ABV: 8.6% | IBU: 85

Hey friends! Its springtime and we are looking forward to beautiful weather, outdoor adventures and excellent beers. We recently attended the ReAle Homebrew competition, a tailgate-style event celebrating the home opener for our MLS team, Real Salt Lake. This was our second year in attendance and we are amazed at how much the quality of brews offered improved in one short year. There were very few ‘homebrew-like’ beers, as many of these brewers displayed immense creativity and skillful craft in the art of beer making. This year the competition was won by Andrew Ayers–who happens to be the only person we know who currently owns a PicoBrew system. We have asked him to let us give it a whirl and he has given us the thumbs up!

The elevation in quality beer doesn’t just sit within the home brewer population. Lucky for us, Utah hasn’t been left behind during the craftbeer surge that has big beer shaking in their boots as tons of new beer geeks climb aboard the hoppy train. Seemingly almost on a daily basis, there are old favorites popping out new beers and plenty of thirst quenching watering holes to find a satisfying beverage. There are new local breweries kicking ass with the sheer number of fantastic beers hitting the market. One of our recent favorites is Shades of Pale Brewing – Saint Blackout Tripel Belgian Style Ale. This beer was originally released under Shades’ eXperimental Label Series. Co-Owner Alex Ortiz de Fargher mentioned, “Naming is a big thing. It’s got to not just be good, but awesome to get a name.” Our first chance to try the tripel style version was at last year’s Mountain Brewers Festival. Owner and head brewmaster, Trent Fargher willingly opened their treasure chest (also known as their Igloo cooler) and out came the appearance of an unnamed guest, later proclaimed Saint Blackout Tripel Belgian Ale. Proving to be a popular addition to their staple lineup, Trent was inspired to brew the beer again and give it a proper label.

Saint Blackout clocks in at a sneaky 8.6% abv, which gives a subtle nod to the name. This tripel Belgian style ale pours crystal amber with a dancing fizz that settles quickly, reminding us of a New Year’s Eve champagne. Blackout is flavorful with sugary sweet fruit hints, almost cider-like, with a light smell. The first taste quickly picks up the initial alcohol heat, but as the name suggests, this beer leads virtuous the rest of the way. Saint Blackout tastes like the changing of the seasons, fresh and alive, a bright beer in a dark bottle. Fingers crossed this one sticks around!

Chris & Sylvia are a #craftbeercouple who love everything beer! Check them out on Instagram @chrishollands & @sylily.

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