10. Discourse Brewing
Overland Park, Kansas
This relatively small taproom with what’s described as a “coastal living room vibe”, and a relatively large sticker wall, featured a number of German inspired beers and IPAs, including a side pull beer: their I’m a Dinosaur Helles. Crisp, easy drinking, likely Weyermann malt, likely Hallertau hops, just how I like it. I get a four pack of it on the way out, as well as add to their already extensive sticker wall.
It's the kind kind of place where conversation keeps you longer than intended. I was on my way through but found myself spending more time at Discourse. One such conversation was with the bartender, who was at the same concert I was the previous night: Men I Trust at the Midland Theater in downtown Kansas City.
Beer Notes:
I’m a Dinosaur
Munich Helles
Bready, clean, crisp, hallertau hops, probably Weyermann malt, pretty by the book! On Lukr for bonus points.
Walkin on Metcalf
Cold IPA
Dank, catty, garlic, grapefruit, pine, fruitier on flavor, not as dank, very nice. Great cold IPA.
Country Twang
West Coast Pilsner
Nice crackery pilsner malt, dankness and grapefruit, maybe my favorite beer here. Mosaic gives great stone fruit and blueberry.
Helles, ja!
9. Lively Beerworks
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
My first experience with the beer from Lively Beerworks actually was at the OKC Thunder game, game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals, versus the Denver Nuggets. My friend and I scoured the entire second level of the Paycom Center and found mostly the usually mass available suspects, with very little local craft beer to choose from. This was kind of strange to me, because I used to get Coop F5 IPA, and remember even getting a different beer of theirs at a Thunder game years ago.
But I digress. There was but one kiosk selling “craft” beer on the second level, and one of those beers was Lively Beerworks Amber Lager. Luckily it helped ease the pain as the Thunder gave away game 1 at the last minute after leading most of the game.
The next day, after breakfast, my friend and went to Lively Beerworks. It was a dreary, rainy morning, the brewery had a fairly small taproom but decent capacity.
Their Thunder fandom is such that they have a “Church of the Thunder” in the back, where they host watch parties:
The side pull offering was a seasonally apt Mainbock. Everything was good, and got to have good conversation with the bartender about beer and basketball. I’ll be back probably every time I’m in OKC, and already went back in October, too.
8. Boiler Brewing
Lincoln, Nebraska
Boiler Brewing is one place I’ve heard beer fans talk about before, and I got the opportunity to go there with some friends earlier this year. It was my first time in Lincoln, and I enjoyed all the places I got to go.
Boiler has a truly unique building amongst breweries I’ve seen, apparently appropriately located in a former boiler room!
I didn’t take good notes on the beers I drank during that trip, unfortunately, but my friends bought several bottles of imperial stouts with wax on top, and I had some tasters including a beer with Hallertau Mittelfruh and a New Zealand Pils with Riwaka.
7. Obec Brewing
Seattle, Washington
Next up is a pair of breweries from the Ballard neighborhood leg of my and my friend's Seattle Beercation back in February. The first of these was one that was high up on my list, from conversations with a beer industry buddy, Obec Brewing.
Obec has a rather large building, with some good vibes, and some good beers to choose from. I was rather surprised at the time that they had Czech Pale, Dark, and Amber Lagers so I had to have each of those in my flight.
There was good variety on the beers on the flight.
Beer Notes:
Porter #3
English Porter
Medium crystal malt, black patent character is nice, licorice notes, this is excellent. Even bitterness, finishes a little bitter and roast just how I like it
Dark Mild
Very drinkable light / dark beer, dark fruit notes, faintest hop character doesn’t overpower in any wayCzech pils
Czech Amber
Sort of like a slightly drier or subtly hoppier Marzen, about what I expect from one version of this style.
6. Reuben's Brews
Seattle, Washington
Reuben's Brews was the first brewery on the Ballard neighborhood leg of the beercation, and was another I heard hyped up by a beer industry buddy. They had an impressive beer garden, which was fun to hang out in while enjoying a Czech Pilsner on side pull.
They have 28 different beers on tap, so after the Czech Pilsner, I wanted to get a flight to try some of the others.
Beer Notes:
Pilsner
Czech-style Pilsner
Side pull, crisp, clean, excellent head retention, still rocky many minutes later
Farm Team
West Coast IPA
Crispy west coast ipa with all locally grown ingredients. Quite dank on the nose, catty, garlic pungent notes, but also grapefruit and resin and easier drinking than the aroma suggests
Lil Fox
NW Red Ale
Easy drinking red, medium hoppy, mild chocolate notes, quite smooth
Nucleation launch detected!