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Brewery Review: Bur Oak Brewing (Columbia, MO)

Bur Oak Brewing
Columbia, MO


Visiting craft breweries has recently become a bit of a hobby for me, and I never pass on the chance to sample some new beer. Luckily I have been fortunate enough to travel over the last year and add many new breweries to my list, and I do not expect that to change heading into 2017.

Over the last weekend, I visited Columbia, MO, with several friends, and thanks to Yelp discovered Bur Oak. We arrived on Saturday afternoon, shortly after they had opened the taproom, and were immediately greeted with a warm welcome by the friendly and extremely knowledgeable bartender, Paul. Seriously Paul was an excellent host, and after he discovered that this was our first visit, he gave us a fantastic overview of all their available beers. I would be lying if I said that I knew which beer I wanted, so instead, we started with two flights of 4, which allowed us to sample all their available beers before deciding on one.

While I liked all of the beers, I have to say that I enjoyed the DarkStar, which is a classic German Kolsch ale, with a mild caramel nuttiness delivered in a darker beer that goes down smooth. It wasn't easy to pick just one beer as a favorite; the Boone County Brown was also a top pick too. This Brown Ale had subtle hints of dark chocolate, roasted coffee, and a slight caramel backdrop that resulted in great tasting beer.  Although my favorite had to be the Barrel-Aged Clyde's, which was their Clyde's Caramel Cream Ale aged in whiskey barrels. Don't be disappointed if the Barrel-Aged Clyde's isn't available as its non-barrel aged twin, Clyde's Caramel Cream Ale is just as good. Clyde's Carmel Cream Ale delivers a smooth, creamy finish with hints of caramel and vanilla. Don't let my favorites keep you from trying all of their other amazing beers, trust me, you will not be disappointed. While not available year-round, be sure to try Lily, which is an easily drinkable wheat beer with hints of orange, raspberry, and even lavender.

As far as the inside goes, it's cozy; however, you are free to venture into the brewing area. Be sure to check the calendar as they often host events here too. Unfortunately, we were unable to stay later into the evening for that night's mouse races, and yes, it's just like it sounds.

Before we left, we were lucky enough to spend a few minutes talking with the owner, Craig, who was just as impressive as Paul (who was currently giving brewery tours). We talked about beers and learned a bit about the brewery's history and their new brewmaster. Overall this was a great visit, filled with great beer, quality conversation with a fantastic staff who love their beer. If you are in the area, I cannot recommend stopping into Bur Oak enough. I know that I will be back next time I am in town!
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Location: 8250 Trade Center Dr, Columbia, MO 65201, USA

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