Winfield, Kansas, already has a reputation for being a cool little hippie town, due to its annual bluegrass festival that attracts thousands of visitors every year.
Recently, downtown Winfield added a neat little brewery that looks to be a converted gas station and is owned by a couple of local gals who wanted a craft beer scene in their hometown.
We have wanted to make the trek south to Winfield ever since Ladybird Brewing opened in 2021 and recently found an excuse to stop in.
The place is inviting with a talkative and friendly staff. It’s clean with the bar directly in front of you as you walk through the front doors. Everyone in this place was smiling. I don’t know what else to say but we were in the mood to dive into some beers and see if the suds matched the vibe.
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WAW: I started with their Party Pace (5.5% ABV) Hoppy Blonde Ale. This was super refreshing with a nice crisp finish that made you want to take another sip. This wasn’t very hoppy as the title might make you think. Unless you are totally afraid of IBUs, I think this would be something almost anyone could sit down and enjoy.
My next stop was the Crop Top (5.9% ABV) citrusy lager. This didn’t have much hop character at all but was the perfect summer slammer. It was very heavy on the citrus. If you like something like Sam Adams Porch Rocker, you will crave something so much better, as this put that to shame. This isn’t something I would want to sit down and drink several of, but I am very happy to try it, as it was vibrant and went down super easy.
I almost ordered the Them Axes (5.2% ABV), a collaboration with Norton’s Brewing Company (one of my favorite Wichita area breweries) when we started, but I tried to keep it in my pants, but couldn’t wait any longer. This hopped lager was crisp, hoppy, and light on the tongue. If light and crisp seem to be themes, we did go in the summer, and Ladybird clearly had that in mind with the menu they had for the evening. It hit the spot for me, personally.
My final beer of the night was recommended by a friend who already had one, and he told me it would be my favorite of the trip. He knows me too well, as the Sam’s Side Quest American IPA (6.7% ABV) was the light and hop-forward beer I was looking for the whole night. Their other beers went down easy and I don’t mean to disparage them, as each was enjoyable, but this hit the spot like none other did. I am glad I waited to make this my last beer, as I likely would have settled into just ordering this the whole night. Highly recommended.
CP: As soon as we walked into Ladybird, I began scanning the menu for something dark and realized my best bet was a honey amber ale called Honky Tonk Honey (6.8% ABV). Clearly, the ladies brewing in Winfield had summer on their minds as they prepared their tap list for the day in June we showed up. The good news is, I really enjoyed the Honky Tonk. It had a fairly sweet profile, which surprised me, but it also had a nice malt and an extremely smooth finish. If I wasn’t trying to test out several brews on this trip, I probably would have just stuck to this beer. It was delicious.
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With nothing else even remotely malty to try, I jumped in the complete opposite direction and ordered the Stock Tank Swim Club (5.5% ABV). It’s a kolsch, and just as a kolsch should be, it was extremely light and refreshing. There was absolutely nothing complicated about the flavor profile. It was just crisp and featured a tiny bit of citrus.
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My final beer was the Crop Top Citrus Lager (5.9% ABV). It was a bit more hop forward than I generally like. The nose on it was heavily grapefruit, and upon taking a drink, there was a lot of citrus on the front end. Honestly, I think my palate was a bit confused after back-to-backing the honey beer and the kolsch, though, and I will say the lager’s flavor was not nearly as abrasive once the other flavors cleared a bit.
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Final Assessment
Normie Factor: Yes, but barely. Maybe one or two beers you could get them to drink.
Freak Flag: 3/10
Vibe Check: 9/10
Smashability: 9/10
Munchies: N/A
Poor till Payday: $ every beer is $5 and that makes trying lots super easy.
Other good info
Date Visited: June 10, 2023
Is there to-go beer? We saw squealers but nothing else. We didn’t ask… our bad.
Website: https://www.ladybird.beer/
Address: 523 Main Winfield, Kansas
Parking and Public Transportation: Street parking