A full house of craft brewers, brewery and beer industry workers, and beer lovers gathered for Brewers Read Mean Reviews at River Bluff Brewing in Kansas City’s River Market.
Brewers from across the metro area gathered in late February 2025 and read the best of the worst reviews they received. The live readings are pulled direct from Yelp and other social media platforms. A brewer or brewery staff member reads the verbatim. The readings offer levity and sense of community. Other hospitality industry folks receive gripes, nitpicking complaints, and rants that other breweries and taprooms experience.
The evening is a chance to meet in one place and socialize, too. Other than beer festivals, owners and workers don’t often have the time, energy, and opportunity to gather as a group. It’s a chance to reconnect and make new acquaintances. People talk shop, share news, or plan a collaboration. For non-industry attendees, the reading sheds light on what small businesses encounter and reminds us all of how difficult and silly people can be.
Brewers Read Mean Reviews first originated years ago at the former Bier Station taproom in Waldo. Torn Label Brewing, Boulevard Brewing, Border Brewing, and others met annually to read the reviews. In the early years, the readings were attended by a handful of guests and industry workers. Within a couple of years, the readings take place before a standing room only crowd. The togetherness reinforced a sense of community and “we’re all in this together” spirit.
The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the annual reading series. I believe it was Jessica Bloom of River Bluff Brewing who initiated the event’s return at a new home this year. Nothing like listening to a one-star review and laughing it off with friends and peers.
Cheers.