It just seems appropriate that Free State Brewing Company, the first legal brewery in Kansas since the 1881 Prohibition law, is in college town Lawrence. Located in a lofty, renovated trolley station, the lively two story pub-restaurant serves eight handcrafted beers daily, with the Wheat State Golden getting our top vote. Free State's beers come in 10-, 14- and 16-ounce pilsner glasses starting at $5. Check out the weekly beer special ($1.75 a mug) and ever-changing seasonal food offerings. Menu items range from a $7 burger to $15 bourbon-glazed strip steak. The quesadilla appetizer is $7 and pesto chicken pasta, $11.Free State Brewing Company's name pays tribute to the town's abolitionist settlers called Freestaters. Owner Chuck Magerl opened the brewery restaurant in 1989 alongside refurbished Liberty Hall theater and the restored Eldridge Hotel. This helped spur rejuvenation of Lawrence's business district and today's lively downtown nightlife.