B4TW - Bell's Hopslam Ale

An obvious choice for Beer for the Weekend? Maybe. But after just having a lunch Hopslam at Flying Saucer, I was reminded of how great this beer is. It's like this beer punches you in the face with bitter hops, then wipes away your tears with delicious honey and citrus (this may be the beer talking).  With a buzz and anticipation second only to Boulevard Chocolate Ale at the moment, this is a beer that people have been asking liquor stores and bars about for weeks (and for some obsessive people, probably even months). And although it's not available on store shelves yet, there are plenty of bars that will be tapping Hopslam over the next few days, giving you an opportunity to partake in this limited treasure now, before the Black Friday-esque retail battle begins.

Here's the rundown of where you can get Hopslam and when:

Flying Saucer: Already tapped, go get it now. They will also be tapping a firkin of Hopslam on Monday starting at 7, tickets go on sale at 6 and are required.

Foundry: Tapping at 4 PM today

Martin City Brewing Company: Announced they would be tapping this weekend

Smokehouse Barbecue (Zona Rosa): Announced they would be tapping this weekend

Waldo Pizza: Said they would be tapping on or around January 31st, with updates to come on their Facebook page. Maybe if you go harass them enough, they will end up tapping it this weekend. Worth a shot, right?  Update: you must have harassed them enough, Hopslam is on tap NOW at Waldo Pizza!

So there you have it, from downtown out to Martin City, you should be able to find somewhere relatively close where you can get Hopslam on tap. Details on when it will be available in liquor stores are still a little fuzzy, so it might be worth going and getting your fill now in case you aren't able to get any in bottles when it finally hits.

If I get any new information regarding bars that are tapping Hopslam this weekend, I will be sure to update this post accordingly. In the meantime, map out your plans to hit up one of the venues on the list above, because Hopslam is your beer for the weekend.

Happy Canned Craft Beer Day

..or Beer Can Appreciation Day, or whatever you'd like to call it. Either way, today's beer holiday marks the 77th anniversary of the first day that beer was sold in cans. On January 24th, 1935, Gottfried Krueger Brewing Company began distributing Krueger's Finest Beer to the public, and the canned beer revolution has snowballed since.

Fortunately for those of who prefer craft beer, a similar snowball has been seen over the past couple years when it comes to craft breweries offering their product in cans. There are currently 159 breweries and 481 beers in the CraftCans.com database, and those numbers continue to grow as more breweries recognize the multiple benefits of canning.

While we certainly don't have 481 canned craft beers available to us here in Kansas City, we still have a nice variety of options to choose from. Perhaps you could celebrate by drinking semi-locally and snagging a 4-pack of Velvet Rooster or Buffalo Sweat from Tallgrass. Modus Hoperandi from Ska is always a solid option. People sometimes forget that Avery now offers their IPA, White Rascal and Joe's Pilsner in cans. And Caldera Brewing (only available on the MO side) is often overlooked, but offers up a great canned IPA.

Plus, we can celebrate the fact that we have more cans to look forward to in the near future, as Bell's Brewery, Abita Brewing and Sierra Nevada will all be offering canned options starting in 2012.

I'll gladly crack open a couple pulltabs tonight in appreciation of the fact that I have canned beer available to me that is something other than an American light adjunct lager. I suggest you all do the same, because after all, who doesn't want to make a toast to a nice set of cans?

Weekly Bar Buzz

I don't know about you guys, but last Tuesday really put All Star Pizza on the map for me. Their Deschutes event was a huge success as the place was packed with an eager crowd. The pizza was great (I had some sort of avocado, chorizo, sriracha pie that really hit the spot) and the draft selection was outstanding (even without all the Deschutes beer). As a South KC resident, I don't make it to Parkville too often and I had never been to All Star Pizza before. But if I lived North of the river, I imagine I would be spending many a night with Grant and the gang. They have finalized the date for their Avery Angels and Demons event (details below) and it looks like they are committed to being a player in KC's craft beer scene. Its great to see more places making this kind of commitment to better beer, that's one of the reasons now is such a great time to be a beer drinker in KC. But enough with that, here are your upcoming beer events:

***Keep an eye out for bottles of Nebraska Brewing Apricot Au Poivre Saison this week as well as Bell's Hopslam on draft***

Upcoming Events:


Wednesday 1/25
The Flying Saucer - 7pm - Buy the Beer, Get the Glass: Goose Island Chalice

Thursday 1/26
The Flying Saucer - 7pm - Rare Beer Night: Troubador Flying Saucer Imperial Stout

Friday 1/27
Barley's Brewhaus Shawnee - 4:30pm - Tallgrass Sexy Buffalo (Buffalo Sweat mixed with cocoa nibs and cherries) firkin tapping, first 40 guests keep the glass

Monday 1/30
The Flying Saucer - 7pm - Bell's Hopslam Firkin Tapping (only one in KC), tickets required for your pour go on sale at 6pm

Wednesday 2/1
The Flying Saucer - 7pm - Buy the Beer, Get the Glass: Deschutes

Thursday 2/2
The Flying Saucer - 7pm - Rare Beer Night: Ommegang Seduction Ale

Friday 2/3
The Drum Room at the President Hotel - 6pm - Boulevard Beer Dinner: Join The President Hotel at its Drum Room for an exclusive five-course dinner featuring selections from Boulevard's line up. Tickets are $65. Seats are limited, you can secure yours today by calling Tovia at 816.303.1642.

Saturday 2/11
75th Street Brewery - noon to 5pm - The Big Chill Strong Ale and Chili Fest: This year the Big Chill will feature 7 different local breweries. Tickets for this event are $30 ($25 if you're a Mug Club Member) and $35 the day of.

Monday 2/13
Maker's Mark Bourbon House - Seatings at 6, 7, and 8 p.m - Boulevard Beer Dinner: Looking for the best way to treat your Valentine in Kansas City? Join Maker's Mark for a four-course Boulevard beer dinner you're sure to fall in love with. The meal and beers were paired by Executive Chef Zachary Alft. Tickets are $125 a couple (plus tax and gratuity) and seats are limited, so reserve spots for you and your Valentine today by calling 816.442.8115. There will be door prizes and contests as well along with a special guest from the brewery on hand to walk you through the decadent meal.

Tuesday 2/21
All Star Pizza - 6pm - Avery Angels and Demons Night: We will feature The Beast, Samaels, Mephistopheles, The Reverend, Hog Heaven, and Salvation all on tap. We will also be selling one Genua Glass (never been in KC) per person for an extra $4 on the first beer. There will be tons of goodies we're raffling off, and hopefully, not confirmed yet, there might be some Rumpkin. Here's the link to the glass. https://gear.averybrewing.com/Avery-Genua-Glass.html

Friday 2/24
Boulevard Brewing - 11:30am - VIP Tour and Luncheon: Secure your spot for an exclusive VIP tour and luncheon with Boulevard’s brewmaster, Steven Pauwels, and the Beer Kitchen as they share their inspired pairings. The tour will begin from our Tasting Room promptly at 11:30am with the meal concluding at approximately 1:30 pm. Tickets for this event, which include the tour and three-course lunch, are $42 each including tax.

Wednesday 2/29
The Flying Saucer - 7pm - Buy the Beer, Get the Glass: Stone Old Guardian Barleywine

The Return of Chocolate Ale

I had been hoping to wait a little while longer before I wrote this post, but as the buzz for Boulevard's Chocolate Ale grows stronger, it becomes harder to justify the delay. Everywhere I go, people want to know about Chocolate Ale. Retailers are being inundated with questions, requests to get on a waiting list, even calls from people who live on the other side of town and have never even been to their store before. I don't pretend to understand why people go so nuts for Chocolate Ale, but I can't deny that it has become perhaps the most anticipated beer release this city has seen. More beer geeks might mark their calenders for the annual release of Bell's Hopslam, Boulevard's Saison Brett or the inaugural bottling of Founder's CBS, but Chocolate Ale is that rare beer that transcends the beer geek world and has become a must have for even the casual craft beer drinker. Kansas Citians who have zero interest in craft beer are still at least aware of the existence of Chocolate Ale and I think that in and of itself is a pretty amazing thing.

Today's Star did a nice feature on Chocolate Ale and you can read "How to get Chocolate Ale on January 31st" and other related stories on the Ink KC website. I won't bother going into any actual info about the beer itself. I think you all know about it already and if you don't I would just direct you to the Star articles. What I can hope to tell you is where and when you might get it.

The goods new about the 2012 Chocolate Ale is that Boulevard has a much better idea of what to expect. According to Boulevard brewer Jeremy Danner, "last year when they told us how much we needed to make in a brewers meeting, we laughed. We thought there was no way we were going to sell that much chocolate beer. We were crazy wrong." To make it easier for Boulevard customers to get their hands on this year's batch, the brewery produced over 2.5 times more than they did in 2011. In fact, according to Danner, "this year we made far more Chocolate Ale than any other seasonal or limited release Smokestack Series beer we've ever brewed."

The tentative Kansas City release date for Boulevard Chocolate Ale bottles is January 31st. That means Central States Beverage Company, the sole distributor of Boulevard beer in the Kansas City metro, hopes to send the first trucks of Chocolate Ale to retail accounts that day. Now that date could change as conditions at Boulevard and Central States change, but right now January 31st is the best guess. The other important thing to keep in mind is that just because trucks start delivering the beer on the 31st doesn't mean every store is getting it on that day. Only the stores that just happen to get Tuesday deliveries from Central States will get it then. The rest will have to wait until Wednesday or Thursday or Friday or even Monday, February 6th to receive their deliveries. So if you go to your local liquor store on January 31st and they say they don't have it yet, DON'T FREAK OUT. Also, keep in mind that not every liquor store in KC is going to get this beer. That's just how it is. But if you shop at a store that carries Boulevard's Smokestack beers like Tank 7 or the Sixth Glass, there is a pretty good chance they will get Chocolate Ale.

I think it is with releases like this that loyal patronage of a good liquor store really pays off. If you've developed a relationship with "the beer guy" at your local shop, you probably already know if and when they are getting Chocolate Ale. If you have not, don't be surprised if you find it harder to get a bottle. Stores all across town are being flooded with people who want to make sure they have some Chocolate Ale reserved for them. But put yourself in the retailer's shoes. Who are you more likely to do a favor for (and yes, reserving bottles in this sort of environment is a favor) the regular customer who knows you by name or some stranger you've never seen before who is asking for a bottle over the phone? Let this be a reminder, getting to know your local beer guy (or gal) is a must if you want to score hard to find bottles. This is also where the truly great craft beer stores are going to shine. Stores that bother to employ a knowledgeable and educated staff are also likely to post to facebook and twitter as soon as they receive their allotment. If that's not the sort of store you shop at, you might want to reconsider where you buy beer. Retailers who go the extra mile to provide an excellent customer experience are the ones who will handle releases like this the best and they are also the stores that are most likely to get a large allocation of beers like Chocolate Ale.

Finally, while January 31st may be the big day everyone is talking about, January 30th is a day that might be even better to mark on your calender. That's the day Chocolate Ale kegs will start showing up in Kansas City bars and restaurants. And I've heard its tastes even better on tap.

Edit: As soon as I posted this, I saw this article on the Boulevard website.

Kansas Samplers

To say Kansas liquor laws are absurd is an understatement, but finally, at least one of the ridiculous ones may be coming to an end. A proposed bill has been presented to the Kansas Senate that would allow liquor stores to offer samples of products inside their retail establishments.

Obviously, if this measure is passed, this opens up the door for beer tastings to take place within the confines of liquor stores on the Kansas side. Naturally, these stores and their owners are already showing strong support for the bill, including Marshall Rimann of Rimann Liquors, who spoke about the proposal, and specifically about the booming craft beer segment, on KMBC 9 News.

If passed, the bill would limit portions to 1/2 ounce for distilled spirits, 1 ounce for wine, and 2 ounces for beer or malt beverages.

Having this bill pass would not only be huge for these retailers looking to increase revenue and customer satisfaction/interaction, but it would also beneficial for craft beer drinkers who live or work on the Kansas side and can't easily make it to tastings in Missouri all the time. Personally, I live on the Kansas side and would love having the opportunity to go to tasting events on the weekends or evenings when I have to head home soon after work. And between Rimann, Gomer's, Lukas, Tipsy's, Brown Bag (if I forgot any, it's because they haven't sent me their sponsorship check yet), there are certainly plenty of stores on the Kansas side of the metro that have nice craft beer selections and would make great locations for tastings.

It doesn't appear that a specific date has been set for voting on the bill (just that it will be the topic of hearings in a 'matter of weeks'). KAKE out of Wichita reports that the chairmen of the committees that will likely handle the bill "don't see many problems with allowing the tastings", which is good news. On an unrelated note, I highly recommend reading the comments on their article.

The passing of this measure would be a nice, albeit small, step in the right direction for Kansas and their screwy liquor laws. I can only hope that if this gets approved, it will lead to other changes, but only time will tell.

Stay tuned and hopefully sooner than later, we'll be attending beer tastings on both the Missouri and Kansas sides of the state line.

Weekly Bar Buzz

By all accounts, last night's Deschutes release party at the Foundry was a kick ass event. If you are like me and missed out, you still have a shot at attending tonight's Deschutes kick off party at All Star Pizza in Parkville. If you are going too, please say hello if you see me. I would love to get to know more of you.

Odell Saboteur Brett Barrel Brown has been popping up in liquor stores and on tap at bars around town. I enjoyed it on tap at Martin City Brewing on Friday night.

The brass from Boulder Beer are in town this week and they brought nitro kegs of Mojo IPA with them. Waldo Pizza and Grinders have events this week featuring their beer as well as specialty menu items like an interesting Mojo IPA ice cream at Grinders.

Also, if you are thinking about enjoying a meal out this weekend, you might want to check out Kansas City Restaurant Week. It gets started this Friday and includes a number of good spots to grab a beer.

Mistakes, omissions, comments? Let me know.


Upcoming Events:


Tuesday 1/17
All Star Pizza - 5pm - Deschutes Kick-Off event with the Deschutes crew. Mirror Pond, Black Butte, Black Butte XXIII, The Abyss, and Hop Henge are all expected to be on tap.

Wednesday 1/18
Waldo Pizza - 6pm - Boulder Beer Flashback tapping plus Flashback cupcakes
The Flying Saucer - 7pm - Buy the Beer, Get the Glass: Green Flash
Conrad's Restaurant and Alehouse (Liberty, MO) - 6pm - Deschutes Kick-Off Party

Thursday 1/19
The Flying Saucer - 7pm - Rare Beer Tap Night: Schlafly Coffee Stout Firkin w/Vanilla
Grinders - Boulder Beer Flashback tapping w/paired specialty menu item

Sunday 1/22
Beer Kitchen - 6:30pm - Grand Teton Brewing Company Beer Dinner

Monday 1/23
Barley's Brewhaus (OP) - Grand Teton Beer School
Grunauer - 7pm to 10pm - Boulevard Beer Dinner: Grunauer is pleased to announce its hosting a Boulevard Beer dinner. Don't miss this winter culinary masterpiece where a four-course meal will be paired with delicious Boulevard beers including one test brew that you can't get in the market. Tickets are $50 a person and can be reserved by calling 816.283.3234.

Wednesday 1/25
The Flying Saucer - 7pm - Buy the Beer, Get the Glass: Goose Island

Monday 1/30
The Flying Saucer - 7pm - Bell's Hopslam Firkin Tapping (only one in KC), ticketsvrequired for your pour go on sale at 6pm

Late January
All Star Pizza - Avery Brewing Angels and Demons event, details coming soon

Saturday 2/11
75th Street Brewery - noon to 5pm - The Big Chill Strong Ale and Chili Fest: This year the Big Chill will feature 7 different local breweries. Tickets for this event are $30 ($25 if you're a Mug Club Member) and $35 the day of.

Friday 2/24
Boulevard Brewing - 11:30am - VIP Tour and Luncheon: Secure your spot for an exclusive VIP tour and luncheon with Boulevard’s brewmaster, Steven Pauwels, and the Beer Kitchen as they share their inspired pairings. The tour will begin from our Tasting Room promptly at 11:30am with the meal concluding at approximately 1:30 pm. Tickets for this event, which include the tour and three-course lunch, are $42 each including tax.

Selection vs. Service - The Beer Bar Conundrum

Don't even THINK about asking her what's on the rotator taps

 Over the past couple weeks, I've had discussions with different craft beer drinkers that have all had one unfortunate common thread: the trend of beer bars having an above average selection of craft beer to choose from, but service and beer knowledge that is well below average. Now, this isn't to say that every beer bar in the Kansas City area is like that, because that's certainly not the case. There are plenty of places in the area that do an excellent job of educating their staff and making an effort to make craft beer an experience, not just a product offering. But sadly, there are places that fall well short of that mark.

I'm no beer snob. Far from it, in fact. If there's anything I hate, it's people who act pretentious and holier than thou with anything, beer included. However, that being said, if I am going to be paying a premium to enjoy my beer at an establishment outside my home, I expect a certain level of service. Just the other night, at a bar/restaurant that shall remain unnamed, I asked the waitress if there were any special beers on tap at the moment. She hemed and hawed momentarily, before pulling out a piece of scrap paper with a scribbled list, throwing it down on the table and saying 'Here, you can just look at this.' Really? Now, let's look at this from a different perspective. If someone had been there to eat and asked what the food specials were, I bet she would have rattled them off from memory. Certainly she wouldn't have thrown a handwritten piece of paper down and told them to read for themselves. So why should a beer drinker be treated any differently? Especially when the aforementioned bar goes out of it's way to market themselves as a beer bar with a great selection?

And it's not even just a matter of knowing what special beers are available. There's glassware. Serving someone a bottled IPA without a proper glass is like serving someone a steak without a knife. And to me, basic understanding of beer styles should be commonplace. I don't expect every waiter, waitress or bartender to be a Master Cicerone, but they should at least have a slight clue if asked about a certain beer. And don't forget about proper maintenance of the taps. A wide selection of beers means nothing when many of them are Old kegs or have dirty tap lines.

Of course, all of these things rely on the companies themselves taking the time to educate and inform their employees, which is the true core of the issue. It becomes pretty obvious which places are much more concerned about revenue and the bottom line than about customer satisfaction and providing a true 'exBEERience' (don't worry, I'm kicking my own ass for using that horrible pun).

I understand that the food and drink industry, like any business, is about making money. But the fact is, if I'm out drinking high dollar beers, chances are I'm going to rack up a decent bill. A decent bill coupled with great service equals a great tip. So, if a venue provides an equal focus on both service and selection, there's a much better chance that my beer dollars will be spent there and they will reap the benefits. But there seems to be a naive thought at some places that as long as they line up a wide variety of beers, people will come regardless of how lacking the service is. However, with the growing number of craft beer establishments in Kansas City, these places better start rethinking that concept.

Maybe I'm blowing this out of proportion a bit, but I'm sure there are people that will agree with me. As I said above, if I'm paying the extra money to drink my beer at your bar or restaurant, give me something in return, a reason to want to come.

What do you think? How important is service vs. selection to you when selecting a beer bar to go to?

B4TW - Deschutes Black Butte Porter

The Deschutes madness continues today as multiple liquor stores sell limited quantities of Hop Henge IPA, The Stoic (a Belgian style quad) and Abyss (their famed Russian Imperial Stout). And the Kansas City release of this Oregon brewery culminates next week in a pair of release parties at The Foundry and All Star Pizza (more information to come).

With all the Deschutes buzz and commotion going around, why not use this weekend as an opportunity to try one of their solid, year-round offerings that will be a mainstay and doesn't require a frantic race to the  liquor store? Black Butte Porter is Deschutes' flagship beer, and for good reason. When I tried this beer for the first time in Denver last fall, I enjoyed the toasted malt and chocolate flavors this beer had without being too heavy. It's very drinkable, and at $3 for a bomber, the price is definitely right.

Even if you can't get out in time to pick up the 3 limited releases that are popping up around town, you can definitely grab a bottle of Black Butte Porter to enjoy this weekend. It's also on tap at multiple places now, so if you'll be out and about at a beer bar on the Missouri side, check for it. After a much anticipated arrival, Deschutes is finally here, and that's why Black Butte Porter is the beer for the weekend.

The Iron and the Irish

Photo courtesy of boulevard.com

A couple quick beer release notes:

First, Boulevard Irish Ale starts hitting store shelves in Kansas City today. Although it's a little bizarre having a spring seasonal come out before we've had a significant snowfall in KC, Irish Ale is probably my favorite Boulevard seasonal with Nutcracker coming in at a close second. There should be plenty of this to go around, so no need to speed to the liquor store and throw people to the ground to grab some.

Second, Free State announced that the first release in their specialty series, Ironman Imperial Stout, will hit store shelves at the end of the month. According to their newsletter, it will be available in 4-packs, but they also posted a label graphic that listed a bomber size, so I'm trying to confirm if it will be in both sizes or just one.

Update: Free State confirmed on Twitter that for now, it will just be available in the 4-packs.

On an unrelated note, don't forget to stop by Royal Liquor on 103rd tonight between 5:30 to 7:30, I'll be there with Nate from KC Brew Review hosting a free tasting as part of Royal Liquor Strong Ale Week.

Cheers!

Session IPA: the next big thing?

Last week, Founders announced the release of their first new year-round beer since 2006. All Day IPA is "a session ale that has the traditional qualities of an India Pale Ale with significantly lower alcohol. At 4.7% ABV, the beer is highly drinkable, but maintains the intense tropical aromatics and complex flavors consistent with Founders’ portfolio." My initial thought was what a great name, right? Then I thought its about damn time.

As the name implies, the goal of a Session IPA is to provide the hop forward focus of an American IPA in a lower alcohol, more drinkable beer. Now, I think its easy to say that this style is nothing new. Its the foundation of the American craft beer movement and its called American Pale Ale. While I understand this point of view and to a certain extent it is correct, I think that brewers of Session IPA are trying to accomplish something a little bit different here. APAs are obviously good hoppy every day drinking beers, but few are below 5% alcohol. Maybe that's where we draw the line for this style. Founders All Day IPA is 4.7%, 21st Amendment Bitter American is 4.6%, Stone Levitation is 4.4% and Ballast Point Even Keel is all the way down at 3.5%.

My first experience with this low gravity IPA concept was the one-off collaboration between Stone, Ballast Point, and homebrew champ Kelsey McNair, called San Diego Session Ale (4.2% ABV, the same as Bud Light). I was working at Mile High Wine and Spirits back in Denver then. I absolutely loved that beer and it sold well for us. I wrote a review on Beer Advocate then that I think sums up my thinking at the time. Here's a quick excerpt:

"Did I just taste the future of beer? I always wondered what it would be like if a light beer was heavily hopped. After all, its the alcohol level that produces most of a beer's calories, not the hops. Well, now I know and it is excellent. Want to be a millionaire? Learn how to make a beer like this around 125 calories and under $9 a 6pk."

Ok, I was probably a little too excited then. But I think with all the attention we give to high alcohol beers and the growing imperialization of beer, sometimes we forget that for most beer drinkers (even the ones who do like flavorful, unique beers) Imperial IPAs and Belgian Quads just aren't realistic everyday options. Most people prefer to drink beer of modest strength that won't break the bank. That is one of the reasons BMC beers are so dominant. But what if craft brewers made beer that had the alcohol content of Bud Light, but with a truly interesting flavor profile? Who knows, maybe we could convert some new craft drinkers that way, though that hop character can be pretty intimidating to some people. I'm just excited to be able to keep some hoppy beer in the fridge that has a more moderate ABV and (presumably) a lower calorie count. Because frankly, I do like the idea of lower calorie beer. I just don't want to sacrifice all of a beer's flavor to get there.

Unfortunately, it looks like All Day IPA won't make it to KC, at least not in the early going. But hopefully more breweries start making year-round Session IPAs. Then maybe we can put that Tastes Great, Less Filling line to better use.

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Weekly Bar Buzz

You should be finding Deschutes Mirror Pond and Black Butte on tap at more and more bars this week. Deschutes is having a kick off event at All Star Pizza on 1/17. I will add more details about this event when I get them, but it sounds like several Deschutes employees will be making the trip including one of their head brewers.

It may be gone by now, but on Thursday McCoy's tapped Red Eyed Monster, a special version of their Ursa Major Imperial Stout aged in whiskey barrels with coffee and vanilla beans added.

In case you missed it: Tickets are currently on sale for The Big Chill, 75th Street Brewery's Strong Ale and Chili Fest. The fest will be held on February 11th from noon to 5pm. The brewery has been posting on facebook and twitter to promote the event, but you won't find any mention of it on their website. Just sayin...

Also, don't forget to stop by Royal Liquor on 103rd tonight between 5:30 to 7:30, Pat will be there with Nate from KC Brew Review hosting a free tasting as part of Royal Liquor Strong Ale Week.

Mistakes, omissions, comments? Let me know.


Upcoming Events:


Tuesday 1/10
Royal Liquor 103rd - 5:30 to 7:30pm - Strong Ale Week: Blogger's Choice Tasting - Pat's Picks: North Coast Brother Thelonious, Tripel Karmeliet, and Odell Myrcenary and Nate's Picks: Great Divide Old Ruffian, Fantome Printemps and Grand Teton Pursuit Of Hoppiness

Wednesday 1/11
The Flying Saucer - 7pm - Buy the Beer, Collect the Glass: New Belgium Fresh Hop IPA

Thursday 1/12
The Flying Saucer - 7pm - Rare Beer Tap Night: Avery Mephistopholes
Royal Liquor 103rd - 5:30 to 7:30pm - Strong Ale Week: Schlafly Vertical Night - Garry Briggs From Schlafly will be here pouring: Schlafly Reserve Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout 08' & 11" and Schlafly Reserve Oak Aged Barleywin 08', 09', 10', 11' This will also serve as a Royal Liquor Cellar Series Release Event for both beers with 4 year vertical packs (08' - 11') of both with a set of Schlafly Snifters for sale.

Saturday 1/14
Royal Liquor 103rd - 2:00 to 4:00pm Best Of The Rest: We will concentrate on some of the strong ales that seem to slip through the cracks, readily available but often overlooked. The beer list is not complete for Saturday but will include: Boulevard Dark Truth Stout, Straffe Hendrik Bruges Triple, Straffe Hendrik Bruges Quadruple, Klumbacher EKU 28, Uerige DoppelSticke Alt Beer

Tuesday 1/17
All Star Pizza - 5pm - Deschutes Kick-Off event with the Deschutes crew. Mirror Pond, Black Butte, The Stoic, The Abyss, and Hop Henge are all expected to be on tap.

Wednesday 1/18
Waldo Pizza - 6pm - Boulder Beer Flashback tapping plus Flashback cupcakes

Thursday 1/19
The Flying Saucer - 7pm - Rare Beer Tap Night: Schlafly Coffee Stout Firkin w/Vanilla
Grinders - Boulder Beer Flashback tapping w/paired specialty menu item

Sunday 1/22
Beer Kitchen - 6:30pm - Grand Teton Brewing Company Beer Dinner

Monday 1/23
Barley's Brewhaus (OP) - Grand Teton Beer School
Grunauer - 7pm to 10pm - Boulevard Beer Dinner: Grunauer is pleased to announce its hosting a Boulevard Beer dinner. Don't miss this winter culinary masterpiece where a four-course meal will be paired with delicious Boulevard beers including one test brew that you can't get in the market. Tickets are $50 a person and can be reserved by calling 816.283.3234.

Monday 1/30
The Flying Saucer - 7pm - Bell's Hopslam Firkin Tapping (Only one in KC), tickets required for your pour go on sale at 6pm

Late January
All Star Pizza - Avery Brewing Angels and Demons event, details coming soon

Saturday 2/11
75th Street Brewery - noon to 5pm - The Big Chill Strong Ale and Chili Fest: This year the Big Chill will feature 7 different local breweries. Tickets for this event are $30 ($25 if you're a Mug Club Member) and $35 the day of.

B4TW - Green Flash Rayon Vert

Image credit: beerbooters.com

To any of you who have seen me tweet about Rayon Vert since I first tried it, this choice for Beer for the Weekend is probably no surprise. Now some of you dissenters may think that a Deschutes beer just HAS to be the Beer for the Weekend, and while I respect that opinion, I politely disagree.

If you haven't had the opportunity to try Rayon Vert yet, it is a Belgian Pale Ale brewed with Brettanomyces. The result is a light-bodied, easy-drinking beer that balances West Coast hops with the funk of the Belgian yeast strain. With the unseasonably warm weather we've been having, this is a perfect beer to enjoy outside on a patio on what could be one of our last outdoor drinking weekends for a while. Plus, at $9 for a 4-pack, this is a great bargain for a Belgian-style pale with Brett.

Rayon Vert is a year-round offering, though it seems to have been a little bit harder for people to find recently. I know Royal just got a delivery in today, so other places may have replenished their stock as well. So get out there, grab a 4-pack, and find somewhere to sit outside.

Also, in case anyone was wondering (I know I did at first) "Rayon Vert" is French for "Green Flash". So essentially, you are drinking a Green Flash Green Flash. I know, a real head trip, right?

Royal Liquor Strong Ale Week

Yesterday, Royal Liquor announced that the week of January 9th will be Royal Liquor Strong Ale Week.  The festivities include 3 free tasting events that will highlight a variety of strong ales.

Tuesday, January 10th, 5:30 - 7:30 PM - Blogger's Choice


Myself and Nate from KC Brew Review will be on hand for this tasting to chat and share some of our favorite higher ABV beers.

Thursday, January 12th, 5:30 - 7:30 PM - Schlafly Vertical Night


Western Missouri and Kansas Schlafly representative and Certified Cicerone Gary Briggs will be on hand as they pour:

- Schlafly Reserve Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout '08 and '11
- Schlafly Reserve Oak Aged Barleywine '08, '09, '10 and '11.

Limited 4 year vertical packs of both of these beers and speciality glassware will also be available for purchase.

Saturday, January 14th, 2-4 PM - Best of the Rest

This tasting will explore strong ales from regions and breweries that often get overlooked.


All tastings will take place at the 103rd/State Line Royal Liquor location. A complete list of beers will be posted soon, and once it is, I will be sure to update this post. In the meantime, you can go over the Facebook page for this event to RSVP and keep track of it as well.

Weekly Bar Buzz

Note: All happy hour content has been moved to the new KC Happy Hours page. My thanks to John for the excellent suggestion and Chimpotle for the feedback. Also, I have included all January events I have info for. I will still post every Tuesday, but I think listing a months worth of events should make it easier for folks to plan ahead.

Mistakes, omissions, comments? Let me know.

Now:

All Star Pizza - Double Bastard, Arrogant Bastard, Green Flash Double Stout and Nectar IPA now on tap

Coming Soon:

Wednesday 1/4
All Star Pizza - Tapping Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale and Black Butte Porter
The Flying Saucer - 7pm - Buy the Beer, Collect the Glass: Goose Island Mild Winter

Thursday 1/5
The Flying Saucer - 7pm - Rare Beer Tap Night: Schlafly 20th Anniversary Southern Hemisphere IPA
The Well* - Tapping Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale and Black Butte Porter at 4 PM
Lew's Grill and Bar* - Tapping Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale and Black Butte Porter at 4 PM

Friday 1/6
The Well - Tapping Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale and Black Butte Porter
Lew's Grill and Bar - Tapping Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale and Black Butte Porter
Lakeside Tavern - Tapping Boulevard Harvest Dance Wheat Wine and Boulevard Pilsner

Wednesday 1/11
The Flying Saucer - 7pm - Buy the Beer, Collect the Glass: New Belgium Fresh Hop IPA

Thursday 1/12
The Flying Saucer - 7pm - Rare Beer Tap Night: Avery Mephistopholes

Wednesday 1/18
Waldo Pizza - 6pm - Boulder Beer Flashback tapping plus Flashback cupcakes

Thursday 1/19
The Flying Saucer - 7pm - Rare Beer Tap Night: Schlafly Coffee Stout Firkin w/Vanilla
Grinders - Boulder Beer Flashback tapping w/paired specialty menu item

Sunday 1/22
Beer Kitchen - 6:30pm - Grand Teton Brewing Company Beer Dinner

Monday 1/23
Barley's Brewhaus (OP) - Grand Teton Beer School

Monday 1/30
The Flying Saucer - 7pm - Bell's Hopslam Firkin Tapping (Only one in KC), tickets required for your pour go on sale at 6pm

Late January
All Star Pizza - Avery Brewing Angels and Demons event, details coming soon

*Moved from Friday, 1/6