All about the beer - 75th Street Brewery finds niche as brewpub

In the heart of Waldo, 75th Street Brewery has gained plenty of attention from throughout the metro area. But to the local community, it is one of the most popular places to grab a pint of beer and dinner.

“We have a loyal following,” David O’Brien, general manager, said. “The people around here are very loyal to us. The make us a real neighborhood spot.”

Inside the establishment features large silver tanks that at any time have a number of different beers brewing in them. The beers brewed at 75th Street Brewery are the main reason the brewpub has stayed so popular.

O’Brien said three beers are by far the most popular: Cowtown Wheat, an unfiltered wheat beer; Royal Raspberry Wheat; and Cape of Good Hope, an India Pale Ale.

The brewery also brews seasonal beers such as the Yardbird Golden Saxy Ale, which will return in July.

“It’s the underlying basis of our huge loyalty,” O’Brein said. “We have close to 500 individual mug club members this year. That’s a record for us. Those people make their decision to come here based on the beer.”

Mug club members get their own mug at the bar and discounts for a monthly fee.

While the beers draw people in, O’Brien said providing food to keep guests at the restaurant is just as important.

“The beautiful thing about beer is it really lends itself to a huge variety of flavors,” O’Brien said. “Every single dish on the menu has a perfect beer compliment. We also do four or five brew master dinners a year. We custom tailor a specialty beer with food items. It’s done in a wine dinner style, with a five- to seven-course meal hand-selected for food or vice versa.”

O’Brien said the menu changes at least every couple years, sometimes more often. The most popular menu item is the London’s Best Fish and Chips.

“It’s a crowd favorite and we offer three varieties,” O’Brien said. “We offer two beer battered varieties and one Creole. We use Alaskan halibut, which a lot of Northwesterners love. The feedback we get on those is great. A lot of folks really come to know us for the fish and chips.”

O’Brien said the benefit of having a large following is “in-house quality control.”

“They let you know if it’s off or different, if it’s good or not good,” he said. “We’re 1,200 barrels a year brewpub. We don’t have a lot of fancy lab equipment. It’s a little different each time you taste it. But then clientele can taste that and knows that. So when we have a winner we know it’s a home run, because we get a whole lot of folks telling us.”

The 75th Street Brewery is part of the KC Hopps contingent of restaurants in Kansas City that includes the Blue Moose, Barley’s Brewhaus, 810 Zone and more. O’Brien said having similar sister restaurants helps business.

“There is definitely a synergistic relationship and association,” O’Brien said. “They are all restaurants that are made from scratch. We’re not a cookie cutter group. We have a high standard of quality and service. We’re here for an excellent guest experience.”

O’Brien said operating or working at a community brewpub is a fun job.

“The best part about doing what I do is I get to make beer,” O’Brien said. “That’s probably the coolest part about the job. By nature of being a brewpub, it’s a specific culture. It has a homey feel to the place. We’ve got a more laid back atmosphere. We make beer. That’s something not a whole lot of people get to do.”

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