ABV: 4%

IBU: 34

I love big dumps, and any other skier will tell you the same thing. When it’s pouring rain on a January day where I work in Salt Lake City, you can bet that up in the Cottonwood Canyons it’s dumping snow. And that’s why I’ve been craving all day to get up there and get in a little night riding at Brighton, where the falling snow will mean free refills.

When I got to the mouth of the canyon, though, I wished the dumping had kept itself in check a bit, as the road leading up into Big Cottonwood Canyon was closed and packed with stopped traffic —no doubt an accident plugging up the tiny, winding mountain road leading to my goods. As much of a kick to the nuts a thwarted powder night is, I take consolation that my favorite SLC bar, the Hog Wallow, is right at the base of the canyon. It especially makes me happy that the Wallow serves my favorite Utah beer, Cutthroat Pale Ale from Uinta Brewing Company.

I’ve been saving Cutthroat to write about on a special occasion, and what better occasion than this? One of the first beers I tried after moving to Utah, this crisp, classic pale ale quickly became a favorite, and not just because of the gorgeous stylized cutthroat trout (Utah’s state fish) that adorns the bottles and cans. Amber in color, with a fruity and floral cascade hops bite, this beer tastes as good snowed in in January as it did while fly casting on the river this past summer.

After I finish the brew, I plan to check on the traffic situation heading up the canyon, and if the road is still blocked off, I guess I won’t be too disappointed, as I’ll be able to enjoy another of these refreshing ales. And, well, a closed canyon road means more fresh pow tomorrow morning. And I think I’m starting to feel a bit, cough, cough, under the weather. I think I may just have to call in sick tomorrow.