Tuesday SnapShots is a weekly recurring photo-story that presents photographs of a brewery, tasting room, or other alcohol industry-related location that our team has visited in the past. No extensive text – just name, location, and date of visit followed by a brief description and a few original photographs or videos.
Blind Tiger Brewery & Restaurant in Photographs
Name: Blind Tiger Brewery & Restaurant
Location: Topeka, KS
Date of Visit: Fall 2013
Brief Description: Blind Tiger opened in May 1995 and was the first microbrewery in Topeka. At about 2000 barrels per year production, beer distribution is limited to the general region. Most noteworthy, Blind Tiger produces a wide array of handcrafted, award-winning ales.
Blind Tiger is named for the Prohibition-era custom of illegal drinking establishments displaying stuffed tigers or china tigers. The tigers would alert potential patrons to the availability of illicit alcohol after hours. In southern dialect a “tiger” was a roaring party. These “tigers” were “blind” because the authorities, at least officially, did not know they existed.
John Dean, Brewmaster, joined the Blind Tiger in 2001 and has won 21 national and international awards since that time. This includes 5 additional awards since my visit. The 2014 World Beer Cup event named John Dean Champion Brewer and Blind Tiger Champion Brewery in the Large Brewpub Division.
The brewery is co-located at the large restaurant. Unlike many other brewpubs, Blind Tiger positioned the tanks in the open to encourage patrons to interact with the brewers.
The bar and restaurant sell about 90% of all the beer brewed.
The beers include six flagship beers which are on tap almost all the time. In addition, the brewery produces a wide selection of seasonal or specialty beers.
