It’s been three months since Utah restaurants once again began welcoming dine-in customers. Utah breweries, bars, and restaurants had been limited to serving customers curbside since mid-March to help slow the spread of coronavirus, or COVID-19.
But on May 1, Utah transitioned from strictly a curbside to-go beer-drinking community to one that started reopening taprooms and brewpubs.
Now here we are on Aug. 1, with more than 40,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Utah and 310 coronavirus-related deaths.
Updated Oct. 1, 2020
The hospitality industry’s been especially hard hit from a financial standpoint. Throughout Utah, many continue to balance health and safety with the need to further support small businesses.
Scroll for the latest from each brewery during the coronavirus pandemic.
Utah Breweries Weathering a Storm
As a refresher, Salt Lake area breweries, bars, and restaurants were ordered to close to dine-in customers on March 17 in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus. On May 1, those same establishments were allowed to reopen for sit-down service.
For 45 days, Utah breweries relied primarily on to-go orders to stay afloat. Some occupy shelf space in state-run liquor stores and grocery stores, which remained open as “essential businesses.”
Many breweries reopened their taprooms and brewpubs for on-site consumption in May and June. A handful opted to stay shuttered, offering only curbside or to-go service.
To open or not to open? It’s a question with no easy answers.
A Brewers Association survey in April found that 46.4% of respondents projected they could sustain their business for one to three months. Only 13.4% of respondents thought they could survive for more than six months of complete shutdown.
Utah Beer News hasn’t heard of any Utah breweries that have been forced to close permanently due to the shutdown.
However, according to the owners of Quarters Arcade Bar on a recent episode of the Utah Booze News Podcast (not affiliated with Utah Beer News), several bars and downtown Salt Lake City restaurants are significantly struggling.
Quarters helped to launch the #SaveUtahBars campaign. It aims to change the law to allow bars to sell to-go cocktails in sealed containers, in addition to proposing several other business-friendly changes.
Utah Breweries (and Others): Opening Status
Below are updates I’ve gathered from breweries around the state. If there are errors, or if you know of others reopening, please drop a line.
The majority of breweries and pubs are open for curbside or to-go service.
2 Row Brewing (Open)
The 2 Row Brewing bottle shop remains open.
Avenues Proper (Open: June 5)
Avenues Proper opened for dine-in service on June 5.
The Bayou (Closed; Open for To-Go)
The Bayou remains closed to dine-in service but continues to sell beer to-go in crowlers. It’s been receiving a lot of interesting international beers lately. In terms of reopening, it explained why it hasn’t yet.
Beer Bar (Open: Sept. 22)
It appears Beer Bar has reopened, according to various Untappd check-ins.
The Beerhive (Open: June 1)
The Beerhive Pub reopened on June 1.
The Beer But Homebrew (Open: July 3)
The Beer Nut is open for curbside and in-store shopping.
Bewilder Brewing (Open: May 1)
Bewilder reopened on May 1 and is still offering to-go service.
Bohemian Brewery (Open: June 8)
Bohemian Brewery reopened its restaurant to dine-in customers on June 8.
Bonneville Brewery (Open: June 1)
Bonneville reopened for dine-in service on June 1. Take-out is still available as well.
Brewvies (Open: July 30)
Brewvies in Salt Lake planned a grand re-opening for July 30. It’s now using a seat-reservation system. It looks like it’s really open now.
Craft by Proper (Open: June 4)
Utah’s only Utah-only beer bar reopened its doors on June 4.
Desert Edge Brewery (Open: Aug. 5)
The pub in Trolley Square opened in early August. Check out the safety requirements.
Epic Brewing Company (Open)
Epic Brewing Company appears to be open daily from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Fisher Brewing (Patio Open: Aug. 10; Open for To-Go)
Fisher Brewing remains closed for drink-in service, but it continues to pump out the new beers (and merchandise) to-go.
Grid City Beer Works (Open: June 5)
Grid City opened to the public (with a reservation system) on June 5.
Heber Valley Brewing (Open: June 9)
Heber Valley Brewing reopened its taproom on June 9.
Hopkins Brewing (Open: May 16)
Hopkins opened its “socially distanced patio” on May 16 and opened its taproom on June 1.
Hoppers Grill & Brewing (Open: May 7)
The Midvale brewpub opened to dine-in customers on May 7.
Kiitos Brewing (Open: July 11)
Kiitos reopened its newly remodeled taproom — with 29 taps! — and created a parking lot patio on which to enjoy a pint.
Level Crossing Brewing (Open: May 15)
The South Salt Lake brewery reopened its taproom on May 15.
Moab Brewery (Open: May 1)
Moab Brewery opened for dine-in service on May 1. The brewery is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Mountain West Hard Cider (Open: June 4)
Mountain West Hard Cider reopened its tasting room in June. The Garten opened on June 4 for “limited service.”
Park City Brewery (Closed)
As far as we know, Park City Brewery is still searching for a new taproom space.
Policy Kings Brewery (Open: May 15)
The Cedar City brewery reopened on May 15.
Proper Brewing (Open: June 4)
Proper Brewing reopened on June 4.
Red Rock Brewery (Open: May 11)
One of Utah’s oldest breweries reopened its brewpubs and patios on May 11. It’s still offering curbside to-go service.
RoHa Brewing (Patio Open: Aug. 24; Open for To-Go)
RoHa opened a makeshift patio in its parking lot on Aug. 24. Its taproom remains closed to sit-in service, but you’re able to get beer to-go.
Roosters Brewing (Open: May 12)
Roosters reopened its pubs for dine-in service on May 12.
Salt City Brew Supply (Open)
Homebrewers rejoice. Salt City Brew Supply is open.
SaltFire Brewing (Patio Open: Aug. 13)
We thought SaltFire Brewing had reopened its taproom in late May, but when we visited to check out the new patio, the taproom was dark. The patio is very nice, however.
Salt Flats Brewery (Open: May 1)
Salt Flats reopened its taproom on May 1.
Shades Brewing (Open: July 24)
Shades Brewing’s new-and-improved patio is now open (enter on Commonwealth Ave.). Enter on Utopia Ave. for beer to-go.
Silver Reef Brewing (Open)
The St. George brewery has its retail store open.
Slackwater Pizzeria & Pub (Open: May 1)
Both the Sandy and Ogden locations opened to dine-in customers on May 1.
Squatters Craft Beers (Open: May 27)
Squatters’ dining room and patio reopened on May 27.
Strap Tank Brewing (Open: May 7)
Dining rooms at both Strap Tank locations — Springville and Lehi — reopened on May 7. They’ll be closed daily between 3-4 p.m. for cleaning.
Talisman Brewing (Open: May 1)
The Ogden brewery reopened on May 1.
T.F. Brewing (Open)
It appears the T.F. Brewing taproom (and patio) is reopened.
Toasted Barrel Brewery (Open: May 30)
The Toasted Barrel tasting room officially reopened on May 30.
Uinta Brewing (Closed; Open for To-Go)
The Uinta Brewing General Store is open for to-go sales, but the brewhouse pub is “closed until further notice,” according to the Uinta website.
UTOG Brewing (Open: May 1)
UTOG in Ogden opened for dine-in service on May 1.
Vernal Brewing Company (Open: June 1)
Vernal Brewing Company opened for dine-in service on June 1.
Wasatch Brewery (Open: May 27)
Wasatch Brewpub in Sugar House opened for dine-in service on May 27.
Zion Brewing (Open: May 20)
The Zion brewpub in Springdale reopened on May 20. Station II in downtown St. George plans to open on June 1.
Zólupez Beer Company (N/A)
While the Ogden brewery doesn’t have a physical taproom, you’re able to find Zólupez beers at grocery and convenience stores throughout the state.
Previous Utah Beer News Coronavirus Coverage
Below are links to previous coverage. All articles related to COVID-19 can be found here.
- May 26 (updated June 8): Utah Beer News: Are Your Favorite Breweries Open?
- May 12: Coronavirus Update No. 9: American Craft Beer Week
- May 8: Coronavirus Update No. 8: Breweries Get Go-Ahead to Reopen
- April 30: Coronavirus Update No. 7: Utah Breweries Brace for Next Phase
- April 22: Coronavirus Update No. 6: The Latest from Utah Breweries
- April 16: Coronavirus Update No. 5: One Month In and Still Fighting
- April 8: Coronavirus Update No. 4: The Numbers Aren’t Pretty
- March 31: Coronavirus Update No. 3: Notable Utah Beer News
- March 25: Coronavirus Update No. 2: Utah Breweries Show Resilience.
- March 16: Coronavirus Outbreak: Utah Breweries React & Respond.
