BKS Artisan Ales

BKS Artisan Ales is a true haven for all the craft beer enthusiasts out there. The name itself comes from the Brookside East (BKS) neighborhood in Kansas City, where this brewery is located. Many of the beers they produce are named after its streets. The owners, Brian and Mary, are big on community and the awareness about the tastes and preferences of the region because of their own experience of living there.

Opened in the fall of 2017, the place already has a committed customer base, and as the locals say, BKS Artisan Ales has a major contribution in revitalizing the East 63^rd Street. This local experimental brewery brings to you a wide range of fresh, unique, and high-quality beers created by bending the traditional flavor profiles.

The husband-wife duo has a history of home-brewing as a hobby for almost ten years. Brian, a former insurance company employee, kick-started his off-beat journey as a backyard barbecuer who started becoming keen about craft beer. On his birthday, Mary gifted him a home-brew kit, and the rest, as they say, is history.

The obsession outgrew their home-brew kit, and he began experimenting with an electric brew system in their basement. Brian wanted to explore further on all the beer ideas that constantly keep churning in his mind. So, they finally opened what is today known as a Brooksider’s favorite beer-drinking spot: BKS Artisan Ales.

Being in the current beer biz, the duo concentrates on making the beer styles that they love drinking, which can easily & simultaneously be appreciated by friends, family, the entire neighborhood. The two of them single-handedly manage the brewing, cellaring, and packaging of their brews. Their unique beers are mainly available as draft pours at the tasting room and also in bottles and cans quite frequently.

Sample a Range of BKS Artisan Ales

At this neighborhood brew, you can choose from a wide range of English, Hoppy, Belgian, and American stouts. Their taproom offers a selection of beers in a rotating format.

You can find the following list of beers in the testing room of BKS Artisan Ales:

• Counterculture: New England-style IPA with 6.8% ABV. A Double dry-hopped beer with a golden haze and tropical and citrusy aroma that finishes off with a smooth bitterness and a soft mouthfeel. Available in 5 ounce and 16 ounce pours, as well as growlers.
• Simplicity & Patience: Unfiltered dry-hopped pilsner with 4.5% ABV. Has a light hop presence and a fruity, floral & herbal aroma profile; offers amazing depth for its ABV level and is bright, crispy and refreshing. Available in 5oz and 16oz pours and growler.
• Antithesis: A true Midwestern IPA with 6.8% ABV. Brewed with crisp malt flavors and bold southern tropic hops; produces undertones of lychee, mango, fresh cut roses, and lemongrass leading to a clean finish. Available in 5 ounce and 13 ounce pours, as well as a 4-pack of cans.
• The Pedestrian: Unfiltered American IPA with 7.5% ABV. Brewed with pilsner wheat, malt, and a combination of dry hops (Pacific Northwest Citra, Centennial, and New Zealand Nelson Sauvin hops) which produces notes of white wine, citrus, and fresh flowers. Available in 5 ounce and 16 ounce pours and growlers.
• Peach Biere De Ferme: Barrel-aged sour ale with 5% ABV. Has a blend of malts and light sour bite; four-month old French Oak Chardonnay Barrels conditioned on Missouri peaches from local Peach Orchard. Available in 5 ounce and 10 ounce pours.
• Rockhill & Locust: English dark mild ale style beer with an ABV level of only 3.6%. Traditional malt-forward ale that showcases notes of chocolate, biscuit, and hazelnut; named after the intersecting streets of the neighborhood where this beer-style was often enjoyed among neighbors & friends. Available in 5 ounce and 16 ounce pours.
• Double Holstein (Caribbean Breakfast): Double milk stout with 8.5% ABV. This full-bodied beer with a smooth finish features flavor and aroma notes of chocolate, maple, coffee, toasted coconut and cinnamon. Available in 5 ounce and 10 ounce pours.

Be sure to taste their flagship beer, Counter Culture IPA. Since the inception of the brewery, co-founder Brian Rooney has tweaked with its recipe several times. However, only recently has the taproom finally settled on a recipe that uses a rather uncommon English ale yeast and a combination of Mosaic, Citra, and Simcoe – “The Holy Trinity,” as Rooney calls it!

What Makes BKS Artisan Ales a Must Visit Taproom?

BKS Artisan Ales has grabbed ample attention within only two years of its operations – and for good reasons. They promise a unique craft beer experience with a bustling local ambiance, making it a perfect tap for travelers of all kinds since it has become a vital gathering spot for Brooksiders on weekends.

The Rooneys believe in no compromise when it comes to quality, which has also helped rocket its popularity beyond the locality. BKS beers are easy to love because they are all uniquely brewed with balanced flavors. You will often have at least one new flavor to try out every time you visit. This is because they tend to rotate in either an experimental version of one of the signature brews or add a special release. Right next to quality, its second strong point is variety. So you have the chance of flirting with a number of flavors before committing to a pint. The small five ounce pours on all tapped beers make this possible.

Here, you will find beers with low-ABV drinkability, making it perfect for connecting with people while being able to have more than just one beer. The staff is also friendly and attentive. So even if you visit alone, the experience will be no less than a delight and incredibly engaging at the same time. Plus, they’ve recently extended the space, accommodating more customers than they previously could. They also rent out their tasting room for private events Monday through Thursday.

While you plan your visit, you can call 816-673-3027 for questions. Their exact address is 633 E. 63rd Street, Kansas City, MO 64110. As the tap-list keeps changing frequently, you may find different beers when you visit for the second time. Keep an eye on the On Tap page on their website or any of their social media pages for updates about their current to-go options and tap list.