Recently I had the pleasure of visiting Kansas and Nebraska which included visits with the fine folks at Tallgrass Brewing Co., Zipline Brewing Co. and Nebraska Brewing Co. Among many other brewers and distillers (too many to list!).
The topography notoriously leans toward the flat side in this part of the country, however the beer scene absolutely does not. While I did not husk a single ear of corn, nor did I find Dorothy, Toto or the Emerald City, I did find some wizards, but they were the beer-making type! I feel the Midwest often gets overshadowed by the East Coast – Rocky Mtn – West Coast thing, but these brewers are putting out some great beers from both a beer quality and style diversity perspective!
I had the good fortune to sample some of the following: Tallgrass Pub Ale – English Mild in style with delicate maltiness and low abv (thank you sir, I’ll have another), Zipline’s Oatmeal Porter – dark, rich, creamy smooth and mocha-licious and Nebraska’s Blanc is the New White – a delicate Saison-style aged in Sauv Blanc barrels, light, tropically-floral and complex!
Be sure to check them out if you find yourself in KS or NE (or at GABF) as they currently do not distribute much beyond their home states. A big thank you to the hospitality of each and keep up the great work!
Cheers,
Rich T.
