Now on Tap - Wee Willy Scotch Ale

Scotch ales are strong ales also known as "wee heavy." In the 19th century Scotland, they'd also be known as 160/-, a nomenclature based on the now obsolete shilling currency. Scotch ales traditionally go through a long boil in the kettle for a caramelization of the wort. This produces a deep copper to brown colored brew. Compared to Scottish ales, they'll be sweeter and fuller-bodied, and higher in alcohol, with a much more pronounced malty caramel and roasted malt flavor. Our Wee Willy Scotch Ale uses peated malt in the mash. A smoky & peaty malt flavor is the result – kind of briney or sea-salty. Hopping is low but malt flavor and body is pronounced. Beer lovers - or Scotch whisky lovers - will really enjoy this 2010 GABF silver medal winning robust & smoky strong ale!

Brewers’ specs:

Malt: 55% Pale, 15% Carapils, 10%Vienna, 5% Munich, 5% biscuit, 5% wheat, 3.5% peated & 1.5% roasted
Hops are a blend of English Goldings and Fuggle, American Willamette and German Spalt

Fermented with McCoy's house ale yeast; cellared 2 months

OG: 20.2 Plato 8.3% ABV

McCoy's Oktoberfest Tapping - 9.27.11

This Tuesday marks the annual release of our Oktoberfest beer.  Beginning at 4:00, McCoy's and the Foundry will be offering pours of this crisp and refreshing Märzen-style lager in a commemorative boot glass for $8.  It should be perfect weather to come by and try one of our most popular seasonal brews.  Zum Wohl! 

Crispin & Fox Barrel Cider Dinner - 10.16.11

Coming up on Sunday, October 16th at Beer Kitchen is the latest edition of our monthly beer dinners.  This time we'll be showcasing the emerging trend of craft ciders by industry leaders Crispin & Fox Barrel. The five-course dinner will be hosted by the Crispin cider-master who will explain the intricacies of his creations while Beer KC beer manager Randyl Danner will discuss the food  and pairings.  Here's what's on the menu:

- Fox Barrel unfiltered pear cider with elderberry & rhubarb paired with warm rocket salad, pear & lingonberry vinaigrette and gruyere cheese 'puffs'

- Fox Barrel unfiltered pear cider with ginger & black currant paired with butternut squash bisque and nutmeg foam

- Crispin Cho-Tukkyu apple cider fermented with sake yeast paired with halibut-cheek sausage, sesame-vegetable crepes & lemon caper beurre blanc

- Crispin Landsdowne apple cider fermented with Irish Stout yeast served with oxtail osso bucco, toasted barley risotto, pan jus & red onion compote

- Crispin Honey Crisp apple cider fermented with honey paired with apple-cranberry turnover, Crispin cider sabayon & vanilla bean gelato

Reservations are $50 per person, including tax & gratuity and are available at all 3 Beer KC restaurants or by calling Beer Kitchen at 816.389.4180.

Pics - GABF Dinner 9.18.11

Sunday night's Brewmaster's Dinner was a 5 course food and beer pairing featuring beers that took home medals in the 2010 Great American Beer Festival.  While this month's dinner was a smaller, relatively low-key affair, the food and beer were as impressive as always.  This was a great opportunity to taste some of the best beers in the world carefully paired with some of the best food in KC.  Huge thanks to those of you who made it out, but for those that didn't here's what you missed:

surprise reception course of smoked salmon, caviar & watercress

butter poached asparagus and spiced burrata with parma ham and melon creme fraiche paired with Pyramid's Apricot Ale - silver medal: Fruit Beer

crispy razor clams with hedgehog butter & tiny lemon cress served with Deschutes' Mirror Pond - gold medal: English-style Pale Ale

waygu & beet tartare, charred basil vinaigrette, sheep's milk cheese & foie toast

paired with Stone's Sublimely Self Righteous - bronze medal: India Black Ale

honey braised Berkshire pork shank, peppered parsnips & smoked bacon pea jus paired with Ommegang's Three Philosophers - bronze: Belgian-style Abbey Ale

beemster vlaskaas cheese with pickled grapes & rocket served with McCoy's Wee Willy Scotch Ale - silver medal: Scotch Ale

Reservations are open for next month's dinner featuring ciders from Crispin & Fox Barrel; 5 courses paired with rare apple & pear ciders.  More information as it becomes available or come by any of the three Beer KC restaurants or call 816.389.4180 to make reservations - $50 per person including tax & gratuity.

Buy a Beer for Joplin

Beer KC is teaming up with Boulevard Brewing Company to help provide relief for our southern neighbors in Joplin, MO. Joplin was hit by a devastating tornado on May 22, 2011, causing an estimated $3 billion in damage, killing 139 people and injuring over 900; it is ranked the 27th deadliest tornado in the history of the world. In an effort to rebuild the city, Boulevard is offering a $1 donation to the American Red Cross  for every barrel (31 gallons) of beer they sell in Missouri throughout September and the Foundry & Beer Kitchen are joining the effort by donating $.25 for every glass of Boulevard beer we sell this month.  This is a great way to help out your fellow Missourians and enjoy yourself in the process.  Read more about this tragic event here.

Stone Imperial Black IPA Tapping at Foundry 9.13.11

Tomorrow night at the Foundry we'll be tapping a keg of Stone's 15th Anniversary brew, the Escondidian Imperial Black IPA.  This hop monster weighs in at 10.5% and we're proud to be among the very few places in Kansas City to serve this beer on tap. The name Escondidian is a playful jab at the on-going debate on what to call this new style of beer, most often referred to as black India Pale Ales. Considering that a "black pale ale" is a bit oxymoronic, some people are lobbying to call them Cascadian Dark Ales as the style is rumored to have started in the Pacific Northwest, while some folks maintain the first was actually brewed on the East Coast - hence the debate for location-specific naming.  Some people think they should just be called American Black Ales... Escondido, California's Stone Brewing Co. decided to completely circumnavigate this whole issue and claim it for themselves.  It's an excellent version of the style - dank California hops & bitter roasted malts provide massive flavor allowing just enough of the high ABV to come through. No matter what you want to call it, this beer is awesome.  If you weren't lucky enough to get your hands on a bottle you don't want to miss this chance to try it on tap.  Check out what people are saying on Beer Advocate.  We'll be offering pours when the Foundry opens at 4:00 and will serve it until the keg runs dry.  See you tomorrow!

Foundry Tap Update

Just wanted to give a quick shout to let you know about some of the good stuff flowing from the Foundry's taps:

- De Struise Pannepot Belgain quadrupel - 10% ABV; rated A
- Jolly Pumpkin Weizen Bam sour wheat ale - 4.5% ABV; rated A-
- Free State Octoberfest Marzen lager - unknown ABV; rated B+
- New Belgium La Folie sour brown ale - 6% ABV; rated A-
- Green Flash Summer Saison farmhouse ale - 4.3% ABV; rated B+
- Deschutes Conflux #2 White IPA - 7.3% ABV; rated A-
- Stone Bourbon Barrel Bastard strong ale - 7.2% ABV; rated B+
- Tommyknocker Hop Strike black rye IPA - 7% ABV; rated B+
- Souther Tier Jahva Imperial coffee stout - 10.4% ABV; rated A-
- Fox Barrel Maid of Orleans barrel-aged pear cider; 5% ABV
- Goose Island Sofie Belgian-style farmhouse ale - 6.5% ABV; rated A-
- North Coast Scrimshaw German-style pilsener - 4.4% ABV; rated B
- O'dell St. Lupulin American pale ale - 6.5% ABV; rated A-
- Schlafly Pumpkin Ale fruit/spiced beer - 8% ABV; rated A-
- Great Divide 17th Anniversary oak-aged imperial IPA - 10% ABV; rated B+
- Chimay White Belgian Trappist tripel - 8% ABV; rated A-
- Houblon Chouffe Belgian tripel / double IPA - 9%; rated A-
- Boulevard Tank 7 Belgian-style farmhouse ale - 8.2% ABV; rated A-
- Sunner Kolsch German kolsch - 5.4% ABV; rated B+

Plus a whole lot more including the entire McCoy's line-up and rare brews like our Horizon single-hop Double IPA & Broadway Toddy Stout.  The Foundry's open at 12:00 today & tomorrow so come grab lunch and enjoy this awesome weather for the Westport Art Fair.  See you here - cheers!

Now on Tap - Broadway Toddy Stout

Now on tap for a limited time is a fresh batch of our delicious Broadway Toddy Stout.  This is our oatmeal stout infused with a special "toddy" coffee blend made exclusively for us by 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 & packed with caffeine.  This batch was force-carbonated instead of nitrogenated which really allows the coffee flavors to explode.

Brewer's specs:

Malt: Pale, Carapils, Munich, Roasted, Black, HoneyOats

Hops: Bravo & Willamette

 

Fermented with McCoy's house ale yeast

Cold extracted Broadway Cafe Toddy added after maturation
OG 15.5 Plato
45 IBU

6.1% ABV