Dating Boulevard Wheat Beer: A Beginner's Guide

Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat Beer is a hazy, refreshing ale with a natural citrusy flavor and a cloudy appearance. First brewed in 1990, it has become the best-selling craft beer in the Midwest. With a 4.5% ABV, it is bottle-conditioned and has a mild hop bitterness. The beer has a golden yellow body with a typical wheat haziness and soft carbonation. The aromas include biscuit, cereal, wheat, honey, yeast, and citrus, while the taste is lightly sweet and slightly tart. While some find it unremarkable, others consider it a nice, tasty, low-alcohol brew.

History of Boulevard Wheat Beer

The History of Boulevard Wheat Beer

Boulevard Wheat Beer, or Unfiltered Wheat Beer, is an American-style wheat beer first brewed in 1990 by the Boulevard Brewing Company, located in Kansas City, Missouri. The brewery was founded by John McDonald, who was inspired to start brewing after trying a variety of Belgian beers during a vacation in Europe in 1984. He was captivated by the variety, aromas, and flavors of these beers and wanted to bring something different to the American beer market, which he felt was lacking in diversity at the time.

McDonald started home brewing, visiting breweries, and putting together a business plan. He sold his house to raise money and set out to find the necessary resources to start the Boulevard Brewing Company. The brewery was established in a turn-of-the-century brick building on Kansas City's historic Southwest Boulevard, with a vintage Bavarian brewhouse installed. The first batches of beer, including Boulevard Pale Ale, were produced in the fall of 1989, and in 1990, Boulevard Wheat was added to the product line.

Boulevard Wheat Beer is a lively and refreshing ale with a natural citrus flavor and a distinctive hazy, cloudy appearance. It has a low bitterness and a sweet, bready flavor. With an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 4.4%, it is a mild and easy-drinking beer, perfect for those who want to enjoy a beer without feeling overwhelmed by its alcohol content. The beer's light and crisp taste has made it a popular choice for hot summer days or casual nights out.

Boulevard Wheat Beer has become the best-selling craft beer in the Midwest and is known for its unique flavor profile and easy-drinking nature. The brewery recommends pairing the beer with a lemon peel, rather than the traditional orange peel used with other wheat beers, to enhance its natural citrusy notes. The popularity of Boulevard Wheat Beer has contributed to the success of the Boulevard Brewing Company, which is now ranked as one of the largest craft breweries in the United States.

Ingredients and brewing process

The Boulevard Brewing Company's Unfiltered Wheat Beer is an American-style wheat beer that has been crafted to be lively and refreshing. It is brewed using a combination of malted wheat, malted barley, and hops, resulting in a natural citrusy flavour and a distinctive cloudy appearance. The beer has a sweet and bready flavour with low bitterness, making it an easy-drinking option for consumers.

The brewing process for the Unfiltered Wheat Beer involves the use of a unique blend of ingredients and a specific technique to achieve its signature taste and appearance. While the exact recipe is not publicly available, we do know that the beer is unfiltered, which contributes to its cloudy appearance. This also means that the beer has not undergone the typical filtration process, which removes yeast and other particles, resulting in a hazy look.

The use of malted wheat and malted barley provides the beer with its characteristic sweet and bready flavours, while also contributing to its smooth and refreshing mouthfeel. The natural citrusy flavour likely comes from the careful selection and combination of hops, which can impart a range of flavours and aromas to the beer.

The brewing process for this wheat beer likely involves a primary fermentation stage, where the wort (the sugar solution extracted from the malted grains) is fermented with yeast to produce alcohol. This is followed by a secondary fermentation, where the beer is transferred to conditioning tanks or bottles, and an additional small amount of yeast and sugar is added. This traditional practice, known as bottle conditioning, creates a deeper flavour and a fresher taste that lasts longer.

The Boulevard Brewing Company takes pride in its craft, ensuring that each beer is carefully brewed and packaged to deliver the highest quality. The Unfiltered Wheat Beer is a testament to their expertise, as it has become their most popular offering and the best-selling craft beer in the Midwest.

Taste, aroma, and appearance

The Boulevard Wheat Beer is an unfiltered wheat beer with a hazy, cloudy, or distinctive hazy appearance. Its colour ranges from pale golden to pale straw to a hazy golden. The head is described as thin and soapy, with little to some head. The beer has negligible lacing.

On the nose, the beer has a mild wheaty aroma with notes of malt, wheat, and citrus, including orange. There are also hints of cloves and peach.

On the palate, the beer is lively and refreshing with a natural citrus flavour. It has a sweet, bready flavour with low bitterness and a malty, biscuity taste. There is a wheat tanginess, and it has a slight carbonation. Overall, it is an easy-drinking ale, perfect for a warm day.

Food pairings and recipes

Wheat beers are very versatile and can be paired with several foods. Here are some ideal food pairings for wheat beer:

Seafood

Wheat beer is an excellent choice for seafood dishes. The natural citrusy flavour and slightly sweet, bready malt profile of wheat beer complement seafood's distinct flavour. It is a perfect pairing for shrimp, salmon, scallops, or any other delicacy from the sea. The addition of lemon juice further enhances the pairing, providing a secondary base for the acidity contributed by the lemon.

Spicy Food

Wheat beers are a great choice for spicy dishes as the beer can help to cool down the palate. The slight tartness and carbonation of wheat beer can also help to balance out the heat of spicy dishes.

Salads

Wheat beers go well with salads, especially those with light citrus dressings, feta or goat cheese. The crisp and refreshing taste of wheat beer complements the fresh ingredients in a salad.

Desserts

Wheat beers can also be paired with fruity desserts. The sweetness of the dessert can be balanced by the slight tartness and carbonation of the wheat beer.

Poultry

Wheat beer can also be paired with poultry dishes, such as grilled chicken. The citrusy notes in the beer can complement the flavours of the chicken, especially when paired with a healthy dose of lemon juice.

Barbecue

Wheat beer can also complement barbecue dishes, especially those with a sweet and spicy kick. The maltiness of the beer can stand up to the bold flavours of barbecue sauce, while the carbonation helps to cleanse the palate.

Where to buy

The Boulevard Brewing Company's Unfiltered Wheat Beer is available for local pickup. You can use the BLVD Finder on their website to locate it near you. Certain retailers can sell out quickly, so it is recommended to call the location to ensure availability.

If Boulevard beers are not sold in your area, you can explore online retailers such as www.internetwines.com, www.craftshack.com, and www.tavour.com. However, it is important to note that Boulevard cannot ship directly to consumers due to various legal restrictions.

The company also offers brewery tours and samples seven days a week, except for holidays and occasional company outings. You can check their website for more information on tour availability and bookings.

Additionally, the Beer Hall at the brewery is open to the public seven days a week and offers a variety of Boulevard beers on tap, along with beer-friendly food options. It is a family-friendly space, but it is important to supervise children closely as it is a drinking establishment.

Frequently asked questions