Still time to save $5!

The 3rd Annual Strong Ale Festival is only a couple days away now! There are still some advanced tickets left, available at http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1760233. The weather's going to be great (who cares if there's a little sprinkle? There was a torrential downpour right when the Summer Ale Fest started, and that was an amazing time!), and the beer list is incredible. Beers that you don't usually see in the market, and some brews from Kansas City homebrewers! 

Make your plan of attack for Saturday now. Which beers are on your list that you MUST TRY?

Drink double local!

There are sure to be some barrel aged beers at next weekend's 3rd Annual Strong Ale Fest (do you have your ticket? Hurry up and go to http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1760233 to get yours before they're gone!!!), but you're going to have to wait a little bit longer to try this one -

That's this year's Ursa Major is aging in Dark Horse Distillery bourbon and rye barrels. Beer made here, liquors made here. An all around Kansas City beer! We'll have more details about the release party for Ursa soon, so keep your eyes open.

What local beers (or spirits!) will you be having this weekend?

3rd Annual Strong Ale Festival Beer List!

Just over two weeks until the 3rd Annual Strong Ale Festival hits Westport! If you haven't gotten them yet, advanced tickets are available by clicking this link - http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1760233. If you get them now, not only will you assure yourself a ticket ahead of time (these festivals have been selling out!), but you'll save yourself $5. 

What beers are going to be available to you at the fest? We're glad you asked! The list is after the jump - 

Don't be afraid to say FOEDER

Important stuff!!

Boulevard's Foeder Projekt #1 has been tapped at Beer Kitchen! If you haven't had a chance to try this delicious sour beer, get there NOW. It won't last long. Here, check out Boulevard's brewmaster Steven Pauwels talk about it

Want to know another cool thing Boulevard is doing? Tomorrow, they're having a pet adoption day. Head to the brewery, grab some delicious beers, and meet some new adoptable friends

And while we're on cool news, 2013 Strong Ale Fest tickets are now on sale!!! Get the details at http://beerkc.com/beerfest/strong-ale/, or go ahead and buy your tickets at http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1760233. It's going to be a dang fun time.

4 Hands, 5 Courses

If you're not out at GABF, you can come to McCoy's to have some award-winning beer. And the Sinister Rye was tapped recently, and me oh my it's good. The rye adds some spice to a smooth beer. Dangerously delicious.

If you subscribe to BeerAdvocate magazine, check out this month's article on The Foundry! They have some quotes from incredibly good looking people in it.

Coming up in a little more than a week is our next beer dinner! And this one looks great - we're welcoming 4 Hands Brewing into Beer Kitchen on Monday, October 21st for 4 Hands, 5 Courses -

This looks fantastic. Each course... mmm... And the beers. Double mmm. As usual, this isn't one you'll want to miss. $50 per person reserves your spot and includes the price of the meal, tax, and gratuity. Call Beer Kitchen at 816-389-4180 now!

A few weeks after that, we'll be celebrating the third annual Strong Ale Festival! 25 breweries bringing beers 8% and up. Check out the event's Facebook page for a list of breweries. Tickets will go on sale on October 20th, so check back here for a link.

Get out and vote, then come out and have a drink!

Hopefully everyone is ready to make their voice heard tomorrow, and will get out and vote! To provide a little more motivation (not that you should need motivation to vote, but, just in case...), bring in your "I VOTED" sticker to Beer Kitchen, The Foundry, or McCoy's, and receive a free beverage! Just ask your server for details. And might as well stick around and join the watch party as the results come in. Drown your sorrows or cheers the victories, we'll have you covered.

A HUGE thanks to everyone who made the 2012 Strong Ale Fest a great success! The weather couldn't have been much better, the beers couldn't have been much tastier, and the crowd was fantastic. 

 As the fest went on, my photography skills got... more artistic.

McCoy's beers were ready for the day, and didn't disappoint!

This is where things go arty

It's hard to pick a standout beer from so many great ones on hand. The St. Louis breweries were great, and will be welcome additions to the Kansas City beer landscape when they make their way here. Mother's had some excellent beers as well, including Uber Pils and Thing 2. And Boulevard's Rye-on-Rye and Saison Brett are always crowd-pleasers (not to mention the rest of the beers they had). Then there's the bleu cheese hand cranked sausage. Oh my delicious.

What were some of your favorites? 

Every Beer Counts!

Fellow citizens, once again it's time for an important decision. Yes, it's election season, and McCoy's is here to help you with two special brews. That's right, we've got the Obaminator and the Romney Red! The Obaminator is a West Coast IPA, and the Romney Red is... a red ale. I did my civic duty, and had them both last night. You know, had to be bipartisan and all that. And may I tell you, they are two fine beers. Make it to McCoy's and let your drink be heard!

Then on Tuesday, after you cast your ballot, bring in your "I VOTED" sticker to Beer Kitchen, the Foundry, or McCoy's and receive a free beverage! Join us for an election results watch party, as we keep our eyes glued to the electoral votes piling in.

And don't forget, today is the last day to get the advance tickets for tomorrow's Strong Ale Fest! After 11:59 tonight, the tickets will be $35, so get to McCoy's and save yourself five bucks! Hey, that would cover a pint of one of the above-mentioned beers... Hmm... Tomorrow looks like it's going to be a perfect day for strong ales. 59 degrees for a high and only a 10% chance of rain. A great day to cozy up to an 8% beer or so. Designated drivers get in at no cost, so call in that favor your friend owes you, or find the saint who will drive you around. Stay safe!

Also, there's the Wild Game beer dinner coming up in a hurry. So after you get your Strong Ale Fest ticket and a Obaminator or Romney Red, head across the street to Beer Kitchen to reserve your spot! $55 gets the a five-course meal with beer pairings, tax and gratuity included. 

Special Brown Ales at McCoy's!

Have you gotten to the Foundry to try the 4 Hands beers yet? The Divided Sky Rye IPA and Cuvee Ange from St. Louis are both GREAT, and both on tap now, so get there and try them.

Those aren't the only two new and exciting beers in the area. Today, McCoy's will be tapping a cask of Hogpound Brown with a bite - ancho pepper! Then Saturday, the "Randyl" will once again be put to use, with a cranberry spice brown, $4.50 a pint. A deal! This beer was featured in last year's Thanksgiving beer dinner and was a big hit. Both of these should be good options in the cooler weather, with a touch of heat in one to warm you up, and a sweeter fall flavor in the other.

And don't forget - while you're at McCoy's getting a pint, pick up your ticket to the Strong Ale Fest and save yourself a little money. Tickets are $30 in advance of the November 3rd event, $35 the day of. You can get them at McCoy's without a service fee, but if you're unable to make it to Westport, never fear. They're available online at http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1663931.

4 Hands, Strong Ale Festival, and beer dinners!

Very cool events coming from Beer KC in the near future. Most immediate will be coming tomorrow (Wednesday, October 24th), when we welcome 4 Hands Brewing Co. to Kansas City. The Foundry will have a couple beers on tap from our St. Louis friends - Divided Sky Rye IPA and Cuvee Ange. They are two excellent beers; Cuvee Ange is a complex, funky, woody beer. Don't miss it!

Another event not to miss - the Strong Ale Fest from 1-5 on November 3! The above-mentioned 4 Hands will be, uhh, on hand... as will about 36 other breweries, and nearly 80 beers, all around or over 8% ABV. Advanced tickets are available for $30 online at http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1663931, or you can avoid any service fees by buying them directly from McCoy's. If there are any spots open on the day of the event, the price will go up to $35, so get 'em now and save yourself a few bucks (that you can put towards a hand cranked sausage, conveniently $5). Designated drivers will have free entry, so get a ride, carpool, whatever you need to do. We want everyone to enjoy themselves, and to be safe. 

Then the next beer dinner comes to Beer Kitchen on November 19th. This month it'll be the Wild Game Dinner, with wild boar, rabbit, pheasant, and elk. Yum.

$55 includes your dinner, tax, and gratuity, with a good chance for some great company. Who knows, maybe one course will make you rethink your Thanksgiving plans. Like maybe you'll want to add Brussels sprouts to your meal. Because they are delicious. 

Speaking of delicious beer dinners, last night was October's delicious beer dinner. Or should I say Oktober, for the German-inspired meal? Sure, the real Oktoberfest was a month ago, but that doesn't mean we can't celebrate the culture, beer, and food now. There was even some surprise entertainment for people before the meal started...

You want beer? We've got beer!

Lederhosen optional, but preferred

We're just a few days away from the next beer dinner at Beer Kitchen! Oktober 22nd is our Oktoberfest-themed dinner, with German-style food paired with German-style beer. $50 will get you the five-course meal and beers, with tax and gratuity included. 7:00 pm. Don't miss it! Call us at 816-389-4180 to reserve your spot.

While McCoy's beers didn't place in this year's GABF, our Kansas City brothers in brewing came home with two golds! Congratulations to Boulevard, picking up gold medals in the Other Strong Beer category with Reverb and ZON winning the Belgian-Style Witbier category. They have a great post that goes into some more details of the fest and judging - Bringing Home the Gold!!!

You're going to have a chance to sample a few winners from GABF at the Beer KC Strong Ale Fest! Below is an ever-evolving list of beers that will be on tap. Some of the medal winners include a couple locals - Lawrence, KS's Free State won a bronze in American-Style Stout with Iron Man Imperial Stout, and Perennial from St. Louis took silver in Other Strong Beer with Heart of Gold (a wheat wine).

Firestone Walker's Wookey Jack won the gold in American-Style Black Ale, and Sierra Nevada got the Imperial Stout silver (while the official GABF list of winners doesn't have the Narwhal name listed, I'm pretty sure it's the same beer).

Colder weather means time for Strong Ales!

The weather is turning cooler, which means the beers you're drinking should get a little stronger in ABV. At least, that's what I feel. I don't usually want to be drinking too much of something that's 9 or 10% (or higher) when it's over 100 degrees outside, but when it's in the 40s and 50s? Ah, perfect. Especially when paired with the changing leaves. Call me a beer romantic. If you're looking for a good place to start in on some of the higher-octane beers, you're in luck! From 1-5 on November 3, Beer KC will have its 2nd annual Strong Ale Festival, featuring beers with an ABV of 8% or higher.

The fest will take place at 4057 Pennsylvania, on the street between McCoy's and Kelly's. If you're worried about space, don't be - it'll be set up to use more of the street, a little different than has been done in the past. Tickets are $30 in advance, $35 day of, and available at this link: http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1663931. The cost includes a commemorative tasting glass, and all the samples you can handle in 4 hours. And, even better, proceeds will benefit AIDS Walk KC. 

Now, for the important stuff... the breweries! We'll have some usual faces, and a whole host of friends from St. Louis! Here we are, the participating breweries in a somewhat alphabetical order

2nd Shift Brewing - St. Louis, MO
4 Hands Brewing Co. - STL
6 Row Brewing Co.  - STL
75th Street Brewery - Kansas City, MO

Amerisports - KC
Anchor Brewing - San Fransisco, CA
Avery Brewing Co. - Boulder, CO
Brasserie de Blaugies - Belgium
Boulder Beer - Boulder, CO
Boulevard Brewing Co. - KC
Cathedral Square - STL
Deschutes Brewery - Bend, OR
Firestone Walker Brewing Co. - Paso Robles, CA
Founders Brewing Co. - Grand Rapids, MI
Free State Brewing Co. - Lawrence, KS
Goose Island Beer Co. - Chicago, IL
Grand Teton - Victor, Idaho
Great Divide Brewing Co. - Denver, CO
Green Flash Brewing Co. - San Diego, CA
Gulden Draak (Brouwerij Van Steenberge) - Belgium
Kulmbacher - Germany
Lagunitas Brewing Co. - Petaluma, CA
Leinenkugel Brewing Co. - Chippewa Falls, WI
Maredsou - Belgium (the Maredsou website doesn't seem to be loading, but you should know they make great beers)
McCoy's Public House - KC
Mother's Brewing Co. - Springfield, MO
Nebraska Brewing Co. - Omaha, NE
New Belgium Brewing Co. - Ft. Collins, CO
Brewery Ommegang - Cooperstown, NY
Perennial Artisan Ales - STL
Samuel Adams - Boston, MA
Schlafly Beer - STL
Sierra Nevada - Chico, CA
Southern Tier Brewing Co. - Lakewood, NY
Stone Brewing Co. - Escondido, CA
Summit Brewing Co. - St. Paul, MN

If you haven't had a chance to get to St. Louis and try breweries like 2nd Shift, 4 Hands, 6 Row, or Perennial, this is an excellent opportunity! If you have had them, well, now you can get some more of their beers without a 4-hour drive! Don't miss out, get your tickets early, and save yourself $5 at this link - http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1663931