Boulevard Brewery - Kansas City, MO

The drive to Topeka, Kansas was long, tedious, and very tiring. Hence, my family and I overslept and left for St. Louis the next day later than expected.

My original plan was to stop and visit Boulevard Brewery in Kansas City, MO for a tour on our way to St. Louis. Due to our late start, we arrived in Kansas City after the tour for Boulevard Brewery had started. In fact, the tour was just ending. Boulevard only allows visits to the Tasting Room for people who take the tour. However, my wonderful wife managed to charm the brewery workers into letting us in the Tasting Room.

Founded in 1989 by John McDonald, Boulevard Brewing Company has grown to become the largest specialty brewer in the Midwest. The brewery has several awards to back up its renowned reputation, including two medals at this year’s Great American Beer Festival (GABF) – Love Child No. 3 won Gold Medal for the Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer Category and ZŌN (Flemish for “sun”) won Bronze Medal for the Belgian-Style Witbier Category (to go with 2012 GABF Gold Medal; 2011 GABF Bronze Medal; 2009 GABF Gold Medal; and 2003 GABF Bronze Medal).

Brand_Love_Child_No3 — Photo courtesy of Boulevard Brewing Company.

Brand_Zon — Photo courtesy of Boulevard Brewing Company.

The buildings at Boulevard Brewery combine old and new architecture. The brewery consists of more modern construction designed to blend with the older buildings.

Boulevard's modern brewery is designed to integrally fit with an older building that houses the Tasting Room and Merchandise Store. — Boulevard’s modern brewery is designed to integrally fit with an older building that houses the Tasting Room and Merchandise Store.

The Boulevard Brewery is an impressive looking operation.

The Tasting Room and Merchandise Store are in an older building that creates harmonious impressions of tradition and timelessness.

The Tasting Room and Merchandising Store are housed in an older building co-located with the brewery. — Entry to the Tasting Room and Merchandising Store.

The Tasting Room interior includes a beautiful antique wooden bar that is surrounded by brew-related art.

Brew art adds to the fun environment. — Trick or Treat! Give me beer or I will have a great big tear.

A week after our visit, Boulevard Brewing announced the selection of “Duvel Moortgat as the long-term partner for Boulevard. An independent, family-owned craft brewer spanning four generations, Duvel Moortgat produces world-class beers at several breweries in Belgium, and owns and operates Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, NY.”

Ready for distribution. — Maybe I could hitch this baby to my car.

I sampled nine beers (all on tap) during our visit to Boulevard Brewing. My tasting notes follow.

Boulevard Test Saison (6.0% ABV / 27 IBUs): This beer was a test batch for a Saison and is not currently available. I’m wondering if the Saison was a collaboration brew with Duvel. The Test Saison poured a clear light-gold color with white foam that left a nice lace. This Test Saison had a malt biscuit aroma with earthy notes and medicinal herb and floral bouquet. The Saison was medium-bodied with moderate carbonation. Boulevard’s Test Saison tasted of malt biscuit, earthy straw, and hints of floral herbs. The beer had a mild but very complementary hops bitterness at the end with a dry finish. This beer was very good. Who knows what its future portends?

Suggested Pairings – Herb-roasted chicken; Brie au poivre
Serving Temperature – 45-50 degrees F
Glassware – Goblet

Boulevard ZŌN Belgian-style Witbier (4.4% ABV / 15 IBUs): This multi-award winning beer pours a hazy straw color with white foam that left a spider-web lace. ZŌN had an aroma that was fruity and grassy from Belgian yeast and spicy from coriander and orange peel. The beer is light to medium-bodied with mild carbonation. ZŌN tasted of bready malt, wheat, grass, coriander, and orange peel. The beer had a dry finish with mild hop bitterness. ZŌN is delicious!

Suggested Pairings – Garden or fruit salad; Mussels; Grilled Shrimp
Serving Temperature – 45-50 degrees F
Glassware – Pilsner, Pint, or Weizen (Wheat) Glass

Boulevard 80-Acre Hoppy Wheat (5.5% ABV / 20 IBUs): This beer pours a cloudy straw color with white foam that left a nice lace. 80-Acre had an aroma of wheat, grass, and citrus with floral notes. (Boulevard calls this beer “hoppy” because of the hop-based aroma and not because of any extra hops bitterness.) The beer is light-bodied with mild carbonation. 80-Acre Hoppy Wheat tastes of wheat, slight hay, floral herbs, and citrus (lemon and lemon zest). The beer is crisp and dry with a mild and complementary hops bitterness. This outstanding beer provides 80 acres of delicious flavor squeezed into a glass.

Suggested Pairings – Tequila-lime chicken; Fontina cheese
Serving Temperature – 45-50 degrees F
Glassware – Pint or Weizen (Wheat) Glass

Boulevard Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale (8.5% ABV / 38 IBUs): Named for the tank used to create it, Tank 7 pours a clear straw color with persistent white foam that leaves a nice lace. This beer has a floral and citrus aroma with funky and earthy Belgian yeast. Tank 7 is medium-bodied and creamy with mild carbonation. The beer tastes of malt, earthy grass, and lemon followed by mild peppery spice. Tank 7 has a dry finish with a nice mild hops bitterness. This beer is so delicious you may end up being tanked before you can stop!

Suggested Pairings – Grilled pork chops; Herb-roasted chicken; Brie au poivre
Serving Temperature – 45-50 degrees F
Glassware – Goblet

Boulevard Pop-up Session IPA (4.2% ABV / 40.5 IBUs): Boulevard uses Mosaic hops to induce a tropical fruit aroma and flavors in this session IPA. Pop-up IPA pours a clear gold color with white foam that left a spider-web lace. This beer has an awesome aroma of pine resin and tropical fruit. Pop-up is medium-bodied with mild carbonation. The beer has big flavors of malt biscuit, pine resin, and subtle tropical fruit. Pop-up IPA has a dry finish with a nice lingering hops bitterness. This is an amazing session beer with great depth of flavors!

Suggested Pairings – Grilled cheeseburgers; Sharp cheddar cheese with crackers; Lettuce wedge salad with blue cheese
Serving Temperature – 50-55 degrees F
Glassware – Tulip

Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat (4.4% ABV / 14 IBUs): Winner of a 2008 GABF Gold Medal for Session Beer, Unfiltered Wheat pours a hazy straw color with white foam. This beer has an aroma of wheat grain and floral notes of clover. Unfiltered Wheat is light-bodied with mild carbonation. This beer has nice flavors of bread, yeast, mild grass, and wheat grain. There is a drying finish with very mild, but complementary hops bitterness. This beer has excellent flavors and makes a delicious session beer.

Suggested Pairings – Mozzarella Cheese with Bread; Margharita Pizza; Grilled Trout with Lemon
Serving Temperature – 45-50 degrees F
Glassware – Pint or Weizen (Wheat) Glass

Boulevard Nitrogen Dry Stout (4.9% ABV / 28 IBUs): This beer pours a black color with faint reddish hue and rich beige foam that left a spider web lace. Boulevard Dry Stout has aroma of espresso coffee and dark chocolate. The beer is light-bodied but creamy with mild carbonation (nitrogen version). Boulevard Dry Stout has flavors of dry roasted malt, mild smoke, espresso coffee, and dark chocolate. The beer has a creamy finish. This is a nice session stout, but doesn’t have muscle.

Suggested Pairings – Oysters; Aged Cheddar Cheese; New York-style Cheese Cake; Vanilla Ice Cream; Dark Chocolate Deserts
Serving Temperature – 50-55 degrees F
Glassware – Pint Glass or Snifter

Boulevard KC Pils (4.8% ABV / 16 IBUs): KC Pils pours a clear light gold color with white foam that left a nice lace. The beer has a malt biscuit aroma. KC Pils is light-bodied with mild carbonation. I enjoyed the malt biscuit flavor and crisp finish of this pilsner-style beer. KC Pils is good for its style but doesn’t really get my blood flowing.

Suggested Pairings – Asian food; Spicy Mexican food
Serving Temperature – 40-45 degrees F
Glassware – Pilsner Glass

Boulevard Pale Ale (5.4% ABV / 30 IBUs): Winner of 2011 Gold Medal for International-Style Pale Ale, this beer pours a clear copper gold color with off-white foam. Boulevard Pale Ale has aromas of toffee malt, mild pine resin, honey, and citrus and floral hops. The beer is medium-bodied with moderate carbonation. Boulevard Pale Ale has delicious flavors of malt biscuit, toffee, caramel, and mild honey. There is a nice moderate hops bitterness at the end that is definitely more European in style. This is an excellent session-style pale ale that features malt flavors.