The Pitch fall guide to beer and food
Friday, September 5
Picnique Belgique homebrew-competition awards dinner, with guest speakers Stan Heironymus, author, and Florian Kuplent, Urban Chestnut founder/head brewer | 6-9 p.m. Grain to Glass (1611 Swift, NKC)
Stone “Kitchen Sink” Ruination firkin with 15 hops | Bier Station (120 E. Gregory Blvd.), bierstation.com
Saturday, September 6
Bridger’s Day of Sours, with rare tappings, tasting tables and a whole-hog roast | Noon-4 p.m. Bridger’s Bottle Shop (510 Westport Rd.)
Octobierfest 2014 | 4-8 p.m. Haus (3044 Gillham)
Sunday, September 7
Beer Bingo for charity | 2 p.m. (every Sunday), the Foundry (424 Westport Rd.)
Saturday, September 13
Independence Uncorked winefest, with tastings from Missouri wineries, plus art, music and food | 1-6 p.m. Bingham-Waggoner Estate (313 W. Pacific, Independence), independenceuncorked.com
Saturday, September 20
Bus tour of new KC breweries (Martin City, KC Bier Co., Rock and Run, Cinder Block, Big Rip) | 11:15 a.m. Big Rip Brewery (216 E. Ninth Ave., NKC, bigripbrewing.com
Oktoberfest | Barley’s (5031 W. 135th St., Leawood), through October 5
High Plains BrewHoff homebrewing competition | 1-5 p.m. Brew Lab, 8004 Foster, Overland Park)
Cantillon Zwanze Day | Bier Station (120 E. Gregory Blvd.), bierstation.com
Monday, September 22
Sour Beer Week | Flying Saucer (101 E. 13th St.), through September 26
Cinder Block anniversary party | Cinder Block Brewery (110 E. 18th Ave., NKC)
Cinder Block Brewery’s Bryce Schaffter and Bryan “Bucky” Buckingham celebrate a year of wits, Block IPAs, Paver’s Porters and Northtown Natives all week. Details are still to come, but expect a weekend party at the brewery and a tapping of the Black Squirrel Russian imperial stout aged in whiskey barrels.
Friday, September 26
Oktoberfest | Grünauer (101 W. 22nd St.), through September 27
Oktoberfest | Downtown Lee’s Summit, through September 27, lschamber.com/oktoberfest
Saturday, September 27
Oktoberfest | KC Bier Co. (310 W. 79th St.), through September 28
KC Bier Co. runs a traditional German brewhouse — except for being located in Waldo — so it’s not surprising that the new brewery is throwing its first Oktoberfest in late September. Expect two days of bier, brats, music, lederhosen and dirndls. Prost!
KC Beer Fest | Flying Saucer (101 E. 13th St.)
Friday, October 3
The American Royal’s Party of the Year Contest | West Bottoms
Saturday, October 18
Brew at the Zoo and Wine Too | 5-8 p.m. Kansas City Zoo (6800 Zoo Dr.)
Saturday, October 25
Big Rip Halloween Party | Big Rip Brewery (216 E. Ninth Ave., NKC), bigripbrewing.com
Saturday, November 15
Beer KC Strong Ale Festival | Westport
Monday, November 17
Boulevard 25th Anniversary | Events TBD
KC’s local brewery turns 25 this year, and it’s time to toast the city’s most recognizable export. We’re told that the events are still being finalized, but mark your calendars for the week of November 17. Also, get ready for a collaboration from Boulevard and Fort Collins, Colorado’s Odell Brewing Co., a yet-to-be-named English Strong Ale. Both breweries tapped their first kegs one day apart in November 1989, and they’ve been pouring crafty brews ever since. We’ll drink to that.
