Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Stuff to Keep on the Radar


I started building a list of things to do during the week, specifically happy hours or notable beer deals (think sidebar list gadget). In looking around for beer-related happy hours, it seemed most of what I could find was "domestic bottles" paired with shots. While I did get to learn what a "starburst shot" is, I'm not sure I found everything I was looking for. Here's what I got - what else can I add?
  • Mondays: OK so this one isn't beer, but it's such a good deal and I enjoy wine as well, so I can't help it. Every Monday from 11:30am - 6pm, Extra Virgin does one hell of a happy hour day. Half-price bottles of wine (under $100) and tapas. Where else are you going to get halibut cheeks and grilled beef tongue for under $10?
  • Mondays, pt II: What, not up for adventurous food? McCoys does a great happy hour on Monday: $7 each for a pitcher, a burger or a pizza. Some of their special brews have been noteworthy (and I was too late for their coffee stout, damn it, but their Cerveza is quite good), and if you're not following their blog, you should be.
  • Mondays, pt III: Not convinced that Monday happy hour is a great way to drown your sorrows over the end of the weekend? Head out to Free State in Lawrence for $1.75 beers. A dollar seventy five!
  • Tuesdays: 75th Street recently started up "Big Ass Beer Night" on Tuesdays, where they feature some special beers. Tonight is Founders Breakfast Stout. They don't currently publish this on the web, but if you sign up for their email list you'll get notified.
  • Wednesdays: Glass night at Flying Saucer. These are pretty widely known now, so you could always work on maximizing your caloric intake at Old Chicago and get $1 off their featured beer.
  • Thursdays: Flying Saucer wins again. They started their Rare Beer Nights this summer, tapping a special keg each week. Everyone's looking forward to October 1st when they tap that keg of Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout. Imperial Stout aged in maple barrels. Seriously.
  • Fridays: Exercise your brain at The Brick for Trivia Riot while ordering beer off a menu that is never up-to-date and eating good but cheap food. And for the diet-conscious, they offer raw veggies as a side instead of fries. Sometimes I want a gut bomb, but not always; it's nice they offer the choice. They also have lots of vegetarian options, too. And a bacon fluffernutter.
  • Fridays, pt II: Need more glassware? Old Chicago does glass night too, on Fridays. More caloric maximization. Now with a glass.
Other various things:
  • Royal Liquor now has Seeyoulator available. I also picked up an O'Fallon Chocolate By the Barrel Cream Stout and, when paying for it, got to talking to Cody there about the Southern Tier Creme Brulee Stout (scroll down to the bottom of the page). This is a summer seasonal and may no longer be around, but if you haven't had it, you should try it. You'll probably want to share it, but man is it good.
  • The O'Fallon stout, by the way, was good but not worth it. It was $12 (including tax) and a little thin on mouthfeel. Bitter from the cocoa and not sweet enough, in my opinion, for the style. Disappointing. Oh well; it happens.
  • Speaking of Royal Liquor, they're doing a huge beer tasting and bottle discount on October 1st from 6-8pm. If you're not that keen on the Canadian Breakfast Stout at Flying Saucer, definitely check this out (or stop by Royal on your way to/from P&L). They're sampling a ton of craft brews that are worth trying.
  • Free State's pouring a small beer, not something you see very often. Anchor does one (from its Old Foghorn), but I don't believe we get it out here. The second runnings from Old Backus, Little Backus, is full of Cascade & Simcoe hops but appropriately at 33IBUs for the style. Sounds good, doesn't it?
  • Lagunitas is now in KS and MO. Hurrah! Do yourself a favor and pick up a bottle of Hop Stoopid. At around $4 for a 22oz bottle, you're almost losing money not buying it.
What else?

9 comments:

  1. Got to taste the Creme Brulee'@ grinders last week. They had a Southern Tier tasting & pairing. Really good stuff. Heard it is not sold in stores, only at bars here in MO, if there are any left. I'm a beer geek and haven't been surprised in a long time tasting a new beer.

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  2. It may not be in stores anymore, but it definitely was at Lukas Liquor in Martin City a month ago - I bought a bottle there :) I had to ask for it though; for some reason, they didn't have any bottles on the shelf, just in the back. Keeping it all for the staff maybe. :-D

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  3. Have you heard anything about Magic Hat coming to KS or MO sometime soon?

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  4. Just what I've seen on BA, which isn't accompanied by a timeline. If it's like the rumors about Lagunitas coming to the area, we could be waiting a year. ;)

    That said, I haven't been too awfully impressed by the 2 Magic Hats I've had, so I'm not dying to get them out here. They're not bad, but they're no Founders. I'd rather get Weyerbacher, Smuttynose, or Three Floyds. :)

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  5. Charlie Hooper's used to do $2 import nights on Wednesday's...I think I heard it's $2.50 now. That was always a good deal. The Harpo's quarter draw night probably isn't of interest to you... :D

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  6. Oh yeah, Hoopers! I completely forgot about that place. Good call.

    Every time we go, John likes to play "how many beers on the list can I order that aren't actually in stock?" Good times. :)

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  7. I have an unfair advantage. The same ones are always out of stock. I usually order one that I think will be out of stock half to make a point and half because I want to see if they have it.

    They never do.

    However, they always have Schlafly dry hopped APA on draught which I think is a really good beer.

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  8. I'm a little upset about bringing Magic Hat to KC. Okay maybe they're decent, but not much different than we already have and they'll waste space on a good beer shelf. I'd rather see DFH, Cigar City, Russian River... I could go on and on. I've had 4 magic hats and they're all solid, just no 'wow' factor.

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