Lew's Expands Draft System

Lew's may not be one of the first bars that generally comes to mind when people ask about craft beer in Kansas City, but GM George Clarke is determined to change that. Step-by-step, Clarke is making changes that are proving Lew's isn't just a bar devoted to debaucherous nights downing boots of Bud Light, but also a craft-centric bar with a broad selection of beer. He started with increasing the bottle options. Next, he made a monthly event out of hosting Mother's Brewing Company firkins, which have been a huge hit (and delicious, at that).


But there was one major piece left that Clarke had to tackle, one which was immediately noticeable to beer-drinking customers: the draft choices. Up until a few days ago, Lew's just had 8 total taps. With a few of these dedicated to BMC products, there wasn't much wiggle room in terms of tap rotation or variety. However, last week, Clarke effectively doubled the number of taps at Lew's by installing a brand new draft coffin box. The new box houses 12 taps, while 4 of the previously existing taps will remain.

However, it wasn't just a matter of slapping in a new draft box. Clarke recruited the help of Boulevard's Neil Witte (a good sign in and of itself) to assist in setting up the draft system, which involved installation of the new taps as well as a re-installing the lines for the pre-existing taps. Now, Clarke will have a lot more freedom to rotate and bring in new beers on draft for people to enjoy. Right off the bat, you can find beers like Avery Maharaja, New Belgium Cascara Quad, and Stone Double Bastard on tap and ready to drink. Clarke is also working to get set up with Drafster, so that tap changes will be automatically tweeted and posted on Facebook.

So, the next time you're ready to head out for a beer, think about stopping by Lew's to check out their new setup and see what's on tap. Now the question is, who will be the first person to order a boot full of barleywine?