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Tap List | KC Breweries Embrace Pride Month Toasting Inclusion

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Above image credit: Marchers wrapped in Pride flags. (Sandy Woodson | Flatland)
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4 minute read

Since 1999 the month of June has been all about celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. This year you can find plenty of breweries around Kansas City taking part in Pride month celebrations.

Perhaps the biggest celebration comes from LGBTQ+-owned Servaes Brewing Co. They’re partnering with over 15 LGBTQ+-owned businesses and organizations throughout the entire month for various events.

Servaes has eight different events planned throughout the month. While each one will be slightly different, you can expect tons of beer releases, pop-up shops, and fun activities such as drag queen performances. Several event days feature fundraisers during which Servaes will donate a portion of the day’s proceeds to different LGBTQ+ organizations.

Big Rip Brewing Co. co-owner and head brewer Bri Burrows posing in front of Outfront Media’s “Pride Personified” billboard.
Big Rip Brewing Co. co-owner and head brewer Bri Burrows is featured on Outfront Media’s “Pride Personified” billboard. (Courtesy | Big Rip Brewing Co.)

Another LGBTQ+-owned brewery, Big Rip Brewing Co., also is celebrating Pride month. Co-owner and head brewer Bri Burrows is currently featured on the “Pride Personified” billboard by Outfront Media. To have some fun, they’re holding a little contest. Customers can either take a picture of or selfie with one of the nine billboards featuring Bri. Those who take a picture, post it to social media, and tag Big Rip will be entered to win a $15 Big Rip gift card and one of their new Pride shirts. Big Rip introduced new tye-dyed Pride shirts made by Commandeer Brand that are being sold via the website for pickup at the brewery.

Crane Brewing Co. will be dedicating a weekend to celebrating the LGBTQ+ community with a couple of events. On Friday, June 10, Crane is partnering with Aria Queer to host a Drag Bingo night. Sales from the packets of bingo cards will go to Nclusion Plus, an organization that works to promote LGBTQ+ events, media and education within the community. The next night will feature a Drag Show at the brewery. The $20 tickets will get you your first beer with remaining proceeds going to Nclusion Plus.

While other breweries may not have standalone events planned, plenty around the metro area have released a beer in honor of Pride month and have proceeds going towards various LGBTQ+ organizations. Be sure to check your favorite brewery’s social media page for more details.

Beer Releases

Lost Evenings Brewing Co. — 8625 Hauser Court, Lenexa, Kansas — is celebrating Pride month with its latest release, Double Rainbow. This rainbow sherbert lager, which clocks in at a light 4.9% ABV, has flavors reminiscent of the popular sherbert. Lost Evenings will be donating $1 from every pint sold to the Kansas City Center for Inclusion, whose mission is to provide safe, inclusive spaces for the LGBTQ+ community.

Pathlight Brewing — 11200 W. 75th St., Shawnee, Kansas — wants to chill you down with the release of their cold IPA, Knuckle Duster (7% ABV). You’ll get characteristics of a classic West Coast IPA, namely the citrus hops and bitter resinous bite. On the flipside, it finishes clean and crisp due to the lager yeast it was fermented with.

Transport Brewery — 11113 Johnson Drive, Shawnee, Kansas — just tapped a brand new session IPA called Escape Route. While this beer may be low in ABV at 4.7%, it’s still high in flavor. Simcoe and Amarillo hops give way to flavors of pine, resin and passion fruit en route to a crisp finish.

Free State’ Brewing Co.'s limited release kolsch, Gravel City.
Free State’ Brewing Co.’s limited release kolsch, Gravel City. (Courtesy | Free State Brewing Co.)

Free State Brewing Co. — 636 Massachusetts St., Lawrence, Kansas — brewed and released Gravel City to celebrate Unbound Gravel, a 200-mile cycle race through gravel roads of the Flint Hills. The beer is a nice kolsch that comes in at 5.4% ABV and 12 IBUs. True to style, it’s light in body, golden in color and finishes clean and crisp.

Diametric Brewing Co. — 949 N.E. Columbus St., Lee’s Summit, Missouri — released Bodies, Basketballs, and Big Wheels, a three-way collaboration with Kansas City’s own Vine Street Brewing and Vanessa House Brewing (from Oklahoma City). The 6.2 ABV beer is a dry hopped kettle sour with pineapple. The BRU-1 and Sabro hops help give it even more tropical flavors.

Strange Days Brewing Co. — 316 Oak St., Kansas City, Missouri — put out a brand new can, Nature Walk. A 7% ABV hazy IPA, the beer was hopped with Citra Cryo, Amarillo, Centennial and Talus. This combination helps the flavors range from piney to tropical with a bit of juiciness. 

Beer Events

Friday, June 10

ExBEERiment — 925 E Lincoln Lane, Gardner, KS — is hosting an event called Browse with Brews. They’ll welcome local vendors JC Crave Boutique, Spark.KC, Ugly Pumpkin Art, and The Painted Curio. Each of these vendors will have their products for sale from 6-8pm so grab your favorite ExBEERiment beer and shop local!

East Forty Brewing — 1201 W Main St, Blue Springs, Missouri — is celebrating their fourth anniversary. Today’s celebration will feature the release of Angels, a barrel aged imperial stout with cocoa nibs, cinnamon, and peppers. While supplies last you can also get a free Angels-inspired brownie. Joker B’s BBQ will be on site for food along with live music by Rebel & Barb.

Saturday, June 11

BKS Artisan Ales — 633 E. 63rd St., Kansas City, Missouri — welcomes instructor Danielle Wallace for Yoga at BKS. This $10 vinyasa class starts at 10:30 a.m. and is open to yoga practitioners of all levels. All you need to do is show up with your mat and pay on site. Everyone who participates will receive $1 off their first beer.

Red Crow Brewing Co. — 1062 W. Santa Fe St., Olathe, Kansas — has their monthly Drew’s Firkin Saturday release on deck. This month’s concoction will be the Tropical Pale Ale Painkiller, which is a combination of Red Crow’s Ada and the Painkiller cocktail. Fresh pineapple, coconut, spiced rum and nutmeg have been added for even more flavor.

East Forty Brewing — 1201 W. Main St., Blue Springs, Missouri — has two different beer releases for its anniversary celebration. Swing in to try Fistful of Island Vibes, a sour ale with passion fruit, guava, pineapple and papaya, and Back to Cali, a West Coast IPA. They’ll be releasing brand new merch and have live music starting at 7 p.m.

Sunday, June 12

East Forty Brewing — 1201 W. Main St., Blue Springs, Missouri — celebrates their final day of their fourth birthday with yet another beer release party. You’ll be able to try Creamsicle Farmer’s Milkshake. The beer is a golden ale with oats, lactose, vanilla and freshly squeezed Valencia orange juice. They’ll be having a cornhole tournament starting at 2 p.m.

Alex Andujar is a former beer sales rep turned personal trainer. When he’s not training clients you can find him trying new beers at many of Kansas City’s great local breweries.

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