Utah brewpubs

The New York Times discovered Sunday that brewpubs exist in Utah. The article focuses on Wasatch Brew Pub in Park City, the sort of place where wealthy Times readers might deign to vacation.

The article briefly mentions the two Moab brewpubs, Moab Brewery and Eddie McStiff's.

Drinking in Utah is a bizarre experience, full of byzantine, arbitrary rules that interfere with enjoying a pint. This is what happens when a state allows a fundamentalist religion to determine public policy.

Nevertheless, Soggy Coaster enjoys Moab Brewery, where one can sample a wide range of very good beers and be treated like an adult.

Soggy Coaster does not enjoy Eddie McStiff's. The beer is below-par for craft beer. The atmosphere is even worse: if one wants to drink without eating, one is directed to a segregated, cramped alcove that feels like a corner where a teacher would put a pre-schooler on time-out. Essentially, one is treated as a potential deviant rather than as a guest.

Utah's outdoorsy ethic, tourism and critical mass of young, creative people bode well for the future of craft beer there. Inevitably, the state's rules will loosen up as more outsiders move in. Soggy Coaster looks forward to the day.