A collaboration between eight of Kansas’ small-town breweries will recognize Kansas Day with a fundraiser to benefit the Kansas Sampler Foundation.
Eight Kansas breweries are working on new beers to be released in honor of Kansas Day, the commemoration of Kansas becoming the 34th state on Jan. 29, 1861. The beers and special activities at each brewery will highlight Kansas products, Kansas trivia and more to celebrate the state’s birthday.
The majority of the events will take place at the participating breweries between Jan. 25 and Jan. 29. The participating breweries are:
- Center Pivot Restaurant & Brewery, Quinter
- Defiance Brewing Company, Hays
- Hidden Trail Brewing, Garden City
- Irrigation Ales, Courtland
- Ladybird Brewing, Winfield
- Riverbank Brewing, Council Grove
- Sandhills Brewing, Hutchinson
- The Farm & The Odd Fellows, Minneapolis
In addition to the new beers to be released, each brewery will be supporting the work of the Kansas Sampler Foundation, an organization that has preserved and sustained rural culture for 30 years. The breweries will be donating proceeds from beer sales to support their work of educating Kansans about Kansas and networking with and supporting rural communities.
“For more than 160 years, Kansas’ statehood has been celebrated in a variety of ways, from square dancing, and butter churning at grade schools across the state to eating distinctly Kansas foods like chili and cinnamon rolls,” said Sarah Green, co-director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation. “Getting out to explore something you enjoy is a year-round activity, but it’s something special when it happens around Kansas Day.”
“Last year we celebrated Kansas Day by releasing a collaboration beer and Kansas Trivia with the Kansas Sampler Foundation donating a portion of sales back to them and tremendous work they do promoting small towns like ours. This time we scaled up the effort with eight rural breweries to cross promote Kansas Day, support KSF, and help people explore Kansas,” said Luke Mahin, owner of Irrigation Ales in Courtland.
He adds, “This year’s IA beer features all Kansas grown ingredients from Kansas Malt Company (Wilsey), Kansas Hop Company (Ottawa), and local sumac berries (Republic County) for a tart lemony wheat ale. In addition to more breweries and unique beers at each, we’ll have a limited edition keep-the-pint campaign at most of the breweries.”
The breweries will take part in special promotions as part of the event, including commemorative glassware, trivia contests and more. Kansans are invited to send selfies of themselves from the participating breweries to discoverkansasbeer@gmail.com anytime between Jan. 15 and Feb. 29 for a chance to win merchandise and prizes. For a full listing of events, visit https://linktr.ee/kansas.sampler.foundation
Find Irrigation Ales events here – https://www.facebook.com/irrigationales/events/
