Food and Drink 50 Beers to Try Before You Die - Page 141

NewChief · 08:05 PM

Thought the beer snobs here might like this article (and probably critique the hell out of it).

http://www.wisdeo.com/articles/view_post/2984
(CBS) You've heard of "100 Bottles of Beer on the Wall"?

How about 50 to try before you die?!

Spoiler!

**Reaper16** · 12-14-2013, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

Yep.

I've been "getting by" with Little Sumptin, but when I saw Sucks available, I had to grab some.

Would have bought more, but at $40 a case....ouch.

Drink the Celebration ale up first, maybe. Celebration Ale is a single IPA whose recipe hasn't changed in 30 years. Sucks is a juicy double IPA.

Which isn't to say anything bad about Celebration Ale. I buy a case of it every year and I'm drinking one as I type this.

bowener · 12-14-2013, 06:39 PM

I know I'm getting off topic, but Weihenstephaner just makes great beer. Excellent beer in fact. I haven't found one I dislike. However, their Oktoberfest was a bit disappointing, but that is because I was expecting perfection.

WV · 12-16-2013, 11:15 AM

So what do you local guys make of this?

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/201...-brewerys-tale

When Craft Beer Goes Global: A Kansas City Brewery's Tale

by Frank Morris
December 16, 2013 2:50 AM

from

3 min 29 sec

Boulevard Brewing Co. has become a staple of the Kansas City community since its founding in the late 1980s.

Boulevard Brewing Co. has become a staple of the Kansas City community since its founding in the late 1980s.
Frank Morris/KCUR

Kansas City residents are proud of their barbecue, their Chiefs football, their national champion soccer team and Boulevard Brewing, a local brewery that has built up quite a local following since its launch in the late 1980s.

"It's our thing. You know, like la cosa nostra, it's our thing," says Char O'Hara, a Kansas City, Mo., resident who, like thousands of other local 20-somethings, grew up with Boulevard.

But soon, it will be a Belgian thing, too. Any day now, Belgian beer maker Duvel is expected to finalize its purchase of the Kansas City brewery.

The deal to buy says a lot about the transformation of the American craft beer industry — and just how much the world now values a product with a firm sense of place.

O'Hara is a little leery about Duvel taking over her brand. "These people came from the outside, and took something that's native to us, and it's kind of a bummer," she says. "It makes the future uncertain."

But John McDonald, Boulevard Brewing's founder, sees things differently. "I think a lot of people were kind of shocked at the news, and I kind of knew that would happen."
Boulevard Brewing's lineup includes seven year-round beers, five seasonal beers and 13 beers in its Smokestack series.

Boulevard Brewing's lineup includes seven year-round beers, five seasonal beers and 13 beers in its Smokestack series.
Frank Morris/KCUR

He's been building Boulevard's brand loyalty since the company's conception in the late 1980s, and he helped make the American craft beer industry from scratch.

"We didn't have a lot of rules about the types of beers we made. So, we stole ideas and invented things from every brewing culture in the world, we mishmashed them all together," he says. "We're all pushing ourselves to keep in the cutting edge of that."

The reputation of American brewers is that they will try anything: spices, nuts, coffee, bacon, aggressive combinations of hops and malt and elaborate production techniques. They have to. American beer lovers have come to expect and demand top quality and creativity.

"Twenty years ago," McDonald says, "I would tell you that Belgium was the greatest brewing country in the world. And today I would say it's the United States."

, a beverage industry analyst, says there are now at least 2,500 American craft breweries, and some are challenging the European masters. U.S. craft beer exports jumped more than .

"It tells you how much it's changing, that you've got a Belgium brewer coming in and snatching up an American craft beer with the intention of taking it global," Crecca says.

Most of the bottles of Irish Ale that jostle down the Boulevard production line today will stay in the Midwest. But Simon Thorpe, who runs , the American arm of the Belgian company buying Boulevard, says Kansas City's identity will help sell this beer worldwide.

"People really want to know where things come from," he says. "They want to have an emotional connection to the brewery."

But when the local legend goes global, what happens at home? Loyal customer Sam Anderson is pondering that over a glass of ale in Boulevard's tap room.

"You know, after I heard more about the details and the company that bought them and everything like that, it seemed like, well, it's OK," he says. "I still hated to lose a pure Kansas City product, but it's OK."

Duvel promises to help Boulevard make and sell more beer. But otherwise it pledges to pretty much just leave Boulevard alone, as it tries to strike a delicate balance between marketing Boulevard beer to the world and keeping it real at home.

NewChief · 12-21-2013, 05:37 PM

Love that we get the Boulevard sampler packs with Mid Coast IPA and Westside Rye in them. Like both those beers. Throw 80 Acre and Unfiltered Wheat into the mix, and this sampler pack ranks up there pretty high.

**OnTheWarpath15** · 12-21-2013, 05:41 PM

Had an opportunity to try Delirium Tremens last night at dinner and passed.

Did I make a mistake?

Marcellus · 12-21-2013, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

Had an opportunity to try Delirium Tremens last night at dinner and passed.

Did I make a mistake?

If you like strong Belgian beer then yes, you did.

**OnTheWarpath15** · 12-21-2013, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcellus

If you like strong Belgian beer then yes, you did.

Not sure I've had a strong Belgian ale. What does it compare to that I might know?

*Reaper will be here shortly to chastise me.

**Bearcat** · 12-21-2013, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

Had an opportunity to try Delirium Tremens last night at dinner and passed.

Did I make a mistake?

There was a discussion in another thread about Belgian yeast/spice, which for me, ruins any beer. If you like the spice/peppery taste of something like Tank 7 or ZON, Boulevard-wise, it's pretty much all I got out of it.

It has pretty good reviews on beeradvocate though, so I guess it's good for the style.

Marcellus · 12-21-2013, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

Not sure I've had a strong Belgian ale. What does it compare to that I might know?

*Reaper will be here shortly to chastise me.

Duvel, Chimay, etc....

Not exactly the same but Tank 7, Boulevard Saison, and Saison Brett are all Belgian strong ales.

John McDonald sold to Duvel because of his love of Belgian beer and the family owned dedication to beer making and craft style brewing.

DT is very popular strong Belgian.

Has a hint of banana flavor from the yeast which is interesting.

Almost forgot Leffe Blonde is pretty good too.

scho63 · 12-21-2013, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

Had an opportunity to try Delirium Tremens last night at dinner and passed.

Did I make a mistake?

I had my first Delirium Tremens while I was living in Toronto in 2006. I had three pints in about 40 minutes and I nearly fell off the stool-it's much stronger than anything I had drunk before.

Pretty damn good

Marcellus · 12-21-2013, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bearcat

There was a discussion in another thread about Belgian yeast/spice, which for me, ruins any beer. If you like the spice/peppery taste of something like Tank 7 or ZON, Boulevard-wise, it's pretty much all I got out of it.

It has pretty good reviews on beeradvocate though, so I guess it's good for the style.

Either you like Belgian beer or you don't really, its very distinct.

I personally love it over anything else though I like all beer styles.

**OnTheWarpath15** · 12-21-2013, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcellus

Duvel, Chimay, etc....

Not exactly the same but Tank 7, Boulevard Saison, and Saison Brett are all Belgian strong ales.

John McDonald sold to Duvel because of his love of Belgian beer and the family owned dedication to beer making and craft style brewing.

DT is very popular strong Belgian.

Has a hint of banana flavor from the yeast which is interesting.

Almost forgot Leffe Blonde is pretty good too.

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

**Saulbadguy** · 12-21-2013, 08:25 PM

Jewbelation Reborn, 17% ABV. oy vey.

ChiefRocka · 12-21-2013, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcellus

Either you like Belgian beer or you don't really, its very distinct.

I personally love it over anything else though I like all beer styles.

In my humble ****ing opinion. If you don't like Belgian beer, you don't like real beer.

**OnTheWarpath15** · 12-21-2013, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saulbadguy

Jewbelation Reborn, 17% ABV. oy vey.

Jesus.

That ABV is higher than most, if not all wines.

04-24-2010, 06:18 AM
NewChief In Search of a Life Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Fayetteville, AR Casino cash: $8740204	50 Beers to Try Before You Die Thought the beer snobs here might like this article (and probably critique the hell out of it). http://www.wisdeo.com/articles/view_post/2984 (CBS) You've heard of "100 Bottles of Beer on the Wall"? How about 50 to try before you die?! Spoiler! Call it the bucket list of beer. GQ magazine put together a list of 50 beers from around the world all beer enthusiasts need to try before they die. GQ's style editor, Adam Rapoport, narrowed down that list and, along with co-anchor Harry Smith, sampled Rapoport's top half-dozen. All six are readily available across the country, and inexpensive. Rapoport's top six: Allagash White Ommegang Hennepin Oskar Blues Dale Pale Ale Redenbach Grand Cru Anchor Steam Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout All descriptions seen here are from GQ Allagash White - $9 (4-pack bottles) The Portland, Maine-based Allagash makes a lot of excellent, wheat-heavy Belgian beers, and this is their flagship: light and bubbly with a beguiling spice mix no one has been able to guess. This is a wheat beer. Like most, it's a little cloudy and sweet, relatively low alcohol. Often drunk a lemon or orange wedge squeezed into it. I don't want to say it's a beer for girls, but it's a beer for girls. They love it-especially on a hot, summer afternoon. Ommegang Hennepin - $7 (750ML) Earthy yeast plus lemon and clove in a supremely drinkable amber body. This is the best American saison there is. It's a farmhouse ale, aka 'saison' (pronounced SIZE-ON). Similar to a wheat beer, but spicier (a lemony, clove zest). Goes great with ethnic, spicy foods such as Thai food. And it opens like a bottle of champagne, which is cool. Saison (French, "season") is the name originally given to refreshing, low-alcohol pale ales brewed seasonally in farmhouses in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium, to refresh farm workers during harvest season. Oskar Blues Dale's Pale Ale - $9 (6-pack cans) Packed with tons of citrus from a heavy dose of American hops, this is the quintessential stateside IPA. Like most pale ales, it's on the hoppier side-which means its slightly bitter and sour. You know hops when you taste em. However, it's not as hoppy as a IPA (Indian Pale Ale). And we really like the can, which makes it easily transportable, great to bring to a picnic or barbecue or the beach. Technically speaking, beer lasts longer in a can because no light is allowed in. Rodenbach Grand Cru - $9 (750ML) The classic Flemish red: funky, vinegary, and dark. A blend of one part young and two parts barrel-aged beers makes it deliciously sour with notes of boozy fruit. A fruitier beer, but not fruity sweet, more fruity sour. The fruitiness cleanses your palate so it makes you hungrier. Slightly more expensive, more fancy. More like wine than the six pack you pick up at 7-11. You could bring it to a dinner party. Anchor Steam - $9 (6-pack bottles) The one and only true example of this unique style, Anchor's Steam Beer is a lager in name only. Fermented at higher temperatures than your typical lager, it keeps the style's crisp dryness but adds fruity esters and extra hops. The most accessible and biggest name of the bunch. But it deserves the hype. It's a lager (which most commercial beers are, such as Bud and Heinekin), but it delivers more flavor. It's a good first step into the world of more unique beers. Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout - $3 (12 ounces) The classic oatmeal stout: soft and creamy, with just a touch of roasted bitterness, like the soft poke of feathers in a down pillow. A meal in a bottle! Dark as root beer. Really rich and smooth. Goes down easier than you expect, kind of like Guinness. You don't need dinner when you've got a bottle of this in front of you. Allagash White The Portland, Maine-based Allagash makes a lot of excellent, wheat-heavy Belgian beers, and this is their flagship: light and bubbly with a beguiling spice mix no one has been able to guess. Anchor Christmas Ale Anchor has changed their Christmas Ale recipe every season since 1975 (along with their label design), but they hew pretty close to a classic, festive cold-weather brew: rich and fruity with subtle spice. Last year's had notes of vanilla and cinnamon. Anchor Steam The one and only true example of this unique style, Anchor's Steam Beer is a lager in name only. Fermented at higher temperatures than your typical lager, it keeps the style's crisp dryness but adds fruity esters and extra hops. BrewDog Smokehead The two Scots behind BrewDog look outside their homeland's long but languid beer traditions for the inspiration here, storing a pitch-black stout in smokey Scotch barrels to give it an outrageously salty, earthy tang. Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout Dark stouts usually have hints of cocoa to them already, so the trick with chocolate beers is subtlety. Brooklyn nails it: Not too sweet, not too bitter, but chocolatey enough to make it special. Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron Drink this one for its story, as much as for its taste: Dogfish Head's Sam Caglione traveled to the wilds of Paraguay to find one of the hardest, heaviest woods on earth and used it in a tank built to age just this beer. The dark, extra-strong brown ale gets an added kick of vanilla from the wood's unique oils. Fritz Briem 1809 Berliner Weisse Fritz Briem's is Berlin's take on wheat beer: yeasty and super-carbonated but with a uniquely tart, bright finish, making it the perfect summer beer (with no need for a pansy-ass lemon slice). Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold Richer, hoppier, and maltier than standard American lagers-or even German ones-but crisp enough to be your new go-to session beer. (Note to non-beer nerds, a session beer is usually one that's light in alcohol, allowing you to drink several different ones during the course of an evening. Or day.) Dortmunders are tough to find even in the homeland, but thankfully craft breweries like Great Lakes are making them common fare around here. Hitachino Lacto Stout Skip Hitachino's more common lemonade-y wheat beer and seek out this harder-to-find stout, made with milk sugar for extra creaminess and a slightly sour, Hershey-bar-like kick. Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout One of the best examples of a notoriously tricky style, this one tastes more like the foam of a cappuccino than the espresso, which is to say light, smooth, and just sweet enough to balance the stout's natural bitterness. Leelanau Whaleback White Leelanau is the side project of Ron Jeffries, who also brews at Jolly Pumpkin. Their wheat beer is cidery, sour, fruity, and extra dry, thanks to aging with wild yeasts in French oak barrels. Lion Stout If you only have one Sri Lankan stout before you kick, make it this one. Creamy and bittersweet, with a rich tan head and notes of fruit. Plus, it comes in cans-perfect for spicing up your next barbecue. Ommegang Hennepin Earthy yeast plus lemon and clove in a supremely drinkable amber body. This is the best American saison there is. Oskar Blues Dales Pale Ale Packed with tons of citrus from a heavy dose of American hops, this is the quintessential stateside IPA. Oskar Blues Old Chub Thick, sweet, and insanely malty; ruby-red, light on the hops, and heavy on the toffee notes. Old Chub outdoes all other Scottish Ales, even though it's made 4,000 miles from Glasgow. Picobrouwerij Alvinne Melchior Melchior is a solid English-style barleywine-strong, sweet, and malty, with notes of rich, dark fruit-but the extra kick from an infusion of mustard seeds pushes it into mad-science territory. It's so crazy, it has to work. Pretty Things Jack D'Or They call this one a "Saison Americain" thanks to a heavy dose of citrusy, west-coast hops. Belgian yeasts give it a sour kick and a blend of oats and barley smooth it out. Rodenbach Grand Cru The classic Flemish red: funky, vinegary, and dark. A blend of one part young and two parts barrel-aged beers makes it deliciously sour with notes of boozy fruit. Rogue Dead Guy Ale Rogue's Dead Guy is a strong, German-style maibock-full of hearty malts with a bit of spice from Saaz hops. Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout The classic oatmeal stout: soft and creamy, with just a touch of roasted bitterness, like the soft poke of feathers in a down pillow. Sierra Nevada Harvest Ale Sierra's Harvest Ale marked a new trend for west-coast brewers when it debuted in 1996, and it's still the best of the (slightly-bigger-these-days) bunch: wet hopping, in which hops go straight from the vine to the brew kettle without being dried. They use cascade and centennial, grade-A west-coast citrus bombs, with extra earthy, grassy flavors unique to hops picked and brewed right at their prime. Sixpoint Sweet Action Sweet and very hoppy, with a little grass and citrus thrown in. It's mellowed a bit from the original recipe-their Double Sweet Action is closer to the roots, but harder to find. Smuttynose Barleywine This is one of the best barleywines around, but a bit challenging to get into. It's heavy on the caramel, and thick as syrup, like a sherry. Drink it like one, too: This is a perfect dessert beer. Stone Imperial Russian Stout Heavy, thick, and midnight black. Imperial is an understatement-this is a meal in a bottle. If you can find it, try it barrel-aged for an extra level of bourbony, syrupy goodness. Stone Old Guardian Old Guardian is a perfect entry-level barleywine. Not heavy and thick, like the more intense varieties, and with extra hops to balance the boozy, fruity malts. Trumer Pils Forget Pilsner Urquell-that watered-down swill has nothing on Trumer. Started in Salzburg 400 years ago but now made in the Berkeley hills, it's a radically flavorful pils, bitter and bubbly and extra dry with slight floral notes from heavy hopping. Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Cloudy, spicy, crisp, and tart, this might be the perfect wheat beer, and a summertime staple. AleSmith Speedway Stout This artisanal San Diego brewery boasts a line-up that is high in quality, and often in ABV. Speedway Stout just barely edges out their other offerings with its coffee infused richness that opens up more flavors as the beer warms. Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye This brewery's expansion may be built on the deserved growth of Racer 5 IPA, but you'll be greatly rewarded for tracking this down. Everything is on overdrive with huge hops, caramel malts ,and spicy rye, but the balance it maintains makes for an impressive brew. The Bruery Saison Rue The awards and accolades just keep coming for these young brewers. The line-up is always adventurous, but perfectly restrained rather than overt. Saison Rue is a farmhouse-style beer with hints of rye and wild yeast strains that make for a deliciously complex drink. Cantillon Iris The Iris is the flower of Brussels, and this annual brew is barrel-aged for two years. While it is spontaneously fermented like other Cantillon lambics, it differs in that it contains only pale malts and a portion of fresh hops (versus wheat and dried hops). It is tart but complex. Substitute this for sparkling wine and your guests will be glad you did. De Struise Pannepot A vintage-released Belgian Quadruple Ale that is sent forth into the world at least two years after it was brewed. The combination of flavors is compelling and rich while the carbonation keeps the heft of the beer from crushing the palate-which makes for a surprisingly easy drinking 10% ABV. An oak-aged 2008 batch is soon to be released. Dieu du Ciel Route des Epices This Montreal brewery is single-handedly raising the craft-brewing profile of Canada. This selection may not be their best known but it is probably their most intriguing, with its use of peppercorn. The flavoring is unmistakable, and pairs incredibly well with smoked meats. Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA What can we say? If the West Coast Style IPA (arguably) became the USA's contribution to the beer world and is itself an exaggerated version of the English IPA, what is the next level? How about a version boasting 18% alcohol and 120 International Bitterness Units? (Note to non-beer nerds: That's crazy bitter.) Be careful with that 12-oz. bottle. Jolly Pumpkin La Roja Visitors to this Dexter, Michigan, brewery could be forgiven for mistaking it for a winery. Ron Jeffries barrel-ages every release. Most batches are then blended to provide consistency, but all have wonderful tart elements that the used barrels help to impart. La Roja is a delicious sour brown ale in a line-up of excellent brews. Marin Brewing Company IPA In our minds, this is the quintessential interpretation of the West Coast Style IPA. The aroma, color, malt balance, and bittering are perfect and eminently drinkable. There isn't an element that overshadows another, and it's an excellent baseline by which to enjoy other IPAs. Orval Only one beer is made at this Trappist brewery, but that is more than enough. Orval is a worldwide classic Belgian Ale. Proprietary yeasts imparted during secondary fermentation give Orval its subtle and distinctive sourness. Port Brewing Shark Attack Red What started as (and still is) a small pizza chain is now a full-fledged and high-quality craft brewery. Port Brewing is also responsible for the Lost Abbey line; Shark Attack Red is their Imperial Red Ale. It's wonderfully rich and balanced by intense hopping. Russian River Pliny the Elder Perhaps the most well known and sought out double IPA on the planet. The reputation is well earned, as the brewers have found the magic spot between huge flavors and drinkability. This is a hop head's dream. Saison Dupont The style has been making a welcome comeback, and this one is probably the best known progenitor. Saisons are traditionally delicate but flavorful, complex but not overt. They are excellent beers for food pairing, and Saison Dupont is the perfect match for a huge range of flavors. Schneider Aventinus Consistently recognized as one of the top beers in the world, Aventinus is a wheat doppelbock with flavors of bread, caramel, and fruit, and a slightly bitter finish. And the carbonation level makes it a very drinkable 8%. A classic. Westvleteren Abt 12 This Trappist beer is available only at the source and there are strict limits as to how much one can purchase. The monks only make enough to run the monastery. Its difficulty to obtain aside (but not discounted), "Westy" 12 is widely considered one of the best in the world, and is often aged for several years. Harviestoun Old Engine Oil Yep, it's the color of old engine oil. (Is there not a manlier name for a beer?) And, while we haven't actually tasted old engine oil, we're going to say that it tastes nothing like it. A perfect balance of roasted coffee flavor and chocolate, with a slightly bitter finish. For a heavy beer it's surprisingly drinkable. Great Divide Espresso Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout This medium- to full-bodied brew first hits you with a huge toasty espresso taste and then with a bitter, hoppy finish. The Colorado-based Great Divide recommends drinking it for breakfast, but with a cloying high 9.5% ABV you'll need to take a nap for lunch. Double Mountain Black Irish Stout Why do we import Guinness when we have this right here? Brewed in Oregon, this has that creaminess you love in Guinness, but with real flavor-pleasantly roasty, with a hint of dark-chocolate bitterness. Samuel Adams Utopias It's hard to call this a beer because it has no carbonation, has the consistency of brandy, is best sipped from a nosing glass, and, oh yeah, it costs $150 for a 24-oz. bottle. But it's worth a taste if you come across it at a bar: complexly sweet, like a port. Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier We can't pronounce it either, but don't let that keep you from drinking it. Simply ask for it at your finer beer store or bar as "that German Smoke Beer," and they'll most likely bring you this: a beer made with malt toasted over an open fire that gives it a pleasantly smoky flavor-like liquid BBQ. Russian River Valley Brewing Co. Beatification Perhaps the wildest American Wild Ale out there. Mouth-puckeringly sour, funky like a barnyard, with a little bit of oak (it's aged in barrels). Beatification is a super-intense beer that you will either hate or become addicted to. Monk's Café Flemish Sour Ale This is like drinking a Sour Patch Kid. Light, with a pleasant, palate-cleansing sourness, it's the perfect partner to a pile of Belgian frites and mussels. Or anything you want to eat a whole bucket of. Last edited by Bearcat; 04-01-2011 at 08:05 PM..
Posts: 21,791

12-14-2013, 06:39 PM	#2102
bowener BAMF! Join Date: Nov 2007 Casino cash: $9549897	I know I'm getting off topic, but Weihenstephaner just makes great beer. Excellent beer in fact. I haven't found one I dislike. However, their Oktoberfest was a bit disappointing, but that is because I was expecting perfection. __________________ Main Entry: bowe·ner Pronunciation: \ˈbō-nər\ Function: noun Date: circa 2007
Posts: 8,358

12-16-2013, 11:15 AM	#2103
WV Veteran Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: In the Holler Casino cash: $10004950	So what do you local guys make of this? http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/201...-brewerys-tale When Craft Beer Goes Global: A Kansas City Brewery's Tale by Frank Morris December 16, 2013 2:50 AM from 3 min 29 sec Boulevard Brewing Co. has become a staple of the Kansas City community since its founding in the late 1980s. Boulevard Brewing Co. has become a staple of the Kansas City community since its founding in the late 1980s. Frank Morris/KCUR Kansas City residents are proud of their barbecue, their Chiefs football, their national champion soccer team and Boulevard Brewing, a local brewery that has built up quite a local following since its launch in the late 1980s. "It's our thing. You know, like la cosa nostra, it's our thing," says Char O'Hara, a Kansas City, Mo., resident who, like thousands of other local 20-somethings, grew up with Boulevard. But soon, it will be a Belgian thing, too. Any day now, Belgian beer maker Duvel is expected to finalize its purchase of the Kansas City brewery. The deal to buy says a lot about the transformation of the American craft beer industry — and just how much the world now values a product with a firm sense of place. O'Hara is a little leery about Duvel taking over her brand. "These people came from the outside, and took something that's native to us, and it's kind of a bummer," she says. "It makes the future uncertain." But John McDonald, Boulevard Brewing's founder, sees things differently. "I think a lot of people were kind of shocked at the news, and I kind of knew that would happen." Boulevard Brewing's lineup includes seven year-round beers, five seasonal beers and 13 beers in its Smokestack series. Boulevard Brewing's lineup includes seven year-round beers, five seasonal beers and 13 beers in its Smokestack series. Frank Morris/KCUR He's been building Boulevard's brand loyalty since the company's conception in the late 1980s, and he helped make the American craft beer industry from scratch. "We didn't have a lot of rules about the types of beers we made. So, we stole ideas and invented things from every brewing culture in the world, we mishmashed them all together," he says. "We're all pushing ourselves to keep in the cutting edge of that." The reputation of American brewers is that they will try anything: spices, nuts, coffee, bacon, aggressive combinations of hops and malt and elaborate production techniques. They have to. American beer lovers have come to expect and demand top quality and creativity. "Twenty years ago," McDonald says, "I would tell you that Belgium was the greatest brewing country in the world. And today I would say it's the United States." , a beverage industry analyst, says there are now at least 2,500 American craft breweries, and some are challenging the European masters. U.S. craft beer exports jumped more than . "It tells you how much it's changing, that you've got a Belgium brewer coming in and snatching up an American craft beer with the intention of taking it global," Crecca says. Most of the bottles of Irish Ale that jostle down the Boulevard production line today will stay in the Midwest. But Simon Thorpe, who runs , the American arm of the Belgian company buying Boulevard, says Kansas City's identity will help sell this beer worldwide. "People really want to know where things come from," he says. "They want to have an emotional connection to the brewery." But when the local legend goes global, what happens at home? Loyal customer Sam Anderson is pondering that over a glass of ale in Boulevard's tap room. "You know, after I heard more about the details and the company that bought them and everything like that, it seemed like, well, it's OK," he says. "I still hated to lose a pure Kansas City product, but it's OK." Duvel promises to help Boulevard make and sell more beer. But otherwise it pledges to pretty much just leave Boulevard alone, as it tries to strike a delicate balance between marketing Boulevard beer to the world and keeping it real at home.
Posts: 4,983

12-21-2013, 05:37 PM	#2104
NewChief In Search of a Life Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Fayetteville, AR Casino cash: $8740204	Love that we get the Boulevard sampler packs with Mid Coast IPA and Westside Rye in them. Like both those beers. Throw 80 Acre and Unfiltered Wheat into the mix, and this sampler pack ranks up there pretty high. __________________ In this world of sin and sorrow there is always something to be thankful for; as for me, I rejoice that I am not a Republican. - H. L. Mencken
Posts: 21,791

12-21-2013, 05:41 PM	#2105
OnTheWarpath15 MVP Join Date: Sep 2005 Casino cash: $3771115	Had an opportunity to try Delirium Tremens last night at dinner and passed. Did I make a mistake?
Posts: 60,404

12-21-2013, 08:25 PM	#2113
Saulbadguy When a nightmare becomes real Join Date: Nov 2003 Casino cash: $736966	Jewbelation Reborn, 17% ABV. oy vey. __________________ http://www.goemaw.com
Posts: 47,020