December 28, 2012

Welcome 2013 with Beer KC!

If you haven't made your New Year's Eve plans yet, Beer KC got you covered! $10 will get you a wristband for admittance to all three of our restaurants for the night - McCoy's, The Foundry, and Beer Kitchen. It gets better! It includes a free specialty beer or champagne toast at midnight. Plus we'll have DJs and dinner specials at each location. Sounds like a party!!

And what's the best cure for too much party? A great brunch. Beer Kitchen will have the Holiday Hangover Brunch all weekend, starting tomorrow, the 29th, and goes through the first of the new year. From 9 am to 4 pm on the 29th, 30th, 31st, and January 1st, head to Beer Kitchen, get some grub, have a Bloody Mary or a beer, and enjoy recuperating from the holidays.


December 19, 2012

Seeking a beer for the end of the world

Did you get your Ursa Major fix last night? The 2012 version is mighty fine. It's got just a hint of oaky flavor from the barrel, and loads of smooth roasty chocolaty stouty flavor. It's a big, deep beer. Complex. A sipper that gets even better as it warms. And it'll warm you up. Not enough to convince you to head to McCoy's or the Foundry to try it? Well...

What about a special "Oh #@% the Mayans were right!" edition of Ursa Major? This Friday, Dec 21, McCoy's will be tapping Dark Rift - 2012 Ursa Major blended with a toddy made from Mayan coffee beans and XtabentĂșn, a honey anise rum liqueur. Our attempt to appease those who might bring our demise. Or just to have a dang good beer so we won't notice when all comes crumbling down. Since the Mayans didn't leave us an exact time for the end of everything, McCoy's will have Dark Rift on tap starting at 11 am on Friday. (It was originally going to be Thursday, but we've decided to tempt fate and go ahead with it on Friday. It's more appeasing on that day.)
Pictured: the other Dark Rift
As if that wasn't enough incentive, McCoy's will have ANOTHER specialty beer tapped Thursday afternoon, the 20th. This will be the Oatmeal Stout with juniper berries! A very "wintry" combination. Or maybe kind of a little gin-like. Either way, I think I'll like it.

(For some background on where Dark Rift got its name, check out NASA here - http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/2012-alignment.html - debunking all of our fun)

December 18, 2012

Today's the day for Ursa Major!

Coming up at 4:00 at McCoy's and The Foundry, we'll be releasing the 2012 version of McCoy's Ursa Major!!

Take the glass. Leave the beer (in your belly)
$9 will include the sweet commemorative snifter you see above to take home, full of delicious Russian Imperial Stout. Mmmm.... Additional pours of Ursa Major will be $6.50. But that's not all we'll have. There are a limited number of 2012 bottles available for sale, and some Ursa from 2011 will be on tap as well!


December 13, 2012

The Big Bear Returns!

First, a bit of bad news. We've had to cancel the Fest of Samichlaus dinner. We apologize to anyone planning to attend, and we will contact those of you who have already made reservations.

But now, some god news - Ursa Major is making its return soon!


This year's version will be released on Tuesday, December 18th, at 4 PM. $9 gets your first pour and a commemorative glass snifter. There will also be a limited number of bottles of 2012 Ursa Major available for purchase, and 2011 Ursa on tap. The release party is always a fun time, so join us for a night of Imperial Stout at McCoy's and The Foundry!


December 03, 2012

Picture day! Zwanze 2012 and Wild Game

On an unseasonably warm Monday in December, let's reflect on some pictures from the recent past.

First, a picture of the lineup of beers from Saturday's Zwanze Day 2012! From left to right, there's Fou' Foune, Kriek, Iris, and the 2012 Zwanze beer.

It was a great day for sour beers!

The commemorative Zwanze Day glass, with the deliciously tart rhubarb lambic. I loved the Zwanze 2012. There was some earthiness from the rhubarb, and a very drinkable sourness. Yum yum yum!


Now, although it's been two weeks with a few different Thanksgiving meals since the last beer dinner, it's a meal I won't forget. There aren't many opportunities to eat wild game, so when there's a whole meal of it, it's one to remember.

The meal started with a wild boar confit, with shaved asiago and toasted challah, paired with Weihenstephaner Vitus. Weihenstephan lays the claim as the oldest brewery in the world, so it's fitting that it's in the first course. The boar was delicious, sort of along the lines of a rich pulled pork and balanced with the strong wheat beer. This was a strong first course. 

The second course paired Odell Shenanigans with hasepfeffer. Rabbit stew. There was a tang in the stew that perfectly matched the acidity in the wild ale, which made for a fantastic course. The hush puppy-like fritter was dense and soaked up the stew nicely. I believe this was my first time having rabbit stew, an dthe first time having the Shenanigans. I'm looking forward to having both again in the future, as the Brettanomyces keeps the beer evolving. And, well, rabbit stew is delicious.

Next was a nice little surprise - an amuse-bouche of lime with pink salt. Tasty! Thank you to hand model Jeremy Danner for assisting with this picture.

After the palate cleanser, diners were served crispy pheasant with a cherry agrodolce, black rice, and bok choy, and Hitachino Nest Extra High (XH). The XH is a strong Belgian dark ale aged in sake barrels. Another first-time beer for me. It was dang good. The pheasant was tender with a crisp coating, and, well, as cliche as it is, it kind of tasted like chicken, but more flavorful. Not a gamey flavor, either. The cherry sauce was decadent, but not quite overpowering. A very well crafted plate, where the combination of every element making a very satisfying bite.

I have had elk in the past, but only ground and put into burger form, so I was excited for this. Roasted elk, pommes William, cranberry sage emulsion, and Brussels sprouts. The star of this plate to me was the Pomme William. Basically mashed potato formed into a pear shape, then breaded and fried. As aesthetically pleasing as it was delicious! The elk was fantastic, and Brussels sprouts are one of my favorite vegetables. The cranberry sage emulsion fit the role of a fancy ketchup. Very nice. Boulevard's Nommo complimented the food with a little spiciness.

And now dessert! Pumpkin tart, heirloom pear compote, and spiced cream. It tasted of fall. And while I may not prefer pumpkin in beer, it is quite lovely in desserts. Pears are another favorite fruit, and I have a sort of crush on all things heirloom. It was nice and light, which helped keep the Founders Breakfast Stout from coming off as too heavy. It's a wonderful beer, full of coffee and chocolate flavors. This dish was great, and the meal was one of the best all-around dinners I've had. No weaknesses. 


Your next chance to join us for a beer dinner comes two weeks from today, when Beer Kitchen will have the Feast of Samichlaus at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, December 17th. It's a trip around the globe with beers and dishes from five different countries. $60 for a seat, including the meal, tax, and gratuity. Don't miss it!!

November 30, 2012

Get ready for Zwanze Day!

Are you ready for tomorrow? Zwanze Day is going to be a blast!! That linked blog post has most of the information, but here are a few details for you here...

  • 120 tickets will be available for $30 each, CASH ONLY, starting at 11 am. 
  • Everyone will be ID'd, no matter age!
  • The $30 will get you a commemorative glass and four 6 oz tastes of Cantillon beers - Fou' Foune, Lou Pepe Framboise, Iris, and, of course, the Zwanze 2012 toast at 2:00 pm. 
  • This year's version of the beer is a recreation of the very first Zwanze from 2008, a rhubarb lambic. 

Mmmmmmm..... You can get more information about Zwanze Day here - http://cantillon.be/br/3_21

The Foundry's kitchen will be open when the event starts at 11, so you'll be able to get some tasty food to go along with the tasty beers. There are also going to be some other great beers available to purchase throughout the day! If you're unable to get a ticket for the Zwanze event, or want to show up later, doors will be open for everyone at 2:30 in the afternoon.

We'll see you at The Foundry tomorrow!

November 27, 2012

Drink a beer, get a glass, support a great cause

Come have a New Belgium beer at The Foundry today, and you'll get a New Belgium globe glass to take home! Usually that's enough to convince me to stop by for a drink, but New Belgium is taking it further. With every glass that is given out, New Belgium will donate $1 to Wayside Waifs! Today only, so don't miss out!


November 19, 2012

Zwanze Day 2012

The Foundry in Kansas City is happy to announce our Zwanze Day 2012 plans!! 120 Tickets will be on sale at the front door of the Foundry Saturday, December 1st at 11:00 am for the first 120 people. Tickets will be $30 CASH only, and each ticket will get you four 6 oz tastes of Cantillon beer, including Zwanze in a commemorative tasting glass, and a raffle ticket to win one of 3 great raffle prizes! Each beer will be poured at a different time.

Here’s your line-up:

12:00pm-Cantillon Fou’Foune

12:30pm-Cantillon Lou Pepe Framboise

1:00pm-Cantillon Iris

2:00pm-Cantillon Zwanze toast

Be sure to have a valid form of identification, every person will be ID’d, no matter their age! This includes an ID that has not expired, and it must be a US Drivers License, US Military issued ID card, or a valid passport or visa. Foreign drivers license will not be accepted.

Other available beers in limited release:

Cantillon Cuvee Saint-Gilloise (Cuvee De Champions)

Cantillon Mamouche

Drie Fonteinen Oude Geuze Golden Blend

Anchorage Love Buzz

Anchorage Galaxy

Jolly Pumpkin ESBam

Trois Dames Grande Dame Oud Bruin

2010 Boulevard Saison-Brett

2011 Boulevard Bourbon-Barrel Quad

2010 Goose Island Night Stalker

This is an amazing event, and The Foundry is one of only SIXTEEN locations in the country chosen to be a part of it, and only a little more than 30 places in the world will have it! Check out Cantillon's site for a little more information - http://cantillon.be/br/3_21

November 13, 2012

A taste of the Southwest comes to KC

St. Louis isn't the only area sending new beer to Kansas City. Next up for us, a new friend from the southwest: Santa Fe Brewing, the oldest and largest microbrewery in New Mexico. In addition to some tasty brews, they're also sending their owner, Brian Lock!

Brian will join us at The Foundry around 7:30 tomorrow (Wednesday, Nov. 14) to mingle and to enjoy some beers (there may be some giveaways, too...). What beers? I'm glad you asked. We'll have the Java Stout, IPA, and Chicken Killer Barley Wine.

I've had a few of their beers, their Pale Ale, Nut Brown, and Hefeweizen - all very good - but none of the three that will be available tomorrow. So that's pretty exciting. Here's a closer look at tomorrow's offerings, in case you didn't feel like clicking through the links above. (Don't worry, I'm not judging.)

IMPERIAL JAVA STOUT 
This is the kind of beer that gives the word "stout" a reputation. Extra generous quantities of barley malt, followed by vigorous fermentation leaves this "imperial" heavy weight with 8% alcohol A.B.V. and a body as full as chocolate bread pudding. A complimentary and complex array of bitter notes comes form potent American hops, earthy British hops, black-roasted malts and, of course, coffee. Santa Fe Brewing Company uses only top-quality ingredients like organically grown East Timor coffee beans blended with New Guinea coffee beans, locally roasted by O'hori's Coffee House. Its heavenly flavor and aroma can't be beat or imitated.

HAPPY CAMPER I.P.A. 
A classic beer for those beer lovers who love their hops, Happy Camper IPA will take the Pepsi Challenge (or IPA challenge, as we say in New Mexico) against any other pretenders to the throne. Was it divine providence that made this beer the king of the IPA world? Was it a tireless pursuit of glory? No, this IPA has a top-secret recipe to thank for its success, and this meticulously formulated combination of several different hops combined with a very specific brewing process give Happy Camper IPA a spicy, citric, and floral infusion of hop character, which is masterfully counterbalanced with the full-bodied maltiness characteristic of the Santa Fe Brewing Company’s distinctive beers. 
AWARDS:
2012: Bronze Medal, IPA Category, AMERI-can Beer Festival
2012: Gold Medal, American-Style Strong Pale Ale Category, North American Beer Awards
2012: Third Place, Summer Brew Category, Snowmass Chili Pepper & Brew Fest

CHICKEN KILLER BARLEY WINE 
Chicken Killer Barley Wine is the revolutionary beer that will someday define America's unique Barley Wine style. It is brewed with twice the ingredients of the Santa Fe Brewing Company's other beers, and only half the usual amount of liquid is extracted from these ingredients. This makes one substantial beer. At over ten percent alcohol, Chicken Killer is actually as substantial as wine, but this is not to say that it is difficult to drink. On the contrary; be careful with this one. The flavors of the beer are at first as overwhelming as the intense Santa Fe sun. But in the same way our sun gives us the unrivaled brilliant colors of Santa Fe, the potency of Chicken Killer gives us the remarkable spectrum of flavors that can be found in no other beer, in no other city. If you did not have the opportunity to try last year's vintage, come try this year's! 
AWARDS:
2012 Silver Medal, American-Style Strong Ale Category, North American Beer Awards
2011 Silver Medal, NM State Fair
2007 Silver Medal: Barley Wine Ale, N. American Beer Competition
2007 Silver Medal, NM State Fair
2000 Bronze Medal, NM State Fair
1999 Best of Show NM State Fair
1991 Best of Show NM State Fair
I'm getting thirsty just reading about them. They may not be everybody's thing, but I love me a good coffee stout. It's getting to be good weather for both coffee stouts and barley wines, and IPAs are always appropriate. Santa Fe is coming strong with their offerings. Swing on by The Foundry tomorrow at 7:30 to partake the beers and give Brian and Santa Fe Brewing a warm welcome to Kansas City!

November 05, 2012

Get out and vote, then come out and have a drink!

Hopefully everyone is ready to make their voice heard tomorrow, and will get out and vote! To provide a little more motivation (not that you should need motivation to vote, but, just in case...), bring in your "I VOTED" sticker to Beer Kitchen, The Foundry, or McCoy's, and receive a free beverage! Just ask your server for details. And might as well stick around and join the watch party as the results come in. Drown your sorrows or cheers the victories, we'll have you covered.


A HUGE thanks to everyone who made the 2012 Strong Ale Fest a great success! The weather couldn't have been much better, the beers couldn't have been much tastier, and the crowd was fantastic. 

 As the fest went on, my photography skills got... more artistic.
McCoy's beers were ready for the day, and didn't disappoint!
This is where things go arty
It's hard to pick a standout beer from so many great ones on hand. The St. Louis breweries were great, and will be welcome additions to the Kansas City beer landscape when they make their way here. Mother's had some excellent beers as well, including Uber Pils and Thing 2. And Boulevard's Rye-on-Rye and Saison Brett are always crowd-pleasers (not to mention the rest of the beers they had). Then there's the bleu cheese hand cranked sausage. Oh my delicious.

What were some of your favorites? 

November 02, 2012

Every Beer Counts!

Fellow citizens, once again it's time for an important decision. Yes, it's election season, and McCoy's is here to help you with two special brews. That's right, we've got the Obaminator and the Romney Red! The Obaminator is a West Coast IPA, and the Romney Red is... a red ale. I did my civic duty, and had them both last night. You know, had to be bipartisan and all that. And may I tell you, they are two fine beers. Make it to McCoy's and let your drink be heard!

Then on Tuesday, after you cast your ballot, bring in your "I VOTED" sticker to Beer Kitchen, the Foundry, or McCoy's and receive a free beverage! Join us for an election results watch party, as we keep our eyes glued to the electoral votes piling in.


And don't forget, today is the last day to get the advance tickets for tomorrow's Strong Ale Fest! After 11:59 tonight, the tickets will be $35, so get to McCoy's and save yourself five bucks! Hey, that would cover a pint of one of the above-mentioned beers... Hmm... Tomorrow looks like it's going to be a perfect day for strong ales. 59 degrees for a high and only a 10% chance of rain. A great day to cozy up to an 8% beer or so. Designated drivers get in at no cost, so call in that favor your friend owes you, or find the saint who will drive you around. Stay safe!

Also, there's the Wild Game beer dinner coming up in a hurry. So after you get your Strong Ale Fest ticket and a Obaminator or Romney Red, head across the street to Beer Kitchen to reserve your spot! $55 gets the a five-course meal with beer pairings, tax and gratuity included. 


October 25, 2012

Special Brown Ales at McCoy's!

Have you gotten to the Foundry to try the 4 Hands beers yet? The Divided Sky Rye IPA and Cuvee Ange from St. Louis are both GREAT, and both on tap now, so get there and try them.

Those aren't the only two new and exciting beers in the area. Today, McCoy's will be tapping a cask of Hogpound Brown with a bite - ancho pepper! Then Saturday, the "Randyl" will once again be put to use, with a cranberry spice brown, $4.50 a pint. A deal! This beer was featured in last year's Thanksgiving beer dinner and was a big hit. Both of these should be good options in the cooler weather, with a touch of heat in one to warm you up, and a sweeter fall flavor in the other.

And don't forget - while you're at McCoy's getting a pint, pick up your ticket to the Strong Ale Fest and save yourself a little money. Tickets are $30 in advance of the November 3rd event, $35 the day of. You can get them at McCoy's without a service fee, but if you're unable to make it to Westport, never fear. They're available online at http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1663931.

October 23, 2012

4 Hands, Strong Ale Festival, and beer dinners!

Very cool events coming from Beer KC in the near future. Most immediate will be coming tomorrow (Wednesday, October 24th), when we welcome 4 Hands Brewing Co. to Kansas City. The Foundry will have a couple beers on tap from our St. Louis friends - Divided Sky Rye IPA and Cuvee Ange. They are two excellent beers; Cuvee Ange is a complex, funky, woody beer. Don't miss it!

Another event not to miss - the Strong Ale Fest from 1-5 on November 3! The above-mentioned 4 Hands will be, uhh, on hand... as will about 36 other breweries, and nearly 80 beers, all around or over 8% ABV. Advanced tickets are available for $30 online at http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1663931, or you can avoid any service fees by buying them directly from McCoy's. If there are any spots open on the day of the event, the price will go up to $35, so get 'em now and save yourself a few bucks (that you can put towards a hand cranked sausage, conveniently $5). Designated drivers will have free entry, so get a ride, carpool, whatever you need to do. We want everyone to enjoy themselves, and to be safe. 


Then the next beer dinner comes to Beer Kitchen on November 19th. This month it'll be the Wild Game Dinner, with wild boar, rabbit, pheasant, and elk. Yum.


$55 includes your dinner, tax, and gratuity, with a good chance for some great company. Who knows, maybe one course will make you rethink your Thanksgiving plans. Like maybe you'll want to add Brussels sprouts to your meal. Because they are delicious. 

Speaking of delicious beer dinners, last night was October's delicious beer dinner. Or should I say Oktober, for the German-inspired meal? Sure, the real Oktoberfest was a month ago, but that doesn't mean we can't celebrate the culture, beer, and food now. There was even some surprise entertainment for people before the meal started...

October 17, 2012

You want beer? We've got beer!


Lederhosen optional, but preferred
We're just a few days away from the next beer dinner at Beer Kitchen! Oktober 22nd is our Oktoberfest-themed dinner, with German-style food paired with German-style beer. $50 will get you the five-course meal and beers, with tax and gratuity included. 7:00 pm. Don't miss it! Call us at 816-389-4180 to reserve your spot.

While McCoy's beers didn't place in this year's GABF, our Kansas City brothers in brewing came home with two golds! Congratulations to Boulevard, picking up gold medals in the Other Strong Beer category with Reverb and ZON winning the Belgian-Style Witbier category. They have a great post that goes into some more details of the fest and judging - Bringing Home the Gold!!!

You're going to have a chance to sample a few winners from GABF at the Beer KC Strong Ale Fest! Below is an ever-evolving list of beers that will be on tap. Some of the medal winners include a couple locals - Lawrence, KS's Free State won a bronze in American-Style Stout with Iron Man Imperial Stout, and Perennial from St. Louis took silver in Other Strong Beer with Heart of Gold (a wheat wine).

Firestone Walker's Wookey Jack won the gold in American-Style Black Ale, and Sierra Nevada got the Imperial Stout silver (while the official GABF list of winners doesn't have the Narwhal name listed, I'm pretty sure it's the same beer).

October 08, 2012

Colder weather means time for Strong Ales!

The weather is turning cooler, which means the beers you're drinking should get a little stronger in ABV. At least, that's what I feel. I don't usually want to be drinking too much of something that's 9 or 10% (or higher) when it's over 100 degrees outside, but when it's in the 40s and 50s? Ah, perfect. Especially when paired with the changing leaves. Call me a beer romantic. If you're looking for a good place to start in on some of the higher-octane beers, you're in luck! From 1-5 on November 3, Beer KC will have its 2nd annual Strong Ale Festival, featuring beers with an ABV of 8% or higher.


The fest will take place at 4057 Pennsylvania, on the street between McCoy's and Kelly's. If you're worried about space, don't be - it'll be set up to use more of the street, a little different than has been done in the past. Tickets are $30 in advance, $35 day of, and available at this link: http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1663931. The cost includes a commemorative tasting glass, and all the samples you can handle in 4 hours. And, even better, proceeds will benefit AIDS Walk KC. 

Now, for the important stuff... the breweries! We'll have some usual faces, and a whole host of friends from St. Louis! Here we are, the participating breweries in a somewhat alphabetical order

2nd Shift Brewing - St. Louis, MO
4 Hands Brewing Co. - STL
6 Row Brewing Co.  - STL
75th Street Brewery - Kansas City, MO
Amerisports - KC
Anchor Brewing - San Fransisco, CA
Avery Brewing Co. - Boulder, CO
Brasserie de Blaugies - Belgium
Boulder Beer - Boulder, CO
Boulevard Brewing Co. - KC
Cathedral Square - STL
Deschutes Brewery - Bend, OR
Firestone Walker Brewing Co. - Paso Robles, CA
Founders Brewing Co. - Grand Rapids, MI
Free State Brewing Co. - Lawrence, KS
Goose Island Beer Co. - Chicago, IL
Grand Teton - Victor, Idaho
Great Divide Brewing Co. - Denver, CO
Green Flash Brewing Co. - San Diego, CA
Gulden Draak (Brouwerij Van Steenberge) - Belgium
Kulmbacher - Germany
Lagunitas Brewing Co. - Petaluma, CA
Leinenkugel Brewing Co. - Chippewa Falls, WI
Maredsou - Belgium (the Maredsou website doesn't seem to be loading, but you should know they make great beers)
McCoy's Public House - KC
Mother's Brewing Co. - Springfield, MO
Nebraska Brewing Co. - Omaha, NE
New Belgium Brewing Co. - Ft. Collins, CO
Brewery Ommegang - Cooperstown, NY
Perennial Artisan Ales - STL
Samuel Adams - Boston, MA
Schlafly Beer - STL
Sierra Nevada - Chico, CA
Southern Tier Brewing Co. - Lakewood, NY
Stone Brewing Co. - Escondido, CA
Summit Brewing Co. - St. Paul, MN

If you haven't had a chance to get to St. Louis and try breweries like 2nd Shift, 4 Hands, 6 Row, or Perennial, this is an excellent opportunity! If you have had them, well, now you can get some more of their beers without a 4-hour drive! Don't miss out, get your tickets early, and save yourself $5 at this link - http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1663931

October 02, 2012

McCoy's Beers Head to GABF!

In a little more than a week, craft beer brewers, judges, and enthusiasts will make their yearly invasion of Denver, CO, for the 31st annual Great American Beer Festival. McCoy's will be there, from October 11-13, attempting to bring some more medals back to Westport. You may have seen some of the hardware hanging on the wall by the brewhouse -


GABF isn't just a run-of-the-mill beer festival. It's one of the most prestigious beer competitions in the country. Four McCoy's beers have won medals in the past - Ginger Shandy won bronze in 2001 and silver in '02 and '03, all in the Specialty Beer category. Newcomb's IPA won the IPA bronze medal in 2002 and '04. A little more recently, Wee Willy Scotch Ale won the 2010 silver medal for Scotch Ales out of 34 entries, and last year the Pilsner took the bronze in Bohemian-Style Pilsener out of 42 entries. Interesting aside about the Pilsner's win last year - there was no gold medal winner in the category. If judges don't think that a beer in the category meets the quality and style-accuracy criteria, they may elect not to award a medal.  So last year they gave a silver to Mama's Little Yella Pils from Oskar Blues and the McCoy's Pilsner got bronze.

Today I talked with McCoy's brewer Morgan about the beers they're sending for this year's festival. All four previous award winners will be returning, along with 6 of their brethren. This year, Ginger Shandy will be entered in the Session Beer category, but the categories for the rest should be pretty straightforward. The Pilsner and the Scotch Ale are both fantastic this year, and the Newcomb's is always a favorite. The Shandy will be back on tap soon, and the other three are there right now.

Two other submitted beers are also currently on tap - the Unfiltered Wheat and Oatmeal Stout. The other four beers are some excellent brews that have made an appearance in the last year. It's hard to pick a favorite out of Toddy Stout, the Quad, DPA #9 (with Pacific Jade hops), and Blackberry Tart. . . We're excited and think we've got a great shot at a few more medals!

Are you heading out to Denver for GABF? Or is there a favorite beer of yours heading to be judged? Let us know, and check back here for results!

September 26, 2012

Oktoberfest continues at Beer Kitchen

The October beer dinner at Beer Kitchen is going to celebrate German tradition, on Oktober 22nd! There will be beers from Germany, one from Austria, as well as some locally brewed Oktoberfest style beers, paired with German-influenced foods.


Yeah this all looks good. I don't think I've had the Innstadt Pilsener or the Asam-Bock from Weltenburger. Stiegl makes great beers in Austria, and we all know and love KC's own McCoy's and Boulevard. And dang, the food. Crispy potato pancakes with one of my favorite cheeses, emmentaler. Chicken liver and truffled butter bread. Dry-hopped cheddar. Caramel braised pork and salted spÀtzle. Vanilla-blueberry donuts. All of that, yes. Get your lederhosen dry cleaned for this special dinner!

Call Beer Kitchen at 816-389-4180 to make your reservation for the 22nd. $50 per person will get you the five-course dinner, with tax and gratuity included.

September 20, 2012

Celebrate Oktoberfest with Beer KC!

When the clock strikes noon in Munich this Saturday, Lord Mayor Christian Ude will tap the first keg of Oktoberfest beer, and the celebration begins! A few days later, we'll be kicking off an Oktoberfest of our own, when McCoy's taps their latest seasonal release.

At 4 pm on Tuesday, September 25th, the McCoy's Oktoberfest beer will be tapped. You'll be able to get a 16 oz pour of this seasonal for $6, and you'll get to keep the commemorative Mason jar mug, while supplies last. This will be available at McCoy's and at the Foundry, so come out on Tuesday to get festive (lederhosen not required)!


If that's not enough for you, next month's beer dinner will have a German twist. On October 22, Beer Kitchen will have German-style ales and lagers, including Innstadt Pilsener, Weisse NaturtrĂŒb from Stiegl, Weltenburger Kloster Asam Bock, and  a couple "Kansas City Germans" - Boulevard's Bob's 47 and McCoy's Oktoberfest. These beers are going to be paired with food in a five-course meal, starting with crispy potato pancakes and ending with a Berliner (in this case, a vanilla-blueberry donut), with chicken liver, braised pork, and a dry-hopped cheddar in between. $50 will reserve your spot, including tax and gratuity. Make your reservation by calling 816-389-4180 today!

September 18, 2012

Remembering the night that was: The Local Pig Beer Dinner


A very full Beer Kitchen played host to September's beer dinner last night - a six-course meal prepared by Local Pig's Chef Alex Pope. It was fantastic. I know I say it after every dinner, but I promise, it doesn't make it any less true.

If you're not familiar Local Pig, you should be. Alex Pope opened the charcuterie early in 2012, with an emphasis on local products. In addition to the ever-changing meat offerings, the store offers premium spices, a butcher box subscription (spots fill up in a hurry, so if you see an opening announced, act quickly!), and classes on breaking down whole animals and making your own meats. And everyone at the shop is a beer lover! If you're a home brewer, you can trade some of your beers for sausages. I believe there's a limit of six at once, but that's unofficial, so don't hold me to it.

That's a little look into why this dinner was so enticing, and sold out in a hurry. Now, a course-by-course breakdown of the dinner, with some of the tunes that came on during the meal, a la my write-up of the Green Dirt Farm dinner (what can I say, when I find a gimmick I like, I'm not afraid to return to it. Plus, the music was great. And apologies for any ads that might play before the songs).

(EDIT: YouTube got all clever and changed the minimum size requirements for the players. I think. My eyes may be too tired and I may not know enough to know any different. So now the players are slightly bigger, but the music's still there!)

September 13, 2012

The Cask Chipotle Cinnamon Oatmeal Stout is here!

It's a mouthful to say, but you'll be alright just ordering "the cask beer." This is a smooth beer, with subdued flavors. Good for a cool, rainy evening, so come on out and give it a taste!


September 12, 2012

Beeeeer!

Mmmm so tasty!
Tomorrow (Thursday, September 13th), McCoy's will be tapping a special brew - the McCoy's Oatmeal Stout, kicked up with chipotle peppers and cinnamon! This clocks in a little over 6% ABV, so it's a drinkable smooth stout, with a little bite. And that's not all that makes this beer special... Julian's Celina Tio showed up, and helped on the brew day. This is going to be quite the treat!

There are a couple other special beers that will be on tap at McCoy's in the next few days. Right now, the IPA is back, this time with a slight English spin. A little maltier, not quite as hop-forward as American IPAs, but not any less delicious.

The next beer is special for the Caffeine Crawl taking place this weekend. You may be familiar with the tasty Toddy Stout that McCoy's brews, but coming soon, they'll have a different version of it. The Indian Monsoon Brown. It's the McCoy's Hogpound Brown, with a special Indian Monsoon Coffee twist, specially roasted by Broadway Roastery. Keep an eye out for it. I know the Toddy Stout is one of my favorites, so there are high hopes for this one!

One last special event coming up in a couple weeks. September 25th will be the release of McCoy's Oktoberfest! You'll get a delicious beer, in a special glass you can take home! We'll get you some more details as the day gets nearer, but keep the night free. It'll be fun.

September 06, 2012

Exciting Upcoming Beer Events!

Have you been to any of our events where we've Randyl'd McCoy's beers? Well, if you want to try more while learning about the Randyl'ing process, keep your eyes and ears open for an interactive beer talk at Julian, featuring McCoy's Brewmaster Keith Thompson. Originally scheduled for tonight, it's been postponed for a later date (Chef Tio's a little busier than she had first anticipated - not a bad problem at all!). 

We'll let you know more details about this great beer interactive, followed by a fantastic dinner, in the near future. Until then, here's a reminder of another dinner, the Local Pig beer dinner, featuring Chef Alex Pope, at Beer Kitchen.


This is one you won't want to miss, so call Beer Kitchen at 816-389-4180 to reserve your spot today!!

August 31, 2012

Coming in September: Local Pig Beer Dinner

Finally recovered from the Great Nebraska Beer Fest. It was a fantastic time, rain and all!

The view from under a tent
One of the big takeaways from the fest for me was that Cinder Block can't get here fast enough! I really enjoyed their beers (especially the lemongrass saison and the sour they brought!), and think they'll be a welcome addition to Kansas City. Any other readers make it to the fest, and have any standouts?

Now, how about a little news about our next beer dinner?

On Monday, September 17th, Beer Kitchen will host a 6-course beer diner, featuring Chef Alex Pope of Local Pig. If you're not familiar with Local Pig, why not?? It's a charcuterie, located in Kansas City's East Bottoms, specializing in hormone, steroid, and antibiotic free meats, from the Kansas City area. They make their own sausage, cure their own meats, and offer classes on butchering whole animals or making sausage, among other meat skills. And if you're a home brewer, they'll even trade you a sausage for one of your beers (I believe it's up to 6). They appreciate good beer, and sell some of the best meats you'll find. So this is a beautiful fit for a beer dinner.

Here's a quick rundown of the courses we'll be having:

First Course: 
Stillwater Debutante paired with dry-aged beef tartare, slow-roasted tomatoes, Green Dirt Farm cheese, and gaufrettes

Second Course:
Crabtree Ginger Bee with coppa, sweet corn (bread), soy-braised shiitake, red pepper custard and fennel

Third Course:
Deschutes Chainbreaker with chorizo verde, grilled scallions & almonds in phyllo, and a kale & berber vinaigrette

Fourth Course:
Hofstetten Granitbock paired with a manchego-stuffed pork chop, smoked sauerkraut, and butternut, dry-hopped honey, and apples

Fifth Course:
Contreras Valier Extra with whipped bleu cheese, beet pie, pickled melon rind relish, and balsamic

Sixth Course:
Tommyknocker Maple Nut Brown, pretzel bread pudding, morita white chocolate ice cream with rosemary pecans and roasted pear

Oh my. Oh my. First off, there are a few beers here I've never tried (I think the Deschutes and Tommyknocker are the only two I've had). Then, the food. Mmmmmmmm. I LOVE beef tartare, and fell in love with Green Dirt Farms in their beer dinner a couple months ago. So this is rockin' right off the bat. And really, I don't know that I can single out a course I'd prefer over any other right now on paper. Bread pudding is a weakness of mine, so I'm excited about a pretzel bread version of it.

This beer dinner has limited seating, so make your reservations soon! $65 per person will get you all six courses with tax and gratuity included. Hurry, this one is sure to sell out! Call us at 816-389-4180 to get your spot.

August 22, 2012

Summer Harvest Vegetarian Dinner

Being an avid lover of carnivorous dishes, I was a little nervous that after Monday night's vegetarian beer dinner, I'd have to go out and get a mess of greasy hamburgers to sate my appetite. How wrong I was. Starting with the first course, I was satisfied (and well fed!).


Up first was a roasted heirloom tomato (from Kurlbaum's) with citrus-feta orzo, paired with the Leipziger Gose. Every aspect of this course worked together. The citrus and feta orzo had a salty aspect that matched up with the gose, and the tomato had a sweetness to balance it all. Also, I still have a crush on heirloom tomatoes, and this did nothing to dissuade it. A great start to the dinner, and not suffering from a lack of meat.

This is my artsy picture
Next was seared shiitakes, wilted spinach, and fennel vinaigrette. With crispy bread and Gouden Carolus Ambrio, this was another winner. I love mushrooms, and spinach, and Parmesan cheese, and fennel. So yeah, I liked the food. This time the Gouden Carolus Ambrio provided the sweetness for the dish. And I think this was the first time I'd had this particular beer. It had some dark fruit tones, nice with the earthier flavors of the mushroom and spinach. Mushrooms took the place of meat, without taking away any of the flavor.


This was my probably favorite course. Smoked potato and leek skewer with warm gouda, paired with Orkney Skull Splitter. Rich and creamy gouda "fondue" was a perfect condiment for the smoky potatoes and leeks, and the peat in the Skull Splitter went right with it. I wanted about twenty more plates of this.


If there was one course that wasn't a crowd-pleaser, it was the tofu course. It's a divisive product, for sure. Personally, I like it, but I understand people not enjoying it. It's got an unusual texture, not a lot of flavor of its own, and not . But this worked well with the black beans, barbecue sauce, and the watercress slaw. For me, though, tofu can't be a proper substitute for meat in barbecue. Deschutes Black Butte was the beer pairing, and the porter was a great compliment.


The dessert course was possibly the best overall pairing in the meal, matching house-made Ice Chai Neapolitan  - strawberry balsamic, chocolate lavender, and peach honey vanilla, all made with chai ice cream - with McCoy's Hogpound Brown, "Randyl'd" with tea leaves and chai spices (including clove, orange peal, cardamom, peppercorn, ginger, cinnamon, star anise, and bay leaves). Again, it's another case where I like the main component of a dish, and it's knocked out of the park. Chai is a natural fit with the brown ale, as well as the three ice cream flavors. Fantastic, all around.

It was a fine night and a fine meal, and a fine example of vegetarian dishes. It wasn't a case where there were "meat substitutes," (which is where I can get derailed), but a meal made up of well-crafted dishes, dishes that required no meat component. Of course, September's beer dinner will be on the other end of the spectrum. On September 17th, Beer Kitchen will be hosting a 6-course meal with Local Pig, featuring Chef Alex Pope!  I'll put more details up soon, but this is one that you won't want to miss! I mean, aside from the vegetarians. I'm not sure there'll be much for them, so they'll probably want to miss it.

August 17, 2012

The Great Nebraska Beer Fest Approaches!

No plans next weekend? Why not make a weekend trip to Papillion, Nebraska, for the Great Nebraska Beer Fest! We'll have beer available there, including our Ginger Shandy, Kolsch, ESB, and Pacific Jade DPA. There's a great list of breweries that will be at the fest, many that we don't usually see around these parts! Here are a few highlights - 


A great brewery out of the land of great breweries, Colorado. Fort Collins to be specific. They generally make saisons, and make them very well. Tropic King is a favorite of mine, but they're all top-notch. As far as I know, you can't get their bottles outside of Colorado, so it's a treat for them to be this far away from home!
Another that doesn't get too far from its home state, Cigar City has been making some fine beers in Tampa, FL. The Jai Alai is a great IPA, and I'm really intrigued by the Cucumber Saison and the Good Gourd Imperial Pumpkin Ale.


This one is near my heart, as it's from the city where I was born, Davenport, IA. Their Red Band Stout is ridiculously good. If you like coffee stouts, seek this one out. Granted, that's the one beer I've had from them, but it was fantastic. I'm excited to try more.


Another from my home state. What can I say, I'm a sucker. But Peace Tree earns it, making a wide variety of tasty, tasty beers in Knoxville, IA. At last year's fest, they had a version of their Cornucopia Saison with Brett that was AMAZING. My favorite beer at the fest. This year, they're bringing a Wild Templeton Red, a beer that has gotten nothing but rave reviews from those who have had it. 

Of course, Missouri and Kansas breweries will be well-represented, too! KC will have McCoy's, Boulevard, and soon-to-be newcomer Cinder Block. Some of our friends from St. Louis will be on hand as well - Morgan Street, 4 Hands, Schlafly, Cathedral Square, and Perennial. 23rd St, Little Apple, Blind Tiger, Free State, and Tallgrass will be part of the Kansas contingency. And then there are lots of smaller breweries and even home brewed beers that will be there.

I could go on and on listing many more of the breweries, but then I'd just end up with the list posted on the site. So check it out, and hopefully we'll see you there next weekend! 

August 08, 2012

Dog Days and the next Beer Dinner

Saturday's Dog Days of Summer was a great end to Base Camp! There were some great beers from Deschutes, including some goodies in Woody. If you missed it, you might find a few of the beers still around. . . The Foundry has Black Butte XXIV on tap, and Beer Kitchen still has some of the Black Butte XXIII! The Horse Ridge IPA went pretty quickly at McCoy's, so get here and try these before they're gone.

Getting the Black Butte XXIII marked off on the passport
Fans lining up for Woody!

We have another exciting event coming up in a few short weeks, as it's once again time for our annual vegetarian beer dinner.

On Monday, August 20th, Beer Kitchen will host a five-course Summer Harvest Vegetarian Dinner, featuring local produce!


You may recognize the Leipziger Gose from an earlier post, in a lineup of fantastic beers. After the gose, there's a great Belgian Strong Ale, a delicious Scotch ale, one of the best porters around, and then an excellent local beer, "Randyl'd" with something special! And the food features local produce, appealing to the vegetarian fans! 

$50 will get your ticket, and includes all food and beers on the menu, tax, and gratuity for the night! Call 816-389-4180 to reserve your spot!