Blog, Breweries, COVID-19, News

Coronavirus Update No. 5: One Month In and Still Fighting

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Utah Beer News - Coronavirus Update

One month ago, the Salt Lake County Health Department ordered bars, breweries/brewpubs, and restaurants to close to dine-in customers for 30 days. The March 16 mandate aimed to slow the spread of the coronavirus, or COVID-19.

At the time, Utah had 21 confirmed cases of coronavirus. Today, that number tops 2,600. The shutdown order has since been extended to May 1. It’s not clear if another extension is on the horizon.

Utah breweries, many of which built a business pouring pints across the bar in taprooms or brewpubs, went into survival mode.

And now, one month on, they’re still fighting.

Scroll for the latest from each Utah brewery during the coronavirus pandemic.

Last week, Utah Beer News shared findings from a Brewers Association survey. It detailed how the social distancing measures aimed at stopping the spread of coronavirus are impacting the nation’s breweries.

The survey revealed that under current conditions, more than half of the country’s breweries didn’t expect to be in business three months from now.

That’s more than 4,000 breweries that could be gone by mid-summer.

So far, Utah Beer News hasn’t heard of any Utah breweries that are planning to permanently close. However, some still remain temporarily closed and a few are significantly cutting back the days and hours they’re open for to-go service.

If you’re looking for ways to help, we outlined a few ideas in this Utah Beer News article.

The State of Craft Beer Pre-Coronavirus

On April 15, the Brewers Association delivered its annual State of the Industry report as part of the Craft Brewers Conference. It analyzed 2019 numbers. Even before the pandemic, brewery closings had been trending upward, presumably due to more breweries opening, increased competition, etc.

State of the IndustryIn 2019, the United States saw 294 breweries shut down (while 942 opened). That’s compared to 242 closures in 2018 (and 1,121 openings).

For 2020, Bart Watson, chief economist at the Brewers Association, expected 400 or so breweries to close, regardless of the current situation.

“So when we do get the final 2020 stats, and we see the toll this pandemic has taken on this industry, it’s worth keeping that in mind,” Watson said as part of a live-streamed presentation. “There were probably going to be upwards of 400 closings regardless, so it’s not until we exceed that number that we can really attribute increased closings to what’s going on right now.”

Over the last five years, the craft beer industry’s experienced unparalleled expansion. More than 5,200 breweries opened and 963 closed between 2015-19. The rapid growth boosted the total to 8,146 active breweries (that’s still 240 less than the total operating in 2019), according to the Brewers Association.

“Generally, over the next five years, we’re going to see a more mature marketplace where openings and closings are roughly in balance, this year notwithstanding,” Watson said.

Previous Utah Beer News Coronavirus Coverage

Utah Breweries: The Latest

Here are a few items of note:

  • Shades Brewing is planning to release the latest in its Kveik Earthquake Series on April 16 at 3 p.m. Aftershock is a sour ale brewed with strawberries, bananas, and lactose. Limited to one six-pack per person. Shades is also hosting a Virtual Bar Experience each Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
  • 2 Row Brewing is releasing Stimulus Check, a Triple IPA hopped with citra, mosaic, and Idaho 7 hops, on April 17. It clocks in at 11% ABV.
  • Kiitos Brewing released a 5% ABV Triple Dry Hopped IPA on April 15.
  • T.F. Brewing is re-releasing its popular Squirrel Juicy IPA on April 17 at noon at the brewery.
  • Fisher Brewing, a brewery that temporarily closed on March 16, is still selling merchandise online. And, it appears to-go beer might be in the cards in the near future.
  • Brewers Talks, which broadcast live on Instagram, are set for this weekend. Tune in at 4 p.m. on April 18 to hear a discussion between Marcio Buffolo, head brewer at Shades Brewing, and Clay Turnbow, head brewer at Kiitos Brewing. And on April 19, also at 4 p.m., it’s Buffolo and Kevin Davis, head brewer at Red Rock Brewery.
  • City Weekly and KRCL 90.9 FM radio continue daily segments on the station’s RadioACTive program (listen live). The 6 p.m. segments are dubbed #quarantinecocktails. Each day during the #staysafestayhome order, the segment will feature “local brewers, distillers, bars, and restaurants to let you know what the makers are making.”

A Full Rundown

I’ve been keeping in touch with Utah breweries and compiled a rundown of how each is attempting to weather an unprecedented storm.

It’s always best to confirm the information with individual establishments. 🍻 Breweries: Please notify me of any inaccuracies. The date of the latest update is in parentheses.

2 Row Brewing

As mentioned above, Stimulus Checks, an 11% ABV Triple IPA is scheduled to be bottled on Friday, according to 2 Row Brewing owner Brian Coleman. In other news, 2 Row’s 5% ABV growler fills are $4. But you’ll need to bring in your own growler (2 Row’s supplier is shut down). The Midvale brewery released a Hazy IPA — Quarantine Buddy — two weeks ago and reportedly has only a couple cases left. The 6.8% ABV beer features Idaho 7 and Citra hops.  (4/16)

Avenues Proper

Avenues Proper is offering curbside food service (menu). You’re now able to order food online. Its packaged beer-to-go store is also open, though you must come inside (one at a time) to purchase beer. (3/25)

Bewilder Brewing

Bewilder Brewing is now open Thursday through Sunday. Salt Lake’s “newest brewpub…turned food-to-go” is also filling growlers — and crowlers! — to-go and is selling gift cards. (4/16)

Bohemian Brewery

Bohemian suspended operations “until it is safe to resume.” You’re still able to find Bohemian beers at various grocery stores around the state. (4/8)

Bonneville Brewery

Bonneville Brewery is open for food and beer to-go. (3/25)

Desert Edge Brewery

Desert Edge said it is suspending operations indefinitely. (3/17)

Epic Brewing

Epic is open for beer-to-go. It also released its Pink Boots Imperial Pink Ale — available now at the Salt Lake bottle shop. Order ahead of time online for pickup. (4/8)

Fisher Brewing

Fisher Brewing suspended operations indefinitely on March 16. However, it’s still selling merchandise online, as well as gift cards. And, it appears to-go beer might be in the cards in the near future. (4/16)

Grid City Beer Works

Though not yet open, Grid City had planned to open its doors sometime in March. Those plans are now on hold indefinitely. (3/15)

Heber Valley Brewing

Heber Valley Brewing is selling beer to-go. (3/31)

Hopkins Brewing Co.

The Sugar House brewery is offering food and beer (growlers and crowlers) to go. (4/16)

Hoppers Grill & Brewing

Hoppers is offering food-to-go (updated menu), as well as a Family Special. It’s also got SnoAle for sale and is working out a way to fill growlers. Plus, through April 30, for every gift card purchase of $50, you will receive a $15 bonus gift card. Those are available online or onsite.

Hoppers is also offering a 2 for $20 deal. Mix and match any two items for $20, choose a side to share, and get a free order of cheese fries. Oh, and the Midvale brewpub earned Best of State honors for its brunch for the second straight year. Congrats. Order online via ChowNow. (4/8)

Kiitos Brewing

Kiitos Brewing is selling beers to-go from its beer store. It released a 5% ABV Triple Dry Hopped IPA on April 15. Earlier, it released Red is the New Pink, a hoppy red all that features the 2019 Pink Boots Society hops blend. Plus, merchandise and gift cards are available. (4/16)

Level Crossing Brewing

Level Crossing Brewing reconfigured its taproom to maximize the safety for customers and staff. Crowlers of draft beer are now $5 each (Peach Blonde is back). Call (385) 270-5752 to place a to-go order (here’s the menu). The South Salt Lake brewery is also delivering food (order online). (4/16)

Moab Brewery

Moab Brewery has $9 growlers to-go (new, no refills at this time). Its distillery is also selling its vodka, gin, and tequila to-go. It’s open for food to-go. (4/8)

Mountain West Hard Cider

The Mountain West Hard Cider bottle shop is open for to-go ciders. Call ahead for curbside pickup. Mountain West was working with the DABC to get approval for small-batch ciders, and apparently that is going well. Pomme Paloma is a small batch hard cider that includes a unique hop blend and grapefruit juice. It’s a collaboration with the Pink Boots Society.

Mountain West says it will be released “In The Future,” and followers will be the first to know. Stay tuned. It’s also conducting weekly “virtual happy hours” online. (4/8)

Park City Brewery

It no longer has a taproom presence, but you can pick up Park City beers at various grocery stores around town. It recently released a “Mountain Mix Pack.” (3/18)

Policy Kings Brewery

The Cedar City brewery is releasing a new bottled beer this week (details TBD). Policy Kings is also filling growlers to go for $20 and six-packs to-go are also $20. (4/16)

Proper Brewing Co.

Pick up canned beers (5% and high point) at Proper Brewing. “We just ask that folks limit themselves to entering the shop one at a time since it’s a small space that makes it hard to maintain a six-foot distance,” Proper wrote. Pre-filled 32-ounce crowlers ar $5 (it recently released a new batch of Blizzard Wizard, a white pale ale with Motueka hops, and Hey Joe, a new amber ale). Growlers are being filled from 4-8 p.m. New growlers only ($3) and fills are $9.

Its neighbor — Proper Burger Co. — is offering curbside pickup. (4/16)

Red Rock Brewing

All menu items at the Red Rock pubs (Downtown, Fashion Place, Park City) are available to-go. Hours are 12-8 p.m. and here’s the online menu. For a limited time, take 50% off your curbside order (Code: RED50). The Red Rock Beer Store is selling beer-to-go (from its parking lot, even!) and the new 25-Year Anniversary Belgian Style Quad is now available. Oh, and pick up a barrel (empty) for $50 for your crafty projects and such. Credit cards only. Red Rock is also able to sell packaged beer to go from its downtown pub. And it’s hiring! (4/16)

  • Hours: Beer Store — M-F 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sa 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Fashion Place — Daily 12-8 p.m.; Downtown — M 12-11 p.m.; T 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; W-F 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sa 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m.; Su 10:30 a.m.-11 p.m.; Park City — M-Th 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fr-Sa 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Su 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
  • Telephone: Beer Store — (801) 214-3386; Fashion Place — (801) 262-2337; Downtown — (801) 521-7446; Park City — (435) 575-0295.
  • Website: https://redrockbrewing.com/
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redrockbrewing/

RoHa Brewing Project

As of April 15, RoHa Brewing Project is temporarily no longer accepting cash. The Salt Lake brewery, which is celebrating its three-year anniversary this month, is selling beer to-go and filling new growlers purchased on-site.

Keep an eye out for High on the Hop, a so-called “lazy IPA” that clocks in at 5% ABV. It’s described as a tropical, silky smooth hop bomb (with minimal bitterness). Release details will be forthcoming.

Oh, and RoHa’s doing something fun — it’s sprinkling gold-topped cans in six-packs at grocery and convenience stores, liquor stores — and even the taproom. If you find one, take it to RoHa for a $25 gift card.

RoHa’s also made available online gift cards. (4/16)

Roosters Brewing

Roosters is hosting a virtual beer and cheese pairing event on April 22 at 6 p.m. They’ll pair three Beehive Cheese cheese offerings with six Roosters brews. Pick up a “pairing pack” ahead of time at Roosters B Street. Earlier this week, Roosters made On Wednesdays We Wear Pink Boots available to go in crowlers. (4/16)

Online ordering is now available for Roosters Brewing 25th Street. B Street Brewery and Layton locations are to follow. Roosters is open for curbside food pickup (menus online).

Roosters debuted its newest beer on April 1. High Desert Hazy is a Session Hazy IPA hopped with New Zealand Southern Cross hops. The 5% ABV beer will be available to go at all three Roosters locations. It will find its way into grocery in the coming weeks.

Only at Layton (breweries can only sell high-point beer at the location where it was brewed, per Utah law): Roosters’ 25th Anniversary Barrel Aged Barley Wine.

“This complex ale was rested in Porters Whiskeys rye barrels for 10 months, then blended with a fresh batch,” Roosters wrote. $12/bottle. (4/8)

For every takeout order of $25 or more, Roosters is including a $10 gift certificate to be used on your next visit at any Roosters location or its partner restaurant, Union Grill.  (3/24)

SaltFire Brewing

SaltFire released its Gin Barrel-Aged IPA on April 16. The limited-edition-series brew is aged in Beehive Distilling gin barrels. (4/16)

Salt Flats Brewing

The Salt Flats package agency is open and selling beer to-go. It’s also now producing and selling hand sanitizer. It’s also begun shipping the sanitizer via FedEx (order online). Here is a nice FAQ for Salt Flats Sanitizer. By the way, congrats to Salt Flats Distillery on winning some American Craft Spirits Association awards. (4/16)

Shades Brewing

As mentioned above, Shades Brewing is planning to release the latest in its Kveik Earthquake Series on April 16 at 3 p.m. at the brewery. Aftershock is a sour ale brewed with strawberries, bananas, and lactose. The limit is one six-pack per person. It’s also hosting a Virtual Bar Experience each Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

Head Brewer Marcio Buffolo is also hosting Brewers Talks, which broadcast live on Instagram. Tune in at 4 p.m. on April 18 to hear a discussion between Buffolo and Clay Turnbow, head brewer at Kiitos Brewing. And on April 19, also at 4 p.m., it’s Buffolo and Kevin Davis, head brewer at Red Rock Brewery. (4/16)

Earlier, Shades Brewing set up curbside “beer pick-up” tents in front of the brewery’s dock. It also built an “emergency pack” with 24 sorted beers ready to go for $50 plus tax.

Beer drinkers are still able to select their own beers, but the pack is designed for a quick transaction.

The “emergency pack” includes the following (2 each): Aphrodite Belgian Blonde Ale, Premium Lager, Imperial Lager, Grapefruit Revolution Hazy & Juicy IPA, Slick City Citrus IPA, Kveik Rotator, Plum Berliner Weisse, Misdirected IPA, Double Trub’l Double IPA, Fit Lager, Kveik. And one each: Fit Brut IPA and Fit Blonde. (3/25)

Silver Reef Brewing

The Silver Reef store is open from 2-6 p.m. (except Sunday). You’re able to purchase beer and spirits to go, as well as hand sanitizer. It also recently shipped a bunch of beer to Costco in St. George. (4/16)

Squatters Craft Beers

Squatters has food and beer to-go at its downtown pub (menu, PDF). (3/25)

Strap Tank Brewery

Strap Tank Brewery in Springville reopened on April 10. The Lehi location reopened on April 15. Each has a drive-thru for food to-go. It doesn’t appear beer to-go is available. New menu items. (4/16)

Talisman Brewery

Talisman Brewery in Ogden is open normal business hours for beer-to-go. It’s offering $12 growler fills, and creating a mixed six-pack of its 5% beer for $20. (3/25)

T.F. Brewing

T.F. Brewing continues brewing up a storm. Recent or upcoming releases include: Coconut Guava Berliner Weisse, Adriatic Pilsner, Squirrel Juicy IPA, and Durban Space Terpene IPA. (4/16)

T.F. also will be participating in All Together. It’s a program in which breweries brew a specific beer with proceeds earmarked to support hospitality professionals. T.F. is planning to donate beer proceeds from its All Together New England-style IPA beer sales directly to its staff. (4/8)

The T.F. Brewing beer store is open from 12-8 p.m. Crowlers are available to-go as well (check the website for current offerings). Email Orders: [email protected] (3/25)

And a very happy birthday to Kevin Templin!

Toasted Barrel Brewery

Toasted Barrel is selling beer to-go. It’s planning to make a barrel-aged beer available for growler fills this weekend. Stay tuned. Check Toasted Barrel’s social media for the latest. (4/16)

Uinta Brewing

The General Store remains open for beer — and merchandise — to-go. This week Uinta released a Piña Colada Milkshake Pale Ale. Earlier, it began selling Pink Boots Have More Fun, a blonde ale featuring the Pink Boots Society hops blend. Also of note, this year’s edition of Birthday Suit, a lemon blackberry tart ale with lactose, as well as Uinta’s new Freeform IPA, a 99 calorie beer. (4/16)

Check out UtahBeerStores.com, a new website designed by Uinta for Utah breweries to update their own information (hours, address, available beers, etc.). (3/25)

UTOG Brewing

UTOG is giving away gift cards to other Ogden-area businesses with each $50 purchase. Earlier, it released its first mixed pack. The 12-pack includes Mandarina Kölsch, Power Play Pilsner, Son of a Peach Hefeweizen, and a Brewer’s Choice. It’s available at the brewery’s beer store. (4/16)

Vernal Brewing

Vernal Brewing Company is open for beer to-go and curbside pickup. (3/19)

Wasatch Brewery

Wasatch Brewery in Sugar House is offering curbside food pickup (menu, PDF) and beer to-go. The West Side Tavern is open for beer to-go. (3/31)

Zion Brewery

The Zion brewpub in Springdale is open for takeout and delivery only. Station II in downtown St. George is open for growlers to-go. (3/25)

Zólupez Brewing

You’re able to find sampler 12-packs of Zólupez beer at various grocery stores around the state. (3/25)

The Bayou

The Bayou is open for curbside to-go orders. It can also sell beer to-go, so long as they’re 5% ABV or lower. It’s only accepting payment over the phone. Here’s a full FAQ page. (3/19)

Beer Bar

Beer Bar closed its doors temporarily. (3/17)

Beerhive Pub

The Beerhive Pub is temporarily closed. (3/16)

Craft by Proper

The Utah-only beer bar closed its doors temporarily. (3/17)

Slackwater Pizzeria & Pub (Ogden & Sandy)

Slackwater Sandy is temporarily closed, as is Slackwater in Ogden. However, on April 13 Slackwater Sandy announced on Instagram that it’s “plotting our glorious return in three weeks.” (4/16)

The Beer Nut Homebrew Shop

The Beer Nut closed temporarily, but it reopened on April 11 for curbside pickup. (4/16)

Salt City Brew Supply Homebrew Shop

Salt City Brew Supply remains open and fully stocked. Call ahead with an order and the folks at Salt City will pull it for you. (3/31)

Brewvies Cinema Pub

Brewvies is temporarily closed. But you are able to purchase gift cards online. When you load $25 or more on a card, Brewvies will give you a movie pass that’s valid for any future date. (3/25)

As of April 16, Utah had 2,683 confirmed cases of COVID-19. 

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