The New Beers of Summer 

• Mike Riedel

I doubt the creators of the pilsner and witbier could have imagined the exotic flavors their European staples would undergo in our modern day beerdom. While you can still find some of the Old World roots, these beers look to create new flavors not typically associated with tradition. Will they work for you? Here are my impressions.

Uinta - Driftwood: This is a basic lager with fresh coconut, which pours a creamy eggshell white head over a golden yellow body with moderate carbonation and moderate haze. Coconut jumps out at you on first whiff, along with a touch of lightly toasted caramel, notes of modest lemon zest and bitter orange peel for a mild acidity. Low alpha hops give this beer light grassy, floral and earthy notes, and a moderate bitterness to balance.

First flavors reveal a more subdued coconut profile that's smooth, clean and full-flavored. There's a noticeable biscuity German malt profile, followed through with a soft lemony sweetness, finishing with subtle, bitter herbal hop oils on a fluffy grain bed. The maltiness is a bit more prominent in the flavor and the citrus more subdued than expected. It's quite tasty, well-balanced and pleasingly simple to drink. It may not be the most traditional representative of a lager, but there's more reason to enjoy this beer in particular than not. The 6.2 ABV presence is very low.

Overall: Despite being a lager, there's a great deal of fullness to the flavor and texture this beer provides. The texture is mellow, slick and chewy, while very subtle carbonation gives a touch of cream to the mouthfeel. Hop oils and a mellow lemon zest tartness do a fair job at balancing out the coconut without imparting sharp contrasts.

Strap Tank - Peacemaker: Poured into a Strap Tank Shaker, this White (witbier) IPA pours a hazy dark gold color that lightens up near the edges of the class. The body remains in suspension throughout, with little matter left in the bottom of the glass. It also features a one finger eggshell-colored head with decent retention and lacing. The unmistakable scent of tropical fruit from the hops pervades the senses quite well. Beyond that, there are minor notes of coriander. Quite good, but then again, I expect a citrus-forward IPA to smell impressive.

The bitterness from the hops is kept nicely in check—in fact, a lot of the bitterness here is derived from a nice salad of hops and other yeast spices. As such, the finish is nicely spicy, and the wheat malt employed here helps smooth out the transitions from the slightly sweet opening to the bitter end. Exhales allow its sweeter characteristics from the wheat malt to come into fruition more easily. It isn't perfect, however, as the bitterness can become a tad mundane and generic-tasting after a while, and the wheat makes the flavors mesh together a bit too well. Still, it has a nice bittersweet character with a crisp, refreshing finish. The 5.0 percent ABV is not too heavy on the tongue, helping its ability to refresh. The carbonation is spot on, though the bit of dryness increases the bitter factor somewhat.

Overall: There seems to be more yeast character here than most IPAs, but not quite Wit strength. Solid fruity hops are the star of the show, and bring everything together. Nothing is off, and it really hits the spot with strong but not palate-wrecking hop flavor.

Uinta released Driftwood in 12-ounce bottles; they're one of the few breweries in the state that can package in multiple formats. Your best bet to find it cold will be at the brewery, or soon at the Taylorsville DABC store. I enjoyed Peacemaker on draft at Strap Tank's Lehi brewpub, where it's poured into shakers, growlers and steins. As always, cheers!