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!

Now on Tap - XOXO Chocolate Stout

Now on tap is our first ever XOXO Chocolate Stout.  The idea behind this stout was to actually make chocolate within the beer.  Baker's chocolate, or unsweetened chocolate, which is the base for all chocolate with the addition of lactose (milk sugar), vanilla and other spices, were used in the brewing process with the end result being a deep, dark stout with a creamy vanilla smoothness and light milk chocolate flavors.

Malts: 2-Row pale, caramel, chocolate & Munich

Also brewed with: flaked oats, Belgian baker's chocolate, lactose sugar, vanilla beans, star anise & sweet orange peel

5.3% ABV

Strong Ale Fest - The Beers

Here's a sneak preview of the beers we'll be pouring at tomorrow's Strong Ale Fest in the McCoy's / Foundry parking lot.  Tickets are still available at all 3 Beer KC locations for $30 today or $35 at the gate, which includes unlimited samples and a commemorative tasting glass. Let's have a look...

- Boulevard Double Pale Ale; 8.2% ABV, 67 IBUs
- Nebraska Brewing Hop God Belgo-American IPA; 9.8% ABV, 108 IBUs
- Green Flash Double Stout; 8.8% ABV, 45 IBUs
- Southern Tier UnEarthly Imperial IPA; 9.5% ABV
- Grand Teton Pursuit of Hoppiness Imperial Red Ale; 8.5% ABV, 100 IBUs
- Sierra Nevada Life & Limb American Strong Ale; 10.2% ABV
- Kulmbacher Reichelbrau Eisbock Lager; 9.2% ABV
- Brasserie de Blaugies Speciale Noel Belgian Strong Pale Ale; 8.0% ABV
- Brasserie des Geants Noel des Geants Belgian Strong Ale; 8.5% ABV
- Schlafly 2010 Oak-Aged Barleywine; 10.2% ABV, 42 IBUs
- Unibroue Maudite Belgian-style Strong Dark Ale; 8% ABV, 22 IBUs
- New Belgium Clutch American Dark Sour Ale; 9.5% ABV, 19 IBUs
- Tallgrass Velvet Rooster Belgian-style Tripel; 8.5% ABV
- Arcadia Loch Down Scotch Ale; 8% ABV
- 75th Street Waldo Wallace dry-hopped Scotch Ale; 9% ABV
- 75th Street Up All Nitro coffee Porter; 7.5% ABV
- 75th Street Betty's Barrel sour Belgian-style Dubbel; 10% ABV
- McCoy's Double Pale Ale #8 Imperial IPA; 11% ABV, 100+ IBUs
- McCoy's Imperial Red Ale; 9.2% ABV, 90 IBUs
- McCoy's Ursa Major 2011; 10.5% ABV, 85 IBUs
- Mikkeller Santa's Little Helper Belgian Strong Dark Ale; 11% ABV
- Great Divide Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout; 9.5% ABV
- Goose Island Pere Jacques Belgian-style Dubbel ; 8% ABV, 26 IBUs
- North Coast Brother Thelonius Belgian-style Strong Dark Ale; 9.4% ABV, 32 IBUs
- Nogne-0 Winter Ale English Porter; 8.5% ABV
- Lagunitas Undercover Investigation American Strong Ale; 9.75% ABV
- Bell's Sparkling Ale Belgian-style Tripel; 9% ABV, 32 IBUs
- Odell Myrcenary Double IPA; 9.3% ABV
- Avery Old Jubilation American Strong Ale; 8.3% ABV, 30 IBUs
- Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Black IPA; 8.7% ABV, 90 IBUs
- Gordon Biersch Winter Bock Doppelbock; 8% ABV
- Firestone Walker Double Jack Imperial IPA; 9.5% ABV

See you tomorrow at 1:00!

Now on Tap - DPA #8 Sorachi Ace

Now on tap is the latest in our series of single-hop Double Pale Ales.  This batch was hopped exclusively using Sorachi Ace hops, a relatively new Japanese variety, initially bred by Sapporo.  The Sorachi Ace is known for contributing an intense, but pleasant, lemon flavor and aroma. We also added 50lbs. of locally-sourced honey to the boil to provide some residual sweetness.  This is an excellent example of the recent trend in Double IPAs showcasing the fruity & juicy flavors modern hop varietals.

Brewer's specs:

Malt: 85% Pale 2-row, 10% Vienna, 5% maled white wheat

Hops: Sorachi Ace, added at 10 different times from start to finish

50lbs of honey added to 105 minute boil

Fermented 7 days with McCoy's house ale yeast

SG 23.6 Plato

90+ IBUs

11% ABV

Now on Tap - Sinister Rye

Now on tap is the first ever batch of our freaky Halloween brew, the Sinister Rye.  Brewed especially for the Fall, Sinister Rye is based on a pale ale recipe, showcasing the balance between hops and malt, but with the addition of chocolate malted rye to add a roasty, toasty and subtle spicy dryness.  The resulting beer is a slightly spicy dark pale ale with citrus hop flavors and a dark malt profile.  

Brewer's specs:

Malt: pale, biscuit, crystal and chocolate rye

Hops: Columbus and Cascade

Fermented with our house Ale yeast

OG 15.2

6.66% ABV