Ski Utah Gets ‘Official Beer’

In a move likely to leave some of Utah's abstemious LDS pioneers gently spinning in their graves Ski Utah and Salt Lake Brewing Co., home to Squatters Craft Beer and Wasatch Brewery brands in Utah, announced a partnership for the brewery to become the official beer of Ski Utah this week.

“We are thrilled to partner with Squatters Craft Beer and Wasatch Brewery,” said Nathan Rafferty, CEO and president of Ski Utah. “Not only is Utah a world-class ski destination, but it is also an amazing craft beer destination.”

The original craft brewery of Utah, Salt Lake Brewing Company recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. With new Utah beer laws in effect starting November 1, 2019, the brewery plans to offer more craft brewing options, just in time for après season.

“This is an exciting opportunity to be the official beer of Ski Utah,” said Maxwell Christen, marketing manager of Squatters Craft Beer and Wasatch Brewery. “This partnership was an easy win for both of us, with like-minded interests in the mountains and in our community.”

Based in Salt Lake City, Utah and Park City, Utah, Salt Lake Brewing Co. is a craft beer brewer and brewpub operator that sells beer across 20 states under the Squatters Craft Beer and Wasatch Brewery brands. In 1986 Greg Schirf founded Wasatch Beers, Utah’s first microbrewery and brewpub in the resort town of Park City. Three years later, Jeff Polychronis and Peter Cole, founders of Squatters, opened Salt Lake’s first brewpub. In 2000, Squatters and Wasatch merged their microbrewery operations creating Utah Brewers Cooperative. Combined, Squatters and Wasatch beers have won more than 100 awards at national and international beer competitions. Including the prestigious, U.S. Mid-size Brewery of the Year award from the Brewers Association in 2010, a distinction that highlights the “statement-making” nature of their beer. Currently, the Company employs over 400 people and operates a commercial brewery, as well as six branded brewpubs.