KC Bier – Kansas City Beer

August 15, 2015

It’s Still Beer Season

Summer may be winding down and kids are back to school, but that doesn’t mean the beer season has to end. Tailgating, heavy beers, even more festivals are all going to make this season great.

Boulevard announced beer releases, yesterday. Funky Pumpkin, Collaboration No. 5 – Tropical Pale Ale, Rye-on-Rye, Imperial Stout X – Tart Cherry, Smokestack Series Great 8, and Deep Dive – Wet Hopped Ale are all scheduled to be released throughout the rest of the year. To see more on each beer visit their website.

In addition to Boulevard’s first pumpkin beer, most other breweries are releasing their fall seasonals. Pumpkins, Oktoberfests, and stouts are all popular fall and winter beers. Kansas City Bier Company had an enjoyable Oktoberfest event in their Bavarian bier garden and bierhalle last year and will surely hold another one this year. For more information and pictures from last year’s event click here.

There are still quite a few festivals to close out the 2015 season. Zona Rosa is being held today as well as the 75th Street Summer Beer Fest. Screenland holds the “Best Beer Fest” on August 21 & 22. In the middle of Kansas, Salina will host the Midwest Microfest on August 29. Not even open yet, but Crane Brewing will host the Festival of the Lost Township in Raytown on September 5. On September 12, you have your choice of two festivals – Tour of Brews in Lee’s Summit and Brewtopia at Apex Brew in Independence. High Plains Brewhoff, KC Beer Fest, and the Village West Wine Fest & Beer will all be held on September 19. Skipping all the way to October 17, KC Brew Fest Fall Edition at Union Station will hold two sessions and Brew at the Zoo at the Kansas City Zoo will have In the Valley Below perform. And finally, the Beerfest at the Ballpark will be held October 24, where the T-Bones play.

And then there’s football. The Chiefs have their first preseason game tonight and kicks off their regular season September 13. Whether you’re tailgating, hosting a party, or just chilling at home, beer will surely be involved.

So grab a cold one to keep warm this fall and winter.

April 23, 2015

The Lone Elm Taproom

Yesterday, I stopped by The Lone Elm Taproom in the new Whole Foods store in Olathe. It was their Grand Opening and you could tell from the crowd. The store itself was extremely busy, but the taproom was slightly less busy. It’s a great concept – a taproom inside a grocery store with local beers and wines. The taproom’s opening on Earth Day is no coincidence. It’s an Earth-friendly store that used recycled materials such as reclaimed gym floor from Dekalb High School in DeKalb, Missouri, wood paneling from reclaimed beetle-kill ash trees from around Kansas City, and spring bar stools made from an oil rig in Kansas to create the environment.

There were several people on staff and they were quick to serve and clean up. You could also order food featuring local ingredients. It’s always a good idea to eat before you go grocery shopping!

I didn’t stay for KC Bier Company‘s tapping of a Bavarian barrel, but I’m sure it was a good time. If KC Bier knows anything (other than bier) it’s how to have a good time!

The taproom will have beer events every Saturday starting May 2nd with a Beer & Cheese pairing. May 9th Torn Label will have a tap takeover and May 23rd will be Meet the Maker with KC Bier.

Overall, it’s a great little spot if you live nearby. I appreciate the work that went into it to make it as green and local as possible. It’s even a great spot for out-of-towners to try most of Kansas City’s offerings for beer all in one place.

Here are some pictures of the taproom.

The Lone Elm Taproom - Whole Foods Olathe

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December 19, 2014

2014 Holiday Gift Guide for Kansas City Beer Lovers

If you haven’t started your holiday gift shopping yet, this weather should jump start it. With the winter wonderland outside and Christmas one week away, ’tis the season to be shopping. Here’s your 2014 Holiday Gift Guide for Kansas City Beer Lovers.

Big Rip Brewing Company

T-shirts, magnets, pint glasses, growlers, hoodies, calendars and more make up Big Rip’s selection of gifts. The gifts range from $2 for the magnet to $50 for the hoodie, so it’s a perfect gift shopping stop for the beer lover in your life.

They’ll be tapping their Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Ale just in time for Christmas and be selling 22 oz bottles of their beers soon after Christmas.

Their hours are:

Friday, December 19: noon – 8pm
Saturday, December 20: noon – 10pm
Sunday, December 21: noon – 4pm
Wednesday, December 24: 9am – noon (get your last minute shopping done, fill a growler, and have a pint while you wait)
Closed on Christmas

Boulevard Brewing Company

Boulevard has pretty much anything you could want in a gift from a brewery. Items for men, women, kids, even pets are available on their website, at the brewery, or at their Dry Goods Store at the Plaza. Highlights in the selection include a snowglobe with a small scale brewery, a dog hoodie with the moniker “Beer Retriever” and sweaters for your bottles – Freakers.

Boulevard recently released their lineup for 2015, that include 12 new brews.

Their hours are 10am – 5pm everyday, but they’ll be closed Christmas Day.

Cinder Block Brewery

Cinder Block’s best gift is the gift of their beer in one of the coolest growlers. Their stainless steel, vacuum insulated, double wall barrel style growler can hold 64 oz of any of their great beers and it keeps cold for up to three days outside of the fridge.

They are also running specials when you buy items from their taproom. Buy a growler and a t-shirt get a free glass; buy a gift card and a growler get a free glass and one free beer; buy a growler, t-shirt, and gift card get two free glasses and two free beers. These specials are good through December 23.

Cinder Block will be open normal hours through December 23, but will be closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

KC Bier Company

KC Bier has several gifts for your German-style bier loving friend. Masskrugens, lederhosen t-shirts, and other German wares are available at their brewery. They even make it easy for you with a Bier Gift Box that includes four glasses, a 44 oz growler, and a gift certificate for a growler fill for only $39. Perfect for the friend who wants to get started in the world of craft brews!

They will be introducing their newest brew, a cider, on December 19.

KC Bier will be open normal hours, but will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Martin City Brewing Company

Their newest addition to their line of glassware, the pictured chalice, is perfect for their superb beer. Embellished with their logo on one side and a fun train on the other, this will be a great addition to anyone’s glassware collection.

Martin City Brewing will be hosting a New Year’s Eve Party with access to all three location. It’s $25 per person that includes a dinner buffet, two bands, drink specials, and a champagne toast.

Happy Holidays from KansasCityBeer.com. We think 2015 will be an amazing year!

December 4, 2014

St. Nikolaus Day at KC Bier Company

Have you been a good boy or girl this year? Let St. Nikolaus reward you with goodies in your Stiefel! Kansas City Bier Company will be celebrating this mostly European holiday this weekend at their brewery. This will be a family friendly event with bier, a toy drive, and Santa from 1pm-3pm each day. I was born in Milwaukee, so I’ve been raised with the tradition of St. Nick and continue to put my stocking out on December 5th every year (when I’ve been good).

KC Bier Company says,

“On December 6th & 7th, we’re hosting our first annual “St. Nikolaus Bier Boot Day & Toy Drive”! In case you’re not familiar with the German holiday St. Nikolaus Day, here are the details; St. Nikolaus Day is on December 6th each year. Children in Germany put their “Nikolaus Stiefel” (or nicholas boot) outside their front door that night. If the kids were good that year, St. Nikolaus would leave them gifts and sweets in their Nikolaus Boot.

Instead of us rewarding kids with candy in their boots, we’re rewarding adults with Bier in Boots! We’ll be pouring liters of Bier in Boots all weekend long (also known as Das Boots). We will also have a toy drive that weekend to benefits the Shadow Buddies Foundation. For every toy people bring in we’ll take $1 off each bier. So if you bring in 3 toys, you can get $1 off 3 different biers. Details on the toy drive can be found here http://www.shadowbuddies.org/events/2014/10/holiday-hugs-toy-drive/.

Both days we will have Santa in the brewery for pictures from 1-3pm and live Bavarian music from 3-5pm. We encourage people to bring their friends, family, and children to the brewery to enjoy a day of family fun, German fare and German Bier.”

We will be there on Saturday, so say hello if you see us. If you haven’t been a good boy or girl, you only have a few days to make up for it!