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PAC-12 Pints: Is UCLA Football opponent Utah secretly a craft beer utopia?

By Michael Chavez

PASADENA, CA - OCTOBER 21: The UCLA Bruins head off the field before their game against the Oregon Ducks at Rose Bowl on October 21, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA - OCTOBER 21: The UCLA Bruins head off the field before their game against the Oregon Ducks at Rose Bowl on October 21, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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As we continue our “Pac-12 Pints” series where we look at breweries from each UCLA Football conference opponent’s home state, we turn our attention to Utah. A state not thought of for it’s craft beer but that should soon change.

It’s Friday night and the UCLA Football Bruins are taking on the Utah Utes. You have your snacks, or your dinner, all ready to go. The game is on and you’ve got some friends over for the rare Friday night viewing. What’s the only thing that your party needs? Great craft beer from the Beehive State.

Alcohol and the state of Utah are not typically two words that go together. It is also probably the last place in your mind you go to when you think about craft beer. Well let me open your mind to some amazing beers you can find here locally to get you into the right mindset for some UCLA Football.

Related Story: PAC-12 Pints: UCLA Football and Seattle brews, a match made in heaven

Epic Brewing has been cranking out high quality craft beer you can find here in Southern California for almost a decade now. They make a wide range of styles but with the weather turning cooler we should be drinking some heartier beers. Epic has exactly what we need with their Big Bad Baptist, an Whiskey aged, Imperial stout with cocoa nibs and coffee added is sure to warm your bones down to the marrow. This smooth, boozy, silky in the mouth beer is complemented by big dark chocolate notes and freshly ground coffee.

Too heavy for your palate but you’re not in the mood for a lighter lager? Then I’ve got the perfect beer for you from another Salt Lake City institution. Uinta Brewing has long been a go to beer for those in Utah but for all craft beer lovers for one reason. They make some absurdly good beers. Take for instance their Baba Black Lager. Technically a Schwarzbier, a German dark lager, this beer features roasted malt notes and a light smattering of smokiness, this is a beer that will keep you warm when the UCLA Football team takes the field in chilly Utah conditions.

We have to return to Epic because if you’re a fan of great beers then you’re likely a fan of the newest trend, the New England Style IPA or Vermont style IPA. This style of IPA doesn’t focus so much on extreme hop bitterness so much as it does on the tropical and “juicy” qualities that can emerge from hops. They also use special yeast strains to give this beer an incredibly hazy look.

A great example of this beer is Epic’s New England Style IPA aka Citralush. This pours a dark golden haze with tons of tropical fruit aromas and peach from the Denali and Citra hops and finish that gives you the impression you just took a sip of refreshing juice.

There’s a ton on the line in this game. If the UCLA Football team is unable to knock off the Utes they’ll sit at 4-5 with three games left and potentially only one winnable game remaining. That means any hopes of a bowl go down in smoke. To make a dark situation already darker, there’s a good chance the Bruins will be without stud QB Josh Rosen for the game who is still dealing with an injury that knocked him out of the game last week.

Next: UCLA Football: What is left for Josh Rosen to play for?

If that idea gives you a moment’s hesitation that’s filled with impending doom then do yourself a favor. Go out and find some of these delicious brews to steady the nerves.