Tallgrass Brewing Company - Tallgrass IPA

One of the first IPAs brewed and bottled in the Great Plains region! Expect a distinctly hoppy nose. While there are notes of pine and sap resins, there’s a prominent citrus character that rides the line between grapefruit and oranges—a very fruity hop profile. Look for a grainy malt backbone and whiffs of alcohol as it warms. We found it went down prickly and spicy in its hoppiness. The caramel malt backbone barely keeps things together as the hops quite nearly unbridle things with their spicy, sprucy, and very Pacific Northwest character. Look for notes of pine needles and pine tree resin, which finish with an earthy quality. Note the bitterness is quite firm and persists for minutes into the finish as final notes of Assam tea, grapefruit rind and Drambuie linger on. Pow! This just might be the hoppiest beer the Great Plains has to offer. You’re gonna need somethin’ hot and spicy to stand up to this Tallgrass brew.

The decision to found Tallgrass Brewing Company was made by Jeff Gill and his wife Tricia on April 8, 2006. Tricia had asked Jeff THAT question: “What do you want to do with the rest of your life?” Jeff had been mulling over that exact question quite a bit. “I want to start a microbrewery!” Jeff answered. He had been an avid homebrewer for six years and loved to brew beer. At that point, he and Tricia made a commitment to start a new microbrewery in Kansas. It would mean moving from where they lived at the time, Jeff giving up his career as a geologist, and Tricia changing jobs. After the decision was made, the next 12 months were a flurry of activity: Jeff juggled a full-time job while trying to gain as much experience in the craft beer business as possible, and Tricia gave him her full support along the way. They chose Manhattan, Kansas, for the location of the brewery, and chose Tallgrass for the name. They had always wanted to settle in this area to raise their family and live near the scenic Flint Hills and Tallgrass Prairie surrounding Manhattan. It just so happened that the water near Manhattan is an excellent choice for brewing beer, too! When the spring of 2007 rolled around, Jeff was ready to speak with friends and family about investing in their dream to start Tallgrass Brewing Company. With the money raised and a lot of hard work, the brewery was built at the edge of the Flint Hills and housed a beautiful copper-clad brewhouse. Their first beer was brewed in August 2007 and has rapidly been growing in popularity. This just in from the brewery: “we’re not (just) in Kansas anymore, Toto!” Congrats to Jeff and Tricia; they recently began to distribute outside of Kansas, into Nebraska. We’re glad to get a chance to feature their well-made beers so early in their careers—and we’re sure we’ll be revisiting them so we can try more of their brews down the line. For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call (785) 537-1131 or check out their web site at www.tallgrassbeer.com