Finding Love in Lee's Summit

We had a great night last night. Despite driving through traffic for over an hour yesterday (at least it wasn't that insane traffic jam in China) and arriving at the Flying Saucer to only obtain one ticket for CBS, we still had a nice time hanging out with our friend J and Mark from The Hopry. The CBS wasn't as "maple-y" as I remembered it being last year, but it was still an incredible beer. (And it's very possible my palate has changed.) Coffee, bitter roasted malt, dried fruit, vanilla, oak, and just a touch of maple sweetness. Keep an eye out for it next year; the Saucer's had it the past two years in a row, and I wouldn't be surprised if it made an appearance in '11.

We ate dinner, split an 8oz pour of CBS, and figured the night was still young - we had plenty of time to finally go to Gomer's in Lee's Summit. We'd both heard so many good things about it, and I'd recently seen that they had Mikkeller Rauch Geek Breakfast stout in stock. What else were we going to do with our evening?

So, we hit the highway and, half an hour later, found ourselves in a beer wonderland. We walked in and saw an incredible amount of craft beer in refrigerated coolers straight in front of us. (It's worth mentioning, by the way, that they have a fantastic gin selection that rivals Lukas' in Martin City.) They have the entire Mikkeller yeast series, a ton of Belgian beer I've never seen here, and put simply, THE BEST beer selection in Kansas City. By "best" I don't mean the largest selection or the most bottles; they have the most thoughtful and interesting selection I've seen in this city.

We talked to the beer buyer for a while, who's about our age and a major beer nerd as well. He keeps their blog pretty up to date and works hard to ensure their beer selection's current and creative. I just wish they weren't so damn far out of town. However, I now have a reason to go to Lee's Summit at least once a month, and recommend you do the same. I'm embarrassed that I've never been here before. If you're any self-respecting beer lover, you owe it to yourself to make it out there on a regular basis.

In case you're curious, here's what we came home with:

• Drie Fonteinen Oude Kriek
• Southern Tier Pumking
• Mikkeller Frelser triple bock
• Cantillon broucsella 1900 Grand Cru
• Trois dames grande dame oud bruin
• Mikkeller Rauch Geek Breakfast
• Rogue Chatoe Rogue OREgasmic 
• Ska Nefarious ten pin imperial porter
• Haand Bryggeriet barrel aged porter (aged in an aquavit barrel)
• De Molen Heaven & Hell 
• Charlevoix Dominus Vobiscum double
• Nogne O/Mikkeller Tyttebaer (cranberry wild ale) 
• Vikings Blod Mead
• Pirtle Blackberry Mead
• Ben Middlemiss Benediction ale
• Mikkeller Monks Brew
• Sierra Nevada Tumbler
• O'Fallon Pumpkin
• Schlafly Pumpkin

Prost!

Canadian Breakfast Stout is Coming!

The Flying Saucer got a keg of this Founders delicacy back in June and has been holding on to it through the summer... until now. They're putting this baby on for Rare Beer Night on August 26th. They've been tapping some stellar stuff for Rare Beer Night lately, and this one continues the trend.

I probably don't need to say anything more, but JUST in case you're not sure what this concoction is, it's their standard Breakfast Stout that is aged in barrels that were initially used to age Heaven Hills Kentucky Bourbon, then were shipped up to Canada to age craft maple syrup. The result, as I wrote about last year for Present Magazine, "carries smoky flavors from the charred barrels, vanilla notes from the bourbon, and a prominent douse of maple sweetness."

Simply delicious.

Brewin up some math

My brother posted a link to a homebrew recipe calculator tool on Facebook and I thought it was so handy that I wanted to share.

The site also has over 4000 recipes as well as a good catalog of styles (with recipes and notes on each).

That's all! Short & sweet today. I'm off to Flying Saucer to get some Founders, then to Grinders for more beer and some Ben Folds. Have a great Saturday!

Local Updates

More updates!

Looks like Schlafly just released their quadrupel which should be in stores soon. "Schlafly Quadrupel is, as its name implies, a serious beer. But don’t be intimidated. This fourth beer in our bottle-conditioned Belgian-style beer series has a rich, malty backbone that is generously balanced by select, fresh hops to create a luscious, smooth character. Sharing it with friends enhances the enjoyment, whether in front of a roaring fire or at the finest dinner party." I've found their other Belgian styles to be quite good, and expect the same from the quad.

Great Divide, which competes with Avery for my "favorite Colorado brewery" designation, is releasing two new brews this month:

Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti: We toned down the hops a bit to allow cocoa nibs to contribute some pleasing bitterness, while vanilla notes from the oak combine with the cocoa to create an aroma and flavor akin to a gourmet chocolate bar. A dash of cayenne keeps things lively, adding just a bit of heat to the finish. A Yeti for summer? Hell yes.

Double Wit: Our more muscular take on the beloved white ales of Belgium. Unmalted wheat and Belgian malted barley give the beer a light body and straw hue, while coriander and curaçao provide the traditional notes of spice and light acidity. This cloudy, deceptively drinkable creation should be enjoyed without the addition of fruit.

Looks like they'll be bottling & distributing them, though I can't find any further info on that - anyone know?

Most of you already know Boulevard is coming out with an American Pilsner this summer. It will be "available initially only in Kansas City in 6-packs. We’re paying homage to the legacy of past Kansas City breweries with a classic American lager; all malt, real hop character, unpasteurized. Basically an American beer 'revival' for local consumers made by a traditional Midwestern craft brewery.'"

Founders is indeed set to arrive in Missouri in early June. A kick-off promo at Flying Saucer in the P&L is on June 3 at 7:00 PM. And for those of you keeping score, Wednesdays are also the Saucer's "keep the glass" night - buy a beer, keep the glass. Yes, celebrate the arrival of a top-notch brewery's products with a free glass to boot. Here's hoping it's something more exciting than a standard pint glass.


And that's all I've got for today. Prost!

Local Updates

As I enjoy a Victory Prima Pils I picked up in PA a while back (mmm), I thought I'd post a handful of updates for today.

Looks like Founders isn't coming to MO until some time in June. The waiting continues.

Free State has a new website AND a blog. Their first (and, currently, only) post details a trip to Belgium last year for the brewers. Their full list of beers has also been updated and is so much easier to use (and drool-inducing). Speaking of beer - in addition to their regular lineup, they also have a porter and maibock on tap.

Waldo Pizza has Avery's Maharaja IIPA on tap. Had a glass of it last week and it was just as delicious as I'd remembered. And if you go on the right night, the new bartender might just serve it in a 16oz glass. ;)

Anderson Valley is taking KC by storm. They sure make some good beer, and now you can get more of it at Barley's in Shawnee. They've got Brother David Double & Tripel, as well as a handful of other new ones now and forthcoming (including Great Divide's Dunkelweiss, which I'm also very excited about). It's about time, Barley's - your beer list was getting a little stagnant (or is it just that I was going too frequently?).

Looks like Odell is coming out with a couple of seasonals soon. Woodcut #2, an oak-aged pale, will be in stores this month and their new Extra Pale Ale will be out this June.

Boulevard's Two Jokers Double Wit should be hitting stores soon... Remember that Boulevard is pairing up a Smokestack release with a seasonal. The Wit's partner is ZON, which is already in stores. I've been looking for Two Joker and have yet to see it, but expect it'll be there any day now.

And, while I'm definitely a dyed-in-the-wool hophead, I am VERY excited for Sierra Nevada's Kellerweis. "Kellerweis is one of the only American Hefeweizens made using the traditional Bavarian style of open fermentation. This difficult and labor-intensive technique adds uncommon depth and flavor complexity. Our hazy-golden hefeweizen is deeply flavorful, refreshing and perfect for a sunny day." AHH!! I love German styles and I love Sierra Nevada's beer. This one is bound to be a winner. (And speaking of Sierra Nevada, if you enjoy their stuff, check out their Brown Saison at Flying Saucer while it lasts).

That's it for now. Hopefully that'll keep everyone busy for a while.

Founder's is Coming!!

And YES I am excited. STL Hops recently posted that MoBev would begin distributing Founder's beers around Missouri in early May. Derek with MoBev verified that they'll "begin selling Founders in KC the same day we begin selling Founders in St. Louis, Springfield, Columbia, Jefferson City, Lake of the Ozarks, Joplin, Cape Girardeau, etc."

Time to celebrate. I can already taste that Centennial IPA...