coworker?

24. Sidekick

25. Puts down on paper

26. Herb specifically designated for a tomato sauce?

32. Makes level

33. 2000s corporate scandal subject

34. Spit some bars

37. Scan the print

38. Notions

39. Circle dance at some weddings

40. Onetime Dirk Benedict costar

41. Ordinary

There is a great photo in the state archives of George Albert Smith and temple electrician Ephraim Holding, standing on the southeastern tower of the Salt Lake Temple, where electric lights on the copper filial were installed there prior to the 1893 dedication. During the early 1900s, electric service from our bigger cities along the Wasatch Front expanded to the rural areas, which helped enable irrigation pumps at farms but also brought power to homes.

By 1922, the company served 205 communities in four states with 40 generating plants. Now, RMP serves over 1.2 million customers in three states and claims that it aims to keep electricity prices among the lowest in the nation.

You can go to their website and conduct a free energy survey about where you live—whether you own or rent— at wattsmart.com. With what seems like a never-ending summer of record breaking heat, we’re all grateful for air conditioning.

The survey asks what kind of HVAC you have (heat pump, furnace, baseboard or wall), the age of the appliance, type of thermostat (smart, programmable or manual), type of water heater (heat pump, tankless or storage), types of windows (double or single pane), if your larger household appliances need replacing and types of lighting (LED, CFL or incandescent).

The point is, if you need to upgrade your AC, water heater or other appliances, you may qualify for rebates. For example, water heater replacement can get you up to $350 from RMP.

Although they don’t offer rebates for installing solar power on your property, they do offer the Wattsmart Battery Program, which provides rebates and bill credits for customers who install panels with a battery storage system. The rebate can be $400 per kilowatt of battery capacity, up to $2,000 if our battery is an eligible model.

The survey also offers a year-round calendar you can download for reminders about things like replacing furnace filters, cleaning gutters, caulking around doors and windows, times to run appliances and encouragement to be mindful of usage during these hot summer months. ■

42. Ring-collecting Sega character

43. Atypically sunny weather at the highest peak of the Alps?

46. Donnie ___, 1997 Johnny Depp role

48. Surprised cry

49. Not as frequent

50. “Let’s Make ___”

53. ___ Lankan

56. Media attention

57. Short break from reading fables?

60. Bronze, for one

61. Cliched

62. Adjusts accurately

63. Badminton divider

64. Clear, as a whiteboard

65. Striped equine

DOWN

1. “Severance” rating

2. “Muy ___”

3. Teensy

4. Telugu-language 2022 movie that was big in the U.S.

5. Thingamabobs

6. Wheelless vehicle

7. Salsa holder

8. Pretentious manner

9. Progressive Field team, on scoreboards

10. “Agatha All Along” star Hahn

11. Book opener?

12. “___ diem”

13. Lingers

18. Without help

23. Goal

24. Fishing hole

25. “___ gonna tell them?”

26. Long-lasting hairstyle

27. Walkie-talkie signoff

28. Place to stake out some steaks

29. Do the audio again

30. Shaq’s surname

31. Cheery refrain

35. Operatic performance

36. Agreement

38. “It ___ laugh”

39. Ding Dong alternative

41. Remove from a large container

42. “The beer that made Milwaukee famous”

44. Sugary suffix

45. Baumbach who frequently works with Adam Driver

46. “Family Guy” dog

Complete the grid so that each row, column, diagonal and 3x3 square contain all of the numbers 1 to 9. No math is involved. The grid has numbers, but nothing has to add up to anything else. Solve the puzzle with reasoning and

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47. Grazing area

50. Continent with the longest coastline

51. They may get connected

52. Fencing sword

53. Concertgoer’s souvenir 54. Someone sorry 55. “Insecure” actress Rae

58. Need correction

59. Thin Lizzy’s “The Boys ___ Back in Town”

NEWS of the WEIRD

Fish Flambe, S’il Vous Plait

Fire investigators in British Columbia, Canada, discovered an unlikely culprit in a brush fire that knocked out power in the town of Ashcroft on July 30: a hungry osprey. Ashcroft Fire Rescue posted on social media that the peckish avian pulled a large fish from a river about two miles away, but as it labored to fly with its super-sized meal in the July heat, it became tired and eventually dropped the fish ... directly onto a power line, which sparked the blaze in the dry grass below. NBC Bay Area reported that it took about 4,800 gallons of water to stop the fire—quite a lot of trouble over a bird whose eyes were bigger than its stomach. “Another suspicion could be that it’s tired of raw fish and wanted to give cooked a try,” the post from Ashcroft Fire Rescue said.

New World Order

A zoo located in northern Denmark has made an unsettling request of pet owners in Aalborg, the Associated Press reported. In a July 31 Facebook post, the zoo suggested, “If you have an animal that has to leave here for various reasons, feel free to donate it to us.” Not for a domestic pet display, mind you. The zoo is planning to “gently euthanize” the donated animals and feed them to its predators. Zoo officials said they’re trying to mimic the natural food chain, calling out specifically guinea pigs, rabbits and chickens as preferred donations. “That way, nothing goes to waste—and we ensure natural behavior, nutrition and well-being of our predators,” the post read.

Easy There, Leadfoot

A driver on Germany’s famed Autobahn was issued a $1,000 fine and had his license suspended for three months, CNN reported, after he exceeded the speed limit by 124 mph on July 28. Speed limit? On the Autobahn? Yes, while the motorway is known worldwide as a de facto raceway where drivers can go as fast as they please, it has stretches where speed limits are posted and enforced. German police said that the motorist was clocked at more than 199 mph on the A2 highway near Burg, a portion of the Autobahn where the limit is 74.5 mph.

Climb Every Mountain

To be awarded a scholarship for college, most prospective students must write a killer essay, but South Korean students with the right lofty aspirations can take a hike. Literally. According to UPI, Seoul National University offers a scholarship of up to $540 to students who climb any six mountains in the Blackyak Alpine Club’s 100 Famous Mountains and 100+ Famous Mountains lists, excluding those traversed by cable car or gondola. Students must use the Blackyak app to prove they hiked the mountains. The Misan Mountain Hiking Scholarship, which is funded by alumnus Kwon Jun-ha, 81, is highly competitive—only 70 spots are available, but 1,400 students applied for it during the open period from July 8-18. “The scholarship reflects the donor’s desire to foster healthy individuals with a spirit of challenge and community spirit,” the school said.

No Fans of Drama

Farmers near Yellowstone National Park, struggling with wolves attacking their livestock but prohibited from harming the protected animals, have turned to technology—and Hollywood—for help in keeping the predators away. Yahoo News reported on Aug. 4 that quadcopter drones equipped with speakers blaring AC/ DC songs and audio from a Scarlett Johansson movie had been dispatched in the ongoing fight. Per the USDA, “people arguing is a distressing sound for wolves, and so the fight scene between Johansson and Adam Driver in the 2019 movie ‘Marriage Story’ is a perfect deterrent.” The music and film clips seem to be working: Since their deployment, the number of cows killed by wolves in southern Oregon has fallen from 11 over a 20-day period to two over the next 85 days.

Close Call

On June 25, members of the Seattle Kraken hockey team, on a fly-fishing trip at Brooks Falls at Katmai National Park, Alaska, drew the unwanted attention of a bear on the prowl for food. Multiple outlets report that center John Hayden and the team’s mascot, Buoy—who was in full costume—were in the water when their guide spotted the bear and moved the group. The bear took a sudden interest in Buoy and charged toward him briefly before stopping and turning around. “I want to blame it on Buoy,” Hayden joked. “They were pretty interested in his look.” No one was harmed in the encounter, and other team members were unfazed. Meanwhile, the whole situation has drawn the ire of PETA, who sent a strongly worded letter filled with hockey puns, detailing the harm that fishing for sport does to fish, even when they are thrown back, and urging the team to “bench their fishing rods for good.”

Sports Whiplash

On July 31, as the Tampa Bay Rays battled the New York Yankees in the Bronx, one player ended up “winning today regardless,” the Associated Press reported. Jose Caballero, 28, started the game with the Rays and played through the sixth inning. But during the seventhinning stretch, he was traded to the Yankees. The deal was announced after the rain-delayed game, which the Yankees won. Caballero reportedly hugged his Tampa teammates in the dugout, then turned up in the Yankees clubhouse to conduct his post-game interview.

The Bear Jar

For more than a week, residents of northwest Wisconsin had been riveted by sightings of a hapless yet elusive bear with a jar stuck on her head. “The bear had been identified plenty of times ... but by the time anyone got there that could help, she was gone,” said Erik Donley of Duluth. Donley and his nieces were arriving at their family cabin when the bear came out of the woods near them. Understandably scared, the youngest niece locked the cabin doors—briefly leaving her poor uncle outside. The family called wildlife authorities, then Donley went back outside to follow the bear from a safe distance and prevent her from disappearing again. The USDA soon arrived, tranquilized the bear and finally— finally—removed that stubborn jar. Authorities said the creature was underweight for this time of year, but has been safely relocated and is expected to recover.

Never Heard of Him

St. Jude the Apostle Roman Catholic Church in Erie, Pennsylvania, holds a Corvette raffle every year to raise money for the parish, and in 2024, one “Martin Anderson” came away with the top prize. But on Aug. 6, the Erie Times-News reported that an investigation by the Erie County District Attorney’s Office discovered that no such person exists. Father Ross Miceli is under investigation for making up the name of the winner as well as winners of other prizes. The church declined to comment but acknowledged there was an active criminal investigation underway. The reverend has been placed on administrative leave.

Bright Idea

In the Hautes-Vosges region of France, farmers have become discouraged with the lack of help from the law regarding squatters who appear in camping vans and park illegally on private property. So, The Economic Times reported on Aug. 4, the farmers unleashed the power of the poo on the interlopers. Six tractors circled around the campers and released slurry—a mixture of manure and water—that’s used to fertilize the soil.

“We’ve had enough,” one farmer said. “If no one listens, we make ourselves heard another way.”