Sip bold, whiskey-barrel-aged stouts and fresh IPAs at this pioneering Salt Lake City brewery, which features an elevated back bar, a spacious outdoor patio, and rotating local food trucks.
Epic Brewing Company stands on South State Street as a monument to high-gravity brewing in Utah, having challenged the state's historical draft limits since its doors opened on May 17, 2010. Founded by David Cole and Peter Erickson, two entrepreneurs who transitioned from an international aquaculture business to craft beer, the brewery became Utah's first since Prohibition to focus exclusively on full-strength ales and lagers. The physical facility at 825 South State Street began with just six ten-barrel fermentation tanks, but it has since grown to house eight times that original capacity. The air inside the brick-and-mortar space carries a thick, comforting aroma of roasted barley and fermenting yeast, signaling a dedicated workshop where the patient chemistry of craft beer is practiced daily.
The layout of the brewery offers two distinct experiences for visitors, anchored by Utah's unique liquor laws. In the front, the legendary "Tap-less Taproom" serves as a sampling library and retail bottle shop, where guests can taste over 50 varieties of cold, full-strength beer in two-ounce pours or purchase cold bottles and cans to go, even on Sundays. Further inside, the brewery's physical evolution is highlighted by an elevated back bar, a spacious addition that introduced proper draft lines, custom craft cocktails, and ample indoor seating. This back bar opens onto a fresh outdoor patio designed to catch the late afternoon sun. This newer space acts as an experimental playground for the brewers, who use it to debut exclusive, bar-only small-batch releases that never make it to wider regional distribution.
Epic's reputation is built on bold, uncompromising recipes, most notably the acclaimed Big Bad Baptist Imperial Stout. This massive, dark beer is brewed with cocoa nibs and coffee before being aged in whiskey barrels, with new variants released every autumn to a dedicated following. Other signature series include the fruit-forward Brainless Belgian-Style Golden Ales, the piney and citrus-forward Spiral Jetty IPA, and the clean, crisp Pfeifferhorn Lager. On warm summer Friday evenings, the brewery's outdoor patio transforms into a lively community hub, hosting acoustic musicians and rotating local food trucks like Dang Bros Pizza and Slopeside BBQ. It remains a premier destination for those who want to experience the modern, creative frontier of Salt Lake City's beer scene, one high-point pour at a time.
Time your visit for a Friday evening during the summer to catch the live music series on the patio, paired with rotating local food trucks like Dang Bros Pizza. If you want to try something truly unique, bypass the main taps and ask the bartender what exclusive, bar-only brews are currently flowing in the elevated back bar. Keep in mind that minors are not allowed in the taprooms, and you can purchase cold, full-strength beers to go from the front cold case seven days a week.
Coffee & Craft — Roadside fuel stops curated by Basecamp West. The best coffee shops, craft breweries, diners, and eateries worth the detour on your next Western road trip.