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Calibration Brewery holds tours the second Saturday of every month. (Pete Dulin I Flatland)
Published October 10th, 2017 at 6:00 AM
Calibration Brewing Company (119 Armour Road, North Kansas City, Missouri) celebrates its first anniversary with a beer festival from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21. The event features live music and regional vendors, such as Cinder Block Brewery, Colony KC, Fringe Beerworks, Restless Spirits, Lifted Spirits, Earthbound Brewing Company from St. Louis, Beer Paws, The Brewkery, and Martin City Brewing Company. Proceeds from a raffle will support hurricane relief efforts. Tickets ($25) include a commemorative glass.
As the brewery nears its first year in business, Flatland reached out to Glen Stinson, owner of Calibration Brewing, with five questions about his fledgling company.
Flatland: What can you share that demonstrates the brewery’s growth since inception?
Stinson: We started out as a seven-barrel [brewhouse] system with 15 fermentation and conditioning tanks. We still have room to grow. Our hope is to start distributing before the end of the year. We started out with seven different beers and now have 16 different beers.
What was the biggest initial challenge to open the brewery?
Meeting self-imposed deadlines. Since we served as our general contractor, doing the construction, designing and work was enjoyable but at a great effort.
What milestones would you like to note?
Getting our patio area open. Although we are nowhere near completion, it is great to see our patrons enjoy the space. Bocce ball courts are soon to come.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of operating the brewery?
Looking back and seeing what has been accomplished. Also, getting to know the different personalities of those working at Calibration and appreciating them as our greatest asset.
Any advice you’d give to up-and-coming brewery owners and brewers?
Count the cost and see if you have the time and the energy.
Prime Pairing: Beer and Food at Rock and Run Brewery and Pub
Rock and Run Brewery and Pub (110 E. Kansas St., Liberty, Missouri) recently regained its full dining room after renovation, installed a new brewhouse, and upgraded its menu. A close look at the menu reveals several tempting beer and food pairings to enjoy at the brewpub.
Try an appetizer of pork belly flatbread with Rock and Run’s Rocktoberfest Marzen on tap. Tender pork belly, red onions, feta cheese, arugula, and barbecue sauce top toasted naan. The yeasty flavor of naan, a leavened flatbread common to Indian cuisine, and meaty bits of pork belly pair well with the beer’s malty profile. Sweet barbecue sauce accents the sweet maltiness of Rocktoberfest while peppery hints of arugula and the salty tang of feta cheese deliver a pleasing contrast.
The hearty reuben, made with thick-cut marble rye bread, corned beef, Swiss cheese, Thousand Island dressing, and sauerkraut, is an ideal match with Ryely Porter, a porter made with rye malt. Used in beer, rye adds a hint of peppery bite that stands up to the rich flavors of a reuben.
For a lighter touch, consider the cedar plank grilled salmon served with quinoa and seasonal vegetables. Liberty Squared American Blonde Ale and Bleach Blonde Pale Ale each have low IBUs and hoppiness that won’t overwhelm the delicate flavors of the dish, yet provide enough crisp finish to counter subtle, smoky notes from grilling.
Tap Notes
Red Crow Brewing Company (20561 S. Lone Elm Road, Spring Hill, Kansas) has Anne, a German Alt (5.2-percent, 25 IBUs), on tap. Starting with a Pilsen malt base, Munich, Vienna, and crystal malt is blended with roasted barley to give this German Alt a smooth, caramel, malty body.
Colony KC (312 Armour Road, North Kansas City, Missouri) released Gose The Distance, a pink rosé-inspired gose. A portion of proceeds from sales of this beer go to metavivor.org in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
See calendar listings below for additional releases.
Tickets are now on sale for the Seventh Annual Strong Ale Fest in Westport (4057 Pennsylvania Ave.). Held on Saturday, Nov. 11, 1 to 5 p.m., the popular fest is a cold weather outdoor event. Tickets ($40 advance, $50 day of event) include entry, a commemorative glass and unlimited beer sampling of more than 70 beers at 8-percent ABV or higher. More than 30 American and international craft breweries will be represented. The event is a benefit fundraiser for AIDS Walk Kansas City.
The Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens hold Botanical Brewfest this weekend. (Courtesy of Overland Park Arboretum)
Tuesday, Oct. 10
Rock and Run Brewery and Pub (110 E. Kansas St., Liberty, Missouri) releases Wet Hop Centennial Pale Ale and Wet Hop Cascade Pale Ale. For head brewer and owner Gene DeClue, the Wet Hopped Pale Ale Series releases on Tuesdays are a take on a traditional American Pale Ale with one twist.
“Every batch uses different, locally grown, fresh hops,” DeClue said. “We use the exact same grain bill, yeast, and fermentation profile. Each version has the characteristic flavor of each hop variety, giving the drinker an education in different hop flavors.”
Barley’s Kitchen and Tap (11924 W. 119th St., Overland Park, Kansas) toasts its 22nd anniversary. Visit for Sour Night with Boulevard Brewery as Barley’s taps Love Child No. 8 and Berliner Weisse. The taproom will also have bottles (while supplies last) of Love Child No. 3 through No. 8 and Foeder Project No. 2.
Barley’s Kitchen and Tap (16649 Midland Drive, Shawnee, Kansas) also celebrates the anniversary with a Mother’s Brewing Company tap takeover, featuring Oak-Aged Doozy IPA, Rye Manhattan Imperial Three Blind Mice, Single Barrel MILF – Rye Whiskey, and Imperial Three Blind Mice.
Wednesday, Oct. 11
Barley’s Kitchen and Tap (16649 Midland Drive, Shawnee, Kansas) taps a very limited release of The Variant Imperial Stout from Schlafly. Some of the beer was aged in port barrels while some of it rested with cocoa nibs.
Krokstrom Klubb & Market (3601 Broadway Road) and Crane Brewing Company co-host a celebration of beets at 6 p.m. with a five-course meal prepared with beets as the star ingredient. Each course will be paired with a Crane beer, such as its Beet Weiss, or a beet-based cocktail. Brewery co-founder Michael Crane shares the history of this award-winning beet beer. Limited seating, $75 plus tax and gratuity. Reservations required.
Thursday, Oct. 12
Barley’s Kitchen and Tap (16649 Midland Drive, Shawnee, Kansas) taps rare beer from Roughtail Brewing Co., including Adaptation #9: IPA with pureed pineapple, Adaptation #10, and Everything Rhymes with Orange IPA.
For one night only, Waldo Pizza (1543 NE Douglas St., Lees Summit, Missouri) taps 4 Hands Chocolate Milk Stout and adds Maker’s Mark Bourbon, cherries, and Madagascar vanilla beans to fashion a boozy beer cocktail.
Kansas City Bier Company’s Dunkel, Hefeweizen, Helles, Pils, and Festbier are the featured brews at a five-course beer pairing dinner at Hy-Vee (109 N. Blue Jay Dr., Liberty, Missouri).
Friday, Oct. 13
Gorge on a four-course beer dinner prepared by Pinstripes (13500 Nall Ave., Overland Park, Kansas) and paired with Boulevard Brewing’s beers. A Boulevard representative and Pinstripes’ chef will discuss with guests how each pairing enhances the dining experience. $50 tickets include tax and service.
Saturday, Oct. 14
Red Crow Brewing Company (20561 S. Lone Elm Road, Spring Hill, Kansas) taps Phirkin Phantastico. The brewery bolsters its Elaine Rye Porter with toasted coconut and bourbon Madagascar vanilla beans in a firkin. Available in limited amounts from noon to 10 p.m. while supplies last.
The Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens (8909 W. 179th St., Overland Park, Kansas) hosts the fourth annual Botanical Brewfest. More than 40 breweries in attendance will serve over 100 different beers. Your ticket ($50) includes beer sampling, food from more than 10 restaurants, four bands, games, and dancing.
It’s the fall seasonal return of Literally Can’t Even (LCE) Belgian Strong Ale (9.62-percent ABV, 24 IBUs) at Double Shift Brewing Company (412 E. 18th St.). From 2 to 6 p.m., Bizz & Weezy Confections will have chocolates – perhaps some beer caramels – available for purchase. New Crossroads neighbor Messenger Coffee will have coffee for sale. LCE will be on draft and in a limited number of bottles for sale.
“Literally Can’t Even is an ester-forward Belgian quad, bringing forward notes of clove, nutmeg and robust qualities of fig and dates,” Double Shift head brewer Bryan Stewart said. “It’s complex, warming, and simply fun. Our intent is breaking the mold of traditional pumpkin beer, but retaining something familiar and challenging all the same. Brewed with late kettle additions of Meyer Lemon Peel, cinnamon, allspice, cardamon, and ginger, expect a playful aroma with restrained spice qualities.”
For those about to rock, head to the Rocktöberfest Fall Festival at Rock & Brews (5701 W. 135th St., Overland Park) for a beer garden with local breweries, such as Kansas City Bier Company, offering samples, live music, and food.
Unleash animal instincts at Brew at the Zoo & Wine Too held at the Kansas City Zoo (6800 Zoo Dr.) from 7 to 10 p.m. Sample beer and wine from local producers, listen to live music, and nosh on eats from food trucks. Funds raised aid rhino conservation. Tickets are $35 for Friends of the Zoo members, $45 for non-members.
The second annual “Pup Crawl” benefits the Great Plains SPCA which annually serves 35,000 homeless pets. This dog-friendly pub crawl includes stops at Waldo’s favorite watering holes, such as Kansas City Bier Company (310 W. 79th St.).
Sunday, Oct. 15
Playing games is the point at Sunday Bingo. Ease into Sunday at Boulevard Brewing Tours and Rec Center (2534 Madison Ave.) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for free play bingo. Quench thirst with Tank 7 beermosas and KC Pils micheladas.
Monday, Oct. 16
Alchemy Coffee Stout (6.3-percent ABV, 50 IBUs) from Martin City Brewing Company (500 E. 135th St.) returns as a seasonal release available through year-end. Using cold brew from Alchemy Coffee beans, MCBC captures the aromas and fruity notes of Brazilian coffee within the velvety chocolate body and taste of a stout.
— Pete Dulin writes about food trends for Flatland and is the author of the KC Ale Trail. Follow @FlatlandKC and #TapList on Twitter for more food news and trends.
