City Guide 2023 

Page 6 of 6

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• Josh Scheuerman
• Randy's Records

Record Stores

The Vinyl Abides!
Music lovers find their happy groove in Salt Lake's many record shops.
By Mark Dago

No one needs to worry about the future of vinyl, especially in Salt Lake City. Not only do many major-label artists still release their music on wax, locals do it as well. Collecting records has become a timeless process across generations that doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon. Streaming is convenient, but the tangible factor of vinyl is irreplaceable—the experience of holding something with your hands while you talk about why you like that particular artist or group is just not the same with digital media. Plus, artwork never looks better than it does on an old LP. Or a new LP.

Shuffling through a Spotify playlist is maximum blasé, and all of us music-lovers should be about reintroducing "browsing" our local vinyl establishments as a concept. If you are into the experience of spinning an LP on a turntable, then let's run down some hard to find wax platters and explore some of the best record shops in Salt Lake City.

Graywhale Entertainment
Go for: Gems from across the board.
Established in 1986, Graywhale Entertainment is one of Salt Lake's biggest record shops and has been for decades. Their specialty is having something for everyone, with an emphasis on indie pop, rock, metal and jazz. Buy/sell/trade is their business model, and this shop provides much more than just records. They carry turntables, record accessories, cassette tapes, CDs, DVDs and other memorabilia. They update inventory daily (featuring hot trade ins/re-stocks etc.) Friday is "new release day," so they have their most prominent product updates on that day. They sponsor live events all year and host in-store performances. They absolutely love their customers and strive to give them not only a good selection but also an enjoyable experience.

Listen Up! (or cool story, bro): Cross Country (DJ- IG @webbpiercetribute) "I came across a Webb Pierce album for the first time in Salt Lake City at Graywhale. The record I found was one of his gospel albums Bound for the Kingdom. The record had been inscribed as a gift at one time, and I was amazed that one of his gospel albums especially had made its way to SLC. I call these events finding a 'Webb in the Wild.'"
1773 W. 4700 South, Taylorsville, 801-964-5700,
graywhaleslc.com,
IG @graywhaleslc

Randy's Records
Go for: Crowd pleasing go-tos.
Located in Salt Lake's Maven District on 900 South, Randy's Records is a must-stop. Operating since 1978, with an inventory that's always in flux, Randy's offers Utah's largest selection of new and used records. Making the most of its minimal space, you could spend hours upon hours digging through stacks of new and used treasures. The potential is there to pull a copy of The Fat Boys Are Back for a decent price or bump elbows with celebrities and musicians alike. The staff is knowledgeable, and you'll likely find something new every time you walk in.

Listen Up! (or cool story, bro): Domino (DJ- IG @mysteriousfactories) "I found Yellow Magic Orchestra at a $2 sale. I've also seen [actor/director] Vincent Gallo and Wesley Eisold from Cold Cave purchasing records at Randy's."
157 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-532-4413,
randysrecords.com,
IG @randysrecordshop

Diabolical Records
Go for: Sure shot selections
An unassuming storefront on Edison Street will lead you into one of downtown Salt Lake City's most unique shops, Diabolical Records. Diabolical is a great place from which to start building a collection, as they carry an impressive range of vinyl from vintage to new releases with no preference for genre. The store is neatly sorted with tidy racks, letting customers use the time they would normally spend thumbing through boxes to listen to groovy tunes instead. You'll find no pretension here as the owners, Adam and Alana, are helpful and friendly and provide fantastic suggestions. They carry the most local records of any store in the city. You simply cannot go wrong with Diabolical.

Listen Up! (or cool story, bro): Fischloops (music producer/DJ—IG @fischloops) "I usually avoid new releases but somehow Adam at Diabolical has been able to rope me in. I picked up Fulu Koletiv Lualaba last time I stopped by."
238 S. Edison St., SLC, 801-792-9204,
diabolicalrecords.com,
IG @disbolicalslc

Elevator Jazz Shop
Go for: The jazz goldrush.
Elevator Jazz Shop is a record boutique inside Kings Peak Coffee Roasters. The owner, Adam Terry, has carefully curated a compact but thoroughly eclectic selection of sounds for anyone digging through to enjoy. This spot offers quintessential jazz related records. Expect plenty of new/used/rare/obscure picks plus strong selections of adjacent genres: blues, exotica, world, new age and beat music. They occasionally have art openings in conjunction with Gallery Stroll, live music performances and vinyl listening parties. For fun, they also sell vintage packs of baseball cards from the 1980s and 1990s. The prices are fair, and they even have vintage Jazz magazines, books and zines that could interest you.

Listen Up! (or cool story, bro): James Ramirez (DJ—@jamesbeard_esq): "I got Impressions and Selflessness, two albums by John Coltrane on the Impulse! label which I purchased on Coltrane's birthday. I was finally able to fill that gap in my collection and buying them there on his birthday made it that much more special."
412 S. 700 West, Ste. 140, SLC, 801-410-0912,

fountainavm.com/stores-distributors/elevator,
IG: @elevator.jazzshop

• Visit Salt Lake by AustenDiamondPhotography
• Raunch Records & Skate

Raunch Records & Skate
Go for: The past and future of punk
Hardcore punk and metal fans are well served by this old school Salt Lake City mainstay. Located in Sugar House, Raunch houses skateboards and their affiliated paraphernalia in addition to its record selection. Like all the best music retailers, owner Brad Collins maintains a wonderful balance of new and old selections and exhibits keen instincts for the most important genre releases. The non-punk selection seems more limited by design but has frequently been known to generate some stellar finds. Back in the day, I recall picking up Milk and Cheese comic books here. I've never walked out empty-handed.

Listen Up! (or cool story, bro): Andy Patterson (recording engineer—facebook.com/andy.patterson.106) "I purchased Pailhead (a collaboration of Ian from Fugazi & members of Ministry) at Raunch. Brad suggested it to me in like 1989-1990 saying, 'You'll probably like this shit. He was always right.'"
1119 E. 2100 South, SLC, 801-467-6077,
IG: @raunchrecords

The Heavy Metal Shop
Go for: A one-stop metal shop
Peddlin' evil since 1987, The Heavy Metal Shop caters to the metal scene. This downtown Salt Lake City landmark is small but mighty. It has everything from records to CDs, T-shirts and more. Not to mention prices that aren't straight from Discogs. Evidence of the rock store's prestige can be seen on the shop's walls, which are decorated with photos and autographs from the musical heroes who have thumbed through the store's bins. Icons like Alice Cooper and Slayer sport the shop clothing as well. In-store performances showcase local musicians and touring acts. If you're looking for a particular metal record, you could do worse than checking here first.

Listen Up (or cool story, bro): HH Rev. Brad Wheeler (general manager KUAA 99.9 FM—IG: @hhrbbw): "I don't think I'll ever forget the day Kevin Kirk (the owner) crowd-surfed inside the shop at his anniversary party."
63 Exchange Place, SLC, 801-467-7071,
heavymetalshop.com,
IG @theheavymetalshopsaltlakecity

Roadtrip!

Up North
Lavender Vinyl
Live and direct from Historic 25th street in Ogden, Lavender Vinyl has a well-rounded selection for everyone. New releases, reissues and a lot of jazz. Lavender buys and sells in almost all genres. Owners Blake and Kyle have more than 20 years of record grading and buying experience and accept trades anytime during open business hours. The shop is very community focused. They sponsor an in-house zine called the LQ, which pays and publishes LQBTQ+ artists in the Ogden area. They also have local tapes/records and CDs and will consign local music. They offer a fairly large selection of used audio equipment and post new and used inventory videos on their socials as they come in so you know what's available.
123 25th St., Ogden, 801-605-3425,
lavendervinyl.com,
IG @lavendervinyl

Down South
3hive Record Lounge
Known for their fresh selections, helpful employees and welcoming vibe. The owner of 3Hive, Sam Cannon, has a passion for music and it shows. Indie and classic rock, check. Funk and soul, check. Pop, check. Hip-hop, check, check, check. They handpick everything that they sell here. Expect to find plenty of the newest of the new and pre-loved stacks of wax along with an embarrassingly large amount of 45s. Very little comes in without someone in store vouching for it. Audio Technica and Music Hall turntables (among other accessories) are available for your at-home listening pleasure. Plus, you'll also find music-related books, zines & DVDs. Bring in your well-cared for collections, and they will offer cash or trade. You absolutely cannot leave Provo without checking out their shelves.
50 E. 500 North, No. 105, Provo, 801-900-3116,
3hive.com,
IG @3hive

• Courtesy Photo
• Sugaray Rayford is slated to perform at the 2023 Utah Blues Festival.

Festivals

Making Beautiful Music
Lock in your plans to attend these upcoming spring and summer music festivals.
By Emilee Atkinson

Utahns live for spring and summer music festivals! The area is chock full of epic shows to jump into and get lost in for a few days. Music lovers never have to go without; a wide range of artists are constantly stopping by from out of town. Check out the coming events and get aready. It's going to be a busy summer!

Kilby Block Party IV
Friday-Sunday, May 12-14
Utah State Fair Park, 155 N. 1000 West, SLC,
kilbyblockparty.com
Kilby Block Party is bigger than ever in its fourth year. It's been expanded to three days for the first time, and the lineup is fantastic, featuring The Strokes, Pavement, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Supporting acts include Pixies, Run The Jewels, Dominic Fike, Japanese Breakfast, The Backseat Lovers, Hippo Campus, The Walkmen, Caroline Polachek, Cuco, Goth Babe, Remi Wolf, Parquet Courts, Alex G, Surf Curse, Osees, Faye Webster, Weyes Blood, Lucius, Gus Dapperton, Ritt Momney, Crumb, Ethel Cain, Frankie Cosmos, Jean Dawson, Indigo De Souza, Alice Phoebe Lou, Deerhoof, Dreamer Isioma, Wednesday, Kate Bollinger, Mannequin Pussy, Westerman, The Moss, Tamino, Spill Tab, Wallice, Julie, Momma, Grace Ives, Noso, Miya Folick, Tanukichan, Tolchock Trio, Deeper, Sunsleeper, Worlds Worst, The Plastic Cherries, Kipper Snack, Fonteyn, Backhand, Hi Again, Homophone, Anais Chantal, Musor, Sunnhills, and Josh Doss & The Cancers.

Hive Music Festival
Friday-Saturday, June 9-10
Utah State Fair Park, 155 N 1000 W, SLC,
hivefestival.com
All ages are welcome at this premiere hip-hop festival with headliners Post Malone and Kid Cudi. The lineup also includes Joji, Big Sean, Santa Fe Klan, Denzel Curry, GloRilla, Joey Bada$$, Blxst, Flatbush Zombies, NLE Choppa, Nardo Wick, Jessie Murph, Snow Tha Product, Armani White, Ab-Soul, thuy, Coast Contra, Bankrol Hayden, midwxst, Conway the Machine, Rubi Rose, The Underachievers, Foggieraw and Connor Price.

Ogden Music Festival
Friday-Sunday, June 2-4
Fort Buenaventura Park, 2450 A Ave., Ogden,
ofoam.org
Ogden music festival is in its 15th year, and the lineup is better than ever. Here's who's slated to come party down in O-Town: Dan Tyminski Band, Thee Sacred Souls, Danielle Ponder, John Craigie, Della Mae, Miko Marks, Los Texmaniacs, Pixie & the Partygrass Boys, Chatham Rabbits, National Park Radio, Kate Macleod, The West Road and Pompe 'N Honey. Applications are also open for "Tweeners," local artists that play between the main acts.

Red Butte Outdoor Concert Series
May thru September
300 Wakara Way, SLC,
redbuttegarden.org
The line up for the Red Butte Outdoor 2023 concert series is TBD at press time. Check their website mid-April for updates. Hosted in a beautiful garden setting, this well-curated outdoor concert series isn't one to miss.

Utah Blues Festival
Friday-Saturday, June 16-17
Gallivan Center, 239 S. Main, SLC,
utahbluesfest.org
If you're a blues lover, you'll want to be here for Salt Lake's biggest get-together for blues fans. The lineup this year includes Ruthie Foster, Sugaray Rayford, Danielle Nicole, Mr. Sipp, Thornetta Davis, Altered Five Blues Band, Tony Holiday, Dylan Triplett and Mitch Woods & 88 Club.

Ogden Twilight Series 2023
Saturday, May 6-Monday, Sept. 25
Ogden Amphitheater, 343 25th St., Ogden,
ogdentwilight.com
As of press time, this year's headliners include: M83 (May 6); Kaskade (June 30); Bon Iver (Aug. 9); Beck (Aug. 14); Sylvan Esso (Aug. 22); Cigarettes After Sex (Aug. 23); The Flaming Lips (Aug. 26); Phantogram (Aug. 31); Noah Cyrus (Sept. 6); Röyksopp (Sept. 25)

Salt Lake City Arts Council Twilight Concert Series
Friday, June 2-Friday, Sept. 22
Gallivan Center, 239 S. Main, SLC,
saltlakearts.org/twilightconcertseries
The 36th annual Twilight Concert Series begins on June 2 with indie rockers Lord Huron w/ Allie Crow Buckley and Little Moon. Other headliners include: Death Cab for Cutie (June 9); Trampled by Turtles (July 15); The Head and the Heart (Aug. 4); Soccer Mommy (Aug. 10) and Rina Sawayama (Sept. 22).

Urban Arts Festival
Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 2-3
Gallivan Center, 239 S. Main, SLC,
utaharts.org
Rooted in the social and cultural life of the community, Urban Arts Festival provides a free platform for cultural art, music and performance. This incredible event is full of activities and brilliant art from members of the community. A great way to spend a weekend.

Out of Town

Fort Desolation Fest
Thursday-Saturday, June 8-10
Cougar Ridge Resort, 650 E. Cougar Ridge Road, Torrey,
fortdesolation.com
Fort Desolation Fest, located in Torrey—only eight miles from Capitol Reef National Park—is perfect for those who'd love an adventure in Utah's beautiful desert. Headliners include Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals and Shakey Graves. The lineup also features The White Buffalo, Morgan Wade, Houndmouth, Jamestown Revival, Madison Cunningham, The Brothers Comatose, Parker Millsap and Pixie & The Partygrass Boys.

Country Fan Fest
Wednesday-Saturday, July 26-29
Deseret Peak Complex, 2930 UT-112, Grantsville,
countryfanfest.com
This four-day festival is packed with not-to-be-missed country artists including headliners Sawyer Brown (July 26); Parker McCollum (July 27); Cody Johnson (July 28); Hardy (July 29). Campground Stage Afterparty: Carver Louis, Jagertown.

• Courtesy Photo
• Sugar House Distillery Boilermaker Bourbon Series

Blithe Spirits
Imagine making a product that most Utah residents don't (or won't) consume. Yet these distillers persist!
By Charles Johnson

How do you tell a story about some of the greatest modern-day mavericks Utah has seen since its statehood? Maybe the more important question is, how do you realize a dream in a state that refuses to support you?

The fear of being delisted is very real for most of our local distillers. The door between success and failure hinges on their being able to sell their products to a market that mostly has no idea they exist. They understand that pearl of business wisdom that says, "That which cannot be seen, felt, heard, smelled or tasted will not be purchased."

But doesn't discovering something new send a thrill through you like nothing else? Why not discover Utah's unique distilleries and the ever-growing local spirits world. Let's start by introducing you to your local distilleries:

'Southie' Area
1st Stop: Simplicity
A relative newcomer to Utah's distilling community is Simplicity (335 W. 1830 South, Suite C, SLC, 801-210-0868, drinksimplicity.com). A self-proclaimed "microdistillery," there's nothing micro about their determination and steadfast devotion to the art of crafting quality spirits. Since opening in 2018, founders Chris Weed and Chad Linville have created canned cocktails and distilled spirits that are anything but simple. Current offerings include a potato vodka, bourbon, bourbon cream and canned cocktails: Kuhl mule, Paloma Grapefruit, 4 different agave sodas, Moscow mule, gin rickey, vodka rita, vodka soda, margarita, bourbon mule, etc., but keep an eye on them because they are releasing new products all the time.

2nd Stop: Sugar House Distillery
One of Utah's first distilleries, Sugar House Distillery (2212 S. West Temple, Ste.14, South Salt Lake, 801-726-0403, sugarhousedistillery.net) has been crafting some truly amazing spirits from the first bottle corked. Established in January 2014, Sugar House Distillery is one of the first four small-batch distilleries to open in the state. Owner and lead distiller James Fowler is actively bringing you one of the state's first true grain-to-glass spirits you can buy. He is obviously a very influential member of the distilling community as many other distillers have followed suit, sourcing many if not all grains from Utah farmers.

From milling to fermenting, distilling, barreling and finally bottling, it all happens in-house. They offer a vodka, white and gold rums, and three types of whiskies and canned cocktails. That doesn't include their special releases like the Boilermaker series and other finished whiskies. Give them a call and set up a time for a tour and a tasting to see for yourself why they are so successful.

3rd Stop: Beehive Distilling
Let's continue our adventure with Beehive Distilling (2245 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake, 385-259-0252, beehivedistilling.com). Opening their doors Jan. 1, 2014, Beehive Distilling became Utah's first gin distillery since 1870. It began as an idea tossed around by three friends lamenting Utah's notoriously strict distilling laws. Having worked together in advertising and photography for over 20 years, Matt Aller, Chris Barlow and Erik Ostling set about to create an organic sugarcane vodka, two types of gin and an amaro. In the summer of 2019, they launched a line of craft cocktails branded under the Desolation Distilling badge along with a rye whiskey offering.

If crafting some of the best spirits and canned cocktails in Utah isn't enough, they have also created one of the most inviting spaces in the state.

P.S. They have a full bar! There is no better place to spend a Friday afternoon than sitting in one of their amazingly comfortable chairs in Southie (South Salt Lake!), staring off in wonder at their many-pennied bar, and enjoying a gimlet. If you're lucky, you may even catch a glimpse of the distiller's assistant, also known as Gimlet. Don't let her small stature fool you, though, she is definitely in charge! Not that I'm jealous or anything, but she has more Instagram followers than I do. If you're so inclined, look her up @gimletthecat.

4th Stop: Dented Brick Distillery
Dented Brick Distillery (3100 S. Washington St., Salt Lake City. 801-883-9837, dentedbrick.com) is the next stop on our adventure. First opening its doors in spring 2016, Dented Brick led with its first product, the Antelope Island Rum. They didn't stop there, however. Founder Marc Christensen and the good people behind the brand are inspiring the community by locally sourcing their grains and botanicals in the creation of their current products which include vodka, gin, whiskey and rum. Their Hugh Moon White Whiskey is made from 100% Cache Valley-grown rye along with perhaps the most important ingredient—artesian water. This water from the Wasatch mountains snowmelt flows into the distillery's own artesian well. This mineral-rich water makes all the difference. The namesake of the whiskey, Hugh Moon, was, according the Dented Brick folks, Utah's first known distiller of record, who actually distilled whiskey in the 1850s on the same land as Dented Brick's distillery for Mormon pioneers (with Brigham Young's blessing).

The Wild West
1st Stop: Hammer Spring Distillers
Hammer Spring Distillers (3697 W. 1987 South, Salt Lake City, 801-599-4704, hammerspring.com) was founded in the spring of 2016. Hammer Spring is a self-funded, family-owned and -operated distillery that offers a high mountain experience in a bottle with their quality gin. Adding to their spirit library, how about a potato vodka? Why potatoes? Stop by the distillery for a tour and speak with founder JP Bernier and ask him. Or just try it and discover for yourself why he chose potatoes as the spirit medium. Did someone say bourbon?! Not yet? Well, let me clue you into a little secret, JP's small-batch craft bourbon is just getting better with each aged barrel. They also offer a coffee liqueur, and even "JP's World-Famous Whiskey Pancake Syrup", though I've been told this maybe going away. My waffles will never be the same.

• Courtesy Photo
• Salt Flats Canned Cocktails

2nd Stop: Salt Flats Brewery & Spirits
Not only is Salt Flats Brewery & Spirits (2020 Industrial Circle, Salt Lake City, 801-828-3469, saltflatsspirits.com) a distillery, it's also a highly respected brewery in Utah. As you can imagine with a name like Salt Flats, the theme here is all about the Go-Fast lifestyle complete with a checkered flag-inspired tap room. Not only that but the people behind the brand are no strangers to seeing that monochromatic tapestry, as they've won major awards for their spirits and canned cocktails. Current spirits include brandy, vodka, gin, a 6-year-old bourbon and a regular bourbon, along with many, many beers!

3rd Stop: Waterpocket Distillery
Waterpocket Distillery (2084 W. 2200 South, West Valley City. 385-202-5725, waterpocket.co) joined the Utah craft distillery scene early in 2017. Rum was an early focus for Alan and Julia Scott, but they also specialized in botanical craft spirits in their Toadstool, which are spirits that feature amaros, bitters and digestive liqueurs. Moreover, the Long Lost franchise focuses on lost distillation traditions in botanical spirits and liqueurs. The Robbers Roost label offers a curated rectified spirits such as aged whiskey based on their quality, value, and uniqueness, and as such the Robbers Roost Light Whiskey is a 10-year-old.

4th Stop: Distillery 36
If rum is in your forecast, then you definitely need to stop by Distillery 36 (2374 S. Redwood Road, West Valley City, 801-983-7303, distillery36.com). Releasing their first product in January 2016, Distillery 36 offers many reasons to stop by for a tour. Jensen Dobbs and Creed Law, owner-operators, are proud of what they've created, not the least of which is their hand-made stills, and rightfully so. They use these masterpieces of form and function in the crafting of two different styles of rum: silver and spiced ... and everything nice (come on, you knew it was coming). Stop by and see what happens when you mix art with spirits. Why the 36 in their name? Utah was the 36th state to vote to repeal Prohibition, which was the deciding vote.

• Courtesy Photo
• Holystone Distillery

Southern Comfort
1st Stop: Holystone Distilling
The next distillery on our adventure is Holystone Distilling (207 W. 4860 South, Ste. 5, Murray, 385-800-2580, holystonedistilling.com). Former naval aviator/now distillery owner Michael DeShazo and his wife Barbie are bringing beauty to the ultra-premium vodka, absinthe, shochu and gin world. From the label, to the bottle, to the process behind the creation of their spirits, each is forged with reverence and purpose. Most distilleries have some type of theme, and Holystone is no different. What sets them apart is their loving commitment to their nautical theme. Just beyond the velvet curtain you pass through, you'll see a 1,000-pound ship door and then you'll move on into their 1920s cruise liner-inspired tasting room. But don't take my word for it, come by to get a peek behind the velvet curtain and see for yourself.

2nd Stop: Outlaw Distillery
To his dream of owning a distillery, relatively new owner Tyler Halstead , purchased Outlaw Distillery (552 W. 8360 South, Midvale, 801-706-1428, outlawdistillery.com) from Kirk and Denise Sedgwick in October 2020 (although Kirk remains in the picture as master distiller). First opening in January of 2015, Outlaw takes its name from the Outlaw Trail made famous by the likes of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Now in their eighth year, they are still mashing and distilling with many products to choose from. With a name like Outlaw, of course, they offer a whiskey, but they also offer a bourbon, a spiced rum, an aged rum, moonshine and even a coffee rum. Stop by and say hi to the folks who are crafting one-of-a-kind spirits grounded in Utah's history.

3rd Stop: Vintage Spirits Distillery
Vintage Spirits Distillery (6844 S. 300 West, Midvale, 801-699-6459, vsdistillery.com) is the newest distillery in Utah. After two and a half years in the making, Vintage Spirits finally opened their doors on Oct. 8, 2022. This grain-to-glass distillery's first spirits were a silver rum, an aged rum and a dark rum. However, their lineup changed in the second week in January 2023 when they added their CinnaBerry Whiskey and then again in the first week of February 2023 when they added a bourbon that I can't wait to try.

• Courtesy Photo
• Eight Settlers Restaurant and Distillery

4th Stop: Eight Settlers Restaurant and Distillery
Eight Settlers Restaurant and Distillery (7321 Canyon Centre Pkwy., Cottonwood Heights. 385-900-4315, eightsettlersdistillery.com) is the place for chef-prepared cuisine, an amazing view of the Salt Lake Valley and craft spirits that include Ragtown American Whiskey, Devil's Gate Bourbon, Green Ditch Gin and Butler Vodka. The Eight Settlers' theme pays homage to the early pioneers who settled in the Union area in 1849 around Butler Bench, Poverty Flats and Danish Town.

Eight Settlers Restaurant and Distillery opened in 2020 during the height of COVID restrictions, one of the more difficult periods in our country's history. Battling against restrictions brought on by a global pandemic, Radu and Katia Dugala's sheer grit and determination were reminiscent of the settlers they're recognizing in their theme.

Out-of-Town Distilleries
Park City
Alpine Distilling (Distillery: 7132 Silver Creek Road; Alpine Distillery Bar: 364 Main St.; 435-200-9537, alpinedistilling.com)
Proverbial Spirits (4175 Forestdale Drive, Ste.102, Park City. 435-250-4477, proverbialspirits.com)
High West Distillery (High West Saloon: 703 Park Ave., Park City; and High West Distillery: 27649 Old Lincoln Highway, Wanship. 435-649-8300; highwest.com)

Ogden area
The Hive Brandy Co.
(1220 W. 450 North, Ste. 2, Layton, 801-546-1997, thehivewinery.com)
Ogden's Own Distillery
(615 W. Stockman Way, Ogden, 801-485-1995, ogdensown.com)
New World Distillery (4795 E. 2600 North, Eden, 385-244-0144, newworlddistillery.com)

South of Salt Lake County
Clear Water Distilling
(564 W. 700 South, Pleasant Grove, 801-997-8667,
clearwaterdistilling.com)
Moab Spirits (686 S. Main St., Moab, 435-259-6333,
themoabbrewery.com/spirits)
Silver Reef Brewing and Distillery (4391 Enterprise Drive, St. George, 435-216-1050,
sgbev.com)

Operating Utah's Spirit Trail since 2018, Charles Johnson's goal has been to increase awareness of Utah's local homegrown distilleries so that local consumers know that there are superior spirits being crafted right here on Utah soil. To that end, he operates a website, has created a guide, posts on social media platforms and books package-based Sprinter Van tours to the distilleries. Visit utahspirittrail.com for more information.

• Derek Carlisle
• Proper Brewing Co.

Tour Brewtah!
Hit the sidewalks to experience the best in local craft breweries and cideries.
By Mike Riedel

Can you get a drink in Utah? Absolutely! In fact, if you love craft beer there are few cities that are as walkable and bikeable as the Salt Lake area is. Beer is hot in the capital city, and the tight clusters of beer makers reflect this fact. There are many options out there for every taste—what's the best plan of attack for you? Here are a few tours that take in a fair number of breweries, but know there are many more to discover outside of these clusters.

The Central 9th Tour
This is a solid square mile of excellent beer options. Perfect for a bikes-and-scooter-focused brewery crawl.

Kiitos Brewing: 30 house-made brews, covering the gambit of styles, with a focus on unique American styles and is one of the state's greenest breweries utilizing far less grain and water than your typical craft brewery. Look for their Sage Pale Ale, with its big herbal sage profile; it just tastes like Salt Lake City.
608 W. 700 South, SLC, 801-215-9165,
kiitosbrewing.com

Fisher Brewing: A historical brewery from the late 19th and 20th centuries has been reborn by its descendants in the age of craft beer, with an emphasis on American-style pale ale and lagers. Try the Citra Bomb Tom, a hazy pale ale that's just as the name describes.
320 W. 800 South, SLC, 801-487-2337,
fisherbeer.com

Templin Family Brewery: A family-owned and -operated brewery with a strong adherence to the German Reinheitsgebot (purity law), along with the most popular beer trends. Their house beer is the Granary Pilsner. With massive, sturdy foam and German influences, you'll think you're in the Vaterland.
936 S. 300 West, SLC, 385-270-5972,
tfbrewing.com

Scion Cidery/Cider Bar: A bar that specializes in ciders offers a changing menu of contemporary and traditional ciders, apple-based spirits, and specialty drinks from small orchards, urban producers and craftsmen throughout the U.S. and beyond. Scion has ciders to suit every palate, from sweet/semi-sweet to extra dry and tannic, single varietals and heirloom apple blends to offer a diverse lineup of clean and crisp flavors to funky farmhouse styles.
916 S. Jefferson St. W., SLC, 801-419-3507,
scionciderbar.com

Proper Brewing: Cutting-edge beer styles that include barrel-aging and uncommon ingredients take visitors to places many thought beer couldn't go. Try the Gruit: an homage to historic traditions, an abbey-style ale brewed with the three most traditional herbs: yarrow, sweet gale and Labrador tea.
857 S. Main, SLC, 801-953-1707,
properbrewingco.com

Epic Brewing: A trailblazer in Utah's craft-beer scene, crafting to-style ales and lagers that range from barrel-aged sours to big whiskey barrel stouts. Internationally known for their Big Bad Baptist Series, their Flagship Big Bad Baptist Imperial stout made with local coffee and aged in bourbon/rye barrels comes highly recommended.
825 S. State, SLC, 801-906-0123,
epicbrewing.com

Downtown Tour
A tight cluster of breweries and cideries that encompass a wider swath of the city. Better for ride-shares and those with designated drivers.

Mountain West Hard Cider: Salt Lake's original hard-cider maker works "hard" to create traditional style and cutting varietals that maintain their character while keeping things interesting. If you're a craft-beer fan looking for a twist, check out their Cottonwood Hopped Cider—a brilliant blend of apple and hops.
425 N. 400 West, SLC, 801-935-4147,
mountainwestcider.com

Bewilder Brewing: Started by two homebrew shop owners whose knowledge of the industry has translated to significant ingredient and brewing techniques to make remarkable tasting beers. Feelin' Loopy, a New England-style IPA that features Lupomax hops is a flavor powerhouse.
445 S. 400 West, SLC, 385-528-3840,
bewilderbrewing.com

• Jon Taylor
• Squatters Pub Brewery

Squatters Pub Brewery: The original SLC brewery still crafts local suds after 30-plus years in business. Still serving original brews along with newest styles. Harken back to the early '90s with Squatters' Full Suspension Pale Ale or stay in the present with their Tropical Hop Rising IPA.
147 W. 300 South, SLC, 801-363-2739,
saltlakebrewingco.com/squatters

Red Rock Brewing: One of the city's oldest breweries that emphasizes on-to-style world beers that include brettanomyces and barrel-aged European style. Red Rock's Paardebloem, a Belgian-style sour ale made with dandelion greens, has won too many awards to count.
254 S. 200 West, SLC, 801-521-7446,
redrockbrewing.com

Desert Edge Brewery: Born from a Salt Lake institution simply called The Pub, this restaurant-turned-brewpub features a simple yet eclectic beer (and food) menu that features American wheat beers and of course their infamous Latter Day Stout.
273 Trolley Square, SLC, 801-521-8917,
desertedgebrewery.com

South City Stroll
Here's another walkable/bikeable space that mostly occupies the city of South Salt Lake. Most breweries are minutes apart.

• Mike Riedel
• RoHa Brewing Project

RoHa Brewing Project: While technically in SLC, its proximity to the south city grid makes it the perfect intermediary for transitioning between the Central 9th Stroll and South City Stroll. RoHa concentrates on English styles that include porters, pale ale, IPAs and red ales.
30 E. Kensington Ave., SLC, 385-227-8982,
rohabrewing.com

Shades Brewery: Known for their style-bending beers, Shades has taken the helm when it comes to brewing beers that emulate pastries, confections and even entrees. There's no challenge the Shades team won't take on. The Peach Cobbler Kveik Sour is an uncanny representation of the classic peach dessert in beer form.
154 W. Utopia Ave., South Salt Lake, 435-200-3009,
shadesbrewing.beer

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• SaltFire Brewing Co.

SaltFire Brewing Co.: Punk Rock meets craft beer in this cozy South Salt Lake City space. Many beers here take their names from songs, lyrics and pop culture. Beers range from traditional to nontraditional, which can sometimes utilize the oak foeder (barrel) that's prominently displayed in their taproom. Their De Trahison series of fruited saisons are varied and bright with berries, citrus and spices.
2199 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake, 385-955-0504,
saltfirebrewing.com

Level Crossing Brewing Co.: The third brewery to open in South Salt Lake focuses on "to-style" beers that follow a technical view of brewing creating broad flavors encompassing a wide range of New and Old World essences.
2496 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake, 385-270-5752,
levelcrossingbrewing.com

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• Grid City Beer Works

Grid City Beer Works: This brewery specializes in making few beer styles but offers all of their ales on carbon-dioxide, nitrogen and cask taps. Their lagers are poured with various amounts of foam including "milky, smooth and crisp."
333 W. 2100 South, South Salt Lake, 801-906-8390,
gridcitybeerworks.com

More Stroll Tips
Most will not visit all of these breweries in one day (well, maybe you can!). I'd recommend setting aside a solid weekend for the best experience or at the very least to keep your head and tummy in a well-adjusted state.

Salt Lake Valley has numerous other breweries that merit a visit. My blog, Utah Beer Blog (utahbeer.blogspot.com), features a map and a keg of information about the local beer scene. You can also visit the Utah Ale Trail (utahaletrail.com) for a complete list of breweries and map.

The local visitors bureau (aka Visit Salt Lake) sells a pass (visitsaltlake.com/things-to-do/tours-experiences/salt-lake-brewery-pass/) that lets you visit 14 breweries and brewpubs over a 24-hour period ($20), 3-day period ($30) or 90-day ($40), with each participating breweries offering a $5 courtesy photo toward the purchase of a beverage or merchandise.

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• A visit to one of Salt Lake Valley’s new age shops may be in your future

Let's Get Metaphysical
Want your runes read? Here are eight shops where they can see you coming.
By Kass Wood

Merry meet, fellow Witches, Wizards and muggles alike. Have you lately noticed the many shops popping up that cater to New Age, Wiccan, Pagan, Magic and other interests? It wasn't all that long ago, Salt Lake had only a handful of such businesses; the Golden Braid, with its metaphysical books, tapes and incense, was the city's heavy hitter (full disclosure: I managed for the Golden Braid for five years in the late '80s). To research this article, I found at least a dozen new boutiques, and there may be more. When shops like these can thrive, it hints that there's more spiritual diversity in our communities than we imagine. Each one of the following eight stores is truly worth a visit, if only for a sense of well-being and stress relief. Go, then, on your soulful journey. May these shops cast a most pleasing spell upon thee.

Turiya's
Fairies and mermaids and stones! Oh my! Turiya's enchantment draws you in before you even open the door. Magical landscaping appears to have been done by hobbits. Once inside, you are enveloped in mystical gifts and the captivating book selections from all philosophical pursuits: Hindu, Buddhist, Pagan, Christian and the Netherworld. (The store's namesake, turiya, is derived from Hindu philosophy meaning "pure consciousness.") And then, there's the gemstones, minerals and crystals. Oh, the crystals! Each treasure tells you its secret power. Truly a lovely escape from the mundane.
1569 S. 1100 East, SLC, 801-531-7823,
Turiyas.com

Crone's Hollow
Twist the bones and bend the back. Step safely into the world of the Craft. All tools ranging from Witchcraft to angels are offered in this safe environment to explore or practice alternative spirituality. Saturated in witchy wonderment, you can believe you have entered a real crone's cottage in a hollow. Psychic readings, room rentals for classes, and helpful advice from the knowledgeable staff are available. So many possibilities!
3834 S. Main, SLC, 801-906-0470,
croneshollow.com

Cat & Cauldron
This shop is owned and operated by the witches of the Caliguri Coven who are known to be seers, healers and spellcasters of many paths. You sense the seriousness of their trade as you enter this house-turned-shop in Taylorsville. But also browse books, oracles, spirit boards, herbs, crystals and stones, spell kits (yes, you heard right) and learn about the role of angels and demons (the owner says demons are highly misunderstood). They also offer psychic readings, channeling, palmistry, past life regression, healing services, classes and more. A Witch's Mass is held the end of every month if that is your cup of brew.
1922 W. 4700 South, Taylorsville, 801-601-1795,
catincauldron.com

The Conjuring Tree
It seems like just a store in a strip mall— until you open the door and enter a world of oddities, curiosities and metaphysical delights. Included is an enormous selection of visually stunning tarot decks, oracles galore, stones, dazzling Turkish lamps, incense, candles and helpful, friendly staff to assist you on your path. Tarot readers can be booked daily and walk-ins are welcome. So, walk in! You'll walk out most certainly with something you didn't know you needed.
1775 W. 7000 South, West Jordan, 385-842-3750,
conjuringtree.com

Jeweled Maidens
This mystical house is home to one of the first metaphysical stores in Salt Lake. Not always at this location, it was one of the first stores offering classes in alternative spirituality. Jeweled Maidens offers classes on Magic, metaphysics and Paganism. Also offered are: herbs, stones, art, tools of divination, books and curiosities. You can schedule tarot readings and Reiki Ryoho by their in-house Reiki master of 23 years. Available for free is a cozy and charming meditation room if you need a quiet space to OM yourself back to center. But you may be asked to knock on doors before going into rooms. You don't want to surprise the unseen that dwell there!
4841 S. State, Murray, 801-743-6442,
jeweledmaidens.site123.me

Synchronicities Light Energy Gift Emporium
What is offered here? It may be easier to say what isn't offered. Mother Earth designed this space it seems. The gift store surrounds you with forestry murals, bubbling fountains, the sounds of chirping birds, and shelves of oracles, singing bowls, crystals, stones, earthy jewelry and gifts. Meanwhile, the therapy cat checks in on the customers. Once downstairs, another dimension opens up. An exquisite salt cave (made of Himalayan salt bricks) offers Halo-therapy—a centuries-old European wellness treatment that leaves clients blissed out! If event space is what you need, look no farther. Choose between the Ocean Room, the Mountain Room, or the Forest Room to serve your needs for yoga, sound bath or meditation. The private massage rooms or Reiki rooms transport you completely "elsewhere," where you are reminded "All answers exist within."
9419 S. Union Square, Suite A, Sandy, 801-748-3543,
synchronicities1111.com

Treasures and Creations
Remember the song "Crystal Blue Persuasion"? Here, the crystal is not only blue but purple, green or pink. The knowledgeable creators of this store believe exceptional stones and crystals are hard to come by. As you stroll among powerful crystals of all colors, shapes and sizes, you become very aware of the quality. Not only visually, but physically. Those sensitive to vibrations often feel the hum of the shop. In addition to exquisite crystals, gemstones and earthy gifts, on-site crystal healer Chad Anderson offers decades of experience. They are dedicated to help you find, connect and enjoy your precious stone. It's a crystal-clear mission.
3419 S. State, SLC, 801-679-1717,
treasuresncreations.com

Elemental Inspirations
This abundantly well-stocked metaphysical store includes endless choices of tarot, oracles, divine selection of incense, curiosities and unique gifts and ceremonial candles, But, wait—there's more! The services offered by Leanora "Lee" are also abundant and include the use of runes, astrology, numerology, grief release, energy attuning, tone singing, sound baths and healings, inspirational motivation and classes to assist you on your path of spiritual discovery. That includes Pagan, Druidry, Shamanism Wicca, angel, Reiki, mundane religions, Wizardry, herbology, or maybe, like a spiritual buffet, a little of each. Please pass the alchemy.
2207 S. 700 East, SLC, 801-433-2279,
elemental-inspiration.com

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Paisley Rekdal
Mapping Utah's Literary Landscape
By Stefene Russell

Author of a book of essays, The Night My Mother Met Bruce Lee, and six books of poetry, Paisley Rekdal served as Utah's poet laureate from 2017 to 2022. She's a distinguished professor at the University of Utah, where she created and edits West: A Translation. During her time as Utah's poet laureate, one of Rekdal's biggest projects was a digital deep-dive love letter to the state, Mapping Literary Utah, a web archive of Utah writers.

"There's this underlying and very snobbish assumption that culture does not exist in the West, and it certainly won't exist in a place like Utah because of our reputation of being a red state," says poet Paisley Rekdal. "I've been here for 20 years; I'm not a Utah native, but it's become a state that's near and dear to my heart."

She talked to us about her mapping project, her new book, and what's going on in the writing community.

Can you talk about Mapping Literary Utah?
Paisley Rekdal: I remember when I was a very young writer—I was in high school, and I wanted to be a poet, and I was living in Seattle, which at the time was not considered a very cool place to be from. And things have really changed. My dad, for a birthday gift, gave me this wonderful anthology of poetry—all the American poets from the 20th century. The first thing I did was read the biographies, because I wanted to find out how many poets came from Seattle. And there was precisely one. Everyone else had come from New York and the East Coast, and had gone to very fancy private schools, and had what looked like very fancy lives. I remember feeling this very strong sinking feeling that Seattle wasn't on any kind of map. And that always haunted me.

Moving here to Utah, when I go and do readings anywhere around the states, especially on the East Coast, a lot of people say to me, "How can you possibly live in Utah?" That was really frustrating for me, to think that there were students that were probably growing up in Utah who might want to be writers, who are getting the message from outside and maybe even inside the state accidentally or deliberately, that they are not part of a culture industry, they are not part of a conversation in literary history. I wanted to make sure that the people knew that. Actually, right around them, there were lots and lots of poets, fiction writers and playwrights, and they've always been here. I wanted to go back in time as well, and archive some of the voices and names of people that I didn't know. For example, Zitkála-Šá, who was a writer and an activist for American Indian rights here and for women's suffrage. She was somebody who was incredibly prolific. I think she was actually a genius. She was a violinist. She was the first Native American to write a libretto for a major opera. She did everything, and she spent a lot of years of her life in Utah.

What do you currently see going on in Utah's writing community?
PR: I think there's an assumption, based on some of the bestselling authors coming out of Utah, that it has a literature that is primarily defined by its relationship to environment, place and also ethnicity. A lot of writers are speaking about an LDS culture, or coming out of an LDS culture, and that's definitely a very large section of Utah's literary history. But what really struck me as I was doing the research and trying to get more writers onto the site was that, in fact, we are kind of weirdly siloed from each other. Novelists, and the children's lit people, have a very thriving, very national public presence, and they may not actually be seen as somebody who's coming from Utah, or you get someone like Brandon Sanderson, who's writing science fiction and fantasy. They don't get associated with place because they're associated with genre.

One of the things that always amuses me about the West, and how the West is perceived, is that lots of people imagine that all the poetry that's being written here tends toward ecopoetics, right? But we actually have a very large and thriving avant-garde poetry scene, spoken word and sound poetry scene. ...I wanted to highlight that, and make sure that the more experimental poets were definitely on the site as well.

Tell us about some of the projects you worked on during your time as poet laureate.
I did [a project] called West, which is all about a transcontinental railroad. When you're a poet laureate, you get commissioned pieces sometimes. One of mine was to write a poem that would commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad. I'm half-Chinese, and I was more than happy to write about the Transcontinental Railroad. I really wanted to tell that history, that very complex, layered history, through the lens of Chinese workers' voices and a particular poem that had been carved on the walls of Angel Island Immigration Station [in San Francisco] during the Chinese Exclusion Act. I wanted to link Chinese exclusion with the building of the Transcontinental, and then make it a multi-vocal piece that was also accessible on a website. So, anyone can go right now to the website at westtrain.org and play on the website and make their own translation.

Paisley Rekdal reads from West on April 26 at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts (410 Campus Center Drive, Salt Lake City). The book will be released by Copper Canyon Press on May 2.

Correction: In the print edition, the immigration station where a poem had been carved into the wall (that helped inspire Rekdal's project West) was incorrectly transcribed as Ellis Island. It should have been Angel Island Immigration Station. We've updated the interview above with the correction.