Beer enthusiasts have reason to celebrate. A new craft brewery is open in St. George and delivering three local brews to area restaurants.

Silver Reef Brewing Company marks the city’s first foray into micro-brewery culture.

“Every metropolitan town in the country and every small town in the country now has their own brewery,” said Michael Key, Silver Reef brewmaster. “It’s a destination for locals to rally around their local brew but it’s also a destination for tourists who want to have the brew of that area.”

Key is an award-winning brewer who brings more than 20-years of experience to the task. He serves as Director of Brewing Operations for Silver Reef and her sister brewery, the award-winning Ellis Island Brewery in Las Vegas.

The brewhouse is on track to produce 7,000 barrels of beer this year — that’s 14,000 kegs — with room to grow to 20,000 kegs as demand increases.

Beer garden in the works

While Silver Reef serves more than a dozen restaurants in town, that’s just the beginning for the local company, according to those behind the company. Owner Dave Moody said he plans to start canning product for sale in local markets and to open a beer garden large enough to welcome about 100 people.

The goal is to create a community experience where friends and families can spend time enjoying a good brew, playing games and indulging in good conversation, Moody said. The design mimics other breweries around the nation.

“It’s going to be a place to come and meet new people,” Key said. “It’s going to be communal seating…you’re going to be forced to sit at a table with a bunch of other people and meet other people.”

Moody’s original plan was for a production brewery only, but Key said that when he arrived and saw Southern Utah’s natural beauty he knew a destination pub was a must.

“This is the place to come and sit and have a beer and look at the view and relax,” Key said. “Other brewery owners would kill to have this location.”

The restaurant will offer casual pub food elevated, according to Key, who said he also plans beer and food pairings designed to show off the complexities of Silver Reef’s brews.

Key said at least 10 people a day stop by asking if they can get a beer. Moody and Key plan to open the brewery to the public by summer.

Growing a micro-brew community

Jeremy Baxter, head brewer at Zion Brewery in Springdale, said he is happy to welcome a new brewery to Southern Utah.

“I’m really excited to have them and their knowledge and experience in the region,” he said. “It’s going to be a positive thing for craft brew in the area.”

Baxter and Key recently had a long conversation about building a beer community together with plans to collaborate on unique brews. Each location plans to have guest taps so customers can experience what the other brew pub has to offer.

“We look forward to being able to share their beers with our clientele,” Baxter said.

The recent addition of Policy Kings Brewery in Cedar City last year also serves the growing micro-brew trend.

“For us, it helps having competition,” Baxter said. “It’s really positive for spurring innovation.”

Baxter said that he’s seen a craft beer awakening in Southern Utah during the past five years and expects the trend to continue. As word gets out about the concentration of craft brews in the area the industry will grow, he said.

The addition of Silver Reef Brewing Company has personal benefits for Baxter as well.

“It’s exciting for me as a brewer to taste everyone’s delicious beer,” he said.

Quality first

Key said he has gathered the finest ingredients for his brews sourcing malts, hops and yeast from all over the world.

“I source out the best maltsters in the world for my grains,” he said. “I’ve built my recipes around some of the malts they’ve come out with.”

His biggest challenge is one that all brewers in the American southwest face – poor quality water for brewing. Key has tackled that challenge by bringing in a reverse-osmosis system specifically designed for breweries to make pure, beer-producing water.

“That is going to be your biggest impact on flavor in your beer. You can have the best of everything, of the other three ingredients, but if your water is not good, it really affects the flavor,” Key said.

All the effort is second nature to Key, who said his background in traditional German lager brewing demands excellence. He wants to create a quality local product that inspires loyalty and pride.

“This is beer that people come to enjoy and to appreciate, to have one or two and take their time and enjoy all the nuances, the flavor, the aromas, the textures of craft beer,” Key said.

Follow reporter JJ DeForest on Twitter @SpectrumJJ or contact JJ via email at jdeforest@thespectrum.com or call 435-231-1154.