I hate to break it to you, but Kansas is not the best state for a road trip. While some parts are interesting, on average there isn’t much to see from the highway. On our trip out to Colorado, which involved crossing the entire Free State. To help make the trip more palletable, we decided to stop at a few microbrews on the way.
First it was the staple of Lawrence, KS: Free State Brewery, and last it was the Little Apple Brewery in Manhattan, KS. Free State is always a good idea, however, I would have to give Little Apple Brewery less than stellar marks. The beer was fair and the atmosphere was a little like an old Perkins.
In between Free State and Little Apple, we stopped in Topeka… yes, Topeka, KS. We were pleasantly surprised by The Blind Tiger Brewery on the south side of Topeka. It’s in an old building that has probably been seventeen different businesses over time. Word is that it started out as a house and was added onto several times throughout the years.
But enough about the building, the beer is the reason for the season. Jen had a Smokey the Beer, a smoked lager (I’m not sure what kind). It was the best smoked beer I have ever tasted, and Jen described it as drinking a campfire, in a good way. I had the Java Porter and loved it. I don’t even like coffee, but I do really like porters (they’re one of my 17 favorite beer styles). It was a fantastic porter with just a bite of coffee that really complimented the beautiful dark flavor.
So, the next time you’re passing trough Topeka (because nobody actually goes there), swing by the Blind Tiger and give it a try.
Monkey with Chainsaw 