Introducing BeerKC

As one door closes, another one opens. Beginning in 2011, we'll be doing away with this blog and transitioning to one all-encompassing site known simply as BeerKC. This transition will allow for a single resource of information regarding the Westphal-Kelpe Restaurant Group's three beer-centric bars & restaurants in Kansas City's historic Westport district. Most of you are already familiar with these three establishments, but for those that aren't, BeerKC will cover McCoy's Public House & Brewpub, The Foundry, which is located next door to McCoy's and features 40+ taps and over a hundred bottles, as well as our latest beer-inspired endeavor, Beer Kitchen. Beer Kitchen, which opened in September, is located across Westport Road from McCoy's/the Foundry and specializes in unique, rare & high quality beers. BeerKC will become your 'one stop' resource for daily specials, Brewmaster's Dinners, rare beer releases, suggested pairings, homebrew recipes and much more. We're looking forward to turning the corner of Westport Road & Pennsylvania Avenue into BeerKC!

Cheers to 2011 - the year of beer.

Now on Tap - Ursa Major

Last night we celebrated the annual release of Ursa Major, our tough-as-nails Russian Imperial Stout. This beer is always a customer favorite and last night's Ursa Major Fest was the first time we've brought the beer out in such style. From 5:00 - 8:00, on the shortest day of the year, guests were offered full pours for $5.50 complete with a commemorative glass, or for an extra $1.50 you could add an additional 9 oz. pour of either 2009 or 2008 vintages. The 2008 was aged on oak briefly, right after it was brewed, then keg-cellared for 2 years; the 2009 was bottled last year and kept in our icehouse until they were all sold out around 5:30 last night. For one night only we offered 30 oz. growlers of all three vintages so you could enjoy this beer at home. It was a great time celebrating a great beer with great people - Nightlife KC even showed up to take some pictures. We've still got some 2008 on tap, along with plenty of 2010, so come get warm with this bad-ass brew!

Brewer's specs:

Malt: Pale 2-row, Crystal, Roasted, Chocolate & Black

Hops: English East Kent Goldings

Brown Sugar & Belgian Candied Sugar

Fermented with McCoy's House Ale Yeast

85 IBU
10.5% ABV

Cheers!

New Year's Eve Party!

Yo! Tired of spending a ton of money to celebrate at some lame New Year's Eve party? We've got you covered: $10 gets into any of the 3 BeerKC restaurants - McCoy's, The Foundry or Beer Kitchen - and includes DJ Boyfriend at McCoy's, DJ Leo Night Us (and his crew of B-Boys, poppers & lockers) at the Foundry & DJ Praxis at Beer Kitchen. Not only can you bounce between bar to bar, but we're releasing a very special beer to celebrate the closing of 2010 - a 100% Citra-hopped Double IPA fermented with champagne yeast. Whoa! Rather than toasting cheap "champagne" at midnight, we'll be raising glasses of this exciting new beer instead. $10 gets you entrance, food specials, midnight toast and the ridiculously huge selection of beers from all 3 restaurants. And be sure to stop in Beer Kitchen for brunch on January 1st for some delicious food (and maybe a little bit of the 'hair of the dog') from 10a - 4p.

Cheers & Happy New Year!

Ursa Major Fest

Join us next Tuesday, December 21 from 5:00 - 8:00 as we release the 2010 batch of our Ursa Major Imperial Stout. We're celebrating the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, by offering commerative glassware for only $7 which are, of course, filled with this rich and complex imperial stout. We'll also be selling 30oz. growlers of 2010 Ursa Major for only $12, and just a few bottles of 2009 Ursa Major for $15 each. We'll only have a few bottles available so get there early!

2009 Brewer's Specs:

Malt: Pale 2-row, Crystal, Roasted, Chocolate & Black

Hops: English East Kent Goldings

Brown Sugar & Belgian Candied Sugar

Fermented with McCoy's House Ale Yeast

85 IBU

10.5% ABV

See you here - cheers!

Now on Tap - Winter Warmer

Now on tap: the 2010 release of our annual Winter Warmer. Typically maltier & sweeter than most releases, and flavored with seasonal herbs & spices, Winter Warmers are usually higher in alcohol, hence the "warming" aspect of these beers. This year's batch has big fruity malt flavors to restrain the alcohol presence, with a light hop regimen of American, English & German varities. We also added 40 lbs. of Italian plum puree during fermentation, which allowed more fermentable sugars to achieve the higher ABV, as well as provide some citrusy characteristics to the beer's already complex flavor. It was then gently spiced with whole Tellicherry peppercorns to add a hint of spice and further the beer's complexity. Considered to be the finest pepper in the world, these Indian peppercorns have a full, robust flavor often described as nearly fruity.

Brewer's specs:

Malt: Pale, Vienna, Caramel, Melanoidin & Crystal

Hops: Horizon, Hallertauer & East Kent Goldings

Fermented with McCoy's house ale yeast

SG 20.4P
8.3% ABV

Pics - Feast of Samichlaus

Last night was the twentieth in our series of monthly Brewmaster's Dinners. December's "Feast of Samichlaus" was held at Beer Kitchen across the street from McCoy's; guests seem to prefer the larger venue & dedicated service rather than the smaller, yet more intimate, Cigar Lounge located between McCoy's & the Foundry. Perhaps this relocation was due in part to the desecration of the Cigar Lounge by the group of foul-mouthed drunks ironically known as GentsKC...

Smoked salmon rillettes - a pâté-like dish of smoked salmon, salmon poached in Pernod anise-flavored liquer, shallots, chives & crème fraiche mixed together and stored in a mason jar sealed with butter. Served with Bateman's Rosey Nosey winter warmer - 5% ABV.

The namesake of the dinner - Brauerei Schloss Eggenburg's Samichlaus Bier. The strongest lager in the world at 14% ABV, this doppelbock is brewed only one day of the year (St. Nicholas' Day - Dec. 6th) and cold-stored for a year before being released. Given the time difference between us & Belgium, there was a decent chance the 2010 batch was being prepared concurrently with our enjoyment of the 2009 vintage.

Salad of duck confit, apples, figs, potatoes & toasted hazelnuts with blood-orange vinaigrette. The savory confit, salty hazelnuts & slightly tart dressing made for an excellent compliment to the rich & sweet Samichlaus.

Mikkeller's Red & White Christmas ale - a blend of a British-style red ale & a Belgian wit, then loaded with orange peel & American hops. A remarkable beer only available to the United States in 1.5L magnums - 8% ABV.

Locally-made veal Weisswurst sausages poached in a spiced Mikkeller Christmas ale broth, served with braised red cabbage, Brussels sprouts, smoked bacon & hops-infused apple-mustard. This dish was the wurst! Actually, it was really damn good.

Corsendonk's Christmas ale - Belgian strong dark ale - 8.5% ABV.

The main course - slow-cooked crown roast of pork with garlic-herb mustard rub, mashed rutabagas & Norwegian lingonberry demi-glace served with Corsendonk's Christmas ale. Delicious.

Risalamande - a traditional Danish dessert of rice pudding, whipped cream, vanilla & chopped almonds with warm cherry compote & almond tuille cookie. Paired with the very rare Mikkeller's Ris a la M'ale - a brand new "liquid version" of the dish brewed with rice, vanilla, sugar, salt, cream, cherries & almond extract...very unique!

The Sugar Plum Tree - bite-sized balls of ground spices (anise, fennel, cardamom, & caraway seeds), ground almonds, dates, figs, raisins & currants rolled in sugar; served with Gouden Carolus Noël, a Belgian strong dark ale - 10.5% ABV.

We're taking January off as it falls so close to the holidays but we'll be back in full force for February's Valentine's Day dinner. More info on that as it develops.

Cheers & happy holidays!

Now on Tap - Belgian Dubbel

Now on tap: the 2010 release of our Belgian-Style Dubbel. A rich malty beer with some spicy/phenolic and mild alcoholic characteristics. Traditionally a Trappist ale, many breweries creat similar "Abbey Dubbels" in an attempt to emulate originals like Westvleteren 8, Westmalle Dubbel & Chimay. Spicy Belgian yeast and a dark malty body compliment notes of dried fruit and mild charred oak. There are plenty of flavors to pick out on this one!

Brewer’s specs:

Malt: Pale, Brewer’s, Munich, CaraPils, Chocolate, Vienna & Biscuit

Hops: Hallertaur, Perle & Styrian Goldings

OG. 21 Plato
8.8% ABV