breweries.js

Template.breweryForm.helpers({
  canCreateBrewery: function () {
    // This is the part that seems weird.
    var clientResult = Meteor.apply('canCreateBrewery', [], {returnStubValue: true}, function(err, serverResult) {
      // If this is indeed the way this should be done, I'd like to 
      // update the template when the server result is returned.
    });

    return clientResult;
  }
});

breweryForm.html

<template name="breweryForm">
  <h2>Add Brewery</h2>

  {{#if canCreateBrewery}}
    {{#autoForm collection="Breweries" id="createBrewery" type="method" meteormethod="createBrewery"}}
      {{> afQuickField name='name'}}
      <button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary">Add</button>
    {{/autoForm}}
  {{/if}}

</template>

lib-collections-breweries.js

// Add methods for Breweries collections.
Meteor.methods({
  createBrewery: function (doc) {
    // Make sure the user has permissions.
    if (Meteor.call('canCreateBrewery', doc)) {
      // Create the brewery.
      Breweries.insert({
        name: doc.name
      });
      return true;
    }

    throw new Meteor.Error(403, 'Not authorized to create breweries.');
  },
  canCreateBrewery: function () {
    if (!Meteor.userId()) {
      return false;
    }
    if (Roles.userIsInRole(Meteor.user(), ['create-content'])) {
      return true;
    }

    return false;
  }
});