Boo!stillery @ Union Event Center 10.18

Lots of smiles and laughs at Boo!stillery. - Photo: John Barkiple

Brewstillery

When Fletcher Boo!th noticed that the next installment of Brewstillery would happen near Halloween, he told his wife, Angela Brown (SLUG Magazine‘s Executive Editor) that it should be called Boo!stillery. No problem. Brewstillery added a costume contest and tarot card readings to what was already an exceptional gathering of Utah brewers and distillers (plus food and craft artisans).

After an inaugural SLUGMag on Tap and four Brewstillery-branded events in a row, SLUG Magazine doubled down on its commitment to local spirits by adding the Boo!stillery date to its calendar. With luck, this bi-annual event will increase the public’s enthusiasm for Utah’s libations-loving community. Especially with the event’s special collaboration with Planned Parenthood of Utah—gorgeous pink mugs, the profits of which supported Planned Parenthood themselves—hopes were high for the new event.

The Union Event Center lurks near the train tracks east and a little south of Red Iguana #1. Parking was tricky, but guests were rewarded with a food truck rodeo and an axe-throwing platform outside a two-story music venue filled with spirits and brews from around the state.

Local distilleries offered shots for those interested in undiluted spirits, and the cocktail recipes were creative and surprising. High West offered an Old-Fashioned cocktail with their Yippee Ki Yay Whiskey, New World Distillery poured a Hanky Panky with their Oomaw Gin, Hammer Spring Distillers rattle-canned a Casper cocktail that was a vodka-based Vesper variant and there was nothing trashy about Black Feather’s Whiskey Tango mixed with their Black Feather Bourbon.

Outside, a solid lineup of food trucks included San Diablo’s churros, Senegalese cuisine from Balabé, Argentina’s Best Empanadas, Lucky Slice Pizza, CupBop Korean BBQ, DaliCrepes, Smoke-A-Billy BBQ & Grill and 8th St. Taco Co. With plates in hand, revelers headed upstairs at the Union Event Center to stay warm and dine at a table.

The upstairs balcony offered views of the entire layout as well as shopping and entertainment. Bianca Velasquez sold her spooky resin art at the Tiny Messy table, Boozetique’s booth offered beverage-themed paraphernalia and many portraits were sketched at the Hand-Drawn Photo Booth. Great stuff, but nothing beats a good tarot card reading this close to Halloween. The lines moved quickly at both tarot tables, and many guests walked away wondering how the cards could speak so much truth.

Boo!stillery’s Halloween magic made an impression on the fans of Utah’s breweries and distilleries, so start planning for the second annual Boo!stillery costume contest in 2020—try to top the geriatric wonders who won in 2019!

Check out SLUG’s video recap of Boo!stillery here.