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.

Tomatoes everywhere!

Monday brought friends back to Beer Kitchen, as the folks from Kurlbaum Farms joined us for the Summer Beer Dinner -

The food was spectacular, the beers expertly paired. Sweet and acidic tomatoes with tart, sour, hoppy, and everything in between.

It started with an amuse-bouche of a Bloody Mary, the way all good meals should start. This had some heat to it, too. Perfect.

All meals should probably contain this dish, too. Tomato-glazed bacon, with a ricotta and tomato jar. And toast. Toast is always good. Jolly Pumpkin's Calabaza Blanca was great here. Light but funky, able to share the stage with the food, and nothing overwhelmed.

Ahi tartare "benedict" with a Nightshade tomato bearnaise. mmm, yes. Monk's Cafe is less funky and more sour, and almost served as a wine here. And the tuna dish wasn't fishy in the slightest, instead rich and tasty.

It's important for summer dishes to keep things cool, so these are two cool dishes back-to-back. A chilled avocado soup with tomato "croutons." This was like eating guacamole with a spoon. Something we've all done. Pivo Pils from Firestone Walker was perfect, a light and hoppy pilsner that would be lovely alongside this chilled soup on a patio.

Now the main dish, heritage farms pig in a box with sticky rice and a tomato usu glaze, with Cambridge Brewing's Sgt. Pepper saison. Tender pork in an Asian-inspired dish, with a big sprig of cilantro, perfect sticky rice, and a great sweet tomato sauce. The peppery saison was another good summer beer, easy to drink and a fantastic compliment to the food. 

It's hard to believe, but there's tomato in the dessert! A marshmallow ice cream sandwich sounds decadent by itself, but when it's paired with a Deschutes Obsidian Stout Diesel (a "beer cocktail," stout mixed with root beer. If you ever see Beer KC's Beer Director Randyl out and about, buy her a diesel. They're her favorite!) it goes up to the next level. A great end to a great meal. I'm already looking forward to the next visit from Kurlbaum!

Summer beer dinner with Kurlbaum Farms

A yearly favorite returns, as Beer Kitchen and Kurlbaum Farms once again team up for a summer beer dinner this August 4th. This is the fourth time the heirloom tomatoes have been featured in a dinner, and each time they impress. The dinner this August looks like it could top them all -

Amazing tomato dishes paired with amazing beers, what could be better? To reserve your spot for this refreshing dinner, call Beer Kitchen at 816-389-4180. This one usually sells out in a hurry, so make your $50 reservation today!

KC Craft Beer Week approaches

We're a little over a week away from Kansas City Craft Beer Week! The week will be book-ended by a couple of beer fests, with a number of great events in between.

On Saturday, June 7th at 5 pm, join us in kicking off KCCBW with the third annual Westport Beer Festival! We've partnered with Sporting Kansas City to bring more than 80 beers from 35 craft breweries and a chance to meet members of this year's Sporting Kansas City team. As an extra special bonus, this year's fest will be the unveiling of Boulevard's Sporting Kansas City Championship Ale! A saison brewed with a new German hop, the beer won't be hitting shelves until mid-June, but you'll have a chance to try it on the 7th. Go to http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1813427 or straight to McCoy's for your ticket. $30 in advance/$35 at the door will get you a tasting glass, unlimited access to beers, and the chance to mingle with champions!

Wednesday, June 11th, Beer Kitchen will be hosting a tap takeover with Cambridge Brewing Co. and Boulevard. Will Meyers from Cambridge Brewing will be on hand, so you won't want to miss it!

We keep the events rolling on Friday the 13th, with Doug Odell from Odell Brewing stopping in at the Foundry with some of his delicious beers. A keg of Friek and a pin of cucumber St. Lupulin will both be tapped at 4 pm.

Finally, the inaugural Boulevardia Taps and Tastes will close out the week on Saturday, June 14th. McCoy's will be there with Blackberry Tart, Gose, and the ever crowd-pleasing Ginger Shandy.

Until next week, you can pass your time on the porch of either McCoy's or The Foundry. Grab a drink with your favorite four-legged friend - both of our patios were named among the best places to drink with your dog in Kansas City!

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).

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.

Restaurant Week 2014 is here!

January means that it's time for Kansas City Restaurant Week! Once again, McCoy's and Beer Kitchen are taking part. You can get a $15 lunch or $33 dinner at either spot, with your choice of a few options. And each time you eat a Restaurant Week meal at any of the participating restaurants, a portion of the proceeds will benefit charities around Kansas City.

At McCoy's, lunch gets you two courses of your choice below, and dinner gets you a pick from each course! And a house-made beer would compliment any of these very nicely...

Starter
PEI Mussels
Charred jalapeno cream and spicy sourdough
House-Made Kielbasa
Crispy potato pancakes and Dijon creme fraiche
Flatbread
Kale, brussel sprouts, apple, templeton rye vinaigrette, goat cheese, wood fired flatbread

Entree
Cabernet Braised Short Ribs
Horseradish mashers, and buttered greens
Pancetta Wrapped Salmon
Roasted garlic spinach risotto and Parmesan butter
Wood Fired Seitan
Miso fried faro and baby bok choy

the Cabernet short ribs. mmmmmmmm

Dessert
Bourbon Glazed Coffe Cake
Mini Fruit Cobbler of the Day
Select ice cream

Same deal at Beer Kitchen, pick two at lunch and three at dinner, but different menu.

Starter
Red and Gold Beet Salad
With mix greens, spicy goat cheese, and walnut vinaigrette
Hand Cranked Short Rib Banger
With pork belly hash and smoked tomato cream
Lobster Deviled Eggs
With truffle mayo and lemony rocket

Entree
Black Sesame Seared Ahi
With soba noodles and a Sriracha mint vinaigrette
Pan Roasted Hanger Steak
With crispy fries and BBQ hollandaise
Roasted Veggie "Street Tacos"
Spicy brown rice and radish slaw

Dessert
Hot Caramel and Stout Brownie Sundae
With framboise gelato
Pear Streusel
With Creme Anglaise

That all sounds fantastic. Now if you'll excuse me, I believe a hot caramel and stout brownie sundae is calling my name.

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.

Get ready for the Feast of Samichlaus!

It's once again time for Beer Kitchen's Feast of Samichlaus! 

Monday, December 9th will be the fourth annual meal that celebrates the season and Samichlaus beer. This is one of the strongest lagers out there, clocking in at 14%. German for Santa Claus, this is only brewed one day a year, every December 6th. It's a big, sweet, malty beer, that's going to be perfect with six different preparations of pumpkin dessert.

Going backwards from there, OH MAN IT'S FOEDER PROJEKT #1! If you missed it when it was on tap a few weeks ago, you're getting a second chance. You better take it, this could be your last shot at this rare sour ale. And it's being served with caribou chops. Caribou chops!

I haven't had (and pretty sure I've never seen) the Stillwater Folklore, a Belgian dark strong ale. So that's pretty exciting. And the Crabtree Berliner Weisse is tart and delicious. And Deschutes' Chainbreaker is going to be a nice start to the meal. Then throw in how chef Michael Peterson has topped himself with every meal, and this becomes a MUST GO event.

Reserve your spot for this beer dinner by calling 816-389-4180. $60 will get you the five-course meal with beer pairings (beer pairings which include not one but TWO rare beers), including tax and gratuity.

We don't need no stinkin' meat

Last week's beer dinner welcomed a little bit of a different crowd, as Beer Kitchen hosted the Vegetarian Beer Dinner. Even better than the food was the cause the meal benefited. New Roots for Refugees is a wonderful organization that helps refugees start new lives in the Kansas City area. Really, click on that link and read about them, because they're doing fantastic work.

People love the veggie food!

Last year's vegetarian beer dinner was excellent, and I knew that I probably wouldn't be missing the meat. It started with a nice chilled spinach soup with water spinach salad and lemon creme. This small reception dish was a perfectly light start for the dinner, setting us up for a lovely dinner.

The first pairing for the night was miso marinated heirloom tomatoes with red chili mozzarella and Thai basil pesto focaccia with Brouwerij van Steenberge Piraat. The miso added a savory component to a sweet tomato, and the Belgian IPA is just a dang good beer. I like dang good beers. There wasn't a lot of chili spice in the mozzarella, but the classic pairing of tomato and fresh mozzarella is magic.

Up next was a golden and red beet napoleon with feta and Burmese sorrel paired with Contact High from the St. Louis brewers at 4 Hands. I rarely eat beets, but when I do I wonder why I don't eat them more often. They've got a sweet earthy flavor, cut here by a little bit of an acidity in the sorrel and balanced in creamy feta. Contact High is a hoppy, hoppy wheat, so a hint a sweet with bitterness. It all worked so well.

As odd as this may be, I think this next course might have been the first time I've had ratatouille. Accompanying the ratatouille terrine was crispy black truffle polenta and micro greens with a white balsamic gastrique, and another beer from Brouwerij van Steenberge. This time the beer was a favorite, Monk's Cafe. A Flemish sour ale that's on the sweet side, it went wonderfully with the bitterness from the dish. I would eat ratatouille again. In terrine form or otherwise.

The next dish was probably the one that most resembled meat with a portabella-seitan wellington served alongside roasted fingerlings, oyster mushrooms, and a rosemary pan jus. The picture below doesn't do the dish justice... you can't see the portabella seitan inside of the puff pastry. But trust me, it's in there. And it was fantastic. And you can't go wrong with potatoes and mushrooms. Again, trust me. The beer was another from St. Louis, this time Civil Life's American Brown Ale. I'm a big fan of Civil Life, and especially of this beer. It's a great example of a brown ale, and a great choice to compliment the food.

Before the dessert was a nice palate cleanser, watermelon sorbet and marinated melon. Mint and vinegar flavors, very cleansing.

Dessert was a combination of sweet and savory in with kale zeppoli with Calabrian chili honey, and Bell's Oarsman brought a light tartness. A zeppole is kind of like an Italian doughnut. So, this was kind of like a kale doughnut. I'm not big on kale by itself, but I am big on doughnuts covered in powdered sugar. And honey. The Berliner Weisse was light and kept the dessert from beginning too heavy.

Another successful dinner! One of the great things about going to the beer dinners is getting to try a wide variety of foods with first class beer, and this was no exception. The chefs showed meat is optional!

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.

Hot temps, cool beers

Yeah, it's hot, we know. Luckily, there is beer and thoughts of more moderate temperatures.

On the beer front, McCoy's has a freshly-tapped cask of West Coast IPA dry hopped with Centennial hops. If you haven't had a chance to taste this IPA, WHY NOT? It's delicious and very easy to drink. And if you have, now's a good time to taste it with the Centennial hops featured. These are a very popular American hop, and will provide a great floral and citrus flavor.

While you're there sipping on the cask beer, start clearing all your plans for September 16th. That's the night of the next beer dinner at Beer Kitchen, and you'll want to be there. It's the annual vegetarian dinner, this year benefiting a great cause in New Roots for Refugees. $5 from each ticket will go to this wonderful organization. And the meal will be great, featuring seven courses of vegetarian dishes that won't make you miss meat.

$50 includes your meal with beers, tax, gratuity, and the $5 donation. Get your spot by calling Beer Kitchen at (816) 389-4180 now!

A few days after the beer dinner, join us for the first McCoy's Oktoberfest! September 21st will be your chance to get a liter commemorative stein full of McCoy's Oktoberfest bier for $15. You get to keep the stein! But this isn't any regular "take home the glass" night. We're going all out with a fest in the McCoy's parking lot, complete with 5 other Oktoberfest biers, German food, a bier garden, and German food! If you can't make it to Bavaria, we'll bring Bavaria to you. The party is from 1-5 pm, so be sure your Lederhosen is dry cleaned in time.

Once again, We Say Tomato

Last year's beer dinner with Kurlbaum's heirloom tomatoes opened up my eyes (and taste buds) to the world of heirloom vegetables. I was sort of familiar with the concept, and knew they had a much better flavor than the mass-produced tomatoes usually found in stores, but that was about it. I didn't know the rich history behind the seeds, legacies being traced back hundreds of years, and the different varieties that exist. Check out their website for some more about the history of the tomatoes and what kinds they have on their Tomato Varieties page. They had some information about their farming methods as well - they dry farm, which means they don't irrigate the plants. So you'd think the mild, wet summer we've had would be a boon, but tomatoes actually like warmer, dryer climates. Last year was a great year for them, this year has been a little slower. That just makes this dinner that much more special!

It started off with a reception pairing, almost an amuse-bouche, called "El Matador." A tasty combination of fresh mozzarella, a Juanne Flame tomato, and I believe prosciutto, served with McCoy's Cerveza in a sort of "chelada/cubana" style - some Worcestershire sauce, peppers, and salt. With the tomato it kind of had the feel of a beer Bloody Mary. I could go for having one of these most every morning.

The Juanne Flame is a flavorful tomato, sometimes given the title of "best tasting tomato ever." It certainly worked well with the bit of spiciness in the beer, and the combination of tomato, mozzarella, and pork is one for the ages.

The first course continued the fun presentation, this time with tempura Gold Medal tomatoes with bay scallops and lobster miso butter, served in a "takeout" box. Oh goodness. My love for scallops and lobster has been documented (most recently with the sea scallop taco in the Lips of Faith dinner), and this dish didn't disappoint. The tempura Gold Medal tomato was a subtle addition to some hugely rich flavors (I'm not ashamed to say I nearly licked the lobster butter clean). Tallgrass's Wild Plum Farmhouse Ale cut through the richness of the dish, providing a good, sweet counterbalance. And I learned something about this beer! The plums used were grown near Manhattan, KS, in farmhouses!

Now a salad course to lighten things a little, with pickled Brandy Wine tomato, crisp romaine, charred vinaigrette, and Maytag blue cheese, paired with the latest year-round offering from Boulevard, the Pop-Up Session IPA. The bitterness from the IPA and the acidity from the tomatoes complimented each other beautifully. And another classic pairing, this time with tomato and blue cheese. Maytag is one of the finest available, made in Iowa. Sticks with the local (-ish) theme for the dinner.

The third course was pureed Belmont tomato with crispy bass and gnocchi paired with the Gordon Biersch Hefeweizen. I think it's safe to say now that I like fish. I thought I didn't, but these dinners have turned me. It helps when the fish is as well prepared as this. The Belmont puree was almost like a tomato sauce, but some of the best tomato sauce ever. It gave some acidity to the dish. And gnocchi is just good. A bite of everything on the plate made for a wonderful melding of flavors. The Gordon Biersch Hefe (the first ever GB beer served at Beer Kitchen!) was nice, with a hint of banana and clove, like a good hefeweizen has. It didn't overpower the food, but provided a nice mellow background.

Thanks to Brent for letting me use his plate as a model. His was pretty.

Next was a big one. Berkshire pork with bacon jus and stewed San Marzano tomatoes. Again, the pork/tomato combo. Add in a potato croquette and I want all of it you have. This was delicious. Tender and succulent pork, some tang from tomato, and saltiness from the bacon jus. McCoy's Sticke Alt is malty and sweet, rounding out the flavor profile for the course. Great, now my mouth's watering. This was excellent

So excited to eat, I couldn't get my finger out of the way for the photo

A beer dinner would not be complete without a dessert, especially when tomatoes are involved. Last year's dessert was a cobbler with ice cream. This time around it had macerated Black Krim tomatoes, shortbread, whipped cream, syrup, and Boulevard's Long Strange Tripel. More savory than sweet, it was a great light finish to the evening. The shortbread was crumbly and delicious, with light whipped cream and the sweet tang of the tomatoes.

I'm already looking forward to next year's dinner with the Kurlbaums! And I'm definitely going to have to seek out some heirloom tomatoes for myself.

Keep an eye out here soon for the next beer dinner, which will be the annual vegetarian meal.

Say "Tomato" with us and Kurlbaum's farm!

It's once again time for the annual WE SAY TOMATO beer dinner, featuring heirloom tomatoes from Kurlbaum's Farm! Last year's dinner was great fun, and this year adds a cool twist of pairing the delicious tomatoes with beers all from local breweries, including some newer releases - Tallgrass's Wild Plum Farmhouse and Boulevard's Pop-Up Session IPA, along with McCoy's Cerveza and Sticke Alt, Gordon Biersch's Hefeweizen, and Long Strange Tripel from Boulevard.

A few of the tomato varieties are the same as some from last year (Juanne Flame, Gold Medal, and Brandy Wine) but used in different manners. And I was a fan of the dessert tomato last time around, so I'm looking forward to see how it turns out this year.

The dinner is at 7 pm on Monday, August 5th. Call us today at 816-389-4180 for reservations! It's $55 for six courses paired with the beers, tax and gratuity included. Don't miss out on a great chance to learn a little about some historic tomatoes, and to see how delicious the heirlooms can be!

AMUSE/RECEPTION

“EL MATADOR” WITH JUANNE FLAME ON A STICK
McCoy’s Cerveza

1ST
TEMPURA GOLD MEDAL
BAY SCALLOPS/LOBSTER MISO BUTTER
Tallgrass Wild Plum Farmhouse

2ND
PICKLED BRANDY WINE
CRSIP ROMAIN/CHARRED VINAIGRETTE/MAYTAG
Boulevard Pop-Up Session IPA

3RD
PUREED BELMONT
CRISPY BASS/GNOCCHI
Gordon Biersch Hefeweizen

4TH
STEWED SAN MARZANO
BERKSHIRE PORK/BACON JUS
McCoy’s Sticke Alt

5TH
CANDIED BLACK KRIM
SHORTBREAD/WHIPPED/SYRUP
Boulevard Long Strange Tripel

A block party, a beer fest, a beer dinner. What more do you need?!

This Sunday, after you get done mainlining all 15 episodes of Arrested Development, head to Westport at 8 pm for the annual Kelly's Westport Inn & McCoy's Public House Block Party - $5 gets you in for live music, food and drink specials, and more, as we celebrate another year of two institutions!

And while you're thinking about it, pick up your tickets for another party next month in Westport. The Summer Beer Festival is coming up on June 15th! $25 will get you in with a souvenir glass and tastes of of some delicious, delicious beers. Plus, proceeds benefit Aids Walk Kansas City, so it's for a very good cause. Get your tickets at http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1718889 before they go up to $30 the day of the event. If there are any left!

Alright, so I had teased that the next beer dinner would be EPIC...

Yeah, 10 courses, 10 beers. 10 beers from the New Belgium Lips of Faith series. This is exciting to me, and it should be for you. First of all, the food. It's always great, but four cheese courses? General Tso's Lobster? SEA SCALLOP TACO???? Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes. And then the beers. This is an excellent chance to try a variety of high quality suds. Plus there are some beers new to the area that you may only see at this dinner... Paardebloem (Flemish for dandelion - a beer bittered with dandelions with some wild Belgian yeasts and grains of paradise and I want it right now) and Pluot (a plum and apricot make a baby fruit and it hangs out with Brettanomyces). This is going to be fun. $65 covers everything - your seat, the food, the beer, the tax, and the gratuity. Hurry up, this one will probably fill up fast! Call Beer Kitchen at (816) 389-4180 and get your spot today!

The work week is over, but American Craft Beer Week continues!

How's everyone's American Craft Beer Week going so far? Have you been to any of Beer KC's events?

The Randyl'd beers were great! Strawberry basil Good Farmhouse was a treat (slight change from the originally planned Ginger Shandy, but it worked so well)...

...and the Boulevard bottle signing event was a hit!

Trip, Steven, and John gave their signing hand muscles a workout
And yep, that's a Love Child #2. A Boulevard fan brought in her 4 bottles of it!!

Tonight and tomorrow there aren't any scheduled events, but Beer Kitchen still has their $30, three-course beer dinner going tonight through Sunday! Also on Sunday at the Foundry - a free Odell Flagship tasting from 4-6 pm. It's tough to be free beer, especially from a brewery as great as Odell!

One last order of business for Friday - grab your advance tickets for the Summer Beer Festival! It's less than a month away... time flies, so save yourself $5 and get them now at http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1718889

Cheers!

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!

Three breweries, one Interstate UPDATE: SOLD OUT!

It's the first Interstate Highway built in the United States, with some sections of it in Kansas and Missouri being claimed as the first to be constructed. Connecting Cove Port, Utah to Baltimore, Maryland is the 5th longest Interstate Highway, I-70 (I've been on Wikipedia). And, luckily for us, there are some great breweries along it in our neck of the woods who are bringing their beers to the next beer dinner. 

In addition to our St. Louis friends at Schlafly, our pals from Free State will be making the quick jog from Lawrence on April 15th! It'll be a gathering of Ste(v)(ph)ens, as Boulevard's Steven Pauwels represents the George Brett Super Highway, Stephen Hale from Schlafly heads over from Mark McGwire Highway, and Free State's Steve Bradt comes from the... hmm I don't know, Danny Manning Highway?

Now THAT is a menu. Even without the beers, I think it would be a great meal. I mean, surf & turf with smoked trout and beef tartar, fresh Green Dirt Farm spicy chili cheese, smoked brisket with barbeque spaetzel(?!) and bananas foster. . . mmmm yes. But then add the beers and WHOA. Each brewery will be bringing it. Hopefully part of "it" that will be brought will a surprise from one of the breweries... Last year it was an experimental Oud Bruin from Schlafly, and it was delightful. Boulevard will have an unreleased "Grape Nelson" beer in the "IPA round," so that should be a nice treat. I'm looking forward to Free State's Coeur de Sasion, a beer I've yet to try. And the first pairing that really jumps out at me is the Schlafly Single Malt Scottish Ale with the smoked brisket. It's such a good, peaty beer so it should go well with the smokey meat. 

For $50 you can reserve your spot, including tax and gratuity! Call Beer Kitchen today for reservations, this one will fill up in a hurry - 816-389-4180. What better way to celebrate the end of tax season? UPDATE: This is SOLD OUT! We're looking forward to hosting everyone on the 15th!

The Biggest Upset in March

Alright, after more than two weeks (and a trip out of town), I've finally come to terms and am ready to talk about the Grain v Grape beer dinner.

Jarrod Finn from Cellar Rat brought five French wines to go up against five Belgian (style) beers in a showdown for beverage superiority!

The first course was a delicious boudin blanc with a soft poached hen egg (which led to me wondering if there were such a thing as an egg NOT from a hen, but that's probably some deep philosophical thing) and frites, paired with Foret Organic Saison and Andre Delorme Brut Reserve. This is a beer I like very much matched up with a wine I knew nothing about (that'll be true with most of these... I don't know wines).

It turned out it was a nice sparkling wine in the Champagne style, but since it's not made in the Champagne region, it can't be called champagne. It was sweet and light, and paired well with the breakfast sort of theme of the dish - sausage, eggs, and fried potatoes. The hoppy beer worked as well, but, I must admit, my vote for the first round went to the grape. My foundation was shaken right off the bat. What is happening?

The second round pitted Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck Bacchus against Domaine de Vaufuget. When there are Belgian/French names involved, spell check gets very confused/angry. These two were paired with a foie tourtiere with brandied apple and black truffle. I've been to a number of beer dinners now, and it seems like there's a new dish I love at each one. But this one may best them all. A perfect dinner for me would have this foie gras "pot pie," the lobster fondue from the Green Dirt Farms dinner, and finished with the bread pudding from when Local Pig's Alex Pope stopped by. Yes, each of those are super rich, but I DON'T CARE, THEY'RE DELICIOUS. 

The beverage pairing on this wasn't close for me. Bacchus is a favorite of mine, and the wine-like acidity in it cut through the richness of the dish, complimenting it very nicely. The wine was nice, a sweet white, but didn't fit the food as well. A red wine-like beer against a white wine. Grain gets this vote all the way. Whew, back on track.

Up next was a sea scallop "coquille" with lardons in a consumme, paired with Lindeman's Cuvee Renee and Domaine de Tranquillite Rose. 

As I've stated at other dinners, I love scallops. And lardons. This dish was another winner, especially when some of each element was in a bite. It was very well put together. And the paired drinks were well thought out, with another almost wine-like beer in the gueuze. Old hops! The Cuvee Renee is another favorite of mine, so the wine didn't really have much of a chance in my book. It was a good wine though, with good acidity and minerality to balance with the seafood flavors. I just liked the beer better with the dish. 

Now this next beer wasn't from Belgium, but it was a Belgian style, so we bent the rules a little. Still counts!!! It was the Bell's Hell Hath No Fury, sometimes called Belgian style dark ale, sometimes called a dubbel, against Domaine des Rozets Coteaux de Tricastin (and this might be totally wrong... based on my notes, I was getting scribble-y), a blend from the Rhone Valley. I have Grenache and Syrah written down, so those might be the blends involved. The dish was canard au povre with fork smashed fingerlings and buttered pea shoots.

Don't know why I opted for no flash on this one...

Once again, a dish featuring something I love. This time duck, and it was perfectly prepared. On the rare side of medium rare. And once again, both drinks paired with the dish were great. I'm only beginning to like red wines, and this is one I will most definitely drink again. The tannins cut through the duck fat (credit Jarrod for that one, I wouldn't have come up with that on my own). But, once again, to me the beer was just better. The wine was good, borderline great. Both had full bodies, both went well with different aspects of the dish. This was the hardest decision of the night, but in the end I just like the beer paired with it more. What more justification is there??!? Alright, so beer should have this wrapped up already, leading 3 to 1 with one course left. Time for a dessert victory lap!

Crepes with mousse, berries, and gastrique made up the beautiful dessert (that got totally washed out in my photo :( ohhhh camera phone). Back to Belgium with this beer, the St. Bernardus Tripel. And over towards the German border of France with the wine, the Willm Gewurztraminer.

This was another pairing that I didn't feel was even close. I am somewhat familiar with the Gewurztraminer style of wine, and expected this to be sweet, but in a pleasant surprise it was drier, offsetting the sweetness of the dessert. Still, there was something in the combination of the food with the wine that kind of reminded me of some sort of liquor flavor. It was strange, and possibly all in my head. The tripel, however, was perfect for this. Tripels love berries. A great balance, and a nice end to the meal. Once again, beer takes the round, and after questioning myself in the first course, beer pulls ahead for a decisive victory.

My confidential ballot

After the ballots were collected and tallied, I thought it was all a formality. 

First course - Grain 24, Grape 30. OK, that makes sense. It was close, but if wine was bound to win one round, it'd be this one. I mean, I even voted for them this time.

Second course - Grain 38, Grape 21. There we go. Great dish, great beer, great choice.

Third course - Grain 33, Grape 26. A little closer than the last, but it's expected. A gueuze can be a shock to someone not ready for it, and that could have swayed some voters.

Fourth course - Grain 16, Grape 42. WHAT?! Yeah, I thought it was the toughest decision, but dang that one is lopsided. Maybe the "not from Belgium" thing made people vote against the beer. Yeah, that's what I'm going with. That's cool, because beer has this last course all wrapped...

Dessert - Grain 22, Grape 34 OH MAN WHAT I thought this one was going to be won by beer by a wide margin. Goes to show you I don't really know much. 

So, for the first time at Beer Kitchen, Grape takes the win, 3-2. Grain is going to have to regroup and get back on track for the next meeting. 

This was such a fun event! Jarrod was a humble winner, and Randyl a gracious loser. These two were great hosts, playful and educating, and Michael Peterson outdid himself with amazing food. If you were unable to make it to the dinner but are interested in trying the wines, well they're all available at Cellar Rat, and all less than $20! So pick up a bottle or two and have your tasting. And congratulate Jarrod on this monumental upset while you're there.

All of this talk and I'm already looking forward to the next dinner, which is...

The I-70 Showdown! This year it's going to be even better, as Free State will join in with Boulevard and Schlafly! We'll have more details soon, but keep April 15 free. After you file your taxes, you're going to need a beer dinner.