But as a group we surely did some of what you mention, but also had contests, field trips, tastings, and one of the more interesting exercises--group brews where 20 or more gallons of a common brew would get split up and shipped home with members to be pitched and fermented separately. Learned about yeast strain flavor contributions, effect of temps, "house" flavors and the like. Course nowadays from the looks of this forum, homebrewers are onto these things big time.
Hey is Wasatch Brewing still alive up in Park city, that was the brewer that did the contest. Female brewmaster, for the life of me cannot recall her name.
In the early days, brewpubs/breweries could only do 3.2 ABW--pretty much limited to OG of 40 or so. I believe Squatters cane onto the scene after I left (1993) thanks to some change in law which I never felt would pass. Lets see at the state liquor stores, they had Pilsner Urquell, Sam Smith's, Fosters, Grolsch Lager, Anchor's and maybe 4 others--talk about incentive to homebrew. Polygamy Porter--thats too funny. Well with Rocky Anderson as mayor and the olympics having been there, maybe Utah is loosening up. 
Thanks for the update.
