Best Entry Level Class Ever: Beer Appreciation 101

UMKC's Communiversity is celebrating their 40th anniversary.  Communiversity is a non-academic, non-credit adult educaiton program sponsored by UMKC's Office of Student Involvment.  Volunteers from the community teach classes that cover a wide spectrum of topics and interests, many unique to the Kansas City experience.  I would expect to get straight As in this upcoming class.

Beer Appreciation 101

This class is a basic introduction to the world of beer. It will be held at Boulevard Brewing Company, from 6 to 8 p.m., and features an educational tour and sampling with Neil Witte, the brewery’s field quality manager and certified Cicerone, who is also a former brewer at Boulevard.

Included in the class are details on the brewing process and ingredients, beer styles, flavor evaluation and the basics of pairing beer and food. Must be 21 to attend.

The class, #3304 A, has a limited number of spots and you can register at https://ecomm2.umkc.edu/communiversity/page1.aspx.

CLASS FEE: $14 + $15 material fee = $29

Barley's 4th Annual Sausagefest

I'm sure women are invited too.  Right?

Hill Brewing to Release Four New Beers

Hill Brewing is in the process of adding four new beers to their line up.  A Golden Blonde is already on tap and a Pumpkin Ale should be tapped in about two weeks.  Hill is being secretive about the next two.

I'm thinking at least one of the two upcoming beers will be the Peach Wheat that was brewed for breast cancer awareness.  Hill Brewing invited Stephanie, a local cancer survivor, to come in as a guest brewer.  A portion of each Peach Wheat sold will go towards finding a cure for cancer.  Hill Brewing says the Peach Wheat should be ready in two to three weeks, so keep an eye out for the pink tap handles.

Hill Brewing seems to be on the right track.  They are on my list of places to check out the next time Im on the Missouri east coast.

UPDATE
I just recieved this email from Joe Lonero, owner of Hill Brewing

our pumpkin is our first test batch due to be ready next week. it looks to be about 7.3 abv. we used a ton of caned pumpkin in the mash and will only use a cinnamon and nutmeg blend in the cellar tank after fermentation (no vanilla) we also used a California yeast to try to keep down the off flavors.
the other two beers we are working on one will defiantly be a peach. already brewed a small batch with a Stephanie (a home brew novice that survived breast cancer) for our October breast cancer push .part of proceedes will go to breast cancer. the other is still on the table thinking a bur ban stout or a vanilla lager any suggestions or favorites ?

we are in the process waiting to receive our wholesale license. we also have purchased a 4 head meheen bottler.  so yes in time we will be on the shelf's.  kegs first than bottles. over the net 6 to eight months. with St Louis first than kc and Illinois area. in house we will have 14 in all now have 10. and so far the pecan brown seems to  be the big hit

thank you so much for the inquiry we are going a 100 miles a hour and have been very well received by all.  got to love it what a blast, 7 days a week 16 hours a day

Sounds awesome!

Three Wolf Lunar

It's a Harvest Moon tonight, the full moon nearest the autumnal equinox.  There is a lot of power in a moon like that.  Strange things come out at night.  Dark, mysterious things.  Vampires, werewolves, and LARPers gather in the woods to practice their secret rituals.  You can hear them get lost because they all wear black at night and no one remembers to bring a flashlight.  They remember to bring equipment that costs eight months of allowance, but not a flashlight.

Still, the light of the Harvest Moon is bright.  If the creatures of the night do not impale themselves on their Ren-Fest gear, they will hunt you down.  If you are caught, the only thing you can do is to drink a potion that adds +2 to you Constitution and +4 to Strength.  The potion is called Boulevard Lunar Ale.  Lunar Ale captures the magic of the Moon and bestows the characteristics of the wolf.  Side effects do include the sudden growth of a mullet and fleas, but you will have the strength to push the demons down into the mud.  You may even have an opportunity to take their lunch money.

How Hardcore is Hardcore IPA?

I just finished one of my birthday beers, BrewDog Hardcore IPA.  Hardcore is a double IPA coming in at 9% ABV.  How hardcore is Hardcore?  It is not nearly as hardcore as my friend Kopper's punk podcast Noise Annoys.  If you are a fan of real punk music, you could do no worse than following this podcast.  Kopper has been a long time fixture in the Saint Louis music scene, from the Wayback Machine on KDHX-FM 88.1, to the Garagepunk Hideout and Noise Annoys.  The cat knows his stuff.

As far as the beer, not the greatest DIPA, but not the worst.  The color is a nice dark amber, but not a lot of head or lacing.  It is not nearly as hoppy as a Hopslam or a Hop Stoopid.  It leans more towards malty sweet in the smell and taste.  The 9% ABV has some slam, but wears out before the end of the bottle.  Since it is imported it's a little pricey for what you get.  I would say BrewDog Hardcore IPA is more Hot Topic punk than truly hardcore punk.

Last to Announce Firestone Walker Coming to Missouri

So I get home from work, chase some screaming kids, eat some dinner, and then check my feeds to see that STL Hops has scooped everyone in announcing California's Firestone Walker Brewing Co. will start distributing in Missouri sometime in November.  Not only did I get scooped by STL Hops, KC Beer Blog has also made note of this (check out KCBB new layout, swanky!).  These announcements seems to have brought out some KC/STL rivalry on Twitter between the two.  Hilarity ensues.

Not to be left out...Firestone Walker is coming to Missouri!

So what does that mean?  Well, once again it shows that Missouri is a prime market for top tier craft brewers.  Firestone Walker just brought home medals from GABF with their Mission Street Pale Ale (Gold), Pale 31 Pale Ale (Silver), Nectar IPA (Silver), Red Nectar Amber Ale (Gold) DBA Extra Special Bitter (Silver), and Velvet Merkin Wood/Barrel Aged Beer (Gold).  The following beers will be part of the initial offering:

• Nectar IPA (12oz year-round)
• Red Nectar (12oz year-round)
• Nectar Hemp Ale (12oz year-round)
• Double Jack (22oz year-round)
• Walker’s Reserve (22oz year-round)
• Abacus (seasonal)
• Parabola (seasonal)
• Anniversary 14 (seasonal)

I am particularly looking forward to Parabola, a seasonal Imperial Stout that is on BeerAdvocate's Top 100.

Grab Your Maßkrug, It's Oktoberfest Time!

GABF is over, but the biggest beer event in the world is just getting started.  Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany started this year September 18 and goes to October 3.  Oktoberfest originated in 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig von Bayern and Princess Therese von Sachen-Hildburghausen.  As this is the 200 year anniversary of the fest, I imagine it's quite a bit crazier than usual.  More beer, more pretzels, and more women women wearing Dirndls in their bosomy glory.  If you can't make it to Germany, there is still plenty of opportunity to celebrate locally.

Tin Mill Brewery in Hermann, MO hosts Oktoberfest events the first four weekends of October.  Hermann has a strong German heritage, to the whole town participates.  This is probably the best fest in Missouri.
Crown Valley Brewing in Sainte Genevieve, MO is holding an Oktoberfest Weekend celebration September 25-26.
Soulard Oktoberfest will be October 8-10 on Lyon Park in Saint Louis.
The Lee's Summit Chamber of Commerce host an Oktoberfest event September 24-25.
Saint Charles, MO hosts their Oktoberfest September 24-26

The traditional Oktoberfest beer is a Märzen, a darker copper colored lager, though lighter golden Helles Lagers are also common.  Most American craft brewers will put out a seasonal Oktoberfest beer.  Boulevard has their Bob's 47.  Schlafly has their appropriately named Oktoberfest.  Both very good, but I wanted to go more traditional to celebrate the 200th year anniversary.

OK, I'm not going to lie.  I got the Paulaner Wiesn Bier because it came with a krug. 

I'm a sucker for glassware, and this was a no brainer.  For about $13 you get a liter can of beer and a heavy duty glass mug, or krug.  The solid, dimpled mug is perfect for clanking together.  If I can't go to Germany, I will have my own little fest at home.

I had to be gentle pouring in the last few ounces from the can.  The head is a bright white soapy foam.  The head recedes quickly, not leaving much in the way of lacing.  Color is a bright and clear golden straw yellow.  Lots of carbonation activity going on.  Color-wise, this is more in line with a Helles than a Märzen

Smell has a clean grassy hops mixed with a fresh bready malt.  Very clean and very inviting.  The taste is clean as well.  A mild toastiness mixes with the green grass to create a solid balance. 

The mouthfeel has a light touch of carbonation.  It verges on creamy without that filling feeling.  This is the kind of beer you can use to wash down a big meal, or drink in mass quantities.  Perfect for 'Festing.

MO Brewers Bring Home Medals From GABF

The 2010 Great American Beer Fest has concluded, and six Missouri brewers are bringing home top honors.  There seems to be some upset from some of the smaller brewers and brew-pubs.  Always good to see a little guy get some recognition.

Here is the complete list of Missouri winners:

• Category: 2 American-Style Wheat Beer With Yeast – 43 Entries
  Silver: American Hefeweizen, Flat Branch Pub and Brewery, Columbia, MO
• Category: 26 Bohemian-Style Pilsener – 42 Entries
  Silver: Golden Pilsner, Morgan Street Brewery, St. Louis, MO
• Category: 35 American-Style Dark Lager – 20 Entries
  Gold: Michelob AmberBock, Michelob Brewing Co., St. Louis, MO
•  Category: 71 Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout – 23 Entries
  Gold: Hyde Park Stout, Augusta Brewing Co., Washington, MO
• Category: 74 Sweet Stout – 29 Entries
  Silver: Oil Change Stout, Flat Branch Pub and Brewery, Columbia, MO
• Category: 77 Scotch Ale – 34 Entries
  Silver: Wee Willy Scotch Ale, McCoy’s Public House & Brewkitchen, Kansas City, MO

MO Brewers Heading to GABF

It's that time of year again.  The Great American Beer Fest is this week, September 16-18 in Denver, CO.  Breweries from all over the country to compete and feature their craft beer.  GABF organisers are expecting and estimated 462 American craft brewers to attend, including the following top Missouri brewers

Boulevard Brewing - Boulevard Brewmaster Steven Pauwels is out there along with a few other Boulevard employees. They will be serving Tank 7, Boulevard Pilsner, Unfiltered Wheat Beer, Bob’s ‘47 and Two Jokers Double-Wit.

Boulevard has entered several categories this year. They are listed below:

Unfiltered Wheat Beer: light american wheat ale
Two Jokers Couble-Wit: experimental beer
Bully! Porter: out-of-category (Robust Porter with American hops)
Tank 7: Pale American-Belgo Style (Saison with American hops)
Boulevard Pilsner: American-Style Pilsner
Bob's 47: American Style Amber Lager
Pale Ale: Classic English-style Pale Ale
Single-Wide I.P.A.: American-Style Pale Ale
Double-Wide I.P.A.: Imperial Red Ale
Amber Ale: English-style Brown Ale
ZON: Belgian-style wit bier (Last years Gold Medal winner!)
Long Strange Tripel: Belgian-style Tripel
The Sixth Glass: Belgian-Style Quadrupel
Dry Stout: Classic Irish Dry Stout

McCoy's Public House - Keith, McCoy's brewer, gave me this list of their submissions.  He said Tobias will be representing McCoy's in Denver this year.
Pilsener
Hog Pound Brown Ale
Newcomb's IPA
Saint Elizabeth Belgium Double Pale Ale
Toddy Stout
Ginger Shandy
Good Farmhouse
Lunch Pale Ale

O'Fallon Brewery - O'Fallon is looking to score a medal in the Pro-Am category.  Last year they scored a Silver medal with their Alright Already Amber. This year they are entering Nectar IPA. From their Facebook page:

Sweet Nectar IPA is a hop bomb. The recipe was designed to let the hops shine as much as possible. We utilized a hop-bursting technique where all of the bitterness is derived from late kettle hop additions to bring forth a smoother bitterness and a ridiculous amount of hop flavor and aroma. We used more hops in this... batch, 3.5 lbs per barrel to be exact, than have ever been stuffed into our kettle and fermenters. Don't let the name fool you though. This is a very dry IPA with just enough crystal malt to accent the malt character and not overpower the hops. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Homebrewer Jim Leabig's beer caught the attention of Brian Owens who proposed a collaboration for the 2010 Great American Beer Festival Pro-Am competition being held this September in Denver, CO.

Augusta Brewing Co. - Terry Heisler of Augusta tells me they are submitting their Blonde, Wit, Stout, IPA, and Tannhauser

75th Street Brewery

Square One Brewery and Distillery - According to Steve Neukomm, Square One sent Single Malt Scotch Ale, Spicy Blonde, Double Red, IPA, Bavarian Weizen

Flat Branch Pub and Brewery -

Best to luck to all our Missouri brewers!

MO's Youngest Brewery Turns 1

The Broadway Brewery out of Columbia, MO is getting ready to celebrate their first birthday.  Located in downtown Columbia, Broadway Brewery has spent their first year establishing themselves as a place for local beer and food.  Some online contacts highly recommend their Dry-Hopped Rye Ale and the Double IPA.

They are hosting a Customer Appreciation Party on September 20 featuring $1 house drafts.  There will also be complimentary appetizers from 5:30-8:30.  I'm sure the food will feature many of the local foods and produce that are a staple of the regular menu.

As always, Missouri beer events are listed on the Show-Me Beer Events calendar.

Cheers and beers!

Schlafly HOP in the City This Weekend

One of these years I swear I'm going to make it to this event.  HOP in the City is Schlafly's premiere beer fest, collecting over 40 beer styles they have brewed over the year.  This would be a particularly good year to go, as it would be the last year to get Schlafly's Saison and No. 15. 

STL Hops released news that there will be some significant shake ups to Schlafly's 2011 portfolio.  The seasonal Saison and year-round No. 15 are going to be dropped to make room for some more experimental, one-shot offerings.  Something I'm excited about is the new Brewer's Choice line.  It looks like Schlafly is going to start bottling some of the great beers that were once only available on draft at the Bottleworks and Tap Room.

Schlafly will also celebrate theri 20th Anniversary late 2011.  There will be some special brews coming out to help celebrate.  I will get more info on those closer to the date.

Cheers and Beers to ME!

It's that time of year again.  Time to punch in the card that says "You made it another 12 months."  This year I'm clocking in at 35.  Not one of the major milestones.  I know this because Hallmark doesn't make an Age 35 card.  More like a midway point to the next big round number.  I am starting to feel it though.  My main birthday present was a CPAP machine.  That's damn sexy.

Far be it from me to take the "Fun" out of "Funeral."  I did enjoy myself this past weekend.  Many tasty beers were had.  At home I even opened up a couple of Southern Tier beers I had been sitting on for such a celebration, Chokolat and Crème Brûlée. Both of these are from Southern Tier's Blackwater Series.  Chokolat is a November release, so it's been aging for almost a year.  Crème Brûlée is a June release, so this is more current.

Chokolat pours thick and black into my Duvel tulip.  The head was about a half inch of a burnt brown sugar foam.  It receded quickly.  The body is dense and lets no light through.

I used this particular tulip because I really wanted to capture the chocolate aromas.  Boy-howdy did it ever.  Super strong chocolate, but it is still malty.  It doesn't smell like a lot of extra sugar was added in, which I know there was.  Taste was like a good fudge sauce, with some burnt bitterness in the back.  A little bit of espresso coffee.

Mouthfeel is thick and full.  The sweetness wasn't syrupy, which turns me off quick.  Absolutely a dessert beer.  Stick a candle in it and make a wish.

With the Crème Brûlée I poured into a wide-mouth Boulevard Smokestack goblet.  The body color is on par with the Chololat, though the head retention is not quite as good.

Smell is an awesome push of vanilla.  It smells like real vanilla beans, veery strong.  I really like the smell, so I was surprised that the taste was too overpoweringly sweet.  Maybe it was because it was towards the end of the night, or I was tired, but I could not finish the glass.  It wasn't a complete drain pour.  Mrs Monkey swooped in for the finish.

Speaking of Mrs. Monkey, as I was typing this she comes home to show me a picture of what I didn't get for my birthday.  This was a 2009 Sam Adams Utopias the local store just picked up.  For a while Utopias had the record for the highest ABV beer at 27%.  It still probably has the record as the most expensive American beer, as the one bottle was more than our electric bill.

What my lovely wife did get was as follows.

• Brewdog Hardcore IPA
• O'Fallon Whiskey Barrel Aged Smoked Porter
  
• Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel Péché Mortel
  
• Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel Aphrodisiaque
  
• Shipyard Barley Wine Style Ale (Pugsley's Signature Series)
  
• Goose Island Pere Jacques

Cheers and Beers to ME!

Out of the World - Flying Saucer Beerfest Recap

Kansas City's Flying Saucer held their first annual Fall Beer Festival yesterday.  Excellent showing first time out.  Flying Saucer brought in a bunch of beers that we don't get on a regular basis, if we get at all.  That is exactly what I expect from a beer fest!  The festival was held across the street from the pub, but there was plenty of festivities inside.  Mrs. Monkey and I needed to grab some food before Fest-ing, so we went inside.  We ran into most of the Gents from KC Beer Blog.  They were being quite sociable, I almost felt like one of the Gents myself.  Bull E. Vard was still jealous of the hockey jersey.

Every two hours or so they would tap a new rare beer and I started with a Founders Black Biscuit.  Black Biscuit is a barrel aged Old Ale.  It was smokey and boozy from the barrel aging, but the strong malt profile.  Paul A. Ner spent most of the fest inside drinking these.

Once out at the fest we started hitting the tents. There were quite a few rare beers available outside as well. Mrs. Monkey went back to the Schlafly Pumpkin Ale often. Can't blame her. I was more interested in the more obscure offerings like Breckenridge Flying Saucer 15th Anniversary, Avery Kaiser 2009, and Sierra Nevada Fritz & Ken's Ale.

There was plenty of tables to sit down, enjoy your beer, and talk to other beer enthusiasts. Brilliant move here.

Lines for the tents were very well organized. There was a good crowd, but we were able to get in and out at the tents. The tasting ticket worked out pretty well.

After a while we headed back in to catch the tapping of Péché Mortel from Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel.  This is a great double stout made with coffee. I enjoyed this even more than the Black Biscuit, despite what a errant Tweet may say.

There was dancing!

I had a chance to chat with Flying Saucer co-founder, Captain Keith Schlabs. He was a very cool guy to talk to to, seemed very laid back. He told me that Flying Saucer doesn't make any money on a fest like this. They do it for the love of beer, and to help build craft beer awareness. I was telling him how much I appreciate what the Flying Saucer has done for the beer scene in KC. Other establishments are starting to rise to the challenge of what the Saucer is offering. While I was in the middle of telling Keith how much Matt Gardner, local Flying Saucer GM, has done for KC.  As I'm talking we see Matt hauling a keg across his shoulders from across the street.  I tell you, that Matt guy is a saint.

Around this time our friend and local Schlafly rep Gary Briggs pulls out a bottle of Schlafly Raspberry Coffee Stout from his personal stash.  Gary said this was the only bottle he was able to snag since they are going so fast off of the Schnucks shelves.  I'm going to have to make some calls to my contacts in St. Louis to see if I can get some more.  This was good stuff.

Gary shared the Raspberry Coffee Stout with the Gents from KC Beer Blog as well.  While we we gathering everyone up for the tasting, Mrs. Monkey noted that we looked like a bunch of junkies looking for a hit.  When it comes to rare beer, that's not too far from the truth.

KC Flying Saucer Fall Beer Fest Today!

It's today.  I will be there.  'Nuff said

Boulevard 21st Anniversary Pale Ale Label

Here is the final version of the Boulevard 21st Anniversary Fresh Hop Pale Ale.  Slightly different than the image previously released by The Wine & Cheese Place.  It is still very reminiscent of the original Pale Ale label, as it should.

I don't know about you, but I am getting very eager to try this.

Cheers and Beers!

Talking Pale Ales With Boulevard Brewmaster Steven Pauwels

Boulevard brewmaster Steven Pauwels was kind enough to answer some more questions about the up coming 21st Anniversary and the Fresh Hop Pale Ale. His answeres are in bold.

What celebrations for Boulevard's anniversary are you looking forward to the most?
I look forward to the beer dinner. I like working together with chefs and come up with pairing ideas. Most chefs are very creative people and if they like beer something wonderful is happening. We’ll have more details about the beer dinner soon up on our Facebook page and at boulevard.com.

Turning 21 is a big coming of age milestone in the US.  With the drinking age lower in Europe, how did you celebrate you coming of age?
Enjoying a drink/beer is embedded in the European culture. There is no ‘coming of age’ milestone in Belgium or at least not that I know of. I grew up drinking ‘table beer’ as a kid, slowly moving to a Pilsner as a teenager and acquiring a taste for bitter beers.

When was the first time you had a Boulevard Pale Ale, what did you think?
I had Pale Ale the first time when I interviewed at Boulevard back in February ’99. I thought it was one of the best beers in the line-up and for the longest time I refused to make any changes to the recipe because I thought it was a well-made Pale Ale. We made some very minor tweaks when we started brewing the beer in the bigger brewhouse.

What was the process like to decide what kind of adjustments and "tweaks" would be made to the Pale Ale?
The idea to make this beer came from our brewers; I can’t take any credit for the idea. Everybody else got on board quickly because Pale Ale was the first beer John McDonald (our founder) brewed. We wanted the 21st Anniversary Pale Ale to have the same effect as Pale Ale did when John started the brewery: a burst of malt and hop flavors that people were not used to. Nowadays Pale Ales are becoming more mainstream so we had to ‘beef it up’ to have the same effect. The timing worked out perfect for wet hopping with Cascade hops and we selected a Maris Otter malt as base malt to balance out the heavy hop load.

Where there any ideas that were considered, then tossed out?
There are some very interesting new hop varieties that we would have loved to use and would add complexity to the beer. In the end we stayed true to the ‘original’ Pale Ale and focused on Cascade. We are using these cool new hop varieties in other beers that we are developing.

Besides wet-hopping, how does the 21st Anniversary Pale Ale compare to the standard Boulevard Pale Ale?
The base malt was replaced with Maris Otter malt, the same ratio of Caramel malts was used to a starting Plato of 16.2  compared to 12.2 in our regular Pale Ale (7.4 ABV compared to 5.4). About 30% more Cascade was used in the brewhouse. The wort was fermented with the same house strain.

Is this an Imperial IPA?
By no means is it an Imperial IPA. The beer only has 40 IBU compared to 30 IBU in our regular Pale Ale and 71 IBU in our Double Wide IPA. It is hop forward but not as bitter as an Imperial IPA.

For someone who has never had a wet-hopped beer, what should they expect?
The proof is in the ‘burp’ – it will take you to a hop field.

What kind of food pairings would you recommend for the 21st Anniversary Pale Ale?
We put the fresh hops in the beer last Friday and the flavors are changing every day. Aged Cheddar, spicy Curry, a well peppered steak,…

Are there any plans for different versions of some of the other standard Boulevard beers, (Bully Porter, Unfiltered Wheat, etc.)?
Not yet, but I like the idea.

What makes a great Pale Ale?
Clean and balance. A good Pale Ale is a balancing act between bready, caramel malts with citrus/grapefruit from the hops. Hops should dominate the aroma. A Pale Ale should not be cloying or caramel sweet, nor should it be over-the-top hoppy. In our case the 21st Anniversary will be hoppy.

Beside Boulevard, what are some of you favorite Pale Ales?
I like what Firestone Walker is doing in California. I am also pleasantly surprised with Pale Ales brewed in the Midwest.

75th St Brewery's Oktoberfest Brewermaster Dinner

Here's a beer dinner to put some oompa in your lederhosen. 75th St Brewery has put together their Oktoberfest Brewmaster Dinner.  Looks wunderbar.

Boulevard Makes November Novem-Beer

Do you remember the first time you had a Boulevard Pale Ale? It was not long after my 21st birthday, you know, when I was legal to drink. It was the first really hoppy beer I ever had, and it blew my mind how citrusy, yet balanced a beer could be. It was my introduction to hops. It was delicious and refreshing, much different than the thin and watery macros lagers I was familiar with. Pale Ale was one of my major gateways to craft beer.

Boulevard Pale Ale was the first beer owner John McDonald brewed back in 1989.  November of '89 he drove that first keg down the street to Ponak's Mexican Restaurant. That was 21 years ago this November.  Back in 1989 the Pale Ale would have been considered "extreme."  Since then we have had the craft beer trend of "imperialization," making beer even bigger and bolder than the standard version.  Boulevard Brewing is planning a big celebration for their birthday with the 21st Anniversary Fresh Hop Pale Ale.  

From Boulevard's blog:

Today, pale ales literally pale in comparison to the latest trend of “imperialized” beers that are bigger, bolder, and even more flavorful. Our brewmaster, Steven Pauwels, says he hopes that Boulevard’s 21st Anniversary offering will have the same effect on beer lovers that our original Pale Ale had two decades ago.

Brewing started on August 20th.  The brewers started with the malt back bone.  Since Pale Ales originate from Great Briton, they used traditional Maris Otter Pale Malt for the main nutty flavor, and then added Munich and Caramel malts to add body and color.  But the true character of a Pale Ale is the hops.  A combination of Cascade, Hallertau, Magnum, Styrian Golding and Centinnial hops were added during the boil.  The beer fermented until yesterday when they added 500 pounds of fresh Cascade hops.  Oh to be in the brewery that day, to smell that wonderful fresh hops in the air.

21st Anniversary Fresh Hop Pale Ale should be released around November 17th, the day that first keg of Pale Ale was delivered to Ponak's.

And that is just the start for November.  Also coming out in November is the new four-back of 12 oz Smokestack bottles.  Labels have been approved for the the first four, Double-Wide IPA, Sixth Glass, Tank 7, and Dark Truth.  The Wine & Cheese Place posted this image of the Double-Wide.  From what I hear, the bottles are going to be different than the standard 12 oz Boulevard stubby bottles.  They should be a little rounder, sort of like what Anchor uses.  The four-packs should retail for about $11, which is like getting 12 oz for free when compared to the $8 for the the 750 ml bottles.

And that's not all!  Also in November we will see the return of Smokestack Series favorites Harvest Dance and BBQ.  Oh yeah, and Nutcracker usually shows up around this time.  So yeah, might as well call it Novem-Beer