Uinta Brewing Company - Baba Black Lager

Brewed in the style of a German black lager (“schwarzbier”), albeit with a bit more oomph than is typical, this GABF silver medal winner (which also happens to be Certified Organic) pours a very dark brownish-black with a robust and long-lasting head of light brown foam. Look for aromas of milk & dark chocolate, mild coffee grounds, brown sugar and caramel, all overlaid with a bit of grassy and spicy noble hops. We’re off to a good start. On the palate we found this brew really hit the spot with well-balanced notes of charred toast, caramel, and cocoa powder, with a bit of upfront sweetness to balance the bitter char notes which build and finally overtake in the lingering finish. Carbonation lifts the beer up, keeping in light on its feet. Some schwarzbiers are quite mild, like Germany’s famous (and tasty) Köstritzer, but we really dug this bolder version with its bigger roast notes and larger dose of noble hops, with, remarkably, a lower alcohol content. Grilled sausages or other meats are a natural pairing, but a chocolate dessert would work quite nicely, as well. Cheers!

When founder Will Hamill established Uinta (“you-in-tah”) in 1993, he succeeded in merging his love of brewing and his passion for the outdoors. Originally from Maine, Will enjoyed a lifestyle very much like many other Utahans when he arrived in the state, including kayaking, skiing, and biking. But, something was missing – the great craft beer that he had enjoyed in his native state. To satisfy his own cravings, Will took to home brewing and quickly became consumed. After years of perfecting recipes, he was producing beers that not only satisfied him, but also impressed his friends. At that point he enrolled at UC Davis to study brewing and develop his knowledge of the industry.

When Will began Uinta, it was at a very modest facility – a small, converted auto mechanic’s garage. From these humble beginnings, Uinta began brewing and distributing beer to local pubs and restaurants, and three years later demand had escalated enough to install a bottling line. By 2001, the brewery had outgrown its original location, so a 26,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility was built with energy efficiency as a prime goal. Not only was the new brewery outfitted with the best in brewing technology, it was built to be completely wind-powered. Yep, the brewery is 100% powered by Mother Nature herself, becoming the first business in Utah to achieve that milestone. But, their commitment to the environment doesn’t end there; they established a recycling location for brown glass, installed solar panels, donate their used grain to local ranchers to use as feed, purchase recycled paper, and use natural lighting in the brewery as well as energy-efficient electric lighting. Great job guys, we’ll raise a glass to that! To learn more about Uinta Brewing Company and scheduled tours, call (801) 467-0909 or visit www.uintabrewing.com.