Micro-brewed beer — without a trip to the Utah liquor store

Looking for a new wine, cocktail or micro-brewed beer? In this column, we ask an expert for a recommendation. This week we talked to:

Trent Fargher • Owner of Shades of Pale, a package brewery in Park City.

Tells us about the brewery • Shades of Pale opened in 2010 and started shipping its beer to Utah stores, restaurants and bars in June of 2011. With the help of head brewer Matt Davis, Shades of Pale makes about 300 barrels of beer a year. New equipment is on the way that will increase capacity to about 1,000 barrels annually.

Tell us about the beers •We currently micro-brew three beers, all 4 percent alcohol by volume:

• Jack Wagon Wheat is an American-style wheat beer named after the last cart in a typical wagon train, the one that carried the food and beer. This is a good summer beer that has nutty aromas and hints of citrus. Serve it with a garden salad topped with blue cheese dressing or lighter fish dishes.

• 4-Play Porter is an English-style porter with light caramel and coffee undertones. The name is a tribute to women aviators, specifically a friend who flies an acrobatic plane named 4-Play. Serve with something sweet, such as cheesecake or chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream

• And Publican is a traditional West Coast Pale. It has strong floral aromas and a well-rounded hop flavor that goes well with spicy foods. The name gets confused with the Republican party, but it's actually a tribute to the old-time public houses, which were a gathering place for town folk who talked politics, weather and crops.

What's your background • I grew up in Ohio and graduated from Penn State with a degree in accounting. My parents gave me a home brew kit for Christmas in early 1990s. It was just a burlap sack that you put some yeast in. It obviously wasn't very good, but it got me interested in brewing. After college I lived in North Carolina, Colorado, Venezuela and London, working as an IT consultant. I moved to Utah eight years ago. One day I was in the Park City Albertsons (now Fresh Market), and I saw a Moab beer on the shelves. I thought "Moab beer here in Park City?" And that made me think the demand was there and if they could do it, I could do it as well."

Where to buy • Shades of Pale beers are available in 75 outlets across the state, including Associated Food Stores, Fresh Markets and 7-11, as well as restaurants and bars. It also can be purchased at the brewery, 1950 Woodbine Way, Park City, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Cost • A 22-ounce bottle is $3; a case of 12 is $36.

Details • 435-640-9047 or shadesofpale.com.

kathys@sltrib.com; facebook.com/nowsaltlake