Grand Teton Beer Dinner - 1.22.12

Beer Kitchen's first Brewmaster's Dinner of 2012 will feature beers exclusively from Victor, Idaho's Grand Teton Brewing Company. Grand Teton is most known for their multiple award winning Bitch Creek E.S.B. (pretty impressive stack of awards for one beer!), but they've stepped up their credentials considerably with the addition of their Brewer's Series & Cellar Reserve Series, putting out more world-class brews like the Lost Continent Double IPA and Persephone Imperial Pilsner. We're pretty lucky to have one of the most underrated small breweries distribute their beers to Kansas City and very excited to feature them at this dinner. Here's whats on the menu:

- pan fried sweet breads with red chili-flake honey paired with Pursuit of Hoppiness Imperial Red ale - 8.5% ABV

- smoked tomato & fennel broth with basil goat cheese and house made cracker with Sweetgrass APA - 6% ABV

- red snapper with e.c.b. pommes anna & roasted winter vegetables with Howling Wolf hefeweizen - 5% ABV

- roasted sirloin with fried egg & spicy potatoes with Bitch Creek E.S.B. - 6% ABV

- chai infused panna cotta, candied citrus zest & chocolate sauce with Wake Up Call Imperial Coffee porter - 7.5% ABV

Tickets are only $50 per person - including tax & gratuity - and can be picked up at all 3 Beer KC restaurants or by calling Beer Kitchen at (816) 389.4180. See you next year - cheers!

Now on Tap - Broadway Toddy Stout

Now on tap for a limited time is the latest batch of our Broadway Toddy Stout. This is our Oatmeal Stout that's been infused with a special 'toddy' coffee blend made exclusively for McCoy's from our friends at the Broadway Roasting Co. The toddy method of brewing is a cold-extraction, which reduces the coffee's bitterness by up to 70%, resulting in a highly concentrated coffee with tons of flavor and packed with caffeine. 

Brewer's specs:

Malt: pale, Munich, Carapils, roasted, black, honey & oats

Hops: Bravo & Willamette

Fermented with McCoy's house ale yeast

Cold extracted Broadway Cafe toddy added after maturation

45 IBU

6.1% ABV

Now on Tap - Ursa Major Imperial Stout

Now on tap is a fresh batch of our Russian imperial stout, Ursa Major.  This massive ale is brewed only once a year and released during the Winter Solstice. It was brought out in style last night and we still have some 2010 Ursa left as well. This is one of our most popular beers and perfect for sipping as we prepare for the cold weather. We held a few kegs back so you can try this beer throughout the year as it mellows with age; watch this space for future tappings. Come try it before it's gone - for now...

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

Pics - Feast of Samichlaus 12.11.11

Sunday night at Beer Kitchen marked the 3rd edition of the Feast of Samichlaus - our annual holiday gathering. Each year we pair several winter seasonal brews with a dish from each beer's respective country, providing a taste of traditional European holiday food & beverage.  Many thanks to those of you made it out, but for those that didn't here's what you missed:

reception beer: McCoy's Hogpound Brown randalled through clove, cinnamon sticks and cranberries.  this stuff was delicious - holidays in a glass!

we drank a lot...

lemony gravlax with peppered pear jam and toasted sweet bread paired with Brasserie de Silly's Enghein Noel Triple Blonde

beef & leek carbonade a la flamande with Boucanier Christmas Belgian strong pale ale

roasted chestnut arborio rice with butter-braised duck & cracklins with Mikkeller's Red White Christmas ale

Nogne-0/Jolly Pumpkin/Stone Special Holiday Ale collaboration beer.  definitely one of the highlights of the night

sage-smoked lamb chop with mustard seed potatoes and spiced cabbage

milk chocolate strudel, candied orange and caramel cream served with Samichlaus Bier - the world's strongest lager

Tickets are available now for January's Brewmaster's Dinner featuring beers exclusively from Idaho's Grand Teton Brewing Company.  More information on that as it becomes available.  Call Beer Kitchen at 816.389.4180 or stop by any of the Beer KC restaurants to make your reservations. Cheers!

Ursa Major Release Party - 12.20.11

It's that time of the year again - the annual release of our massive imperial stout, Ursa Major.  On Tuesday, December 20th at 4:00, McCoy's and the Foundry will be offering $8 commemorative glasses full of one of our most popular beers ever.  We'll also have a few bottles of 2010 & 2011 Ursa for sale, as well as draft flights available so you can try them side-by-side.  There might even be an appearance from the Green Eyed Monster - Ursa Major that's been aged with Chartreuse-soaked oak spirals...

last year's glassware

Feast of Samichlaus - 12.11.11

Join us at Beer Kitchen on Sunday, December 11th at 6:30 for our third annual Feast of Samichlaus - a holiday tradition in overindulgence.  December always marks one of the more adventurous and fulfilling Brewmaster's Dinners of the year and this will be no exception. Featuring 6 strong ales paired with 5 carefully created dishes, this dinner will be one of the highlights of the year. We're very excited to offer this unique holiday dinner and hope that you will join us.

Here's what's on the menu:

- McCoy's Belgian-style Quadrupel reception beer (our first ever quad!)

- Brasserie de Silly Enghein Noel Triple Blonde ale with lemony gravlax, peppered pear jam and toasted sweet bread

- Boucanier Christmas Belgian strong pale ale with beef & leek carbonade a la flamande

- Mikkeller Red White Christmas ale served with roasted chestnut arborio rice, butter braised duck & cracklins

- Nogne-0/Stone/Jolly Pumpkin Special Holiday Ale with sage-smoked lambchop, mustard seed potatoes and spiced cabbage

- Schloss Eggenberg Samichlaus Bier with milk chocolate strudel, candied orange and caramel cream

Tickets are available now for only $50 per person including tax & gratuity, and can be picked up at all 3 Beer KC restaurants or by calling Beer Kitchen (816) 389.4180. Come in for a pint and make your reservations ASAP - cheers!

Pics - Founders Beer Dinner 11.20.11

Sunday night was the latest in our series of monthly Brewmaster's Dinners at Beer Kitchen.  This month's dinner featured beers exclusively from Grand Rapids, Michigan's Founders Brewing Co.  Founders was recently rated the second best brewery in America on ratebeer.com and we got to try several of there award winning and seasonal beers paired with some incredibly delicious dishes.  Huge thanks to those who made it out, but for those that didn't here's what you missed:

sweet potato poutine with smoked pork belly gravy & fried egg paired with Pale Ale 

bleu cheese dressed mache, pickled roots, crunchy bread and purple gastrique served with Centennial IPA

lobster chili blanc with Harvest Ale - seasonal wet hop pale ale

red deer pot roast banger with carmelized cherry, smashed potatoes with bourbon butter paired with Backwoods Bastard - barrel-aged Scotch ale

dark roasted waffle, hazelnut curd and vanilla bean syrup paired with Breakfast Stout - double chocolate coffee oatmeal stout

Tickets are available now for December's dinner - the third annual Feast of Samichlaus.  Reservations can be made at all 3 Beer KC restaurants or by calling Beer Kitchen (816) 389.4180.  Cheers!

Pics - Strong Ale Fest 11.12.11

Saturday marked the first annual Beer KC Strong Ale Fest held at the McCoy's / Foundry parking lot.  We had 28 breweries participate and over 30 different beers that all clocked in at 8% ABV or more.  The weather couldn't have cooperated any more than it did, making for an excellent day to be outside drinking some incredible beers.  Here are a few pics from a rough day of heavy drinking:

McCoy's Brewmaster Keith Thompson and Beer KC owner James Westphal

Boulevard brought a bit of their fabled Nutsack or "super dry-hopped Nutcracker"

there's a 'wiener in mouth' joke here but I'll pass because I like my job

big thanks to co-sponsor Diebel's for providing some great cigars

Boulevard's test batch Double Pale Ale

McCoy's Brewmaster Keith Thompson and fest organizers Randyl Danner & James Westphal

the first guy to break his glass got honorary mention

Chef Michael Peterson serving up sausage & peppers

Gordon Biersch KC head brewer James Hudec

Cheers!