Cheers to surviving that year: Wichita breweries are back with parties, beer slushies
Spring weather is arriving. Vaccinations are rising. And Wichita’s craft breweries — many of which suffered through the COVID-19 pandemic along with the rest of the local restaurant scene — are ready to come out of hibernation.
Several have fun events planned and new products and menus rolling out. Several also have their patios open and are ready to entertain people who have gone way too long without a beer.
Here’s a guide for local beer fans:
Nortons Brewing Company Anniversary Party
It’s been three years since Dan and Becky Norton opened their brewery at 125 N. St. Francis. And even though the last year was weirder and more challenging than they could have ever anticipated, the couple is ready to celebrate the third anniversary on Saturday. They’re planning a day-long party that starts at 11 a.m. and runs until midnight and will include live music in the brewery’s big beer garden, new Nortons swag for sale and a lineup of Dan Norton’s cheekily named beers, including Fire Turns Everything Black, Nude With Boots and Aloha Mr. Hand.
Dan Norton said that a year ago, he’d planned a huge second anniversary party that would have included seven different bands and collaboration beers with nearly every local brewery. Then, the pandemic hit, and everything was canceled. The owners and managers did a live stream from the beer garden where they “sat around and got drunk and made fools of ourselves and kind of drowned our sorrows,” he said.
Though the COVID-19 situation has improved, the Nortons aren’t ready for a party of that magnitude, but they felt comfortable organizing something smaller that would allow them to thank their customers for standing by them.
“This year, we’re kind of dipping our toes back in the live music thing and want to focus more on local artists, who have all been out of work for over a year,” he said.
Kaitlyn Meyer, an acoustic musician who works at Nortons, will start at 7 p.m., and bluegrass band Pretend Friend will take the stage at 8 p.m. The kitchen will be open for people dining indoors, and those on the patio will be able to order pulled pork sandwiches and chips, Norton said. Admission is free.
“This party is all about thanking Wichita for a third year of business,” Norton said. “Without them, we wouldn’t be here, and we appreciate them so much. It’s going to be an emotional day for me.”
Beer slushies
Nortons also will celebrate its third anniversary by introducing a new frozen treat that’s gotten several customers pretty excited.
The owners have invested in a slushie machine, and instead of filling it with water, they’ll fill it with some of their sweeter beers and produce a frozen alcoholic treat for customers. The first day they’ll be served is Saturday.
The idea was Becky Norton’s, Dan said, and at first, he wasn’t excited about it, noting that he did not get into beer brewing to make snow cones. But when they shared their plans on social media, the post went crazy, and Norton now admits that his wife was right. Again.
Dan Norton said he’s decided that a gose sour wheat beer would taste best frozen, so he’ll be starting with strawberry cotton candy frozen gose slushies. Nortons will experiment with other flavors as time goes on.
The return of Wingman Wheat
Wichita Brewing Company, as I reported earlier this year, purchased the rights to its former competitor Aero Plains’ beer brands at an online auction in January and announced plans to revive one of the now defunct brewery’s most popular beers — Wingman Wheat.
On Friday, WBC will have its first batch of Wingman Wheat ready to go and is inviting fans to stop by its production facility at 727 E. Osie, where they can have one of the first servings of the beer off the line. The tasting will last from 3 to 7 p.m. Everyone else can start looking for cans of Wingman Wheat to hit liquor stores in the next week or two, and it also will be available in WBC brewpubs starting on Monday.
Those who attend the release party can buy a Wingman Wheat on tap or take it to go in six packs. WBC will also have Wingman Wheat T-shirts available
WBC owner Jeremy Horn said that he and his staff are trying to put on at least one event a month at the production facility, which is near Harry and Washington. On May 1, the facility will be the site of a Kentucky Derby viewing party. People who have $45 tickets will get 12 samples of beer, a commemorative glass to keep and food from Broadway Burgers. There will also be a prize for the best Derby hat.
I Drank Wichita challenge
Wichita Brewing Company also has just relaunched its promotion called I Drank Wichita, which started April 1 and runs through Sept. 1. Those who want to win a free I Drank Wichita T-shirt can pick up a punch card at either WBC location and drink three WBC beers at each of 10 locations listed on the card by the end of the promotion.
Among the participating restaurants are The Anchor, Ziggy’s, Old Chicago, Chicken N Pickle and Public at the Brickyard. Participants also can pick up punch cards at any of the participating locations.
Food is back at PourHouse
This Wichita brewery at 711 E. Douglas cut back on its food menu during COVID-19 and offered only a few sandwiches. But earlier this month, it reintroduced its full food menu — burgers and all — and added a few new items.
In addition to a new hatch green chili burger, the menu also features a massive “Burgzilla” made with four half-pound patties and piled high with bacon, cheese, barbecue sauce and onion rings. The menu also features an oyster platter, fish and chips, a foot-long hot dog and several sauces made with Walnut River beers.
PourHouse is serving food from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.
This story was originally published April 14, 2021 at 2:48 PM.
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