Utah’s Squatters brews a Middle Eastern wit, a benefit beer for refugees and immigrants

Most of our ancestors come from somewhere that wasn’t originally North America. We are a culture of immigration. Salt Lake Brewing Co. understands. In fact, to show solidarity with refugee and immigrant communities singled out by President Trump’s recent travel ban, the company’s Squatters Craft Beers brand brewed a Middle Eastern wit; of note, Salt Lake Brewing also owns Wasatch Brewery and Pubs.

Called Tempest-Tost Wit, this Middle Eastern beer features ingredients indigenous to those countries named in the recent travel ban. Squatters’ Brewmaster Jason Stock and Brewer Conor Papineau crafted an unfiltered wheat beer utilizing green cardamom, sweet orange peel and a healthy dose of torrified wheat. All proceeds from the sale of the beer will benefit the Utah Chapter of the International Rescue Committee, an organization that supports refugees. From the press release:

“This promotion speaks directly to the core values of our company,” adds Chief Operating Officer Doug Hofeling. “Tempest-Tost Wit not only gives our guests the opportunity to try a unique and delicious beer, but also contribute to a truly worthwhile cause.”

Beginning March 1 and until the kegs run dry, Tempest-Tost Wit will be available at all Squatters and Wasatch Brew Pubs, as well as the West Side Tavern. The name for the beer actually comes from Emma Lazarus’ poem “The New Colossus”:

Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!