History

Squatters Pub Brewery opened in 1989 as Utah's first post-Prohibition brewpub, breaking ground for the state's craft brewing renaissance. The 5% ABV draft limit (federal-stricter than the rest of the country) constrains the industry but spawned innovation in low-ABV beer styles. By 2026, 30+ breweries operate across Wasatch Front; the annual Utah Beer Festival at the Gateway draws 200+ beer pours and 50+ breweries.

Common allergens: Gluten

Make it at home

Yield Serves 20+ (10L batch)Hands-on 4 hrTotal P14DDifficulty Advanced

Ingredients

  • 2.5 kg pale 2-row malt
  • 500g Munich malt
  • 200g Crystal 60L malt
  • 20g Cascade hops (60-minute boil)
  • 20g Cascade hops (15-minute boil)
  • 30g Cascade hops (whirlpool)
  • 1 packet US-05 American Ale yeast
  • 10 liters reverse osmosis water
  • Brewing salts (gypsum, calcium chloride) to taste

Method

  1. Mash grains in 4 liters of water at 65C (149F) for 60 minutes. Sparge with 6 liters at 75C.
  2. Bring wort to a boil. Add 20g Cascade hops at the start of the 60-minute boil.
  3. Add 20g Cascade hops at the 15-minute mark. Add 30g Cascade hops at flameout for whirlpool flavor.
  4. Cool wort rapidly to 18C (65F). Transfer to a sanitized fermenter.
  5. Pitch the US-05 yeast. Ferment at 18-20C for 7 to 10 days until gravity is stable.
  6. Cold-crash at 2C for 2 days. Bottle or keg with sugar for carbonation.
  7. Condition 7 days at room temperature, then refrigerate. Serve at 4-7C in a chilled pint glass.

Tip from the editors. Target a 5% ABV cap by adjusting grain bill; this recipe produces around 4.8% naturally. Cascade hops give the canonical American Pale Ale aroma, but Utah-grown hops are increasingly available.

This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.

Where to eat wasatch craft beer

Wasatch craft beer in Salt Lake City

Squatters Pub Brewery ★ 4.5

Craft pub brewerydowntownMon-Thu 11:30-22:00; Fri 11:30-23:00; Sat 10:30-23:00; Sun 10:30-22:00Mon-Thu 11:30-22:00; Fri 11:30-23:00; Sat-Sun 10:30-22:00

Squatters Pub Brewery on West Broadway, Salt Lake's first post-Prohibition brewpub since 1989, has anchored Utah craft brewing downtown.

Epic Brewing Company ★ 4.4

Bottle and tasting roomcentral-cityMon-Thu 11:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 10:00-23:00; Sun 11:00-20:00Mon-Sat 12:00-22:00; Sun 12:00-20:00

Epic Brewing on South State Street, the bottle-focused craft brewery and tap room, opened in 2010 as Utah's first brewery to focus on high-ABV bottles and now operates a Denver outpost as well.

Uinta Brewing Company ★ 4.4

Independent craftgranary-districtMon-Thu 11:00-20:00; Fri 11:00-22:00; Sat 11:00-20:00; closed SunMon-Thu 11:00-20:00; Fri 11:00-22:00; Sat 11:00-20:00; Sun closed

Uinta Brewing on Fremont Drive since 1993, Utah's large independent craft brewery, runs the state's defining brand across multi-state distribution alongside an SLC airport tap room.

Fisher Brewing Company ★ 4.4

granary-districtMon-Thu 11:00-23:00; Fri-Sat 11:00-24:00; Sun 11:00-22:00Until Fri-Sat 12:00-00:00

Fisher Brewing on West 800 South runs Friday and Saturday until midnight, with rotating food trucks and Granary District ales and lagers on draft.

Try: Craft beer with rotating food trucks

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