Sunday Tour de Brew mixes cycling with beer brewing history

The annual Tour de Brew brings bicyclists through Midtown as they tour beer-related sites and history. This Sunday’s tour is expected to be the largest yet, bringing riders once again along Main Street and into Westport.

Bicycling and beer.

“They are things that fit together naturally,” says Sarah Shipley, one of the organizers of Sunday’s Tour de Brew event.

It’s a bike ride, with 15, 33 and 63-mile routes.

AND it’s a point-to-point tour of Kansas City breweries, historic brewing landmarks, and brewing lore.

“Participants in the Tour de Brew KC can learn about the rich history of brewing in Kansas City and hear the stories and urban legends surrounding brewing in Kansas City. On the tour you hear about the “wettest block in the world,” the link between beer and baseball and where Kansas City’s only alligator pit was,” according to the organizers.

It all starts, and ends, at Knuckleheads Saloon in the East Bottoms. Some of the sites along the way (depending on the length of tour you choose) include: the Boulevard Brewing Company, Martin City Brewing Company, and the River Market.

The two longer tours includes historic stops and refreshments in Westport at McCoys, which Shipley says is a very popular stop where riders can sample food and beer and even get a bike tune up.

With 1000 to 1200 riders expected, there will be plenty of bikes on Midtown streets. “It’s an open course,” Shipley says. “We don’t shut down any roads. That means everyone needs to drive with caution.”

Proceeds from the Tour de Brew KC will benefit BikeWalkKC.

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