Salt Flats Brewing Company - Kilted Harley

Winner of the 2023 USA Beer Awards “Beer of the Year”, this bold Scotch Ale (Scotch Ale is also known as Wee Heavy, and designates the highest gravity form of Scottish Ale) pours a gorgeous deep garnet color when held to the light, with good clarity and a small head of beige foam. On the nose, bold malty notes abound, delivering impressions of toasted bread and rich caramel, with additional tones of molasses and brown sugar, hints of cocoa powder, and flashes of dried fruits. Some woody, earthy, and lightly spicy hops add additional dimension. Expect this brew to come through as absolutely luscious in the flavor, as the massive malt contribution cascades across the palate with a very round and full-bodied character bolstered by plenty of residual malt sweetness. The fruity elements really pop out here, adding a vinous quality in concert with some noticeable booziness, which adds its own spicy bite to augment the moderate hop bitterness. As with the aroma, there are many facets to the flavor, including touches of roast, caramel, chocolate, coffee grounds, woodiness, spice, and earth, in addition to that endearing fruitiness. Scotch Ales are excellent on their own, particularly as a nightcap or digestif, but food pairings are certainly possible. We’d steer toward roasted meats, including venison, in addition to barbecue (sweet, spicy, or both). Dessert pairings are among our favorites, such as a spice cake with a drizzle of caramel or chocolate (or both!). Additionally, a snack of strong cheeses, including blues and aged cheddars, as well as nutty cheeses like gouda, including smoked varieties, are a fine choice, as well. Cheers!

Salt Flats got its start back in 2016 when the Garage Grill in Draper, UT began brewing under the name RPM Brewery on a tiny 15-gallon system. Originally, the beer was produced just to serve the restaurant’s taps, but the dream soon expanded to the goal of building an actual regional brewery. In 2017, Scott Parker joined RPM as brewmaster after eight years with California’s Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Used to a 250-barrel brewhouse, Parker helped the RPM team scale up their operations from that original 1/2-barrel system to a new 10-barrel system. In March of 2018, the decision was made to rebrand the brewery to the new Salt Flats name, which better represented their region while retaining the motorsports theme.

Motorsports is everywhere at Salt Flats Brewing Company. Besides the brewery and beer names, the brewery itself is located within what used to be a professional race team building. Owner Steve Pruitt is the team principal of Corsa Motorsport and has a lifetime of experience in motor racing stretching all the way back to 1975 and his stockholder interest in the Long Beach Grand Prix. The Garage Grill locations in Draper and Herriman are equal parts restaurant and museum, featuring incredible arrays of racing memorabilia and actual exotic sports cars and NASCAR, IndyCar, and F1 racecars, among others. Want to have a brew at the bar next to a 2007 McLaren-Mercedes F1 car mounted to the wall, or dine directly underneath a Ferrari 360? You can do that. For racing fans visiting the Salt Lake area, it’s a must-try experience.

Currently, Salt Flats produces over a dozen beers, all with automotive or motorcycle themed names. They also produce an award-winning line of spirits including rum, whiskey, vodka, and gin, plus canned premixed cocktails. Additionally, in 2023, Salt Flats took home awards for Brewery of the Year and Beer of the Year, among others, at the USA Beer Ratings in San Francisco. For more info on their brewery and their restaurant locations, visit saltflatsbeer.com.