This business spotlight is brought to you in collaboration with AJB Broadcasting.
By C.J. McManus
Helper Beer will celebrate its grand opening on May 6 at 159 North Main in Helper. The story of this beautiful brewery and eatery is like much of Helper; it involves some new blood, a great idea and a turbulent journey toward a very happy end.
Owners Jaron and Amy Anderson first became interested in Helper when a friend, Charles Callis, moved to the area for a fine art internship with Dave Dornan in 2010. At the time, Anderson was just learning the art of brewing beer at Utah’s very own Red Rock Brewery where he worked his way up from an entry level position. “I started by placing labels on bottles, then I learned to clean kegs,” explained Anderson. “Eventually, I was making the beers.”
The Andersons apprenticed under Red Rock Brewmaster Kevin Templin and when Templin left Red Rock to start his own family brewery, Jaron joined him. At this point, Jaron and Amy visited their friend Charles more and more often, really getting a taste for Carbon County.
“We liked Helper from the beginning, but we were not sure about trying to open a brewery just yet,” explained Jaron. “But in 2017, things really started happening in Helper and our friends convinced us we could have an opportunity at building our own brewery here.”
To make the brewery’s beginnings even more poetic, Jaron and his wife Amy made the final decision to move their family and make a run at the brewery after traveling with longtime friends and then new homeowners in Helper, Ellis and Taylor Powelson, to Idaho to view the 2017 total solar eclipse.
“It was during that trip that our friends really convinced us about the revitalization vision in Helper,” explained Jaron. He laughed as he recounted the original plan, explaining that things have changed so much since then that the original plan is nearly unrecognizable.
The Andersons moved to Helper for good in 2018, while Jaron was still brewing in Salt Lake. They partnered with brothers Todd and Ross Lambert and secured funding through the Small Business Administration and a tight group of investors.
“After putting the group together, COVID hit,” explained Jaron. “Everything ground to a complete halt.” The pandemic would mean more than two years of delays, but the Andersons were not deterred. They stayed the course, finally beginning construction in June 2022 with the help of general contractor Scott Amott.
To mitigate elevated construction costs and issues with shipping, the whole Helper Beer crew worked to manage the construction process. “The renovation was complex but our crew was so dedicated,” said Jaron. “Because of them we were able to open our doors just about a month ago.”
With the facility completed, Jaron and Amy turned to the brewery’s menu and first on-tap beers. “Our approach is to produce world class quality beers and eats,” explained Jaron. “With styles such as German Lagers, British Ales and contemporary American beers. Brewing is something I respect. It’s an artform, it’s simple and elegant and you can’t hide mistakes if you get it wrong.” Helper Beer is currently featuring a hazy pale ale that boasts a super vivid tropical fruit flavor and aroma.
If Jaron is the brewery’s brewmaster, his wife Amy is definitely master of the kitchen. Helper Beer has a menu that includes only items that are up to Amy’s discerning tastes. “We saw that Helper deserved another high–quality dining option/place to gather and we decided that the way to go was to be great at what we knew and love, so our menu is small, but it’s dialed in.”
Helper Beer currently features appetizers, sandwiches and pizza, including bruschetta, prosciutto sandwiches and jalapeno pineapple pizza. “We plan to expand the menu and of course the amount of different styles of beers we serve this summer, but we are honestly just so excited to be open,” laughed Jaron.
In the near future, Helper Beer will also begin canning and selling their brews to-go. They provide a lunch and dinner service and soon plan a Sunday brunch offering, so stay tuned. Don’t miss a look at this amazing new asset to our community. Come out for their grand opening on May 6.
