Salt Flats Brewing Company - Slipstream

This double IPA from Salt Flats presents a burnished orange color with good clarity and a head of beige foam as it sits in our glass. On the nose, look for big citrus notes conjuring impressions of grapefruit, orange, and tangerine, while resinous, pine-like herbal tones add additional intrigue. Secondary floral, stone-fruit, and even berry-like hints show nicely as well, all atop a noticeable caramelized malty undertone. Naturally, this is a bold beer on the palate too, with those big citrus notes playing lead roles in the favor, in both a zesty and a juicy way. That resinous, piney character comes through large as well, melding with the beer’s inherent booziness and very firm hop bitterness to provide plenty of edginess to counterpunch the big malts. Speaking of which, the malt core here is robust, similarly providing plenty of support to the huge hop character in a richly toasty and caramelized way. Double IPAs can be tough to pair with food, as the number of dishes that can complement the intensity is limited. Hot & spicy Chinese-style orange chicken can work, as can honey and citrus glazed ham. Indian cuisine is another option. The beer is more than capable of cutting through fattier fare, and salty foods can also match up well. Barbecue with thick sauces are a go-to for us with DIPAs, particularly baby back ribs with a spicy-sweet sauce infused with a bit of orange. 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.

In 2021, Brennan Caley took over as brewmaster. The first employee hired under Scott Parker, Caley has honed his brewing skills at Chicago’s world-class Siebel Institute of Technology, the country’s oldest brewing school. Currently, Salt Flats produces about 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. For more info on their brewery Tap Room and Store, and the Garage Grill locations, visit saltflatsbeer.com.