1933 Lager

The year 1933 saw the repeal of national prohibition in the United States. While it was not fully repealed until Dec. 5th, it was amended to allow the production of beer on April 7th. Many of the long suffering national brewers whose livelihoods were restored were of German heritage and it only seemed right to brew this malty, German style lager to commemorate the occasion. Using German malts and prized Czech Saaz hops, we've brewed a very smooth and drinkable toast to the repeal. The color is very light amber and the aroma is malty with a delicately spicy hop note. Brewed as a German Style Maerzen or .March. beer, this is also very similar to the Octoberfest style.

#1073 Prairie Stout

In the years since it was given to the City in 1955, the 'Prairie' class Steam Locomotive #1073 has been a source of interest and entertainment to young and old alike. Our #1073 is meant for the adult crowd, and we hope it serves you well. This black stout was made using a generous portion of freshly toasted grains as well as a sizable dollop of dark molasses. Hop flavor and aroma is minimal in order to focus the flavor on the toasted malts.

Ad Astra Ale

This ale is the first brewed in Kansas since pioneering days. The name "Ad Astra comes from the Kansas State Motto - Ad Astra per Aspera, Latin words meaning "To the Stars through Difficulties". We've blended Pale, Caramel, and Munich malts for a rich amber beer. The hops balance this malty sweetness, and we've chosen Northern brewer and Fuggles hops for their flavor.

Batch 2,000

On April 18th, 2003 we brewed our 2,000th batch of beer. To celebrate, we made something special. Our Batch 2,000 uses pale ale, biscuit and rye malts with just a touch of roasted barley to create a full, rich malt flavor. The biscuit, rye and roasted barley flavors wind in and out, each lending it's own notes to the concert of flavors. Northern brewer and fuggles hops lend a gentle balance in flavor and aroma. Big beers like this experience changes in character with remarkable frequency. Try one today and then see what it's like next week.

Belgian Wheat

This beer is fashioned after the Belgian 'Wit" or White beers, so named for the protein haze in the beer that comes from using unmalted wheat . Another common trait with the Belgian Wit style is the use of Honey, Oatmeal, Sweet and Bitter Orange Peels and Ground Coriander in the kettle. The Honey provides a floral aroma that varies with each batch due to the changes in the honey from season to season. The Coriander and the Orange Peels give a spicy, citrusy flavor and aroma, The Oatmeal adds a silky smooth texture. It is gently hopped with Simcoe and Mt Hood hops to a bitterness of 16 IBUs.

Belgian Winter Ale

This special winter offering is a very flavorful Belgian style "Special Ale". The brew is enhanced with Belgian Candi Sugar, coriander, star anise and cardomon to add complexity. The candi sugar makes this beer lighter, and more refreshing than a similar all malt beer.

Big Sea E.S.B.

E.S.B. stands for Extra Special Bitter. These are the most flavorful of the English Bitters. We used Pale Ale Malt, Crystal Malts and Victory malt to give this beer a firm malt foundation and a light amber color. The Hop level is towards the high end, nearly equaling that of the Copperhead. We have chosen to use English Fuggle hops for a classic English aroma. This beer was made to commemorate the works of poet Langston Hughes, whose autobiographical book "The Big Sea" was published in 1940. Hughes made his home in Lawrence from 1902-1915. (see .Langston Hughes in Lawrence, Kansas:Photographs & Biographical Resources. for more information) Bronze Medal Winner, Extra Special Bitter or Strong Bitter, 2007 Great American Beer Festival

Bison Dark Ale

This Dark English ale is fashioned after British "Old Ales" and has been a seasonal favorite here for several years. A healthy dose of caramel malts (light and dark) contribute a deep red color that's tempered with just a touch of roasted barley. All of this also combines to make a VERY full bodied beer. To balance all of the malts, we add a healthy dose of hops. We use Simcoe hops for bittering, and Ahtanums for aroma hops and for dry hopping .

Black Jack Porter

Baltic Porter is a somewhat blended style, popular in the countries bordering the Baltic Sea. It's based on the English Porter style and strongly influenced by Russian Imperial Stouts. The resulting dark ale is more full bodied than a traditional Porter but doesn't have the intensity of an Imperial Stout. What we have is a rich, malty beer with notes of chocolate and roast malt overtones. The flavor has been mellowed further by conditioning on a blend of French and American oak. Served unfiltered. The Battle of Black Jack was part of the struggle to make Kansas a free state. In May, 1856, Proslavery men destroyed buildings and newspaper presses in Lawrence, Free-State headquarters. John Brown's company then killed five Proslavery men on Pottawatomie creek. In retaliation Henry C. Pate raided near-by Palmyra and took three prisoners. Early on the morning of June 2 Brown attacked Pate's camp in a grove of black jack oaks about 3 miles East of Baldwin City, KS. Both sides had several wounded and numerous desertions before Pate and 28 men surrendered, Brown claiming he had only 15 men left. As evidence of civil war this fight received much publicity and excited both the North and the South.

Blue Sky Rye

You'll enjoy the rich, full body and ample rye flavor in this smooth amber ale. Two types of rye are combined with English Pale Ale malt and dark crystal malt give this deep copper ale a pleasant malty flavor. Modest additions of Styrian Golding and Crystal hops complement the flavor of the Rye and balance the sweetness of the malts.

Bourbon Barrel Stout

We age some of our Oatmeal Stout in used Bourbon casks for a couple of weeks to produce this uniquely flavored dark beer. Served at a lower carbonation level that our usual Stout

Bowersock Bock

This is a smooth dark German style lager often made in the spring or fall as a sort of tonic. This is a smooth and malty beer with a delicate hop balance. Named after early Lawrence industrialist J.D. Bowersock. Bowersock constructed the Bowersock Mills & Power Co just to the north of our location on the banks of the Kansas River This early hydro-electric plant supplied power to most of downtown as well as to other riverside industries. The power plant still exists and is operated by Bowersock's descendants. Bowersock also built Liberty Hall , once the Bowersock Theater, on the ruins of the 1880s Bowersock Opera House which burned in 1911. Liberty Hall stands just to our south and is now a thriving venue for movies and live productions of all sorts.

Brinkley's Maibock

Bock beers are not always dark and Maibocks are blonde bock beers. "Mai" means May in German, and Maibocks are traditionally brewed for May 1st festivals that celebrate the end of winter. This beer has a very full and complex flavor that is best enjoyed slowly, allowing the different flavors time to develop on your tongue. You will find that it changes as you progress from the first taste to the lingering finish. The Malty sweetness is well balanced and blended with hop bitterness giving a full, rich blend of flavors. A generous quantity of pilsner malt is joined with a little bit of caramunich for color and some carapils for body along with plenty of Munich malt for flavor and aroma. This beer is fairly lightly hopped with Yakima perle and German hallertau hops. Most people in this part of the world are familiar with the darker Bock styles that are most commonly brewed outside of Germany. These dark Bocks are only a small part of the full range of traditional Bock beers. Bocks range in color from a very dark brown to a light golden like ours. The main requirement being that they be malty beers with a pleasant, but not overpowering hop bitterness. This makes for very robust full bodied beers. The traditional symbol for Bock beers of all varieties is the Billy goat. This is the reason that we named the Maibock after Dr. John R. Brinkley, a.k.a. "The Goat Gland Doctor". In 1920's Kansas, Brinkley gained notoriety for his alleged cure for infertility that involved the surgical implantation of Goat glands in the affected individuals. Some farmers are even said to have brought along there own goats because they felt them to have superior sexual prowess.Brinkley was also one of the pioneers of early radio. He used his very powerful station (it's range covered most of the western U.S.) as a tool for political advancement, and by most accounts won the Kansas governors race, even though he was never granted the office. Brinkley also used his powerful station to amass a fair fortune selling his services and a variety of mail order medicines. With the advent of the F.C.C. and regulation of radio power and ethics, Brinkley was closed down in Kansas. Not easily daunted however, Brinkley moved his operation just across the Mexican Border where he began broadcasting again with a newer, even more powerful station outside the grasp of the F.C.C.. For more on Doc Brinkley, try this link:

C³ IPA

The latest evolution in beer styles has come from the West Coast where they don't believe that there is such a thing as 'too much hops'! The style is Imperial IPA and ours features 3 very potent American hop varieties, Columbus, Chinook and Cascade - hense the name C3. Hops are added at just about every stage of the process from the mash all the way through to a very generous 'dry hop'. This beer needs a lot of strength to support all those hops so note the high Original Gravity.

Cameron.s Treehouse IPA

This IPA, or RyePA as some may suggest, uses a significant quantity of flaked rye to contribute a soft, dry mouthfeel to counterpoint its aggressive hopping. Sizable quantities of Sterling and Simcoe hops are complimented by a subtle maltiness that holds its own while allowing the hops to shine in this copper colored ale. 15.8ºP/1063 Hops . 61 IBUs One of the founding fathers of Lawrence, Hugh Cameron would later come to be known as the .Kansas Hermit.. An abolitionist, free stater and early suffragist, Cameron spent much of the last 40 years of his life as a recluse, only coming out of his cave (in the literal, not figurative, sense) every four years to make a trek by foot to the Inauguration in Washington D.C.. It.s said that an unrequited love during the Civil War may have caused Cameron to eschew cutting his hair or shaving for the last 40+ years of his life. Cameron died in 1909 in the treehouse he built and spent the last two years of his life living in. A plaque commemorates Cameron and this treehouse at Fifth and Louisiana Street.

Cannonball Red

Starting with a strong Belgian style ale, we've added nearly one pound of pureed dark sweet cherries and sour red cherries per gallon to make a nicely balanced flavor. The secondary fermentation of the fruit leaves this beer fairly dry and crisp. The cherries also add a beautiful red hue to the beer and give it a pinkish head. Makes a great blend with stout!

Chocolate Brown Ale

This unique brew starts out much like our John Brown Ale. Lots of malt and gentle hopping make a brew balanced towards the subtle nuances of rich malt flavors. After this beer has matured into a very pleasant brown ale, we put it into conditioning tanks with ¾ of a pound of gourmet chocolate nibs per barrel, these are the roasted cocoa beans themselves. They provide the very essence of chocolate. The result is a subtle dark chocolate aroma and a mild chocolate flavor that complements the rich malt characters. In trials, we found that too much chocolate and the beer starts to taste like a tootsie roll but with a well balanced addition, the characters of fine dark chocolate blend beautifully with the roasted and caramel malts. This, of course makes this a bit more expensive to produce but we think it.s worth it.

Coeur de Saison

C.ur de Saison . Heart of the Season! This is the third year that we have produced this beer using a blend of special Belgian Yeast Strains. The yeasts, fermenting at an unprecedented high temperature approaching 90° F, produce a fantastic blend of fruity and spicy flavors and aromas.. This Saison was brewed in early January, so and set aside in kegs for several months, getting drier and more complex all of the time. Served unfiltered and unfined, so expect a significant haze.

Copperhead Pale Ale

Silver Medal Winner 1997 World Beer Championships - India Pale Ales. This flavorful beer is made in the style of the India Pale Ale Style originally manufactured in Great Britain for their colonies in India, but with an American twist. The harsh travel that the beer had to survive required a strong, hoppy beer. The Hops and the high level of alcohol helped buffer the beer through its long travels. Made with flavorful and full bodied Pale Ale malt combined with a touch of caravienne for color and carapils for body, the rich flavor of this beer is matched and enhanced by a very generous portion of Centennial and Cascade hops. The Cascades give this beer its distinctive floral aroma and a uniquely American character.

Crimsonberry Ale

Crimsonberry Ale is made by brewing a lightly hopped, full bodied, wheat beer and flavoring it with natural Cranberry, Raspberry and Blueberry flavorings for a great fruit sensation. We start with a wheat beer in part because wheat lends a tart, fruity character of its own that meshes well with the fruit flavors. The mix of fruits has been adjusted over the years to provide a great balance of fruit characters. After all, everybody and their dog brews a raspberry wheat beer these days, we'd like to have ours take a different path.

Cyclone Dark Lager

This is a finely balanced but somewhat hops centered beer. Generous amounts of Munich Malt lend a full rich malt flavor that is deepened with some dark roasted Chocolate Malt. Perle and Tettnanger hops finish out the balance .

Dubbel Trouble

This medium bodied, yet dry Brown ale employs a Belgian yeast strain that contributes greatly to its character. The nose hints at brown sugar, raisins, and banana; aromas that compliment the slightly spicy yeast characters of this complex ale. Flavors of banana, dry cocoa, and burnt sugar finish this very dry ale, drier than a traditional dubbel. The bitterness in the finish is derived, in part, from the beet sugar used in the kettle to compliment the malt bill. Belgians often use kettle sugars in their beers and the complexity of the beet sugar most closely matches the sugars used in Belgium. Like many Belgian beers, this interpretation of a Dubbel is deceptively strong, finishing out at close to 7% ABV.

Earhart's Amber

The Legend of Atchison born aviatrix Amelia Earhart lives on in Earhart.s Amber Ale. This delightfully balanced amber ale uses a blend of English Pale Ale, Caramel and Roasted Malts along with a bit of flaked barley to provide a smooth yet flavorful malt character. The malts are balanced with domestic Fuggles hops in the kettle and the hop back and a fine hop aroma comes from dry hopping with English challenger hops. Like its namesake, smooth yet bold, colorful and intriguing.

Eccentricity

We hope you enjoy this series of specially crafted, barrel-aged beers. Each will exhibit its own character and complexity. Ask your server for the details about the current offering. Eccentric - Departing from a recognized, conventional, or established norm or pattern.

Emancipation Pale Ale

In another Twist on the American Pale Ale style, we.ve created a deep amber ale using Pale Ale and dark crystal malts. This beer is generously hopped with centennial and Chinook hops in the kettle, cascades in the hop jack and finally, a healthy dose of pungent columbus hops for dry-hopping. The result is a very American hop flavor and aroma seated into a rich malt background. The body is medium and hop flavor intense. Something to release you from the bonds of any ordinary pale ale!

Empire Bitter

Yet another holdout from the days when the sun never set on the British Empire. Hopped and dry-hopped in the best of the British traditions using imported E. Kent Goldings and served unfiltered. Bitter, as a style, is representative of a mild English draft beer. The flavor is a fine balance between malt and hops, well rounded in both directions. The hops used for the aromatics are E. Kent Goldings, the quintessential British aroma hops. An ideal beer for those who would like something full flavored but not heavy.

Evolution Ale

Enjoy the flavors of this well developed beer. Occasionally we are inspired to move one of our beers in a different direction. This evolution takes place through careful adjustment s to the conditions and the materials used in the brewing process. Our Evolution Ale has its roots in our ever popular Ad Astra Ale. The aroma hops have been changed to Styrian Goldings and we've added a bit of biscuit malt for a little toastier malt flavor. Links - Cartoon, Background

Fireside Imperial Pils

Our special winter offering for 2006, this Pilsner style lager.s strength elevates it to .Imperial. status. Where a typical German style Pilsner might reach an OG of 13-14°P and 40 IBUs, our Imperial Pils logs in at nearly 18 OG and 62 IBUs. The Malt bill is almost entirely Pilsner malt with a touch of dextrin malt for extra body and mouthfeel. The hops are domestic Glacier and Sterling, both varieties that we haven.t used much before. The Glaciers add a clean bitterness to balance the malt and the Sterlings add a wonderfully complex hop flavor and aroma from late additions to the kettle and dry hopping as well.

Governor Robinson's Lager

Earlier this year, the Lawrence Sesquicentennial (150th Anniversary) Committee suggested that we might make a beer to commemorate Lawrence's 150th Anniversary, which takes place this fall. The result is Governor Robinson's Lager. Charles Robinson, along with Charles Branson laid out the site for the town of Lawrence in what was then Kansas Territory in 1854. A committed Free Stater, Robinson was a notable leader in the anti-slavery (Free State) movement in territorial Kansas. He was elected Territorial Governor in 1856 under the Free State Constitution. He was later elected and served as Kansas first State Governor in 1861. Robinson also helped to found and served as an early regent of the University of Kansas. He would later imperil his career by opposing the popular prohibition movement in Kansas. Governor Robinson's Lager is a German Helles (Hell - es) style lager. Helles is German for pale. These lagers became popular around the turn of the century in Germany and are marked by a light color, smooth malt flavor and very modest hop character. This beer primarily relies on top quality German Pilsner malt for its flavor and body. American Vanguard hops are used to add a subtle hop bitterness, flavor and aroma. It is a lager style, or bottom fermented beer, which showcases the flavors of the ingredients over the flavors of the yeast.

Grace O'Malley's Irish Ale

This fine red ale is our tribute to the indomitable spirit of Grace O'Malley. Also called Granuaile or Grania of the Isles, in the 16th Century she captained the Pirate ship Greywolf II, carrying on the traditions of her father who sailed the ship Greywolf. She was elected chieftain of her people and received an offer from England's Queen Elizabeth I to be made a countess. In surprise, Grace asked how she could be made a countess when she was already a queen in her own right!

Harvest Ale

September is harvest time in the Yakima Valley where the bulk of America.s hops are grown. We had freshly harvested Chinook hops air freighted to us to add a special finish to this special harvest beer. We complemented the cascade .wet hop. flowers in the hop back with Cascade pellets in the kettle and Chinook pellets in the mash and the dry-hop for a complex hop profile. Pale Ale malt and a variety of caramel malts lay a rich malt foundation and give this ale its deep red color too. Now, as we reach October and the harvest nears completion, we have this to remember it by.

Hefe Weizen

This is a very light, Bavarian style wheat beer that is an excellent refresher in the warmer months. Hefe Weizen contains nearly 50% wheat malt to give it a light, tart flavor balanced with pale malt and just a bit of Munich malt for flavor and aroma. It is very lightly hopped with Yakima Perle and German Hallertau hops. Hefe means yeast and Weizen means wheat, so the name literally means "yeasty wheat beer". As you can guess from that, it is served unfiltered. The special yeast used for this classic Bavarian beer style imparts the background flavors and aromas of clove and banana that typify the style.

Holiday Ale

Every year we offer a special, unique brew to celebrate the Holidays. They have run the gamut of colors and flavors, sometimes with spices, fruits or other exotic ingredients to add extra dimensions. This years offering is light in color but has a full body and flavor. We used Pale malt, rye and malted wheat for the base grains. These lend both pleasant flavors and a smooth mouthfeel to the beer. Locally produced sunflower honey adds flavor and aroma and it is complemented by a subtle addition of chamomile. Hops are not the focus of this beer but gentle additions of Mt. Hood and Horizon hops add balance to the sweetness of the malts and honey. Served unfiltered.

Holiday Saison 2004/5

This years Holiday Ale is a Belgian-style Saison. We started with a simple wheat beer and fermented it with a special blend of Belgian yeasts. The Belgian Yeasts add spicy and fruity overtones which we matched with some grains of paradise for a peppery background and very modest amounts of orange peel and corriander for a light citrus edge. This beer is served unfiltered and highly carbonated after the

Holiday Scotch Ale

Every year we offer a new beer to celebrate the holidays. This year we have brewed a Scotch Ale. Scotch and Scottish Ales are generally malt centered beers with Scotch Ales being the stronger cousins of the much milder Scottish Ales. To further confuse the matter, the strongest of the Scotch Ales, those reaching into Barleywine territory, are often referred to as Wee Heavy. Our Holiday Scotch Ale is in the middle group of Scotch Ales We crafted this special brew primarily out of pale ale and crystal malts with roasted barley and flaked barley for extra color and texture. A small (<1.5%) quantity of peat smoked malt was added to lend a hint of the smoky complexity often found in American renditions of this classic style. The aroma hops are a mild blend of English Fuggle and Golding hops.

Hop Jack Ale

First the name - Hop Jacks (or Hop Backs as they are also called) are pieces of traditional brewing equipment that are used to add fresh hop flavors and aromas to the hot wort as it is transferred from the brew kettle to the heat exchanger. Fresh hop flowers are placed in the Hop Jack for the very freshest hop character. This beer is one of a series that will showcase the diversity of hop varieties available to us. Each batch of Hop Jack Ale will have the same malt recipe but will differ in the hops used. The ibu's will remain the same also, allowing the drinker to appreciate the differences between hop varieties. The malt profile for this beer is very simple, using only pale ale malt and a very light caramel malt. Served unfiltered. Stop in and see what hop we used this time.

Hop Picker Pale Ale

As the harvest wound up and the hop pickers finished their seasons. work, we made this extra hoppy American IPA to remember the season by. The Hop Picker marries two of our favorite American hop varieties, Centennial and Columbus in even portions at each step of the brew. From bittering in the kettle to dry hopping in the conditioning tank, we added equal parts of these two pungent hops all the way through. Balanced with a subdued malt bill made up of American 2-row pale malt, Munich malt and an assortment of light caramel malts for a deep gold color and a nice body to match the hops without overpowering them

Invigorator Doppel Bock

This is a very full bodied, German style lager. The word doppel literally means double, but it's not really a "double" bock beer. It is more full bodied than a regular bock though. The full body accents the somewhat sweet character of the beer. The Doppel is started with a base of Pilsen malt. It is colored and flavored by caravienne, caramunich and special B malts. A large portion of Munich malt is used for its distinctly German flavor and aroma as well as a little aromatic malt. Finally there is some carapils to add to the full body. The doppel is also flavored with moderate amounts of Yakima perle and German Hallertau hops to balance the malty sweetness. Though the IBU level is pretty high, almost that of Copperhead, this is not a hoppy beer. It's just that it takes a lot of hops to balance out such a malty beer. Doppel Bocks are of German descent, having first been brewed by monks near Munich at the monastery of the order of St. Francis of Paula in the 1780's. They named their beer "Salvator" (savior) and started at least two traditions that still remain today. The first is Salvator Doppel Bock which is still brewed by Paulaner-Salvator-Thomasbru, one of Munich's largest breweries and the direct descendant of the old monastic brewery. The second is the tradition of finishing the names of Doppel Bocks with the suffix -ator. Others who have followed this tradition include Triumphator, Optimator, Maximator, Animator and of course our own Invigorator Doppel Bock.

Ironman Imperial Stout

The Imperial Stout style originated in Great Britain where the early Industrial Revolution was allowing brewers to achieve much greater levels of production. This greater production capacity led to a healthy export trade. Under the name "porter" and later "stout", strong, hearty, dark beers were shipped of to the chilly Northern Europeans. The reasons for the strength of these beers were probably twofold. First, the colder climates up north made a strong, warming beer more desirable and second, the long sea voyage was far from the ideal condition for handling beer. The high alcohol levels, high hop levels, and in some cases, an active secondary fermentation during shipment, helped to stave off infections in the beer. As far as the second reason goes, this was already a practice in use for shipping India Pale Ales. The beer came to be known as "Imperial" Stout due to it's popularity in Russia where the Empress Catherine the Great commissioned a British brewery to supply the Imperial Court with the strong ale. Our Imperial Stout brewed to an Original gravity of 19.5 °P using 10 different types of malt, which combined, weigh 1,465 lbs. That works out to 3.4 lbs per gallon of finished beer or almost 4/10ths of a pound in every glass. The dark malts give a roasty flavor and dark color, caramel malts add sweetness and a full body. Three different hop varieties also add their own complexity (and about 78 IBUs). The bittering hop is Magnum. The early aromatic hops are Northern Brewer. The later aromatic Centennial. The final hop addition is a dry hop with a generous dose of Mt. Hood hops for a fine aroma The Ironman is named for one of our favorite regular customers, Walt Hull, who is a local blacksmith.

John Brown Ale

Named for John Brown, the fiery abolitionist from the U.S. Civil War era. Brown is a well known (though often overly romanticized) figure in Kansas history. His actions in support of the free-staters in the 1850s was quite notable but also quite violent and vengeful. A religious zealot with a long family history of insanity, one of Brown's favorite maxims was "Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins". During his colorful career with the free state militia, Brown made sure that there was no shortage of the remissions of sins. But on a lighter note, his namesake ale is actually a very mild, pleasant brown ale with a definite emphasis on the malt rather than the hops. Made from a choice selection of malts, this is a bit sweeter than the Ad Astra, but not quite so sweet as a bock beer.

Jane's E.S.B.

E.S.B. stands for Extra Special Bitter. These are the most full flavored and full bodied of the English Bitters We used Pale Ale Malt, Caramel Malt, Special B malt and a little Roasted Barley to give this beer a firm malt foundation and a deep amber color. The Hop level is towards the high end, nearly equaling that of the Copperhead. For a fine hop flavor and aroma we used only English East Kent Goldings hops from start to finish. Hop aroma is moderate and this beer was not dry-hopped. Though many American versions of the ESB Style are noted for a strong hop nose, the traditional English ESBs are usually mild in that respect with the exception of those that were cask conditioned.

King's Cross E.S.B.

E.S.B. stands for Extra Special Bitter. These are the most full flavored and full bodied of the English Bitters.. We used Pale Ale Malt, Crystal Malts and Biscuit malt to give this beer a firm malt foundation and a light amber color. The Hop level is towards the high end, nearly equaling that of the Copperhead. We have chosen to used English hops exclusively for this beer. UK Challenger hops are used for bittering and UK Fuggle hops for dry hopping.

Lemon Grass Rye

This refreshing and unique beer is made from a base of pale malt and Munich malt. The unique flavors come from the use of about 25% flaked rye which adds a fresh (some describe it as minty) flavor and smooth texture as well as about 40 lbs of fresh lemon grass for a fresh citrusy background. This beer is gently hopped with Galena and Hersbrucker hops.

Liberty Wheat

This is sort of a dark version of the Hefe Weizen. The actual style for this beer is "Dunkel Weizen" which literally means dark wheat. The flavor is a bit more complex than the hefe weizen owing largely to a greater variety of malts. This is brewed with pale, wheat, caramel and roasted malts. The wheat gives it a tart finish, the caramel malt, provides color and some background sweetness and the roasted malts provide color and flavor. The hops used are Hersbrucker for bittering and for aroma, but they are not a prominent part of the profile. Much more prominent is the yeast character provided by that crazy German weizen yeast that we used in the hefe weizen. It combines with the malts to make this a very flavorful and unique beer.

Mammoth Pale Ale

As the name implies, this is a big beer. Though the style doesn't really exist, think of it as sort of an Imperial Pale Ale. Made with Pale Ale Malt and Pale Caramel Malt, this beer has a light color but a full body. Horizon, and Fuggles hops go into the kettle and imported East Kent Goldings (U.K.) are used for the dry hop, giving a distinctly British hop character. The hopping level of 72 IBUs balances the fullness provided by an O.G. of 18/ 1072. This is actually pretty close to the kind of Pale Ale that was being brewed in the 18th or 19th Century back before the general weakening of beers. For those who care, Columbian Mammoths crossed over the bridged Bering Strait into North America about 1.8 million years ago and spread across the continent as far as N. Mexico by the time of their extinction about 10,000 years ago. Columbian Mammoths would have been found in this area with the later arriving (c. 500,00years ago) and better insulated Woolly Mammoths residing further North.

Märzen

Märzen (mairtsen) is German for March. In the days before refrigeration, this would have been the last beer brewed in Germany until cooler weather returned in the Fall. Then, in late September any remaining Märzen beer would have been served at the Oktoberfest celebration in Munich. We don't expect ours to last that long, but we did brew it to be very similar to our Octoberfest beer with pale malt, lots of Munich malt, carapils and caramunich malts. This beer is lightly hopped Tettnanger hops, to leave a rich malty flavor

Mocha Stout

This is a truly double barrelled stout. Coffee beans and roasted malts share many flavor characteristics. They both have roasted and slightly bitter flavors but each also brings special flavors from the original grain and bean. We have found a fine balance between the two in this beer which showcases equally the flavors and aromas of both. About 5 gallons of cold processed coffee are added to a batch of this special stout ( it is its own unique brew, designed specifically to blend with the coffee). Served unfiltered .

Barel Aged Mocha Stout

We took half of a batch of Mocha Stout and aged it in bourbon barrels to add yet another layer of flavor to this complex beer. The carbonation level will be slightly lower than in the Mocha Stout.Served unfiltered .

Oatmeal Stout

Silver Medal Winner 1997 World Beer Championships - Oatmeal Stouts. Our classic dark beer. Full body and a well rounded flavor comes from a foundation of seven different grains. The oats add a special silky texture that complements the roasted malts. The rich malty flavor is spiced with plenty of Northern Brewer and Fuggles hops for balance. Enjoy this perennial Free State Favorite by itself or as a blend with one of our other beers.

Octoberfest

This is a smooth, malty lager fashioned after the famous Octoberfest beers in Munich. Each year around this time, the Germans celebrate the anniversary of the marriage, in 1810, of the Crown Prince of Bavaria. Huge crowds pile into Munich to imbibe the pride of the cities breweries by the stein full. Our Octoberfest is made from Pilsen malt, caramunich malt, lots of Munich malt, caramel pils malt and aromatic malt. These combine to provide a light amber beer with a smooth ,clean malt character that comes through clearly. The hops are Perle for bittering and Hersbrucker for a mild aroma.

Old Backus Barleywine

Bronze Medal Winner 1997 World Beer Championships - Barleywines. Yes that's Backus not Bacchus. Barleywines are an English style ale of great strength. Originally these were referred to as "Old Ales" presumably because of the lengthy conditioning time that these beers require. Eventually they became known as Barleywines in no small part because of their near wine strength. Some Barleywines are actually cellared away like wine and some tastings of barley wines have shown continued flavor development over periods as long as 25 Years! Our Barleywine has been aging since February, 1997, the longest conditioning time of any beer that we've ever made. The huge amounts of both hops and malt that go into this beer necessitate a long conditioning period to mellow its intense flavors. The Old Backus contains just over 2,000 lbs of malt and 55 lbs of hops. the Original gravity is 25.6 P/1092 which contributes to an alcohol content of 8.4% by wt. and 10.5% by vol. The bitterness level is 150 ibu. This is a tremendously complex beer that should be savoured slowly and in moderation. It will continue to change with age as it is served unfiltered and is continuing to mature. The Barleywine is named after Richard Backus - an old friend to the Brewery.

Old Bismarck's Amber Lager

A mild, flavorful lager, much along the lines of what John Walruff would have been brewing here in Lawrence 120 years ago. A complex malt bill gives the Bismark a full body and great depth. A nice selection of hops adds balance and a fine aroma. It's served unfiltered, but well aged.

Oread Ale

This is a light, hoppy, refreshing beer, just made for a Kansas Summer. This fresh, crisp beer is made with pale malts (no Wheat) and hopped with Czech Saaz hops, perhaps the most prized of European aroma hops. The hopping gives the Oread a very Pilsner like character, BUT this beer is an Ale, not a lager. So, even if it has some of the Pilsner profile, it is not a pilsner style beer. The Oread Ale is , of course named after Mt Oread, the home of the University of Kansas. In turn, Mt Oread was named for the Oread Institute in Massachusetts. However, the original name given to the ridge rising from the floor of the Kaw River Valley was The Devil's Backbone (a somewhat less appetizing name). Going further back, Oreads are Mountain Nymphs from Greek mythology. "These nymphs, who frequent the mountains whose steep slopes they enjoy, do not have the gentle, somewhat languorous, natures of their sisters of the valleys and woods. Delighting in vigorous exercise, in the company of Artemis the huntress whom they sometimes choose as their guide, they pursue game in the most dangerous places, on the edge of chasms, apparently oblivious to danger or fatigue"

Orion Amber Ale

This beer is made with crystal malts and toasted biscuit malt for a smooth, easy drinking malt flavor. The British call beers like this 'session beers' because their smooth flavor and overall drinkability make them ideal for sharing a few beers with friends.

Owd Mac's Imperial

This very special beer was brewed as a Double Imperial Stout. Imperial Stouts being very big beers to begin with, that puts this near the level of a barleywine. The Original Gravity is 27.5 P/ 1118, the hopping level is very hard to define, though there are enough hops to achieve 100 IBUs in a smaller beer, this beer still has a distinct sweetness due to a high percentage of unfermentable sugars. After fermentation, this beer was aged in old whiskey barrels from the McCormack's bottling plant in Weston, MO, hence the name Owd Mac's (owd being a British regional colloquialism for old).

Poor Richard.s Ale

This brew was originally developed by Tony Simmons of the Brick Oven Brewing Co. in Pagosa Springs, CO and chosen by a panel of judges as the brew to commemorate the 300th Anniversary of Benjamin Franklin.s birth. In keeping with the goal of producing a beer with ties to Franklin.s time, this light brown ale uses copious quantities of corn and a bit of molasses, both common ingredients used to bolster the early colonies. slim supply of malted barley. It also uses some well toasted malts to mimic the deeper colors of the malts of the period. The hops are English Kent Goldings which would have been among the more commonly available at that time.

Populist Porter

This dark beer style is a bit lighter than stouts (often much lighter actually) but has a pleasant roasty flavor and a clean dry finish. The name Porter is thought to originate from the rail Porters who were so fond of the beverage in early England. This beer honors Kansas' position as a hotbed of the populist movement of the 1800s when farmers, tired of being screwed by the big eastern banks and big railroad monopolies started raising "less corn and more hell!" up to and including an armed stand-off at the statehouse.

Post Rock Pilsner

Pilsners were certainly some of the original light beers, but only in color, certainly not in flavor! Our Pilsner has a pleasant malt flavor, a medium body and a finely balanced hop character. We use premium Bohemian pilsner malt and imported specialty malts along with prized Czech Saaz hops to craft this fine lager beer for your summer

Prairie Fire Pepper Beer

We take some of our Wheat State Golden and age it with Ancho and Chipotle peppers for a smoky pepper flavor and aroma. We also throw in just a pinch of red chile pepper for some heat. The peppers also throw a bit of an amber color into our otherwise golden ale. Try it alone or especially with food.

Prairie Pale Ale

This is another twist on the traditional English Style "India Pale Ale". This beer is made from Pale Ale Malt and Munich malt and then powerfully hopped to 55 ibu with Bravo and Styrian Golding hops. Also dry hopped with a generous portion of Styrian Goldings for a fabulous aroma. India Pale Ales were made strong and hoppy to survive the long journey to the colonies and outposts in India. The preservative properties of the alcohol and the hops as well as the abilities of the very hoppy beers to mask the travails of long travel made for some strong and flavorful beers.

Raspberry Wheat

We.ve taken a light, refreshing wheat ale and brightened up the flavor with natural raspberry flavors. The blend of flavors is delightfully subtle. Try it on its own or as a blend with our Oatmeal Stout

Roggen Bock 3,000

Roggen means rye in German. Roggenbier is a traditional German ale that employs a substantial amount of rye malt and is served both filtered and unfiltered. We.ve made a strong version of Roggenbier, one of bock strength, with Pilsner, Munich, and Rye malts. Rye malt lends a hint of earthy spiciness and a slightly fuller mouthfeel. It.s the yeast, however, that contributes the clove like spiciness to this strong golden ale. Perle and Sterling hops compliment the earthiness of the rye and spiciness of the yeast without taking center stage. This beer is more about the malt and yeast. Deceptive in its strength (8.5% ABV), we thought we would create a big, bold beer to celebrate the brewing of our 3000th batch here at Free State Brewing Co.

80 Shilling Scottish Ale

This light bodied copper ale results from the blend of Pale, Aromatic and Special B malts, with just a touch of Roasted Barley. Vanguard hops provide just enough bittering for balance. The "80 Schilling" designation is from the obsolete 19th Century currency, and was the price of one barrel of this style of beer.

Santa's Helper

Inspired by a Belgian beer that itself was inspired by American craft brewers and their propensity for hoppy beers, this Belgian Holiday IPA illustrates the ever-evolving brewing landscape. This beer starts with a generous portion of pilsner malt augmented by an addition of cane sugar to the kettle. Judicious amounts of Simcoe, Centennial, Sterling, Amarillo, Chinook, and Columbus hops contribute to the uniquely American citrus and pine characteristics of this international brew. The Belgian yeast strain adds fruity and earthy overtones that meld harmoniously with the complex hop bill.

Smokey Hill Ale

This deep brown, smoky ale is brewed with pilsner, Munich, roasted and caramel malts as well as a healthy dose of beechwood-smoked malt from Germany. Some breweries just age their beers on beechwood. We think this adds more character. The smoked malt from Bamburg, Germany is a classic used around the world for a fine smoke flavor and aroma. Caramel malt adds sweetness to mellow the smoke and northern brewer hops add further balance to this unique beer. The Smokey Hills region of Kansas covers a large portion of North-Central Kansas, with fingers stretching nearly to the Colorado border. Some of the main features are huge sandstone monuments such as Monument rocks (on one of our menu covers, Mushroom Rocks and Castle Rock.

S.P. Dinsmoor's Scotch Ale

Named for Samuel Perry Dinsmore, founder/builder of the Garden of Eden in Lucas, KS, now celebrating its 100th Anniversary. Made primarily with Scottish Golden Promise pale ale malt which has a wonderfully nutty malt flavor, accented by just a touch of Scottish peated malt (like they use for making Scotch Whisky) and some roasted barley for color. The malt character is the dominant flavor with Warrior and Fuggle hops providing a gentle balance. For more on S.P. Dinsmore, go to The Garden of Eden.s web-site.

Speer's Defiant Ale

A tribute to John Speer, early abolitionist publisher. Speer is the focus of the new Hobbs Park Memorial to the pioneers of Kansas, located at 10th & Delaware in East Lawrence. This dark, English-Style ale is smooth from start to finish. This brew incorporates dark caramel malts for a deep amber color and slight sweetness and roasted malts for a round toasty finish. A gentle dose of Fuggles hops completes the balance.

Stormwatch Ale

This dark brown, hoppy ale takes the IPA style into unfamiliar depths of color. Amarillo hops provide the hoppy flavors and aromas of an India Pale Ale complemented by subtle chocolaty roasted notes from the dark malts. The malt bill is very close to that for Copperhead but with the addition of some dark roasted malt for color and flavor. The Amarillo hops are a potent American variety with a distinctive flavor and aroma.

Summer Stout

Lighter than the Oatmeal stout but still a complex and full flavored beer. Summer Stout, like the Oatmeal uses a combination of seven different grains, some the same and some different, to provide a full malt flavor. A lower Original Gravity leaves this beer with a more medium body than the Oatmeal Stout. The roasty flavor of three different dark malts and the sweetness of three different caramel malts is balanced by Centennial hops from start to finish.

Tallgrass Pale Ale

This is another twist on the India Pale Ale Style. It uses Simcoe hops for bittering and whole UK Fuggle hop flowers in the Hop Jack for a fine aroma. The UK Fuggle hops are a more subtle hop than the domestic Fuggles that we have use in several of our other beers. Unlike the Copperhead, this beer does not use any caramel malts, giving it a somewhat lighter malt flavor and color. This beer is made from Pale Ale Malt and Munich malt to provide a solid malt underpinning. India Pale Ales were made extra hoppy to survive the long journey to the colonies and outposts in the West Indies. The preservative properties of the alcohol and the hops as well as the abilities of these hoppy beers to mask the trevails of long travel made for some very flavorful beers.

Tazza Nera Stout

This special coffee stout is the result of our collaboration with our neighbors at La Prima Tazza. Tazza Nera means 'black cup' and this is indeed that! We blended strong, cold processed coffee with a delightful roasty stout for a flavor and aroma that gives credit to both grain and bean.

Thunderhead Pale

Thunderhead is an American Style Pale Ale using largely American hop varieties for a crisp, dry hop bitterness and a fresh, citrusy hop flavor and aroma. We used primarily domestic pale malt (as opposed to the English Pale Ale malt in the Copperhead or the Prairie) with just a touch of caramel malt for color. The result is a well fermented, dry, crisp beer with a very nice balance towards the hops in the flavor and the finish.

Trailrider Rye

Douglas County has it's fair share of trails - from the historically significant Oregon and Santa Fe Trails to the plethora of modern day bike and horse trails. Whatever the ride, this distinctive rye beer is just the thing to cut the dust when you're done with the trail for the day. The blend of the light floral hop character of Vanguard hops with a spicy flavor and silky smooth mouthfeel from the use of 25% malted Rye in the grist makes a clean, refreshing ale with lots of flavor.

Trolley House Trippel

The Trippel style originated in 1934 in the Trappist Abbey of Westmalle, near Antwerp, Belgium. The name is thought by most to derive from the beer.s strength, with a typical starting gravity roughly triple the starting gravity of a typical Belgian Simple. True to style, we.ve built our Trippel around Pilsner malt and a judicious use of cane sugar. Simcoe and Sterling hops provide a balanced bitterness and subtle hop aroma. There is an ethanol sweetness in the finish that belies this beer.s dryness. The Belgian yeast strain used ferments more of the fermentable sugars in the beer than does our typical house strain, leading to a drier finish. Additionally, this Belgian strain produces fruity, banana-like aromas and hints of spice. Free State Brewing Company.s building site was once the home of Lawrence.s inter-urban trolley house, hence the name Trolley House Trippel. A complex, pale golden ale, Trolley House Trippel approaches 8.75% ABV. For such a big beer, the Trippel is a remarkably refreshing Belgian Strong Ale.

Uptown Brown

This is a very special brew that you will only see once a year when we make our Owd Mac's Imperial. The Owd Mac's is made from a huge grin bill and only uses the first, sweetest worts. There is enough sugar left in the mash when we're done to make another beer. The result is this Uptown Brown. It has a great roasty malt flavor and a deep brown color. It is gently hopped with vanguard and ahtanum hops to round out the flavor and aroma. The finish is extremely smooth. Although the bitterness level and the Original Gravity are identical to the John Brown and the color is similar (though a bit darker) you will find this to be a completely independent brew.

Wakarusa Lager

This crisp, full flavored lager beer starts with pale malt and a blend of dark caramel malts for a full bodied malt character and a deep amber color. Styrian Golding hops balance the sweet malts and add a fabulous aroma. The slow, lager brewing process gives this beer a super clean, crisp flavor. This beer was fashioned around the Copperhead but it is darker, a bit more full bodied and uses a different hop. Styrian Goldings are a new hop for us, and you may expect to see them again. While cascades are generally described as having a citrusy, grapefruit tang to them, I would be inclined to say that the Styrian Goldings have a citrusy tang that leans more towards an almost lemony character. They have no relation whatsoever to the East Kent Golding hops. Named after the rich Wakarusa River Valley which passes to the south of Lawrence. The fertile soils of the Wakarusa's flood plain have yielded incredible bounties of fresh produce over the years. We hope that this beer represents that fresh flavor and quality.

Wheat State Golden

Being located in the biggest wheat producing state in the nation, a refreshing wheat beer is a must-brew. The Wheat State Golden is usually our lightest beer. It is fashioned after the Klsch beers made around Cologne. It is traditionally brewed in the Alt Style like our Ad Astra Ale and has about 25% wheat malt. There is just a touch of caramel malt to add the golden color, and the rest is pale malt. The Golden is lightly hopped with Yakima Perle for bittering, and Hallertau Hersbrucker hops for aroma.

Weisshammer Wheat Bock

The Weisshammer combines two of Germany's best known beer styles - Weizen and Bock. It's a pale weizenbock beer made with lots of wheat malt and fermented with two different German yeasts for a remarkable blend of flavors. Served unfiltered.

Winter Ale 2000

Each year we create a special and unique beer to celebrate the holidays. This year's offering combines dark caramel malts and roasted barley for a rich, chocolatey flavor. The beer then undergoes a second fermentation with 500 pounds of blended sweet and tart cherries for a balanced fruitiness. Finally the addition of Lactose (milk sugar) adds body and a silky texture to this flavorful winter warmer.

Winter Wheat

When we make Crimsonberry Ale, we start with a base of full bodied wheat ale. Many have wondered what it tastes like before the flavors are added - so here it is. Yes, that's right, the Winter Wheat is simply the full bodied wheat ale that we use to make Crimsonberry but without the fruit. Wheat malt tends to contribute a tart and fruity flavor on its own, which is why we chose this beer for the Crimsonberry. You will find those tart characters from the wheat malt easier to find in this straight up wheat ale. Full bodied with a mild fruitiness imparted by the ale yeast and the wheat malt and a fairly malty nose due to the absence of any aroma hop additions.

Wit Lightning

This beer uses the same yeast that we use in our Belgian 'Wit' (or white) beer also known as the Belgian Wheat. However, this brew is made with significantly more malt than the Belgian '. This beer is made using only pale malts and also some sugar to keep the flavor and body light (as is common with many of the Belgian beers. Unlike the Belgian Wheat, this brew does not contain any additional spices. The big flavors come mostly from the Belgian yeast. The hops are Tettnang and Mt. Hood and their impact in minimal. This beer is not filtered although it has been made pretty clear by the use of finings, which cause most of the yeast to settle out.

Thomas Paine Porter

A medium bodied, robust Porter, that has a hint of sweetness in the palette offset by dark-malt roast qualities and a subtle hop bitterness. True to the spirit of Thomas Paine, this beer is balanced, with no one quality overshadowing the other. Fine British malt and American hops meld together in this classic Porter.

Cimmaron Red Ale