Beer on a Sunday?

Oh gosh, I know I saw a post on buying beer in Utah earlier, but now I can't find it. Anyway, we are flying into SLC for a 2 week trip to northern Utah and we arrive LATE on a Saturday night. Will it be impossible to find beer for sale on Sunday? (We are headed to LCC probably as soon as we head out Sunday morning.) Any beer beta, PLLEEAASSE!

Jean Goldsborough wrote:Oh gosh, I know I saw a post on buying beer in Utah earlier, but now I can't find it. Anyway, we are flying into SLC for a 2 week trip to northern Utah and we arrive LATE on a Saturday night. Will it be impossible to find beer for sale on Sunday? (We are headed to LCC probably as soon as we head out Sunday morning.) Any beer beta, PLLEEAASSE!

You can get beer in the grocery stores on Sunday in Salt Lake County.

State liquor stores are closed on Sunday.

No beer sales on Sunday in Utah County (Provo). Varies from county to county.

Base of LCC and nearby is SL County. No problemo. 7-11 is at the mouth of BCC (and enroute to LCC if you're on Wasatch Blvd). Easy stop. Although, I think you can't get it after 1am and before 10am? Can't remember.

Pint night at the Porcupine is Tuesday. They're open on Sundays too.

Cheers,

-Brian in SLC

Brian didn't mention that grocery stores do not sell wine or liquor, nor do they sell beer in excess of 3.2%. This means that you can't get most Colorado microbrews. But the good news is that you can get most Utah microbrews (which I think are better anyway). So if you go to a grocery store, skip the Corona Light or Miller High Life, and try some of the local brews. Some are very tasty. Three of the major local breweries -- Squatters (SLC), Uinta (SLC), and Wasatch (Park City)-- sell variety packs in the grocery stores. I highly recommend these for beer nuts visiting the area.

Good Luck

Thanks for the great beer beta guys!
Bobby, can you recommend a good hoppy brew (like an IPA) from Utah I can get?

i wouldn't recommend any of the utah hoppy style beers because those suffer badly from the low alcohol content - it is just simply a fact that you need alcohol to balance the high IBUs in hoppy beers or you would have a very astringent and grassy tasting beer(for instance, scorpion from moab brewery - this is an awful, awful beer).

the best of a bad lot is cutthroat pale ale or possibly park city steamer, but it they are not very good. while squatters does make a good ipa and uintah makes a great barley wine, those are stronger beers and must be purchased at a liquor store.

the good utah beers are the styles that don't suffer from a low alcohol content. hefeweisens, porters, and stouts are the best bet. old ales, brown ales, light lagers, kolsch, and chasing tail golden ale are also ok. avoid pale ales, IPAs, bocks, and steam beers or prepare yourself for bad beer.

Can you just bring a couple 6er's with you for Sat/Sun, then hit the liquor store on Mon? Where are you headed for the 2 weeks? You mentioned LCC for Sun. That's 15 min. from town.

PS. On Sunday couldn't they get a "growler" at Squatters, RedRock,..?

Andrew Gram wrote:the best of a bad lot is cutthroat pale ale or possibly park city steamer, but it they are not very good.

Man, and I thought I was an ale snob...

Cutthroat on tap is pretty ok. Not terrible in a bottle.

Squatters Full Suspension is good as well (couple of gold medals in the bitter catagory at some festival somewhere). Not nearly as tasty as their 6% IPA, but, hey, whaddya do, beats drinkin' a stout, IMHO (especially if you're in the mood for an ale).

Yeah, they ain't no Russian River Harvest Ale (one of my favorites), Anderson Valley Hop Ottin', Bear Republic Racer 5...(been enjoying Sierra Nevada and Hazed and Infused as of late m'self - nothin' like a road trip to the Tetons to restock the beverage supply).

But t'ain't too bad neither.

-Brian in SLC

You guys are too funny - but MOST helpful! Sounds like I have some choices anyway. I was worried I'd be left totally high and dry.

I have considered BYOB on the plane but what a pain in the butt. Since I am bringing two weeks worth of climbing and camping gear, I'd rather take my chances once I land in SLC.

Current plan is to head to LCC Sunday afternoon and camp at Tanners Flat for the first few nights and get the flavor of LCC climbing. Hope to get up to BCC for a day, maybe 2 before the end of the week. I am headed to "The City" for the 2nd week of climbing, so I hope Idaho has better beer options.

If I am not pushing it too much here, I'd love to hear what anyone has to recommend for eateries near LCC and/or BCC, of course with good brew selections.
Thanks!

Jean Goldsborough wrote:I'd love to hear what anyone has to recommend for eateries near LCC and/or BCC, of course with good brew selections.

How's your pocketbook? La Caille is close to LCC...ha ha.

Already mentioned the Porcupine, just west of BCC canyon, downstreet from the "sev" as its called here (7-11). Tuesday, 20oz of malt beverage is around 2.50.

Classic spot is the Cottonbottom for garlic burgers. No fries, chip (in your best saturday night live belushi or akyroid impression). Sometimes popular on Thursday night as the climbers from the WMC sometimes conviene there. They finally have decent tap beer.

Not too far and just down the street on 3300 South from REI and IME is the Citrus Grill. Sugarhouse has SLP&P and/or Fiddlers which has good beer selection on tap, and currently a killer premium margarita (that I'm hopelessly addicted to).

Silverfork Lodge in BCC has a kinda fun pub (and a white linen dining room). Good views at Snowbird in the Cliff (steak pit? And seemed to recall a mexi restaurant there, but, hear tell it changed names?). Can be quiet up there, though. Not a super destination outside of ski season, methinks.

Beer snob, I mean, Andrew? Ha ha.

-Brian in SLC

on monday head down to the state wine store on ft union around 1900 E. you'll be able to get a good selection of full strength beers, but they won't be refrigerated so bring a cooler. you can get the strong utah beers i mentioned, as well as beers from full sail, pike, anderson valley, a very good selection of belgians, and some others. it could be worse.

brian, not to be pedantic but a stout is an ale! i know what you mean though - i don't much like stouts on hot summer days, though they are the ticket for apres ski. my favorite beers for hot summer days are hefeweisens and light lagers(loving the full sail sessions lager now for cooling off and quenching thirst).

i know i'm a snob, but i brew a lot and am studying to take the BJCP beer judge exam.

for eateries, i would recommend near the canyons:

lone star on ft union for good and cheap fish tacos
barbacoa on ft union for huge chipotle type burritos
cotton bottom on 6200 S for garlic burgers and cheap pitchers of beer outside
tuscany on 6200 S if you want to get cleaned up and have a nice meal
hogs wallow for a great bar with lousy bar food. by far my favorite watering hole on that side of town, but not easy to find without a map.

salt lake is not all that big or hard to get around, so its worth checking out some of the really good places around town as well.

red iguana is probably the cult classic restaraunt of slc. on north temple just west of the interstate - look for all the people lined up outside the small dive looking restaraunt. best mole i've had outside of mexico, and i am a snob about that too.

martine's downtown is another place to get cleaned up for, but very nice tapas and a good wine list.

the bayou on state and 600ish S has the biggest beer selection in utah and ok food.

my favorite sushi place is called ginza - maybe 300 w and 300 s ish. ichiban 400 w and 400 s ish is a much nicer place, but the sushi isn't as good in my opinion. post up if anyone has better sushi recommendations - i live for sushi.

Andrew Gram wrote:post up if anyone has better sushi recommendations - i live for sushi.

Have you tried Akasaka between Cafe Rio and the Citrus Grill? Not so bad.

Had good luck at Sakura on Foothill (by the state liquor store).

Wine store in downtown SLC has an amazing selection of beer, especially the foo foo ones (ie, super spendy Belgian stuff).

Mostly an ale guy m'self. Stouts have that burnt toast thing. I likes my toast lightly, well, toasted. Dark red ok.

Ditto the Hog's Breath, but, yeah, food ain't so good. Also, smokey? I don't particularly care for the food at the Porcupine either, but, close to the canyons and the atmosphere is pretty good.

Bayou has a great selection but the private club thing chaps me as does the smoke.

Best cheap taco is Betos, due east around a block from Black Diamond. Fish, chicken, beef, all under 2.00 per. Cheap eats. And, their flan is to die for (not on the menu, real vanilla!).

Ok, where we ending up tonight after climbing? Might have to hit the rotten bottom, haven't been there in a spell...

-Brian in SLC

the wine store on ft union has just about the same selection as the one downtown. not bad at all for utah.

a stout is a type of ale - an ale is any type of beer that uses a top fermenting yeast that are fermented at relatively warm temperatures(60 degrees+). but there are nice stouts that don't necessarily have that burnt toast flavor - that comes from roasted malt, which not all stouts use. samuel smith's oatmeal stout is a nice one to try for those that may not like stouts, or a milk stut if you can find one.

my own porter recipe is also a good dark beer for those that don't like the rosted flavor - i use mostly chocolate malt and dark crystal for color, and round it off with pale malt, special b, carapils, and some munich malt. it has a good complex malt flavor, full mouthfeel, and very little bitterness or harsh flavors. next time i make a batch i'll give you one to check out brian.

i'll try those sushi joints - thanks!

for cheap mexican i like molca salsa better than beto's, but both are very good. going to a taco bell in this town would be madness.

forgot to mention that the bayou and hog's wallow are both private clubs, but a temp is only 5 bucks or so and its a one time thing for the whole group. if anyone doesn't want to pay the fee at the bayou drop me a line and maybe i'll come down to join you for a beer and get you in on my membership(i live very nearby). both those places are a bit smoky, but not too bad as far as bars go - nothing like the canyon inn or the twilight lounge. porcupine is definitely better if you can't abide smoke, but i don't particularly like the place - mediocre food and it just seems sterile to me.

forgot to mention breakfast places. the not to be missed place is ruth's diner up in emigration canyon - its not very close to the cottonwoods, but worth it on a nice sunny day. my favorite greasy spoon in town is over the counter, which is 3300 S and 2300 E. bring cash - they don't take credit cards. best breakfast very close to the canyons is carl's cafe in the strip mall on ft union and 2300 E.

Andrew Gram wrote:a stout is a type of ale - an ale is any type of beer that uses a top fermenting yeast that are fermented at relatively warm temperatures(60 degrees+).

Yeah, yeah. Should be saying IPA or pale ale. I brewed beer for many years...(gave it up 'cause I like drinkin' it more than cleanin' up after it...). Couple fellers I know are doin' their own hops in town. One had to install his own poles, after his hops startin' takin' down the telephone poles in his neighborhood.

for cheap mexican i like molca salsa better than beto's

I used to, until kept gettin' poor quality at Molca Salsa. Way too much salt, and the meat was full of gristle and fat. Tacos seem a bit cheaper at Betos.

my favorite greasy spoon in town is over the counter, which is 3300 S and 2300 E

Double ditto the over the counter cafe. Opens early, closes at 2pm. Standard or Western Omelete.

Betos has a breakfast burrito that'll last ya all day long, too.

Cheers,

-Brian in SLC

hey, i'll be at fiddler's elbow tonight around 7ish if you want to stop by and riff about beer(or if anyone else lurking wants to). green arcteryx shirt and i'll probably be playing pool.

the molca salsa i usually go to is on 300 west and 300 north. never had a bad meal there. my favorite cheap mexican place in town is actually el hab way the hell out in magna, but i don't go there too much nowadays since i don't consult for kennecott anymore.

here is a very important question. where are the best chicken wings in town? definitely used to be wings n things on 200 S(especially on half price monday nights) - i wept when that joint shut down. i hate backed wings - must be deep fried. one of the biggest thing i miss from Kolorado is jim's wings up in ft collins - they could deep fry a shoe and i would happily eat it.

we're typing like we should write our own zagat's guide to slc.

Troy D. Anderson wrote: Mormons need to speak up and stand up for this wonderful state.

what?

3.2 beer is fine, especially for low-landers. just dont bend over and pay 6.99$ a sixer for local brews at the grocery store. its a waste of money for semi tasteless low alchohol swill. stick with the yellow beer until the DABC opens on monday, then go and buy some local brew for about 6.99$ a sixer.

Andrew Gram wrote: the molca salsa i usually go to is on 300 west and 300 north. never had a bad meal there. my favorite cheap mexican place in town is actually el hab way the hell out in magna, but i don't go there too much nowadays since i don't consult for kennecott anymore.

Molca Salsa is very good, but your (and Brian's) other suggestions are a lot closer to the canyons. Don't forget Cilantro's in Fort Union by that walmart. Best chicken tacos in town and free ice cream.

AS far as your neighborhood - Andrew - just go a couple of blocks west of the Red Iguana to that Taco Stand at N. Temple and 9th West. Best carne asada quesadillas around. I've been there as early as 10 am and as late as 9pm and there's still a line! Saves the wait for the mole and some of the indigestion.

We should hook up at Molca Salsa for lunch - I have a patient right by there now and I'm there every tuesday and thursday...

An interesting read with a more accurate account of Utah Beer...

kutv.com/topstories/local_s…

Jean,

There is no good place to buy beer in southern Idaho between Utah and the City of Rocks. You are better of taking beer with you from SLC.

Mountain Project forums serve it up right!
Wow, thanks again everyone - I feel empowered and busting with info. I thank you all in advance for making my climbing vacation easier and more efficient. I'll be in "Brew-topia" come October. Maybe I'll see you at one of these fine establishments!
Jean

Andrew Gram wrote: my favorite cheap mexican place in town is actually el hab way the hell out in magna, but i don't go there too much nowadays since i don't consult for kennecott anymore. here is a very important question. where are the best chicken wings in town?

I work in Magna...so...I eat at El Habanero quite often. Very good!

Chicken wings? I get 'em at SLP&P but, not a huge fan of them.

Hey, have you been to Tracks Brewing Co. in Tooele?

Jean, yeah, give us a shout out when you get here...oh, and, uhh, October, eh? Two ski seasons ago, I put away my rock skis in October, the snow was so deep...

yeah, but last year i was sacrificing chickens to the snow gods in the middle of november, so you never know.