By Jesse M. Gonzalez | [email protected]

SaltFire Brewing Co., an expressive, local brewery in the South Salt Lake area, had its four-year anniversary June 11, where they had music, dancing, drinks and social interaction for invited guests. The anniversary shindig—hosted by Ryan Miller, also the founder of SaltFire—was a necessary step in building the brand as well as building community—a community with a deep respect for craft beer.

The event wasn’t without its struggles. Like many up-and-coming businesses, the Covid-19 pandemic had road blocked potentialities for optimal growth and expansion but Miller kept his head up and intrepidly went through the obstacles.

“Everything has changed [over the last four years] but what hasn’t changed is the local love for craft beer and local craft breweries. We feel it every day,” Miller said.

Starting a brewery is no easy task, especially when neighbors and other local businesses were forced to shut down due to the pandemic. 

“We’re in a very transitional neighborhood, moving from an industrial area to a more residential, mixed-use area, which has been good to see additional apartments, more people moving to the area. It’s sad to see some of the smaller warehouses and industrial businesses having to get out. It’s now the path for South Salt Lake and what the plan and concept is for the area, and we’re really happy to be a part of it. This place is always changing,” Miller said.

Other means of help for the brewery and the area has been the S-Line, a train transportation system running partially parallel to Parley’s Trail, linking the business district of Sugar House to South Salt Lake. 

“It’s been great for everybody, creating a more walkable, rideable community, without the use of a car, without crowded parking lots which has been great for business as well as for the area,” Miller said.

The S-Line has no doubt helped business flow into SaltFire Brewing. Miller was pleased that over 300 people attended the anniversary event and was further pleased to regain much of the momentum that had halted due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The friendliness of South Salt Lake has been a big help for small businesses and in opening a brewery. We have new apartments and new houses being built all the time. We’re looking forward to having more local businesses and shops coming in,” Miller said.

The influx of residential construction in South Salt Lake will help SaltFire Brewing, with only a small staff of nine people, grow into the vision that Miller had when incorporating the work to build the brewery, fit with punk rock, alternative, heavy metal and transcendentalist themes with beer names like Charlotte Sometimes, which is a name of a song by The Cure, and Heavy Metal Parking Lot, a lager with an alcohol by volume of 6.66%.

“It’s a lot of fun, a Saturday night, an anniversary night, and the beer tastes great!” said Derek Anderson, a local who found out about the event through Instagram.

Many partygoers were full of smiles as live music played, and the zeal for having a good time was omnipresent within the SaltFire Brewing property.