Get camping with Sierra Nevada and friends at Foundry

Today will be your next chance to drink a few of the Sierra Nevada Beer Camp collaboration brews, when The Foundry taps Maillard's Odyssey, There and Back, and Chico King. Maillard's Odyssey is an imperial dark ale brewed with Bell's Brewing, There and Back is an extra special bitter brewed with Wisconsin's New Glarus, and Chico King is a pale ale that Sierra Nevada brewed with Indiana's Three Floyds. Great beers all of them, and one of the last chances to try them in Kansas City!

Then this weekend celebrate the back to school season with an ice cream social. The Foundry will have five homemade beer ice creams available for $2 a scoop, so whether you're commiserating with classmates over the start of the year or enjoying your kids being out of the house, we'll have you covered. The party starts at 6 pm on Sunday, August 24th.

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp comes to Beer KC

Beer KC is your spot to try some beers in Sierra Nevada's Beer Camp series! Your first chance will be tonight, when Beer Kitchen will be tapping Maillard's Odyssey, a Sierra Nevada/Bell's collaboration. This is an Imperial Dark Ale, named after a process that occurs in brewing -

Maillard reaction—the “browning” of sugars and amino acids—that creates the wonderful caramelized toffee-like and roasted flavors so abundant in this beer.

This will be tapped at 4 pm TODAY! Maillard's Odyssey has a 99 on RateBeer, so it'll be going fast. It won't be the only special beer tapped today, however. Beer Kitchen will also be putting on Bell's Third Coast Ale - a fantastic old ale - and Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest - a fresh-hopped IPA, featuring New Zealand hops. Full and half pours will be available of each of the beer.

The next opportunity to try some Beer Camp offerings will come next week, when The Foundry taps Maillard's Odyssey alongside the New Glarus collaborated There and Back, an English bitter, and the Three Floyds Chico King, a pale ale. New Glarus and Three Floyds are two legendary Midwestern breweries with very limited distribution (as in barely gets out of their states of Wisconsin and Indiana, respectively). They'll be on tap at Foundry on Wednesday, August 20th at 4 pm. Be there. To sweeten the deal, the excellent Sierra Nevada Torpedo (extra IPA) will also be tapped.

World Cup and beer bottles a'plenty!

Want a perfect combo for watching the USMNT play Portugal in the World Cup on Sunday? Head to McCoy's and grab a house brew, or go to Foundry and get a bottle of Boulevard's Championship Ale, brewed for Sporting Kansas City's MLS championship!

Or if you're looking for something to pucker your lips, Foundry has bottles Love Child #4 available. There are a couple other bottles of tart beer too - Grassroots Arctic Soiree is a nice one from a collaboration between Anchorage and Hill Farmstead, and Justin Blaeber is a delicious blueberry Berliner Weisse from Evil Twin. Or compare and contrast between a bottle and a draft pour of Zwet.be wild porter from 3 Fonteinen. Get funky!

Also at the Foundry, you'll find a nice collection of cool stuff from Stone Brewing. Vertical Epic 11.11.11 is on tap now, with a few years of age on it. Then in the beer cooler you'll find Crime, Punishment, and Collective Distortion - a rockin' collaborative Double IPA.

Get ready for American Craft Beer Week 2014

Next week celebrate the 2014 edition of American Craft Beer Week with Beer KC! We have some great events throughout the week, so clear your calendars.

Monday, May 12th is Randyl Night at McCoy's. Starting at 4 pm, we'll be featuring 2 different Randyl beers - Rose Farmhouse & Grapefruit/Sage Gose.

Then on Tuesday, May 13th will be the McCoy's Maibock Release Party, also starting at 4 pm. Our special spring release in a 16oz commemorative mug for $7 (while supplies last), available at both McCoy's and The Foundry.

Wednesday, May 14th will be the next food and beer pairing, this time featuring Odell Beer paired with cheese. At 5:30 pm at Beer Kitchen, come meet Matt Shadid from Odell Brewing Co. & sample Celestrina, St. Lupulin, Lugene, & Tree Shaker all paired w/ Artisanal cheeses. $30/person + tax & gratuity

And then wrap up your work week on Friday, May 16th with a special Goose Island Lolita Tapping at 4pm at The Foundry:. We'll be tapping the rare Goose Island Lolita (sour ale belgian style ale w/ raspberries, one of the "Sisters") poured in a commemorative Goose Island tulip (while supplies last).

A couple of new taps at Foundry

If you're going to be in Westport for the Middle of the Map Fest this weekend, stop in to your favorite Beer KC spot to refuel between shows! McCoy's has the always refreshing Raspberry Wheat on tap. Or visit The Foundry, where we've recently tapped a rare keg of Anchorage Brewing's Galaxy White IPA. This delicious twist on your standard IPA uses Galaxy hops from Australia, and it gets the "white" from the use of coriander, kumquat, and peppercorn. To take it up one more level, it's primed with Brettanomyces, giving it a nice funky flavor. This is a unique beer, and one you might not see on tap again, so get it while you can.

Also new to the tap wall is Dieu du Ciel's Route des épices - a rye beer brewed with black and green peppercorns. French for "Spice route," you'll get some spiciness in each sip, both from the rye and the peppercorns. Not a sharp or burning spice, but a nice tingle on your tongue.

Give both of these a try and see how different beers with peppercorns can be!

Beers (and a beer dinner) that'll make braving the cold worthwhile

Have you been able to dig yourself out of the snow? Then you deserve to treat yourself! McCoy's, The Foundry, and Beer Kitchen are all back on normal schedules, ready to get some warm food and cold drinks in you. The Foundry has Hopslam on tap, and it is goooooooooood. Get it today before it's gone. Hmm, what other beers are coming out soon.... like and keep an eye on all of the Beer KC restaurants on Facebook for upcoming special releases - The Foundry, McCoy's, Beer Kitchen.

And did you know Beer KC now has an Instagram account? Check it out at instagram.com/beer_kc. You might see beers that are newly stocked like this one from last week...

And coming Monday is the annual Grain Vs. Grape beer dinner! Take a look at this menu -

YUM. Grain is looking to regain its rightful place at the top after taking a tough loss last year, so come help us stuff the ballot box. Call 816-389-4180 for more information.

Beer and cheese - a natural combination

The beer

On Sunday there was an intimate gathering treated to a tasting of the Goose Island "sisters" - Halia, Gillian, Juliet, and Lolita - paired with cheese. As an added bonus, dessert was a cheese paired with a glass of Bourbon County Stout.

The cheese

It was a casual environment, with attendees conversing as the beers were served, passing around trays of bread, bowls of candied and spicy nuts, and jars of different condiments.

Halia with the Stilton

Halia was the first beer, paired with Long Clawson White Stilton with lemon. Since all of these beers were sour, Beer KC Beer Director Randyl Danner thought more in terms of the fruit in each paired with the cheese. Halia is a farmhouse ale aged with peaches and had a subtle sweetness that was balanced by the cheese. Most Stilton is blue cheese, with veins of mold running through it. The cheese in this pairing was the mellower white variety, enhanced infused with lemon. The tartness of the lemon played well with that of the beer, and the peach and citrus didn't get in the way of each other.

Gillian with Ricotta

Strawberry, white pepper, and honey were a part of the next beer, Gillian. When the beer was first served, the strawberry flavors took a backseat to the pepper, but as it sat and warmed the strawberry came to the forefront, opening up with beautiful balance. The Mitica Ricotta was rich, and the acidity and fruitiness of the helped balance some of it. And some of either the apple or berry chutney cut the dryness of the crumbly cheese.

Juliet with Lincet Delices de Bourgogne

The next pairing featured the personal favorite beer and cheese on the afternoon. Juliet's blackberries and tartness next to the soft and creamy Lincet Delices de Bourgogne. Each are phenomenal representations of their respective styles and complimented each other very well. The beer was sweet and tart but not overwhelming at either, and the smooth cheese was mellow enough to match the fruit but strong enough to keep up with the sour (these qualities actually made the cheese a natural pair with all of the beers, but it worked best with Juliet, the sourest of the bunch).

Lolita and brie

Lolita was the last of the sisters, paired with a classic triple cream brie. Once again a great pairing of a sour beer with a soft cheese, though the brie was a little nuttier and mellower than the Delices de Bourgogne, and the Lolita's raspberries slightly sweeter than Juliet.

Bourbon County Stout and el Trigal Manchego 12

While the Juliet and Delices de Bourgogne may have been my favorite beer and cheese of the day, my favorite overall pairing was the "dessert." The big Bourbon County Stout may seem better suited for chocolate, but the aged Manchego was perfect next to the bold beer. The cheese was nutty and subdued, and let the beer do most of the heavy lifting. It had a slight creaminess that went with the rich mouthfeel of the stout but enough structure to hold its own and not be totally overcome. This was a perfect pairing.

Miss out this time? Beer KC will be hosting another beer and cheese pairing in October! Keep your eyes open for details later this year.

Holiday Hours at Beer KC and a New Year's Brunch!

If you're looking for a place to grab a bite and/or a drink and maybe watch some football (or do some last second Christmas shopping) over the next few days, Beer KC has you covered. On Christmas Eve, McCoy's and Beer Kitchen will both be open until 5 pm. The Foundry is going to be closed, so get your growlers filled at McCoy's during the day!

On Christmas day, Beer Kitchen and The Foundry will open at 6. Perfect time to get up and go grab a beer after your post-dinner nap.

Thinking about New Year's Eve plans? Well $10 will get your in to all three of our restaurants that night, with DJs playing all night! Then come back and kick off 2014 with brunch at Beer Kitchen, or enjoy a special a 5 course brunch at the Foundry -

There's no better way to clear the haze from the night before. Great beers, great food, at a good time to get breakfast. Noon. Seriously, pork belly monte cristo slider? Plus, a couple of beers from breweries new to the area - Prairie and Cambridge. Call The Foundry now at 816-960-0688 to claim your spot.

Ursa Major 2013 Release Party

We've struggled through some really freakin' cold and now some unseasonably warm temperatures, a dusting of snow and a morning of icy sidewalks, but it's all worth it. Today's the day when McCoy's unleashes an early Christmas present to you. Yep, it's time again for the Ursa Major release party! Today at 4 McCoy's and The Foundry will be tapping not only this year's Ursa Major, but 2012's and 2011's as well.

Proud brewers

For $10 you'll get your first pour AND a commemorative glass to take home! Sure, the glass would make a great gift on its own (for yourself or a loved one), but what if you want to fill it with delicious imperial stout? Pick up a bottle of this year's Ursa Major!

There are only 72 bottles available for purchase, so get yours early.

Gifts for kids, a pint for you

If you're out and about this weekend doing some holiday shopping and want to help spread joy in the community, bring an unwrapped children's gift to The Foundry from noon to 4 today or tomorrow. We're working with Operation Breakthrough to collect gifts for underprivileged kids. And while you're here, grab a McCoy's pint for $2, our little way of saying THANK YOU!

Left Hand Pint Night

Have plans Tuesday? No? Well now you do. Head to Beer Kitchen for Left Hand Brewing Pint Night!

Beer Kitchen will have four beers from Left Hand on tap -

• Homefront IPA; American IPA; 6.6%
• Safety Round Ale #1: Belgo-American Pale Ale; 4.6%
• Ambidextrous Step 5: Sticke Alt; 7.4%
• Oktoberfest; 6.6%

- AND you get to take home a pint glass!!

Some cool beers here. If you're not familiar with the Homefront IPA, it's become a yearly tradition now, first started by Fremont Brewing Co. and Center of the Universe Brewing Co. Each year different breweries across the country brew Homefront, each given bats from Louisville Slugger to be added to the beer! But the best part about this brew is all proceeds from it will go towards Operation Homefront, a national non-profit providing emergency assistance to military families and wounded warriors. 

The Safety Round Ale #1 will be available for the first time here, a light new Belgo-American Pale Ale. Then there's the next iteration of the Ambidextrous series, a Sticke Alt. Hey, why does that sound familiar... And it's getting to be the time of the year for Oktoberfest beers! 

(Speaking of Oktoberfest - don't forget about McCoy's Oktoberfest coming up in a few weeks!!)

So grab a pint and get a pint glass to keep! And get some dinner while you're in Westport, either at Beer Kitchen or across the street at The Foundry's Taco Tuesday. You could have worse Tuesdays.

Cheers!

Vote Beer KC

It's time for round 2 of voting in The Pitch's Best of Kansas City, and Beer KC is well represented!

McCoy's is in the running for

• Best Outdoor Dining
• Best Brew Pub
• Best Local Craft Brewer
• Best Local Microbrewer
• Best Patio

The Foundry is nominated for

• Best Bar Food
• Best Bar for People Watching
• Best Beer Selection (Bottles)

Beer Kitchen's nominations are

• Best Brunch
• Best Bloody Mary
• Best Brew Pub 

And our Strong Ale Fest is up for Best Beer Festival!! (That one returns November 16th, 1-5pm, so get your strong drinking shoes ready.)

Head to The Pitch to cast your votes for Beer KC. They're on the last few pages of the survey, but there are local friends nominated all along the way.

Perennial tapping at Foundry!

Head to The Foundry this evening for some delicious beers from across the state! St. Louis' Perennial Artisan Ales is going to have three beers tapping at 6 tonight: Peach Berliner Weisse (a berliner with peaches! And special schuss syrup!), Woodside Trippel (a trippel brewed with local woodside honey!), and Barry Rye (a dark rye ale fermented on local blackberries!). And Plan B (Belgian strong dark ale collabo with Half Acre from Chicago, brewed with black currants!) is already on tap. You can get a 6 oz taster or a full pour if any of them.

All five saisons from the Saison Showdown are still available on tap as well, so it looks like the next few days of your week are planned.

Celebrate five years of AWESOME with the Foundry

The Foundry five year anniversary party kicks off now! All week long, 10% of Boulevard's KC Pils sales from both The Foundry and Beer Kitchen will be donated to KC Pet Project. Drink for a cause!

On Thursday, August 15, join us for a Saison Showdown. When The Foundry opens at 4 p.m., we'll have five different saisons tapped - 4 Hands Pyrus, Anchor Zymaster Series Saison, Boulevard Saison-Brett, Great Divide Colette, and Odell Celestrina. Excellent beers, all rated 88 or higher, with Saison-Brett with a perfect 100. It's a perfect beer. I like saison season, and right now the forecast looks absolutely perfect for sipping on one (or five) on the patio.

Then on Sunday, you won't want to miss our Back to School Beer Ice Cream Social! This is an ice cream social for adults (it's OK to still be a kid at heart but please be 21 at everything else), with beer ice cream and beer floats. The five beer ice creams will be made with Boulevard Harvest Dance, St. Louis Peche, Stiegl Weisse, McCoy's Farmhouse, Bell's Kalamazoo Stout, and the 2 beer floats will be St. Louis Frambois with cheese cake ice cream and McCoy's Stout with white chocolate ice cream. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm yes. Yes. Please.

The party starts at 7 p.m. on Sunday the 18th, and you better believe I'll be there counting down the seconds. Set your DVR to record Breaking Bad so you don't have to hurry and give yourself an ice cream headache. It'll be worth the wait, especially after you polish off the fifth ice cream. And the second float. Because come on, you're going to want to eat all of it and then yell I AM THE ONE WHO EATS ICE CREAM and call yourself Icecreamberg.

McCoy's Sticke Alt now on tap!

Looking to expand your beer horizons this weekend? Come out and try the latest from McCoy's, a collaboration with Gordon Biersch - Sticke Alt. This is a little bit stronger than a usual Altbier, dark and malty and smooooooth. Maybe smoooove. Do people say that? Either way, it's good, and on tap now at both McCoy's and the Foundry.

Bad phone picture, good beer

Or if you're looking to join in the IPA Day celebration, the Foundry has Boulevard's Pop-Up IPA on tap! It's a sessionable IPA, clocking in at only 4.2% ABV. All of the hops you want in an IPA, but you can have one or two without feeling overcome by alcohol like you might with some of the bigger boys.

Don't forget that the beer dinner featuring heirloom tomatoes from Kurlbaum's Farm is just around the corner! It's coming up Monday, August 5th, at 7 pm. If you're not familiar with heirloom tomatoes, read this great blog post from The History Kitchen about the history of heirloom seeds. It's amazing to know that you're eating fruits and vegetables that trace back hundreds of years! 

Happy birthday to the Foundry!

Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Foundry's opening! Come down to Westport and help celebrate with a special brew from McCoy's, a gose.

Coriander and salt were added to the kettle while it was brewing, giving this beer a unique taste. It's a hazy orangish yellow, kinda similar to a wheat in appearance, with a tart flavor and little hint of salt. Delicious and refreshing, perfect for these hot days!

American Craft Beer Week 2013

First off, a very heartfelt and enthusiastic congratulations to Beer KC's own Director of Beer Randyl Danner, as she and her husband Boulevard Brewing icon Jeremy welcomed their son Cooper Del early this morning! Raise a pint to them tonight!

And now for the second-most anticipated event of May... American Craft Brew Week starts Monday, May 13th, and Beer KC will have activities for you all week.

Starting Monday, Beer Kitchen will be offering a three course food and beer pairing for both lunch and dinner, available for only $30! This deal will be running all week long, so come in and have a your own personal beer dinner! Speaking of beer dinners, the next one will be taking place in June, and it will be EPIC. I don't use that word lightly. The official announcement will take place during ACBW, so keep your eyes peeled. You won't want to miss it!

Monday will also be Randyl Monday! McCoy's will have the delicious Ginger Shandy Randyl'd with mangos and chili peppers along with the Lunch Pale Ale with strawberries and basil. Mmmm.... both are great combinations. They'll be on all day, so stop by and grab a pint of each!

Then come by on Tuesday at 4 pm for the McCoy's Maibock release party! McCoy's and the Foundry will both have the Maibock on tap, $7 gets you a pour and a commemorative mug. Refills will be cheaper. Unless you want more mugs. Then you pay $7 for it and beer again.

Wednesday's going to be a special day at the Foundry. From 6-8:30 Boulevard founder John McDonald, brewmaster Steven Pauwels, and long-time legendary employee Trip Hogue will be on hand to sign bottles!! Purchase a bottle at the Foundry, or bring in your own special bottle from your collection. Maybe get Trip's autograph next to his face on a bottle of Long Strange Tripel. Or maybe you have a bottle from the first run of Chocolate Ale you'd like to have signed by all three. You could even buy a bottle of Love Child #3 at the Foundry! So many options.

The event Thursday brings a classic pairing together again. Pints and Pretzels. Choose from 4 different pairings at McCoy's and Foundry, or don't make a choice and get all 4. It's American Craft Beer Week, it only comes around once a year. Live a little!

Friday and Saturday you'll have to be on your own. I'm sure you kids will find something fun to do, you always do. But make sure you save some energy for Sunday, because the Foundry will be having a free tasting of the flagship beers from Odell! Come make friends with a new beer, become reacquainted with an old beer flame, or just drink some damn good free samples. The fun will run from 4-6, so come and get your tastes in and then figure out what you'll want the rest of the night.

You know you want to be cool and let all your friends know you're going to be taking part in the fun, so let them know by RSVP'ing on our Facebook American Craft Beer Week Events page.

And don't forget to get your ticket for the Summer Beer Fest! Buy it in advance and save yourself $5. They're $25 now, and will be $30 the day of at the gate (if tickets remain).

There will be some more very cool stuff coming up soon... keep checking here or the Facebook pages for the announcements!

Save the Date - Westport Summer Beer Festival is coming June 15!

It's getting to be nice weather outside, which brings one of my favorite pastimes - enjoying a beverage outdoors. We're lucky to have two of the best patios in town right next to each other, at McCoy's and the Foundry! While you're out enjoying the gorgeous day and Middle of the Map Fest, swing by for a beer and a burger.

Speaking of outdoor drinking, the next beer fest will be here before you know it! The Westport Summer Beer Festival returns June 15. Over 70 beers from 35 different breweries. Sign me up. Tickets are $25 in advance, and will be $30 at the gate. Be sure to RSVP on Facebook to stay up to date on the details - https://www.facebook.com/events/294011130730644/ and keep an eye on http://www.mccoyskc.com/ for a link to purchase your tickets in the near future.

Take a Shift at the Foundry

Tuesday, February 19 (tomorrow!), New Belgium Beer Ranger Adam Satz will be at the Foundry to join in the fun as we tap a keg of Shift Pale Lager! If you haven't had this one, WHY NOT??!?!?! Tomorrow will be a great opportunity to have this crisp, easy-drinking lager. To sweeten the deal, you'll be able to take home a New Belgium globe, if you're there while the supplies last. The party starts at 8, so come say hello to Adam, get a beer, get a new glass to add to your collection, and have a tasty lager.

Then don't forget next Tuesday (the 26th) is the Foundry's Big Ass Stout Night! 10 big ass stouts will be tapped at 4 pm. You can get 6 oz pours if you want to try a few different ones, or full pours if you find one you love. Here's a look at what we'll have -

• Bell's Java Stout
• Bell's Expedition 
• Deschutes Abyss 2012 
• Deschutes Black Butte Porter XXIV 
• Founders Imperial Stout 
• Founders Breakfast Stout 
• Goose Island Night Stalker 
• Goose Island Bourbon County Stout 
• Goose Island Big John 
• Southern Tier Choklat

Yes yes. Price will very depending on which beer you get, but there's no charge to get in, no tickets or anything like that. Just great beers. The next two Tuesdays look to be shaping up quite nicely.

Tomorrow forecast calls for a 98% chance of Grainstorm

New beers are always exciting, especially when they're from our hometown friends! Tomorrow (Tuesday [February 5]), the Foundry will be tapping the newest beer from Boulevard, a Black Rye IPA that goes by the name of Grainstorm. I tried some of a test batch at the Boulevard Taproom, and it's dang good. Come on over after work and have a glass! 

Sunny in KC now that they Rye front has passed

While you're there, check out some of the new items on the menu. I'll vouch for the carnitas tacos. They're delicious. And I've heard great things about the other items, like the zucchini fries, a turkey burger, chicken tinga tacos, and basically all of it. Try them all.

Then you might want to start thinking of excuses for missing work on February 27th, or at least coming in late, so you can fully enjoy our Big Ass Stout Night on the 26th! From 4 - close, the Foundry will have some amazing (and big) stouts on tap. Here's a taste of some of the beers that will be tapped -

Bell's Java Stout
Bell's Expedition
Deschutes Abyss 2012
Deschutes Black Butte Porter XXIV
Founders Imperial Stout
Founders Breakfast Stout
Goose Island Night Stalker
Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
Goose Island Big John
Southern Tier Choklat

YUUUUM. You'll be able to get a full or 6 oz. pour of the beers. And they're all Big Ass Stouts that will get the job done. Should be a fun night!