You don’t have to be a beer fanatic to enjoy a brewery tour – but if you’re a fanatic, it’s even more fun.
I recently had the opportunity to take the brewery tour at Flying Monkey Beer in Olathe, KS. I have to say, if you’re going to be in the Kansas City metro area, it’s worth the effort to take the tour yourself if you get the chance.
Flying Monkey has been around since 1996, when they began operating in Merriam (another Kansas City suburb). Only available on tap at first, they quickly got their bottling facilities up and running, and began to build a loyal following. It looked like Flying Monkey was ready to make their mark in the brewing world. And then it started raining.
If you’re from the Midwest, you know that the weather is either feast or famine. Or to be more accurate, either flood or drought. October 1998 was flood. Over five inches of rain in something like two hours wreaked havoc, especially with the infamous Turkey Creek and Brush Creek.
Before it was over, the brewery was sitting under something like five feet of water. The losses were huge, and unable to get their facility back into shape, there were few options. Pony Express Brewing in Olathe began handling the actual production of the Flying Monkey beers.
But you can’t keep a good monkey down, especially when the monkey has wings. Flying Monkey now owns the production site in Olathe, and has the distinction of being the only brewery in Kansas that also bottles their beer. (They also bottle the Pony Express beers.)
Flying Monkey now has four beers in their regular offerings – Amber Ale, Honey Blonde Ale, Mac’s (an all-malt lager), and the Four Finger Stout. All of them are good, solid beers. Not exotic, but smoothly drinkable. If you’re new to craft beer, or are trying to convert a reluctant friend, these are a good place to start. The quality is far better than the typical mass-market beer, but the flavors are still familiar enough not to throw anyone out of their comfort zone.
Of the four, my favorite is the Four Finger Stout. It pours a very dark brown, almost black, with a thin tan head that dissipates quickly. There are strong chocolate and coffee aromas, with just a hint of a sweetness, and the flavor is nicely malty with an aftertaste of chocolate and coffee.
And I have to admit, I love the labels. All of them feature the winged monkey wearing what seems to be a pretty evil grin. He’s not flashy, but he has style, especially the Four Finger Stout monkey – he’s missing his middle right finger and sports a scruffy little beard, in tribute to Jerry Garcia. How can you not like the attitude?
The second best part of the brewery tour is that attitude (the best part is the beer). Unlike many breweries, the tour is relaxed and informal - if there's a script, I couldn't tell. Instead of a regimented march through the facility, you feel like a friend's just showing around his house. And instead of a couple of little sips from a plastic cup, they'll let you have a full beer, in a real glass. Now, that's how to show off your brewery!
311 N. Burch
Olathe, KS 66061
877-523-4581
Tours are the first and third Saturday each month, and they’re absolutely free!
You can also find Flying Monkey at their home on MySpace.
