All About Beer Magazine » Boulevard Brewing Co.

Boulevard Brewing Co. and Duvel Moortgat USA to Combine

Staff — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 19:09:54 +0000

John McDonald of Boulevard Brewing Co.

(Press Release)

KANSAS CITY—In an agreement signed earlier this week, principals of Boulevard Brewing Co. and Duvel Moortgat approved the combination of their US businesses. Boulevard, one of the largest craft brewers in the Midwest, and Duvel Moortgat, an independent craft brewer based in Belgium, will join forces to better promote the continued growth and success of their widely respected brands.

A family-owned business spanning four generations, Duvel Moortgat produces premium beers including Duvel, Chouffe, and Liefmans at several breweries in Belgium. Duvel Moortgat’s US activities include a specialty beer import company and Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, NY. The Moortgat family will maintain their existing ownership structure in Europe, while John McDonald, founder of Boulevard Brewing Company, will be an important partner in the new US-based company. By uniting with Duvel Moortgat, Boulevard secures the resources to embark on a significant expansion of its Kansas City facilities, and gains the depth and experience of the 142-year-old firm to help extend its strong regional presence throughout the U.S. and Europe.

“Since I started Boulevard in 1989, the company’s long-term future has always been top of mind,” said founder and president John McDonald. “I wanted to find a way to take the business to the next level while retaining its essence, its people, its personality—all the characteristics that make our beer and our brewery so important to Kansas City and the Midwest. Duvel Moortgat’s commitment to quality and independence, and their proven record helping breweries fulfill their potential, made this a perfect fit and an easy decision.”

Read a 2012 interview with Boulevard president John McDonald

“Our path for growth became abundantly clear as I got to know John and Boulevard,” said Michel Moortgat, CEO of Duvel Moortgat. “Our companies share the same values. We have great mutual respect for each other’s achievements and maintain a deeply-held belief in exceptional quality as the platform for long-term success. Even as recently as this week I was happy to learn that both Boulevard and Brewery Ommegang won 3 medals at the prestigious Great American Beer Fest. Together, with our combined strengths and our mutual obsession for outstanding beers, I’m convinced that one plus one equals three.”

McDonald intends to remain closely involved with Boulevard in Kansas City, where the base of operations will remain. He will be intimately involved in Duvel Moortgat’s activities in the US, with a stake in the combined company and a seat on its board. Boulevard will maintain its leading role on sustainability initiatives, including support for Ripple Glass, the glass recycling company founded by McDonald and other brewery principals in 2009.

The transaction between the two privately-held companies is expected to close by the end of the year; no financial details will be disclosed. First Beverage Group acted as advisor to Boulevard. Further information will be released as it becomes available.

Read a story about foreign-born brewers in America, including Boulevard Brewing Co.’s Steven Pauwels

Boulevard’s ’10% for KC’ Program Posts First Results

Staff — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 16:04:24 +0000

(Press Release)

KANSAS CITY—Announced earlier this year, Boulevard Brewing Company’s new initiative directs to local charities a full 10% of the company’s revenue from sales of KC Pils in Greater Kansas City. With all precincts reporting in the first “10% for KC” tally, KC Pet Project garnered 56% of the popular vote, entitling the organization to 60% of the third quarter donation. The American Jazz Museum and KC Care Clinic will also benefit, with each to receive 20% of the total contribution. Though final dollar figures will not be available until next week, approximately $30,000 will be divided among the organizations.

“Response from the organizations and consumers has been overwhelming,” said Jeremy Ragonese, Boulevard’s Director of Marketing. “KC Pet Project took the opportunity and ran with it. Their enthusiasm, along with the creativity and passion demonstrated by the other two participants, fulfilled our desire to bring attention to these worthy causes and give back to hometown charities.”

Three different groups have been named as beneficiaries of KC Pils sales during the fourth quarter: First Downs for Down Syndrome, the Midwest Music Foundation, and Synergy Services. At the end of the period, the public will again be invited to vote for their favorite, with the winner to receive the majority of available funds. Consumers are invited to visit boulevard.com/weloveKC to nominate area charities for future consideration.

About Boulevard Brewing Company
Boulevard Brewing Company has grown to become one of the largest specialty brewers in the Midwest, dedicated to the craft of producing fresh, flavorful beers using traditional ingredients and the best of both old and new brewing techniques. Boulevard beers are distributed in 25 states and in the District of Columbia. For more information, visit www.boulevard.com, boulevard.com/facebook, or follow us on Twitter atboulevard.com/twitter.

Roots Abroad, But America Calls

Sun, 01 Sep 2013 19:41:12 +0000

Peter Bouckaert, a native Belgian and brewmaster at New Belgium Brewing Co.

By Heather Vandenengel

Early last June of 2012, Brian Purcell, CEO and brewmaster of the soon-to-open Three Taverns Craft Brewery in Decatur, GA, took a seven-day beer tour of Belgium with his wife. He and his partner and CFO, Chet Burge, had almost reached their funding goal to open a Belgian-beer-inspired brewery, and the trip served as inspiration—in more ways than one.

“While touring breweries, I started to have this vision for bringing a Belgian brewer to the U.S. to work for us,” he says, calling from the brewery, which in early April was still a construction zone.

“I felt like there’s something in the DNA of Belgian brewers that you just can’t reproduce in an American brewer. At least it’s very hard, and I wanted to make as authentic Belgian-style beers as we can make, with an American creative twist or flair.”

Brewing Belgian beers had become an obsession for Purcell. As a homebrewer of 10 years, he dedicated himself to mastering Belgian-style brewing and learning as much as he could about Belgian beer. After four years of planning, his production brewery brewed its first batch in June.

“I learned that there are techniques, sensibilities, a philosophy or approach that Belgians have for brewing that is unique to that country, and I wanted to learn that and I wanted to discover it more,” he says of his Belgian trip.

Purcell’s pursuit—to bring a Belgian brewer to America to brew the best Belgian-inspired beer possible—raises questions of origin and its influence. How much does a brewer’s native culture influence his brewing? And what happens when a brewer makes beer in a brewing culture far different from his or her own?

The global brewing scene has become a melting pot, or mash tun, of beer cultures, styles and techniques. While Americans have always taken inspiration from other cultures and brewed styles that originated abroad, the relationship has grown stronger and shifted in a different direction. More and more, American brewers are drawn to the wild side of Belgian brewing, even investing in koelschips and isolating native yeasts, while some small Belgian brewers are brewing American-style IPAs and coming to the U.S. to brew collaboration beers.

It’s cross-cultural beer pollination, and nowhere is this more clear than in the stories of the pioneers—the brewers who were born, raised and trained in Old World brewing cultures of Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom and then came to brew in the States. While backed by tradition, they’re inspired by the potential for change and the chance to be immersed in America’s craft beer culture. Here are a few of their stories.

Boulevard 12-pack to Include Never-before Released Beers

Staff — Mon, 05 Aug 2013 17:57:16 +0000

(Press Release)

KANSAS CITY—Beginning this month, Boulevard Brewing Company’s newest beers won’t be found on taps, in a six-pack, or even inside one of their popular Smokestack Series 750mL bottles. Along side two current year-round beers, the brewery’s new Sample Twelve package will feature three bottles each of two exclusive Tasting Room beers. The Sample Twelve will be available in all markets that carry the brewery’s current variety 12-Pack Sampler, which will be phased out and replaced permanently with the new package.

“Until now, the only way consumers could sample the beers we were working on for eventual release was in our tasting room after a tour,” said John McDonald, brewery founder and president. “With this innovative package we’ll be able to bring that tasting room experience to a wider audience, and allow us to continue challenging our brewers to create exciting new beers.”

The first two new beers included in the pack are Westside Rye Ale, a sessionable beer with a slightly spicy character, and Mid-Coast I.P.A.—at 100-plus IBU’s, the hoppiest member of Boulevard’s current family. Unfiltered Wheat Beer and 80-Acre Hoppy Wheat Beer will round out the initial Sample Twelve lineup. The package configuration will be rotated with new selections in early 2014.

About Boulevard Brewing Company
Boulevard Brewing Company has grown to become one of the largest specialty brewers in the Midwest, dedicated to the craft of producing fresh, flavorful beers using traditional ingredients and the best of both old and new brewing techniques. Boulevard beers are distributed in 25 states and in the District of Columbia. For more information, visit www.boulevard.com, facebook.com/Boulevard, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/Boulevard_Beer.

Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale

Mon, 01 Jul 2013 22:16:08 +0000

Boulevard Brewing Co.

Kansas City, MO

At Boulevard, fermenter No. 7 is considered a temperamental piece of equipment. However, when brewers were experimenting with variations on Belgian-style farmhouse ale, the final version came together in Tank 7, an accomplishment this beer’s name commemorates.

ABV: 8.5

ABW: 6.8

COLOR: 4.96

BITTERNESS: 38

ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1069

AVAILABLE: AL, AK, AR, CA, CO, DC, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, MA, MD, MN, MO, NC, ND, NE, OK, OR, SD, TX, VA, WA

American Craft Beer Week Tastings with All About Beer

Staff — Mon, 20 May 2013 22:34:57 +0000

To celebrate American Craft Beer Week, brewers from around the country recently joined the staff at All About Beer Magazine for tastings via Google+ Hangout.

Watch the tasting with Abita Brewing Co.

Watch the tasting with Tröegs Brewing Co. (we apologize audio problems)

Watch the tasting with The Bruery

Watch the tasting with Boulevard Brewing Co.

Watch the tasting with Avery Brewing Co.

Boulevard, Sierra Nevada Recreating Terra Incognita for Wider Distribution

Staff — Wed, 08 May 2013 18:28:22 +0000

KANSAS CITY—Boulevard Brewing Co. and Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. today announced that Terra Incognita, their first commercial collaboration, will appear on retail shelves in June. The beer was originally brewed in very limited quantities for patrons of SAVOR, a Brewers Association event held last June in Washington D.C. Terra Incognita was so well received that the two companies decided to bring it back.
“We tried to create a beer that would highlight the strengths of each brewery – for us, our use of wild yeast and barrel aging, and for Sierra Nevada, their hop-centric talent and homegrown ingredients,” said Boulevard Brewmaster Steven Pauwels. “It turned out so well we felt it was only right to make more and share it.”
“The synergy between the two breweries was just too great to stop at SAVOR, “ said Sierra Nevada Head Brewer Steve Dresler. “This is a tough beer to dial in, but we have a lot of fun with the challenge and can’t wait to hear people’s take on round two.”
Terra Incognita, or “land unknown,” celebrates the unique terroir of Boulevard and Sierra Nevada, located at opposite ends of the California Trail (an overland wagon trail in the early 1800s of about 2,000 miles across the western half of the US from Missouri river towns to what is now the state of California). The dark brown ale has an ambitious grain bill, is assertively hopped, and is aged – one portion in old wooden wine foudres and another in used whiskey barrels – for nearly three months. The roasty bitterness blends with subtle notes of herb and spice to create a dry, balanced beer. Barrel aging adds aromatic accents, while bottle conditioning with Brettanomyces yields a uniquely funky, earthy finish.
This year the limited release beer was brewed and packaged at Boulevard. Approximately 5,200 cases of Terra Incognita will be released throughout the company’s 25-state distribution territory. The two breweries are already planning the 2014 version, which will be produced at Sierra Nevada and made available through its distribution network.

Love Child No. 3

Staff — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 19:09:03 +0000

Boulevard Brewing Co.'s Love Child No. 3

Boulevard Brewing Co.

Kansas City, MO

Style: Barrel-aged wild ale

ABV: 9.5

Staff Review: Most of this beer was barrel-aged, while another portion was soured on Lactobacillus. Pours a cloudy orangish-amber. Upon first sniff, you get a cherry tartness supported by some nice oak notes. The oak isn’t nearly as present on the palate. This is a tart beer from start to finish with hints of unripe navel oranges and slight tart cherry. The tartness trys to hang on but quickly gives way to a nice, dry finish. Great beer now, but given some time, could be a totally different animal.

with John McDonald

Julie Johnson — Tue, 01 May 2012 15:43:27 +0000

What was your background before you turned to brewing?

I went to art school for college, then had to figure out a way to make a living. So I became a carpenter/cabinet maker and did that for about 15 years. I became a homebrewer in the mid-’80s and was enamored with the small breweries that were popping up around the country and thought that was something I’d like to do.

Does any of your art background transfer to brewing?

I’m very process-oriented. You look at all the things I’ve done, as an artist and a cabinetmaker, making something is what drives me and got me into brewing.

You’ve grown to be one of the larger craft breweries. How do you balance your growth with your ideals about beer being a local or regional activity?

We’ve always prided ourselves on being, first, a local brewery. Then we became a regional brewery. Four or five years ago, we began making our Smokestack line, which is our higher-end, bigger, more esoteric-type beers. The Smokestack line in general is higher alcohol, bigger beers; it makes sense for us to ship those farther.

Speaking of local tastes, I find it remarkable that your wheat beer is your most popular beer. Not many breweries lead with a wheat beer.

Right. That started for us back in the early ’90s, and it just fit the Midwestern palate. And ours is about as no-frills as they come. It’s a very simple recipe. It is very approachable, and that’s why we sell 100,000 barrels of it.

Rediscovering Pils

Adrian Tierney-Jones — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 18:13:04 +0000

It’s a sleepy Sunday lunchtime in Dobrany, a small town a few kilometres southwest of Pilsen. This is Bohemian beer country, deeply embedded in the lager lands of central Europe. Pivovar Modra Hvezda is a small brewery based in a comfortable hotel opposite the town square. A copper-faced brew-kit stands on show in the bar, though the real brewing action happens in the back. Meanwhile, in an ornately furnished dining room, brewmaster Petr Petruzalek, a tall serious-looking guy with a ponytail, is conducting a beer tasting.

Dobranska Desitka is the 10˚ unfiltered house lager, light orange-colored in the glass and sitting beneath a fine and firm head of snow-white foam. A nose of crushed grain (think Grape Nuts) with underlying hints of resin and ripe pineapple in the background leads through to an appetizingly crisp mouthfeel that is softened by a flurry of light sugary caramel notes before a dry, bittersweet finish. It’s marvelous.

Dobranska Hvezda is the 12˚ svetly lezak (light lager), a superlative beer with sweet toasted grain, slight pepperiness and delicate Saaz-derived floral notes all vying for attention on the nose. The palate has a hint of fruit pastilles, a slight sweetness and a long lasting dry and bitter finish. A lightbulb flashes on in my head. I ask Petruzalek if what we are drinking is really a pilsner style, bearing in mind the closeness of the historical brewery (I didn’t know then that he had worked there until 2003). The answer, translated, comes back, “All these beers would be adjudged to be a pilsner style because of the way they are made.”

I guess he means yes. However, search through the rest of the Czech-brewing world and you will only find one brewery using the term pilsner: the mighty Pilsner Urquell, a Hercules of beer that has bestrode the world since its arrival in 1842. On that sunny afternoon, passing through this gorgeous array of beers, I wonder why this is so. Especially as in the rest of the brewing world the terms pils and pilsner/pilsener are sprinkled about as freely as ticker tape on a big day in Lower Manhattan.