Tag: Cinder Block

Learn to Homebrew Day

HomebrewingEveryone has to start somewhere.  Saturday is Learn to Homebrew Day.  It was established by the American Homebrewers Association (AHA) in 1999 to encourage homebrewers to introduce their non-brewer friends and family to the wonderful hobby of homebrewing.  Learn to Homebrew Day has since become a worldwide one-day celebration including demonstrations, events, tastings, educational efforts, and contests.  Whether you’ve been homebrewing for a while or have never touched hops in your life, there’s an event for you on Saturday.

Events for Learn to Homebrew Day:

  • Grain to Glass, 1611 Swift St, North Kansas City, 64116, is partnering with Cinder Block Brewery, 110 East 18th Avenue, North Kansas City, 64116, to help homebrewers with their next brew.  Once you brew your wort in the parking lot of Grain to Glass, take it to Cinder Block to pitch it with their Chico yeast.  10am – 4pm.  Event details.
  • Apex Brew Wares, 4380 S Noland Road, Independence, 64055, is hosting a demonstration in their parking lot from 11am until 5pm.  They welcome you to bring your own rig so you can join in on brewing.  Event details.
  • KC Nanobrews is also having a homebrew demonstration.  From 2pm until 7pm, learn with some of the best homebrewers in Kansas City.  Event details.
  • Not necessarily for Learn to Homebrew Day, but The Pitch is having their annual Crafts & Drafts at the Uptown Shoppes, 3600 Broadway, Kansas City, 64111.  Over 25 beer vendors will be in attendance, so you can ask them how they got started with brewing.

If you don’t feel like getting out or brewing yourself this Saturday, celebrate by drinking a beer!

Continue Reading

It’s National American Beer Day

The best kinds of beers are made right here in Kansas City.  Let’s celebrate National American Beer Day by drinking some of those local brews.  A few of our local breweries are closed today (stop in tomorrow, though), but there are still several that are open.  Rock & Run, 75th Street, Martin City Brewing, Granite City, and Cinder Block will all be celebrating the holiday by serving their locally made beers.

Over 2,500 breweries across the United States produce more than 6 billion gallons of beer annually, making it the most popular alcoholic drink in the U.S.  The American Lager is the most common style of beer produced by the bigger breweries of America.  Beer styles originating here include American Pale Ale, Pennsylvania Porter, American IPA, Steam Beer, Amber Ale, Cream Ale, and Cascadian Dark Ale.

Don’t feel like drinking tonight?  Here are some recipes that use beer as an ingredient.  Chili, beer cheese soup, beer can chicken are all great fall weather food to help you observe National American Beer Day!

Another beer holiday, International Stout Day, is next week.

Continue Reading

Take the Crown!

 

“Let’s Go Royals!” seems to be the chant you hear whenever you’re in a large crowd anywhere in Kansas City and rightfully so.  The Royals have swept the Angels to move on to the American League Championship Series against Baltimore.  Here some ideas on what local beers go great with all aspects of the game.

Tailgating – Stick with something light with a low ABV like a session beer.  Boulevard’s Pop-Up Session I.P.A has an ABV of 4.3% and has low bitterness with a big, fruity hop aroma.  Another session beer, Cinder Block‘s Northtown Native was brewed and fermented as if it were a lager, but it’s actually an ale.  It has a light and crisp upfront taste with a hops finish.

DSC05494During the Game – Here’s where you can really get into it.  Start the celebration a little early and open up a Saison-Brett from Boulevard’s Smokestack Series.  The Brett part is named for the Brettanomyces which is a a wild yeast strain that gives a distinctive earthy quality to the beer, but we can say it’s named after George Brett to fit the theme.  If you can’t get your hands on this beer, pick up a growler of Martin City Brewing‘s Bière de Garde.  It’s a little sweet with just the right amount of spice to keep you going throughout the innings.

Extra Innings – Most of the postseason games have gone into extra innings so you need to be prepared with something that can hold you over until the Royals win.  Try The Big Rip Brewing Company’s flagship beer, Hathor’s Sweet Brown.  The smoothness of the beer will keep you calm until it’s time for some bubbly in celebration.  Can’t get up to Northtown to get your growler filled?  Try KC Bier Co‘s Dunkel.  Yes, it’s a German beer, but it’s made right here in Kansas City.  It’s a medium-bodied beer with a slightly sweet, malt flavor and smooth finish that has just enough noble hop bitterness to balance the malt.  It goes great with all the BBQ and sausages you’ve been eating.

The CChampionship Aleelebration – The obvious choice is Boulevard’s Championship Ale.  While this was made in honor of Sporting KC’s 2013 MLS Cup victory, why not break it out when our baseball team is winning?  Until Boulevard comes out with a World Series Championship beer, this will have to suffice.  If you didn’t get a bottle of the Championship Ale, try one of Cinder Block’s Ciders; the refreshing, not to sweet taste is perfect complement to that victory feeling.

 

 

Continue Reading

Happy Birthday, Cinder Block!

Remember about a year and a half ago when there were so few breweries in Kansas City?  Well, that’s all changed and Cinder Block is about to celebrate their first anniversary!  All next week, Cinder Block will be having specials, events, and freebies to celebrate.  Their biggest celebration will be on Saturday, September 27, where, starting at 4pm, there will be live music and commemorative glassware for the first 100 people in the door.  Special and experimental beers will be tapped throughout the day, including a whiskey-barrel aged version of their Black Squirrel Imperial Stout.  If you’ve never been to Cinder Block this is a good opportunity to check them out and join in the celebrations.  Here’s a list of events for each day.

cinderblock

  • Monday: $2 beers for customer appreciation
  • Tuesday: Trivia night
  • Wednesday: Beer dinner with food from Voltaire ($65/person)
  • Thursday: Live homebrew night
  • Friday: Three special firkins with glassware for the first 20 people
  • Saturday: Anniversary party

 

 

Cinder Block is located at 110 East 18th Ave in North Kansas City.

Continue Reading