Wind-powered beer? What will they think of next?

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been making my way through this month’s “Beer of the Month Club” selections and during the past few days, I’ve had a chance to sample two new types of beer – Uinta Brewery’s Solstice Kolsch and King’s Peak Porter.

Here’s what this month’s issue of “Beer Expeditions” has to say about Uinta Brewery, which is located in Salt Lake City, Utah.

“The goal of Uinta Brewing when it was established in 1993 was to produce fresh, full-flavored beers for distribution. Uinta was the first distributing craft brewed brewery in the city, and their brews quickly gained a strong following, as no other brewery was concentrating on supplying the demands of Utah’s many pubs and restaurants. Requests for bottled beer became louder and more frequent, so in 1996 Uinta began bottling its award-winning beers. It became the biggest craft brewery in Utah. Uinta’s flagship Cutthroat Pale Ale is the No. 1 selling craft beer in the state and Uinta is one of the top 50 volume-producing craft breweries in the U.S.

“They moved to a new 26,000 square foot facility in 2001, and each of those square feet is dedicated to reducing negative impact on the environment by using renewable energy. The Brewery is 100 percent wind powered, and they re-use six pack carriers. Spent grain is donated to local ranchers for cattle feed, further reducing waste. This is a sampling of how they protect the environment. Proud of its many mottos, including ‘Keeping Utah the Way We Found It – Except with Beer,’ and ‘Improving Utah’s Environment – Starting with Beer.’ They provide comic relief during a major drought by coining the phrase, ‘Save Water – Drink Beer.’”

The brewery’s King’s Peak Porter is “flavorful and complex. Dark mahogany with a creamy head, it’s rich with dark chocolate, fruit and coffee nuances. It brought home the coveted Gold Medal three years in a row, and is still going strong.”

Porter-style beers were “England’s first national beer, deriving its name from its popularity with street-market porters who drank it for its nourishment. Dark in color and robust, top-fermented porters are excellent with fresh raw oysters, shellfish, Porterhouse steak, chocolate and creamy fruit desserts.”

Uinta’s Solstice Kolsch Style Ale “is a lighter style German ale, with refreshing light, crisp hop character. Its subtle bitterness is invigorating!”

Kolsch style ales are “light, crisp, top-fermented beer that uses a touch of bitterness to attain its spirited flavor. These beers of antiquity are known for the expressiveness and complexity. Enjoy this brew with grilled chicken or your favorite seafood.”

In the end, both of these beers were pretty good, but if I had to pick a favorite, it would be the King’s Peak Porter.