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Tap List | Snake Saturday Suds

Anti-grabber Irish Red Anti-grabber Irish Red is one of two beers that The Big Rip Brewing Company will release for Snake Saturday. (Pete Dulin I Flatland)
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2 minute read

Sipping Suds on Snake Saturday

The annual Snake Saturday Parade in North Kansas City, scheduled to start at 11 am, brings up to 100,000 participants, spectators, and revelers to the city. The parade begins at 16th and Swift Street. As a reminder, the city has a zero-tolerance policy about carrying open containers of alcohol. It’s smart to dance a jig to a local taproom and imbibe responsibly.

To aid in getting jiggy with it, The Big Rip Brewing Company (216 E. Ninth Avenue, North Kansas City) will have two seasonal beers available that day. Available on tap around March 7th, Anti-grabber Irish Red is named after the Irish movie “Grabbers.”

Kipp Feldt, co-owner of The Big Rip, said the beer “has a touch of sweetness to start and a slight dry finish. It is lightly hopped. One should also pick up on a well-balanced caramel and toasted malt characteristic with a dark amber to red color profile.”

The Priest Mint Chocolate Milk Stout is named after a “Gangs of New York” character.

“The Priest will be [available] Snake Saturday morning,” said Josh Collins, brewery co-owner. “It’s our traditional milk stout with real peppermint [added] while it was brewed and again in the fermenter. Cocoa and milk sugar gives a dark chocolate flavor that is complementary to the stout without being overpowering or sweet.”

Check the calendar below for details on Snake Saturday events.

March Mustard Madness

Earlier this month, Free State Brewing Company (636 Massachusetts Street, Lawrence) launched its annual March Mustard Madness. Free State offers its customers a chance to win a set of 64 different mustards in a drawing, held at the end of the month, that sees several thousand entries.

The annual tradition has been an ongoing collaboration with Barry Levenson, founder and curator of the National Mustard Museum in Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin, for the past two decades. Levenson curates the list of 64 mustards.

“The tradition originally grew out of a desire to escape the doldrums of winter and offer a splash of flavor, or as our owner Chuck Magerl would call it, ‘a springtime tonic to the tastebuds.’” said Geoff Deman, Free State’s brewer and director of brewing operations.

Visit Free State Brewing to enter the contest for a chance to win a bonanza of mustard.

Tap Notes

JumpsTart IPA (39 IBUs, 6.9 percent ABV) is Free State Brewing Company’s (636 Massachusetts Street, Lawrence, Kansas) monthly specialty release draft offering for March. These releases are typically produced at its original brewery and released in small quantities. The beer will be on tap at a handful of accounts in Kansas and Missouri.

“Nelson Sauvin, Mosaic, and Citra hops contribute zesty flavors of passionfruit, lemon, mango, and papaya along with the accompanying aromas in this tart, kettle-soured IPA,” said Deman. “The sugars collected in the kettle are soured overnight with Lactobacillus bacteria before being boiled the subsequent day, incorporating hop flavors into the tart, sour base.”

Rock & Run Brewery and Tap Room (115 W Washington Street, Kearney) expanded its hours from 2 to 10 pm.

Brewery Emperial (1829 Oak Street) has Kristallweizen, a limited-release filtered German Wheat, on tap while supplies last. Staples on tap include Kolsch, Lager (a Modelo tribute), Biscuit, Porter, IPA, Milk Stout, and Nut Brown.

Boulevard Brewing Company’s Show Me Sour is the lead-off hitter in the brewery’s rotational series of tart/sour session beers. Show Me Sour is available on tap in Greater Kansas City with other cities to follow. Originally brewed as a collaboration between Boulevard brewmaster Steven Pauwels and Side Project Brewing’s Cory King to celebrate Boulevardia 2015, Show Me Sour is available on draft and in six-packs of 12-ounce bottles.

Boulevard also unveiled Scotch on Scotch, its newest Smokestack Series Limited Release beer. This Imperial Scotch Ale is aged on Scotch whisky barrel chips. Scotch on Scotch is available in four-packs of 12-ounce bottles and on draft.

Ambassador brewer Jeremy Danner describes the play-by-play on Scotch On Scotch. Namely, “its massive malt presence” is derived by “layering caramel and amber malts with just a touch of peat-smoked malt for additional complexity.” Brief resting on oak chips after primary fermentation teases out “rich woody, char, and vanilla notes.” Aromas of fig and raisin emerge over the beer’s subtle oak and whiskey character. Flavors include hints of “toffee and molasses with a slightly sticky mouthfeel.”

This Week

Tuesday, March 7

Rock & Run Brewery and Pub (110 E Kansas, Liberty) features a Coop Ale Works tap takeover. From 6 to 8 p.m., try five Coop Ale Works beers (including two limited releases), such as Coconut Gran Sport Porter, Horny Toad Blonde, and F5 IPA. Specialty beer cocktails and a chef’s tasting plate paired with each beer will be available, as well. The brewery will also release its own Draft Punk, an Apricot Hefeweizen IPA.

Crane Brewing Company and Long Bell Pizza Company (3385 SW Fascination Drive, Lee’s Summit) unite for a beer pairing dinner ($75). Beers include Dry-hopped Grapefruit Gose with hop-cured salmon, Farm House IPA with Brett and seafood bouillabaisse, Festiweiss with Granny Apple Smith arugula salad, Kumquat Weiss with pulled achiote chicken, Omar Porter with coffee-rubbed smoked pork spare rib, Farm House IPA with peppercorn-crusted ribeye, and Trail Smith with frozen banana puree.

Wednesday, March 8

Fringe Beerworks (224 SE Douglas Street, Lee’s Summit) hosts a Mother’s Brewing Tap Takeover from 6 to 8 p.m.

Thursday, March 9

The Foundry (424 Westport Road) hosts Deschutes Brewery for its Community Pints from 4 to 7 p.m. All proceeds from sales of Deschutes’ Pacific Wonderland Lager go to Bike Walk KC.

Friday, March 10

Mike’s Wine and Spirits (8447 Wornall Road) will have beer samples from Uinta Brewing out of Salt Lake City, Utah, from 4 to 7 p.m.

Saturday, March 11

Double Shift Brewing Company (412 E 18th Street) releases Turk Kahvesi with a coffee, beer, chocolate pairing. This coffee stout (7.5 percent ABV) pairs well with Dutchman Coffee Roasters coffee (which is used in the beer) and Bizz & Weezy Confections chocolate. For the beer release, Double Shift will have a $9 pairing flight of beer, coffee, and chocolate available for purchase all day. Dutchman and Bizz & Weezy will be holding pop-up shops from 2 to 6 pm.

Miami Creek Brewing Company (14226 Northwest County Road 14001, Drexel) will release its Lemon Thyme Saison on draft on March 11 and 12. “The farm-grown thyme adds a subtle lemon flavor and aroma. It adds to the bitterness of this farmhouse ale, which is also brewed with a small amount of lemongrass to accentuate the lemon characteristics,” said owner and brewer Will Reece.  This small-batch release won’t be available again until more lemon thyme is harvested in late summer to early fall.

Snake Saturday slides into North Kansas City as a precursor to St. Patrick’s Day. Don green garb, bring lucky charms, and celebrate with festivities throughout the Northland burg.

The Big Rip Brewing Company (216 E Ninth Avenue, North Kansas City) celebration starts at 8 a.m. with Kegs and Pancakes. Breakfast ($5) includes pancakes and sausage links. RSVP online.

Grain to Glass (1611 Swift Street, North Kansas City) hosts its Snake Saturday Parade Beer Garden from 9 am to 9 pm. Cover is $5. Park in the lot for $20. Irish coffee, corned beef and cabbage, fries, brownies, and beers on tap for sale. Winners of the Irish Homebrew Competition will be announced at 10 a.m.

Cinder Block Brewery (110 E 18th Avenue, North Kansas City) will open its doors at 9 a.m. Offerings include its year-round brews, a new barrel-aged Vanilla Pear Cardamom Cider (6.9 percent ABV), Irish Car Bombs, and specialty mini beer jello shots. Cellar Man’s Kitchen Food Truck will sling up Pavers Porter braised brats and corned beef sandwiches. The Steamboat Bandits perform from 12 to 4 p.m.

Calibration Brewery (119 Armour Road, North Kansas City) will have live entertainment on its patio with an outdoor beer garden. The brewery will save breakfast burritos and beer starting at 8 a.m. “We have three ciders on tap – a traditional Cider, Raspberry Cider, and Mojito Cider,” said brewer Jack Owen. “Beers on tap include Barley Wine, Blueberry Pale Ale, Brown Ale, Coconut Brown Ale, Golden Ale, Hefeweizen, IPA, Milk Stout, Coffee Porter, and Scotch Ale.”

Elsewhere, Fringe Beerworks (224 SE Douglas Street, Lee’s Summit) will be on the front lines of the Snake Saturday Pub Crawl and Parade in Downtown Lee’s Summit from 10 a.m. to 1:30 a.m.

Mike’s Wine and Spirits will have tastings at several stores, including Schlafly Brewing from 3 to 5 p.m. (8447 Wornall Road), Odell Brewing from 3 to 5 p.m. (1106 Westport Road), and Boulevard Irish Ale tasting during the Brookside parade from 12 to 4 p.m. (21 West 63rd Street).

Sunday, March 12

The annual ShamRock & Run 5K/10K starts at 8 a.m. and finishes at Kellybrook Elementary School. Rock & Run Brewery and Pub (110 E Kansas, Liberty) opens at 9 a.m., hosts the after-party, and will serve brunch.

Smokehouse BBQ (8451 NW Prairie View Road) hosts a beer and barbecue shindig with Boulevard Brewing and Firestone Walker beers in the spotlight. After a welcome beer of Firestone Walker Pivo Pils, menu pairings include smoked garlic and parmesan chicken wings paired with Boulevard Saison Brett ’16, hickory grilled cowboy ribeye and pit beans paired with Firestone Walker Stickee Monkee, and cheesecake with mixed berries paired with Collaboration No. 6 – Barrel-Aged Blend. Tickets are $65, plus tax and gratuity. Call 816.587.3337 for tickets.

— 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.

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