Grab a beer and take a tour through Kansas City-area breweries
Over this month’s 31 days, Kansas City will see another new brewery open and a cozy taproom debut at Torn Label. And when the calendar turns over to August, The Pitch puts on the first City Market Beer Festival (free to attend, with the beer sold very affordably). In the coming weeks, look for more coverage here, including a guide to breweries in Lawrence, Manhattan, Springfield and beyond.
Amerisports
3200 North Ameristar Drive
Last month, Amerisports unveiled Kansas City’s largest professional-grade, high-definition indoor monitor. The LED screen measures 30 feet wide by 10 feet high and pairs well with the brewery’s craft drafts, especially the seasonal unfiltered IPA. Also, look for a Saison in early August.
Big Rip Brewing Co.
216 East Ninth Avenue, North Kansas City
The third annual Fourth of July party is Saturday at the brewery, and it’ll be a great chance to try the Great Conjunction cherry hefeweizen. The $1 admission goes to Great Plains SPCA.
Border Brewing Co.
406 East 18th Street
The next beer in Border’s We Brew for You series, an American Dark Wheat, comes out July 9.
Boulevard Brewing Co.
2501 Southwest Boulevard
Sporting Saison, Boulevard’s collaboration with Sporting KC, is scheduled to be released at Sporting Park July 18, and then in metro bars and restaurants.
Brewery Emperial
1829 Oak
Slated to open this fall in the Crossroads Arts District, Brewery Emperial is the work of longtime McCoy’s brewmaster Keith Thompson, Room 39 restaurateur Ted Habiger, and Rich Kasyjanski. They’ll run a 15-barrel brewhouse that includes a restaurant with a casual menu, centered on locally sourced meats and vegetables.
Cinder Block Brewery
110 East 18th Avenue, North Kansas City
Cinder Block’s Lusus Naturae (Freak of Nature) peach farmhouse, sour-aged in wine barrels, is a hit, drawing long lines at Boulevardia. Also on tap, KC Weiss (Berliner Weisse), Hoppy Lager and Champagne Cider.
Crane Brewing
6515 Railroad, Raytown
Michael Crane’s brewery raised more than $45,000 in a crowd-funding campaign for extra barrels, kegs and testing equipment. The brewery is slated to open in August and is hosting the Festival of the Lost Township Saturday, September 5.
Double Shift Brewing Co.
412 East 18th Street
Double Shift’s doors open Saturday, July 11, and owner Aaron Ogilvie will be pouring four beers: Run-Around Rye, Heavyweight Double IPA, Summer Session White IPA and Hayloft Saison.
Free State Brewing Co.
636 Massachusetts, Lawrence
In July, look for the second release in the Front Porch Series: Garden Party, a light lager infused with cucumber, juniper berries and basil.
Gordon Biersch
100 East 14th Street • 11652 Ash, Leawood
German beer lovers: This brewpub chain is tapping SommerBrau, a Kölsch-style beer, through July 19.
Green Room Burgers & Beer
4010 Pennsylvania
Green Room lost brewer Chris Flenker to Iowa’s Toppling Goliath but has brought on Kalim Kazmi and Noah Kent. The restaurant has released a new summer menu and, in the next month or so, will be tapping a radler, a black saison, a red IPA and a red pale wit.
KC Bier Co.
310 West 79th Street
The German-style brewery’s funky and tasty farmhouse ale, Der Bauer, is out now. And just in time for August, Wunder Pils imperial Pilsner is set for release July 30.
Martin City Brewing Co.
410 East 135th Street
Brandy-barrel-aged Tripel is on tap now, and Prickly Pear Hibiscus Saison releases Friday. Also on tap at Martin City Brewing Co.’s restaurants and available in 750 ml bottles: Quid Feci, a tart cherry saison, and Coming Undone, a complex Flanders red-style beer. Look for those Belgian beers to hit liquor-store shelves early this month, says Matt Moore, the brewery’s founder and co-owner. Speaking of bottling, Moore says MCBC’s bottling line arrived a couple of weeks ago, and bottles of the brewery’s beer should be out around KC by the end of July. Also coming in late July or early August: Dreamquest golden brett and Color Out of Space brett stout.
McCoy’s Public House
4057 Pennsylvania
West Coast IPA is on tap now. Also on the way in July, a lot of easy-drinking summer brews: Belgian Witbier, White IPA, Gose, Peach Wheat and Ginger Shandy.
Red Crow Brewing Co.
20561 South Lone Elm Road, Spring Hill
Red Crow is hoping to be open in mid-August, but that’s out of Chris and Mistie Roberts’ hands. They’re in the midst of federal license approval and waiting for the brewery’s home building to be “move-in ready,” Mistie tells The Pitch. While they wait, Chris Roberts has been developing recipes and working on summer seasonal beers.
Rock & Run Brewery
110 East Kansas, Liberty
Coming out in the next few weeks: Barrel-Aged Monster Mash sour brown ale; Cross Country Saison; a pin cask of Saminator double IPA aged on citrus, oak and Calypso hops; and a blend of aged Saminator and Ryely Porter, with cherries, cranberries, oak chips and sour yeast.
75th Street Brewery
520 West 75th Street
Pat Sandman, 75th Street’s brewer, says to watch for his Belgian Wit sometime this month.
Stockyards Brewing Co.
1600 Genessee
Stockyards is planning an October opening in part of the former Golden Ox building in the West Bottoms, but the target date depends on construction and permits. Half of the brewery’s equipment arrives this week, with the other half scheduled to arrive at the end of August.
Torn Label Brewing Co.
1708 Campbell
Torn Label’s 30-seat taproom opens Saturday, July 11, for growler fills, flights and pints. The taproom will be open all that day and then from Friday through Sunday afterward.
23rd Street Brewery
3512 Clinton Parkway, Lawrence
Weston Brewing Co.
500 Welt Street, Weston
