Beer and cheese - a natural combination

The beer

On Sunday there was an intimate gathering treated to a tasting of the Goose Island "sisters" - Halia, Gillian, Juliet, and Lolita - paired with cheese. As an added bonus, dessert was a cheese paired with a glass of Bourbon County Stout.

The cheese

It was a casual environment, with attendees conversing as the beers were served, passing around trays of bread, bowls of candied and spicy nuts, and jars of different condiments.

Halia with the Stilton

Halia was the first beer, paired with Long Clawson White Stilton with lemon. Since all of these beers were sour, Beer KC Beer Director Randyl Danner thought more in terms of the fruit in each paired with the cheese. Halia is a farmhouse ale aged with peaches and had a subtle sweetness that was balanced by the cheese. Most Stilton is blue cheese, with veins of mold running through it. The cheese in this pairing was the mellower white variety, enhanced infused with lemon. The tartness of the lemon played well with that of the beer, and the peach and citrus didn't get in the way of each other.

Gillian with Ricotta

Strawberry, white pepper, and honey were a part of the next beer, Gillian. When the beer was first served, the strawberry flavors took a backseat to the pepper, but as it sat and warmed the strawberry came to the forefront, opening up with beautiful balance. The Mitica Ricotta was rich, and the acidity and fruitiness of the helped balance some of it. And some of either the apple or berry chutney cut the dryness of the crumbly cheese.

Juliet with Lincet Delices de Bourgogne

The next pairing featured the personal favorite beer and cheese on the afternoon. Juliet's blackberries and tartness next to the soft and creamy Lincet Delices de Bourgogne. Each are phenomenal representations of their respective styles and complimented each other very well. The beer was sweet and tart but not overwhelming at either, and the smooth cheese was mellow enough to match the fruit but strong enough to keep up with the sour (these qualities actually made the cheese a natural pair with all of the beers, but it worked best with Juliet, the sourest of the bunch).

Lolita and brie

Lolita was the last of the sisters, paired with a classic triple cream brie. Once again a great pairing of a sour beer with a soft cheese, though the brie was a little nuttier and mellower than the Delices de Bourgogne, and the Lolita's raspberries slightly sweeter than Juliet.

Bourbon County Stout and el Trigal Manchego 12

While the Juliet and Delices de Bourgogne may have been my favorite beer and cheese of the day, my favorite overall pairing was the "dessert." The big Bourbon County Stout may seem better suited for chocolate, but the aged Manchego was perfect next to the bold beer. The cheese was nutty and subdued, and let the beer do most of the heavy lifting. It had a slight creaminess that went with the rich mouthfeel of the stout but enough structure to hold its own and not be totally overcome. This was a perfect pairing.

Miss out this time? Beer KC will be hosting another beer and cheese pairing in October! Keep your eyes open for details later this year.

Sunday with sisters

There are still a few spots left for Sunday's Goose Island beer & cheese pairing! Don't miss your chance to have the four "sisters" and a special Bourbon County treat! Reserve your spot now by calling 816.960.0866

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.

Spend a day with Goose Islands sisters

In case you've missed the news on Facebook, coming up towards the end of the month The Foundry will be hosting a beer tasting event that is not to be missed. On Sunday, January 26th, there will be a beer and cheese pairing that will feature all four of the "sisters" from Goose Island: Juliet, Lolita, Gillian, and Halia. And, as a special treat, Bourbon County Stout will be paired with dessert. Seating will be EXTREMELY limited, so call NOW at 816-960-0866 to get reserve your spot... if there are any left! It will be worth every penny of $45.

Now you may be asking yourself, "hey, what are the Goose Island sisters?" Well first, it's totally normal to ask yourself questions, I do it all the time. Secondly, oh boy oh boy oh boy, these are some mighty fine brews.

Let's start with the two that have been around the longest. Juliet and Lolita are both "wild ales," and these ladies are sour, in the best possible way. Both aged in wine barrels, Juliet has blackberries added to the aging while Lolita has raspberries. The fruit gives each of these a touch of sweetness and the barrel aging and wild yeast bring the sour and wine-like tannins and dang I'm getting thirsty. These will pucker you up and you're going to love every second of it.

The two newcomers, Halia and Gillian, are both Belgian style farmhouse ales, but will still have some tartness to them. Halia is aged in wine barrels with peaches, sweet and tart. Gillian is only partially aged in wine barrels and has strawberry, white pepper, and honey. There's still going to be a tart tinge, but it'll be a little more subdued. These two sisters are the blondes and their older siblings are the redheads. Dangerously beautiful, all of them.

Then there's the granddaddy, Bourbon County Stout. This one's been around for a while, and packs a punch. Aged in bourbon barrels, this dark, rich, deep beer is going to be perfect for wrapping up the tasting (get will get you ready to be tucked into bed). It's chocolate and bourbon and so so delicious.

This might be the only place you'll find all five beers in one spot at the same time, unless you were lucky enough to snatch up bottles when they were on the shelves. If you weren't able to get any, don't miss out on one more chance to try them! This will be in the the plot room (the room between McCoy's and The Foundry), so this will be an intimate little pairing. We're looking forward to seeing you on the 26th!

Happy New Year from Beer KC!

If you're still trying to figure out your plans for tonight, let Beer KC help you out. For $10, you can get in to Beer Kitchen, McCoy's, and The Foundry for an all-night celebration of 2013 and a party to ring in 2014! DJs, food, and drinks, it's all taken care of for you.

Then make a resolution to start 2014 with a world-class meal. The Foundry will be hosting a New Year's Day Beer Brunch, featuring five courses complete with beer pairings, and a reception beermosa and oyster shooter. Mmmmm. Oysters and beer. As long as you can wake up and get to the Foundry by the crack of noon, you'll be eating well and getting 2014 started with a belly full of fantastic food!

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.

Ursa Major 2013 Release Party

We've struggled through some really freakin' cold and now some unseasonably warm temperatures, a dusting of snow and a morning of icy sidewalks, but it's all worth it. Today's the day when McCoy's unleashes an early Christmas present to you. Yep, it's time again for the Ursa Major release party! Today at 4 McCoy's and The Foundry will be tapping not only this year's Ursa Major, but 2012's and 2011's as well.

Proud brewers

For $10 you'll get your first pour AND a commemorative glass to take home! Sure, the glass would make a great gift on its own (for yourself or a loved one), but what if you want to fill it with delicious imperial stout? Pick up a bottle of this year's Ursa Major!

There are only 72 bottles available for purchase, so get yours early.

Feast of Samichlaus Recap

Now that it's been a few days, the cloud of euphoria (and from drinking a high abv beer) has worn off, but the memories still last. The final beer dinner of 2013 may very well have been the best. Especially when it's starting with...

A surprise amuse-bouche! This zucchini bread was more substantial than a typical one-bite deal, but I'm not complaining one bit. I would eat an entire loaf, especially topped with the pear compote. Making this even more special was a one night only beer from McCoy's, a Holiday Brown. This was a throwback to one of the first Randyl'd beers McCoy's did, the Hogpound Brown with cranberry, clove, and cinnamon. The course was more like a dessert, but who doesn't love starting (and ending) meals with something sweet?

The true first course was a vegetarian golabki with sweet tomato and mint coulis, paired with Deschutes' Chainbreaker White IPA. It turns out golabki is a polish cabbage roll and it looked much more appetizing in person than the picture shows. Very fresh and light, beautifully mimicked in the beer. The lemongrass in Chainbreaker was perfect with the sweet tomato sauce. 

Now the second course. Seared white fish with butternut squash, zucchni, radish, brioche, and chestnut brown butter. Maybe it's because I've had it recently and it's the freshest on my mind, but this is possibly my favorite dish in a beer dinner this year (mental note: make a Top Ten of beer dinner courses for 2013). The "hash" of squash, zucchini, radish, and brioche was great in its own right, but topped by the not-too-delicate white fish took it to the next level of OMG THIS IS SO GOOD. And I love love love chestnuts, so it was nice to have a couple thrown in here. Their rich, nutty (well duh they're nutty), slightly sweet flavor was amplified by the butter, and fantastic with the rest of the food. The Crabtree Berliner Weisse was an excellent pairing; it provided a sweet tartness that kept this from being too heavy. This was spectacular. 

As hard of an act that is to follow, the wild boar ravioli held its own. This course was a different take on a couple things. First, the ravioli itself was closer to a wonton than traditional ravioli. And the potatoes were sambuca creamed potatoes. It used to be I'd always say I don't usually like fish (now it's the best thing that I've had all year), so I guess I'm changing my tune to not normally liking anise flavors. But here, the sambuca was subdued enough to not take over the potatoes and the rest of the dish, so it worked as an asset. The Stillwater Folklore helped, as the foreign stout was a big compliment to any anise flavors that came through. (Also it should be noted that wild boar is a great meat, one that I don't think I've had since the Wild Game Dinner of 2012. I hope it's not another year before I have it again.)

That darkish area towards the top of the plate is a delicious venison chop, I promise

After a unique take on meat and potatoes, the fourth course served the diners with a more straightforward approach. Venison chops with black currants and a cherry glaze, potatoes au gratin, and sage derby. Since I didn't see a hat made of sage, I took to the internet to learn that sage derby is a sort of cheese, I'm assuming used in the au gratin. It was a good decision. Of course, in my mind it's hard to mess up buttery cheesy potatoes. A venison chop? That can be easier to screw up, but these were perfect. Some pink in the middle, not gamey, and expertly sauced with the cherry glaze. Then the cherry glaze provided an expert link to the sour Foeder Projeckt #1 from Boulevard. Mmm I like this beer. Sour and delicious. This may have been the first time that a beer has been applauded when it was announced. Cheers to you, Boulevard!

The beer star of the night, however, and reason for the season(al beer dinner) was the final toast. The 2012 Samichlaus, filling our glasses just days after the 2013 had been brewed. It'll be a while before the current batch can be sampled, but this one is best with a little age. And even better with six different preparations of pumpkin. Now I didn't catch what all of the desserts were, but I believe they were (from left to right) a pumpkin shortbread with pumpkin cream, pumpkin crème brûlée topped with burnt pumpkin sugar, and a pumpkin ice cream with a pumpkin sauce. All three were tasty, but it was between the crème brûlée and the ice cream for my favorite. The shortbread was good, but didn't have the same strong pumpkin flavor the others did. Regardless, Samichlaus gave each a strong backbone. And it got me ready to be all tucked away for a long winter's nap.