By Lizzie Walje | [email protected]

Not even a deluge of rain could dampen the spirits of the patrons at Salt Lake City’s 11th annual Beer Fest. During the two-day festival, that occurred Aug. 21 and 22, guests enjoyed an array of different beers from local vendors in addition to live music and food trucks galore. The festival took place downtown at The Gateway Mall. In recent years, the outdoor mall has become a hub for many local events and festivities. 

If you’re unfamiliar with Beer Fest, but consider yourself a fan of brew, you’d definitely find a selection that’s just your speed. For $25 patrons can enter the festival, although, the highly coveted VIP tickets ring in at $125. The benefits of VIP include six food and drink pairings, a complimentary festival tote bag, an official festival pint glass, restaurant certificates, giveaways, and plenty more to be revealed as the event unfolds. These tickets sell out quickly every year, ergo, if you’re considering a bid for a 2022 VIP ticket, it might be wise to mark your calendar. 

Following all the hardships of 2020, Beer Fest found itself committed to making the logistics of the event run as smoothly as possible. As a result, Beer Fest introduced its flagship passport, an easy and simple way for guests to navigate the festival and keep track of the vendors they sampled. Every sample of beer “costs” a certain number of passport punches, ranging from one to six punches. Thus, the passport easily allows for both attendees and vendors to track progress With an easily identifiable wristband, 21 and older patrons were free to roam around the grounds, trying a wide variety of different samples. 

Despite the stereotypes that often exist surrounding quality alcohol curation and rendering in Utah, the festival featured a lineup of formidable local favorites such as Squatters, Uinta, Wasatch, Toasted Barrel, and many others. Meanwhile, regional favorites from across the country were showcased featuring breweries from California, Oregon, Massachusetts, and Maine. Not to mention, heavy hitters such as Corona and White Claw were present, in addition to some international brands as well. All in all, the festival boasted something for everyone, whether you prefer something innovative and local or classic and smooth. For those who found their match in beer, purchase options were available.

Beer Fest also included a lineup of impressive local musicians and no shortage of incredible food options via food truck. Patrons could pair their beer with a simple slice of pizza or an adventurous entrée of their choosing. Spirits were high, even when the rain was in full effect, signaling another successful year of Beer Fest.