Fixing past mistakes: The Belfry

I must admit that prior to last Friday I had not enjoyed the Belfry in Crossroads district of Kansas City. That's right! I had failed to make it to this bar in the first year that it has been around. There was a lot of noise about this little bar at 16th and Grand Avenue over the past year. The Kansas City Star wrote about a year ago about Celina Tio and the opening of this bar with quality beer, spirits, and food. If you have never heard of Celina Tio the world class chef click here. As of Friday, I have realized the error of my ways and just a taste of what I have been missing in the Crossroads district.

After a long day at work, I join some friends for some after dinner drinks. They suggested the Belfry because they were celebrating one year of their doors being open. I jumped at the chance.

It's not that I never wanted to go to the Belfry. I just never took the chance when it was open. I tried to show up once for brunch to find out that it wasn't open on Sundays. I have always heard positive things about the place, just never had a friend to go with me. Now that I have been there I am going to be pushing my friends to go. Maybe I should find more friends?

The reason I am really excited to go the Belfry again? Take a gander at the draft list and you might have a tiny idea.

Last Friday I got to have a really extraordinary and flavorful beer. You wouldn't be able to find this beer elsewhere because a brewery you might have heard of Jolly Pumpkin? They collaborated with Celina Tio and made Jolly Pumpkin Forgotten Takes of the Last Gypsy Blender Series 1 Volume 2. The name maybe a mouthful but the beer is so much more of a beautiful mouthful that just danced across my tongue. Drop what you are doing right now! Tell your boss that you are feeling under the weather. Tell them the only cure is a special serum and you have to go get it. I will write the prescription.

Besides that beer, I also had Bourbon County Stout on tap as well as some Cathedral Square Saint Jewbelation, a great sour. It was late and I was feeling some munchie food. Guess what?! Celina, who was there, personally recommend some awesome nachos with creamy cheese and good meat. And there is so much more!

This is why I decided to become a member of the Belfry Club. I got a etched glass that stays at the bar for me to drink out of while I am there. I got a pint glass, a bottle opener etched with my member number, and I will get deals and first dibs on events including beer dinners!

All of this is not to mention the amazing selection of whiskey behind the bar. I would recommend the smooth J Rieger whiskey... I am just saying.

I am going to be there soon, care to join me?

Happy New Years! Welcome to 2015!

Happy New Years to you! 2014 has been one of the most growth and successful years in my life. I have been able to become more stable in my relationships and economically speaking. I have been able to grow as a writer and experience a wide range of amazing things. I think next week I will do a reflection post about beer and events, but this is about my 2015 Resolutions.

Many people make resolutions and fail to keep them. For those people a resolution is a one line goal statement that is really pretty nebulous. I am going to succeed in accomplishing my resolutions by making them specific, measurable, and finite with deadlines.

Resolution number 1: Website transition

I have been wanting to transfer my blog to a website that is my own. Within the next month or so I hope... No, I will be launching a new site for the blog and it will be nice, new, and shiny! I will be on the look out for ways to improve the capabilities of the site and information I can provide. Let me know if you have suggestions.

Resolution number 2: Beer Knowledge

I know I have a lot to learn about beer, brewing, and the craft beer business. This year by July, I will have set up and participated in an off flavor class, conducted at least three interviews, and collaborate with two other home brewers! The off flavor class will help me understand flavors that are supposed to be in beer and more importantly, help me articulate what I am tasting in a beer. The interview will not only provide the interviewees to voice their perspective on questions I pose but also broaden my understanding of craft beer culture and industry landscape. The home brew collaborations will be valuable to you as the reader because it will give you a better and closer look into the process of brewing beer. I will be able to get a different perspective of the process and make my own brewing better.

Resolution number 3: Quality time with friends and for myself

I will make a point this year to spend quality time with friends and family. As the year wore down in the last few months, I found that I was working incessantly and without reprieve. This year, I am going to go on at least one vacation away from the KC area and organize 10 get togethers with friends close and new.

Resolution number 4: Application Development

I am determined to develop an app and service idea that I have. My next step is to put my idea into writing and wire frames. From there I will be able to push technology and creative initiatives to implement my ideas. I will have the foundation laid for all of this by early summer.

What are your resolutions?