2022 Brew Olympics

I know what you’re thinking—“Steve, the Winter Olympics are over. What do I have to live for now?” Know that I hear you and want you to live, dammit! To that end, I am offering up a third Olympiad in the last two years with SLUG’s 2022 Brew Olympics. This will be a lot more subjective than, say, ice hockey, but still more objective than, say, ice skating. An added bonus: Everyone wins a gold. Or bronze. Not silver. Nobody wants to win that crap medal. Without further ado, SLUG’s 2022 Brew Olympics!

2-Row Brewing – Best brewery that you swear was down this street. Oh shit, there it is—turn right!

Bewilder Brewing Co. – Best brewery name that can be said completely differently depending on emphasis (try it).

Bonneville Brewery – Best reason to stop in Tooele on your way to—or from—Wendover.

Desert Edge Brewery – Best brewery for a first date, second date or last date. 

Emigration Brewing Co. – Best brewery to waddle over to after a giant Ruth’s breakfast.

Epic Brewing Company – Best brewery to buy beer, gin, seltzer, breakfast and dessert stout, 22-oz bottles and every pre-filled growler, crowler and can that you can think of. 

Fisher Brewing Company – Best brewery for other people to see you not seeing them (wink).

Grid City Beerworks – Best brewery that could also be an art exhibit.

Heber Valley Brewing Company – Best brewery to use as an excuse to go on a day trip to Heber City.

Hopkins Brewery – Best brewery that was once an Italian restaurant.

Level Crossing Brewing Co. – Best brewery with a dinosaur masquerading as a beer.

Kiitos Brewing – Best brewery to be on your best behavior when driving to or from.

Moab Brewery – Best brewery that has been doing 16-oz. cans since before they were cool.

Ogden River Brewing – Best brewery that is an actual metaphor for the town in which it resides.

Proper Brewing Co. – Best brewery to make plans to meet people at, then get confused when you go to the Kensington one and they’re at the Avenues one, but you really wanted a burger, so, maybe we should go to Proper Burger?

Red Rock Brewing – Best brewery to be like, “Wait, I can get carrot chips? Why doesn’t everyone offer carrot chips? Elephino!” 

RoHa Brewing Project – Best brewery that promises big green couches but does not provide big green couches. Somebody get them a big green couch. 

Salt Fire Brewing Co. – Best brewery that smells of rich mahogany and many leather-bound books. 

Salt Flats Brewery – Best pub to go and look at cool shit.

Shades Brewing – Best beers that sound terrible but are actually good (Peanut Butter & Jelly, Thai Tom Kha and Pina Colada are all names of great beers!).

Silver Reef Brewing Co. – Best brewery that will probably be burned down by the people of Saint George just for existing.

Strap Tank Brewery – Best brewery with two locations in the heart of Mormonopolis.

Toasted Barrel Brewery – Best brewery that utterly and totally lives up to its name.

Uinta Brewing Co. – Brewery that definitely owns an all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning with a lift kit and bitchin’ wheels. 

UTOG Brewing Company – Brewery with the best view of the actual brewery from inside the pub.

Vernal Brewing Co. – Best brewery where you feel kind of dirty drinking some of their beers (Mama’s Milk, anyone!?).

Zion Brewery – Best no-brainer brewery name in Utah.

There were a few surprises and lots of upsets, but it’s finally done. The committee—of one—is already hard at work hitting every brewery, pub and tasting room for 2026. It is not a job that is taken lightly and God help me if there is ever a spirits issue. Be sure to hit up your local craft brewery and congratulate them on their hard-earned award (and be sure to make a reservation at Bohemian Brewery). Cheers!

Read more about some of these Brew Olympics winners here:
Bewilder Brewing: How One of Salt Lake’s Newest Breweries is Standing Out
The Beer is East: RoHa Brewing Project