KC Bier Co. and BKS receive high marks, national recognition for their brews
Collab Brewing Between KC Bier Co and BKS Artisan Ales. // Photo Courtesy of Katie Camlin
On Nov. 12, both KC Bier Co. and BKS Artisan Ales placed in the top 20 best beers in 2023 in Craft Beer and Brewing Magazine.
Outshining over 1,000 other submissions, KC Bier Co.’s Bier Co Light and BKS’s Pivo Project Bohemian-Style Pilsner were both selected by experts as a couple of the best brews around.
For two of Kansas City’s own breweries to be recognized amongst national competitors is an enormous feat for these two semi-newly founded local breweries as they continue paving their way in the beer scene.
“We believe that we make high-quality beer, especially lagers, but to have a national publication recognize that, it’s great reassurance, it’s great proof that we’re doing something well. It’s very affirming,” KC Bier Co. Marketing Manager Katie Camlin says.
“It’s a great recognition, it’s great to have that national level call out. It means a lot to our business and our team,” BKS Co-Owner Mary Rooney says.
KC Bier Co, Bier Co Light Box. // Photo Courtesy of Katie Camlin
Being recognized amongst other national beer makers in Craft Beer and Brewing Magazine is not something that is taken lightly among professionals in the industry. Each intentional ingredient and mixture to create the ideal concoction has propelled these two local businesses to nationwide exposure.
“I feel they have some very experienced evaluators of the beer, and I think there’s a high standard there,” KC Bier Co. Owner Steve Holle says.
“Us smaller guys, we get overlooked a lot locally, we feel like, so we love it when we get some national attention for some of the great beers we’re making here,” Rooney says.
As one can imagine, brewing beer is not easy. These two Kansas City locals jump through loops and bounds to obtain the essential resources needed to contrive what they consider the perfect beer.
BKS Pivo Project Bohemian Style Pilsner. // Courtesy of Mary Rooney
Those over at KC Bier Co import the malts and hops that are incorporated in their light German pilsner directly from Germany. The motive is that growing these ingredients in the great plains of Kansas or Missouri can be quite difficult with the given climate.
For a more legitimate taste, brewers must source these crucial necessities from the motherland of beer. While only using four ingredients, KC Bier Co. hit the nail on the head when delivering their Bier Co Light to the masters of the magazine.
“Our goal is to make authentic tasting, German-style beer,” Holle says.
BKS goes about gathering the proper ingredients in a very similar manner, having sourced from numerous countries around the world. For their Bohemian-style pilsner, BKS uses European malts from the Czech Republic to create their genuine taste.
For their more locally-known IPAs, BKS incorporates American-grown malts and hops, as well as certain hops out of New Zealand.
“There’s a lot of different variables that go into the raw materials, but once you get them, how you use them in your brewing process can drastically change the flavor profile as well,” Rooney says.
Collab Brewing Between KC Bier Co and BKS Artisan Ales. // Photo Courtesy of Katie Camlin
KC Bier Co. and BKS have a long-standing history and the utmost respect for each other’s booze. Previously being next-door neighbors in Brookside, Holle says that the business owners have picked each other’s brains and created partnerships to uplift one another in the fraternal trade.
“I am happy to be included on any list from Craft Beer and Brewing. I’m also happy to be included on any list that includes BKS brewery,” Holle says.
“We’re close proximity, but also just we all really enjoy each other’s beer and enjoy working with them on different things,” Rooney says.
Looking forward to the holiday season, both local brew makers have seasonal suds in store. KC Bier Co. will be releasing their 15-beer-themed advent calendar, as well as their 10% abv Dunkleboch on Dec. 6, St. Nicholas Day, which will help alleviate some of the stress that the season brings.
As for BKS, they have launched their third year of the Pine Tree holiday IPA, offering a different variant of the brew each week leading up to Christmas. The Rooney’s will even be hosting Santa at their local taproom for a few naughty treats as the season approaches.
Heading into 2024, KC Bier Co. has news that booze connoisseurs will love to hear: In February, their beers will be made available in cans, allowing them to serve their well-known brews at sporting events, golf courses, poolside, and many more bottle friendly event spaces.
As the new year rolls in, BKS has plans to release barrel-aged beers to customers. With about three to five new beers introduced each week, the 24-month-old barrel-aged liquid is sure to please new and avid consumers of BKS’s selection.
