Things growing in KC

I know this is a Nebraska Beer blog but KC isn't too far for some of us and it is where I called home so I try to stay in touch with what is going on down there as much as possible. While it is not a beer mecca, it does have it's breweries and bars that represent very well, especially if you add in Free State in Lawerence. Well, for near the entire time I lived there, 6 years, the city talked about revitalizing downtown and putting in something called the Power and Light district. It sounded cool but the city council in that town was a peace of work and could never do anything but polarize the situation. So along comes a nice speedway and shopping district on the outskirts of town in, of all things, Kansas. Well, that lit a fire under their collective ass's and now they are underway and near completion. Man, what I wouldn't have gave to have this stuff when I lived in the Rivermarket in the late 90s, oh well. A couple really good blogs cover all things beer related in KC, A beer sort of blog and KC beer cover these things nearly daily but I read a great post today from a beer sort of blog on some of the coming features of the downtown.

Here are a few of the highlights of what is coming to downtown KC from the beer girl.

Flying Saucer Draught Emporium - Opening in early May. Lee posted a PR piece on the company before they opened in Austin. This is COOL. They will have 225 beers from more than 15 countries. They seek to "elevate beer."

Maker’s Mark Bourbon House & Lounge - No idea when this will open. Likely some time well after May. There will be an "upscale restaurant and swanky lounge subtly emphasizing the Maker's Mark Bourbon brand." End quote. All I know is that when I visited their main website, John Denver's Country Boy started playing thru my speakers. SWANKY!

Gordon Biersch Brewery - Opens March 10. Yes, another corporate brewery/restaurant, but variety is the slice of life, and I like options. This will be a full-scale brewery with a big outdoor beer garden.

While I don't necessarily share her opinion, one because I have never visited these places and two, I have heard great things about Gordon Biersch, I do find these additions to the downtown a great step, especially Flying Saucer.

So the next time you take a trip down to watch the Royals or Chiefs or to take your wife shopping in the plaza, there is an oasis coming for you to partake in in downtown KC.