Border Brew Co

Border Brew Co www.borderbrewco.com

The original brewery taproom in the Kansas City Crossroads Arts District
& your place to learn about craft b**r! 🍻

Located in the Crossroads Arts District:
512 E 18th St Kansas City, MO.

09/29/2026

Ever noticed a bar with super long draft lines snaking across the room? Here’s why I get a little wary. 🍺

I’m Eric, chemical engineer and commercial brewer. Some venues just have a layout where the kegs sit way far from the taps. That can absolutely be done right, but every b**r line needs regular cleaning to keep things tasting the way the brewer intended.
Here’s what’s going on behind the bar:

1️⃣ Dirty lines build up b**r stone (calcium oxalate scale), yeast, and biofilm. That gives bacteria a place to live, and the result is off flavors like sour, buttery, or just plain funky b**r.

2️⃣ With a long run, you’re not really drinking from the keg. You’re drinking the b**r that was sitting in the line, pushed into your glass.

3️⃣ Long lines hold a lot of b**r, so a proper cleaning means flushing and wasting a ton of product. That gets expensive, which is why I wonder if some places skimp on it.

Most breweries and bars recommend cleaning draft lines about every two weeks, and longer or more complex systems need it just as often.

So next time you’re at a bar with a serious line run, ask your bartender how they clean their b**r lines. It’s a totally innocent question, and it tells you whether you’re getting the b**r you paid for at the right temperature with no off flavors. 🙌

Ever had a b**r that just tasted “off” and wondered why? Tell me in the comments!

09/25/2026

If you tell me I’m handsome, it’s free 😂

Sweater weather, meet patio weather 🍂Now that it’s finally cooling off, there’s no better time to hang out in The Backya...
09/24/2026

Sweater weather, meet patio weather 🍂

Now that it’s finally cooling off, there’s no better time to hang out in The Backyard at Border Brewing Company, our little hidden oasis tucked behind the taproom in the Crossroads. String lights overhead, plenty of seating to pull together for your whole crew, and a cold Border b**r in hand. And when the temps really start to drop, the heaters keep things cozy well into the colder months.

We’re kicking off the season with our Oktoberfest party out here this Sunday, so come celebrate with us! 🍻

📍 512 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO

P.S. The Backyard is also available for private events, from birthdays and happy hours to rehearsal dinners and everything in between, for groups up to 80. Send us a DM to start planning.

**r

09/23/2026

Curious what’s actually selling in b**r right now? I pulled together the top 5 styles dominating 2026 so far, and a couple of these might surprise you.

1️⃣ Light l***r still reigns supreme. Massive volume brands like Michelob Ultra, Coors Light, and Modelo lead this category by a wide margin. The “light” designation isn’t just marketing either, it typically means lower calorie and carb content, often achieved by using enzymes during fermentation to break down more of the sugars that would otherwise stay in the finished b**r.

2️⃣ Standard American/international pale l***r comes in at number two. Think Budweiser, Heineken, and Corona Extra. The key difference from light l***r: these skip the calorie-reduction process, so you get a fuller-bodied, more traditional l***r profile.

3️⃣ IPA holds strong at number three, with hazy and juicy IPAs along with session IPAs taking up most of the shelf space. Even with all the style diversity in craft b**r, IPA still accounts for roughly 25 to 30% of total craft b**r volume. That hop-forward, citrusy character just keeps resonating with drinkers.

4️⃣ Non-alcoholic b**r keeps climbing at number four, posting around 20% year-over-year growth. As brewing technology for de-alcoholization and hop extraction improves, NA b**r is closing the flavor gap with traditional b**r fast, which is a big reason this category keeps expanding.

5️⃣ Wheat b**r and witbier round out the top five. Brands like Blue Moon, Bell’s Oberon, and Shock Top have held their ground even through the canned cocktail and hard seltzer boom of the last few years. I think it’s because wheat b**r’s light, fruity, citrusy profile appeals to the same drinkers who gravitate toward seltzers and ready-to-drink cocktails, it bridges both worlds.

Which one of these is your go-to? Drop it below, I want to see how our taproom crowd compares to the national numbers.

This week at Border 🍺🥨 OKTOBERFEST — Sunday, Sept 27 · 4–7 PMThe one we wait all year for. At 5 PM we dig up the firkin ...
09/23/2026

This week at Border 🍺

🥨 OKTOBERFEST — Sunday, Sept 27 · 4–7 PM
The one we wait all year for. At 5 PM we dig up the firkin we buried in the spring and tap it on the spot ⛏️ We’ll also have a Hefeweizen pouring — hazy, soft, banana and clove, built for a stein. Brit Boy Street Food will be parked out front from noon through the end of the fest with fresh sausage rolls and meat pies. 🥧 Catching the Chiefs game at noon? We’ll have it on.

🥒 Test Batch Thursday
Eric Geanes is back on the test system with a wheat ale brewed with cucumber, Thai basil, and lime leaf. Crisp, herbal, and bright. One small run only.

🧠 Trivia Wednesday
Starts at 6:30 PM with a $5 cover. Get here early for a good table.

🌳 The Backyard is open
Shade trees, string lights, and cooler nights make this prime Backyard season. It’s also bookable for private events of up to 80 people.

Meet us in the yard Sunday — shovels at 5 🍻

**r **r

09/18/2026

I did a video on what it costs us to produce a pint of b**r, and a lot of you asked about one term: spillage. 🍺

Spillage is the industry term for any product lost behind the bar, whether it’s intentional or accidental. It’s part of what bars, restaurants, and breweries call variance: the gap between the b**r we should have sold and what actually got sold.

Here’s what it looks like in our taproom:

1️⃣ B**r spilling out of a glass while we pour
2️⃣ A dropped glass
3️⃣ Pouring the wrong b**r by accident
4️⃣ A customer spilling their own b**r. We just replace that one for free.

We try to keep this as low as possible, but we’re humans, and humans make mistakes. Foam, keg changes, and line purging can also eat into what’s poured, so it all adds up.

That’s why spillage gets built into the cost of every pint. When you calculate the true cost of a draft b**r, you have to account for the b**r that never makes it to a customer’s hands.

Have a question about how brewery costs work? Drop it in the comments and I’ll cover it next.

🍺 This week at Border:🧠 Trivia Night — Wed, 6:30 PM ($5 cover)Jeopardy-style trivia, one-of-a-kind in KC. We’re in 2nd p...
09/16/2026

🍺 This week at Border:

🧠 Trivia Night — Wed, 6:30 PM ($5 cover)
Jeopardy-style trivia, one-of-a-kind in KC. We’re in 2nd place and climbing — help us get there.

🍺 Test Batch Thursday
Light l***r, dry-hopped with Vic Secret. Pineapple, passionfruit, a little pine — all aroma, no bitterness. One batch only.

🎉 Oktoberfest — Sun, Sept 27 (TIME CHANGE!)
Now 4–7 PM, dig at 5 PM sharp. Limited Festbier on tap + Brit Boy Street Food with sausage rolls and meat pies. Details in our FB event.

🍇 New B**r Alert: Suava Hazy
Full-scale IPA brewed with Lallemand using a brand-new proprietary yeast strain built for IPAs — grape, blackcurrant, tropical fruit. Coming in the next few weeks 👀

Come find us this week 🍺

**r **r

09/04/2026

When your work bestie is having a bad day, you definitely want to stay on their good side

08/27/2026

I saw a clip recently that stopped me in my tracks. Someone asked: does it feel different if I put my phone on the table while we talk? Even face down, untouched — yes. Less connected. Every time.

Turns out there’s real research behind that feeling. A study took 300 people out to dinner and randomly told half of them to leave their phones away. Same restaurant, same food, same friends — the only variable was the phone. The phone group reported a worse time, even though almost nobody actually used their phone during the meal.

The theory is it’s not the scrolling that hurts you, it’s the availability. When your phone is sitting there, part of your brain stays on standby for it, just in case it buzzes. That split attention is enough to pull you out of the moment, even if the screen never lights up.

I’ve noticed the exact same pattern behind our bar. If one person in a group pulls their phone out, the rest of the table tends to follow. And when someone puts theirs away, it’s contagious in the other direction too.

So here’s an idea I can’t stop thinking about: what if we did one no-phone night a month in the taproom? Phones stay in your pocket, in a bag, or in the car — full honor system, or maybe those pouches you see at concerts.
I genuinely don’t know if this is something people would want, or if it would just feel gimmicky. So I’ll ask you directly:

1️⃣ Would a no-phone night make you more likely to come check us out?
2️⃣ Or would it feel like a hassle you’d rather skip?
3️⃣ If you showed up and got surprised with it, would that intrigue you or turn you off?

Tell me why this wouldn’t work — I want to hear it before we try anything.

Follow along, we might actually test this one out.

08/20/2026

It’s pretty easy to convince us to get another b**r

Address

512 E 18th Street
Kansas City, MO
64108

Opening Hours

Monday 4pm - 9pm
Tuesday 4pm - 9pm
Wednesday 4pm - 9pm
Thursday 4pm - 9pm
Friday 12pm - 11pm
Saturday 12pm - 11pm
Sunday 12pm - 8pm

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