“What’s On Tap” is all about the beer, and more

"What's On Tap" is for people and places that make, serve, and drink beer

“What’s On Tap” is for people and places that make, serve, and drink beer

Kinzie Street Studio’s upcoming weekly series What’s On Tap adds a most essential ingredient to the food and travel show menu: beer.

Lots and lots of beer.

“Serving up stories about people who make beer, people who serve beer and people who drink beer,” the work-in-progress will be a thirst-quenching, host-driven trip through bars and breweries across the country.

Every week, the show will travel to a new city and serve up 30 minutes of beercentric fare. But audiences can get in on the action and go behind the scenes as early as next week, when the creators begin hosting a round of Indiegogo fundraising parties throughout Greater Chicago.

Kinzie Street partners David Moravec and Mike Torchia created the concept for What’s On Tap with Chicago chef Chris Koetke. Author and blogger Karl Klockars, who wrote the book, Beer Lovers Chicago: Best Breweries, Brewpubs, and Beer Bars, is one of the show’s story producers.

Moravec has spent the past several months shooting people and events in Chicago’s beer community. It’s a refreshing addition to a career that started on the set of Blues Brothers and traveled with the crew of Joe Sedelmaier before entering a partnership with Torchia in 2001.

Among the partners’ most visible past achievements is the production and distribution of Treasure Hunter’s Road Show, a kind of Antique Road Show meets Pawn Stars hybrid that ran for 22 episodes.

 

 

“I love what craft beer is,” says Moravec. “The flavors, the stories, and the support that beer drinkers and beer brewers bring to each other.”

Besides featuring “a mix of geekiness for beer enthusiasts and entertainment for the friend who’s watching it with them,” What’s On Tap will explore the collective benefits of brewing, serving, and drinking beer.

"What's On Tap" will travel to a new city every week
“What’s On Tap” will travel to a new city every week

“We’ll be highlighting communities of the breweries and the patrons of the bars that we shoot in,” he continues. “There will be food pairings, and we’ll look at beer culture in different cities.”

In keeping with that spirit, the show relies on a majority of Chicagoans for cast, crew, and post-production. They’re part of an ale-centric kinship that, according to Moravec, is unique to beer culture.

“Not to knock wine and wineries,” he says. “But look at all these differences: some places have music, some have comics, and the people are so easy to talk to.”

Beginning next week, “What’s On Tap” will launch a trifecta of crowdfunding parties to kickoff its Indiegogo campaign. According to a press release, the events will include “music, beer, food pairing, beer, meet the team, beer, raffle, beer and a chance to be part of the Craft Beer Revolution.” Chef Chris Koetke as well as EPs Moravec and Torchia will be on hand to keep the good times flowing.

Entertaining for beer geeks as well as their friends
Entertaining for beer geeks as well as their friends

The fun starts on February 13th at Beelow’s in Highland Park, a steak restaurant that really knows how to keep things local. “It’s really farm to table,” explains Moravec. “The owner, Dan, has a farm, and he opened up the restaurant as a way to sell his cows.”

On the 14th, it hits Beer Head Bar and Eatery in Elmhurst. According to Moravec, “Beer Head has a bunch of taps, they use local beer from the community, and they serve food.”

“It’s also right near the train station,” he adds, “so you can purchase take out.”

On the 27th, the finale takes place at Great Central Brewing in the West Loop, a contract brewery that features a German style beer hall equipped with traditional long tables.

“Great Central is a place where other brewers can give them their formula and they brew it and bottle it,” says Moravec. Although the place does not serve food, What’s On Tap has reserved an onsite food truck especially for the occasion.

To learn more about “What’s On Tap”, click here.

CREDITS
   David Moravec – Executive Producer
   Mike Torchia – Executive Producer
   Chris Koetke – Executive Producer
   Karl Klockars – Story Producer
   Edgar Vargas – Story Producer
   Dave Logan – Story Producer
   Nancy Reid – Production Coordinator
   Calvin Moravec – Production Coordinator
   Katie Moravec – Copywriter
   Mitchell Norinsky – Live Stream Producer
   Ed Pickart – Senior Editor
   Justin Martinez – Assistant Editor
   Johnny Arreola – Social Media Marketer
   James Lynch – Business Coach
   Bish Lagasca – UX Designer