Well, we're doing it! Later this year, we'll celebrate the 30th anniversary of Boulevard Founder John McDonald delivering the very first keg of Pale Ale to Ponak's Mexican Kitchen on November 17th, but we want the celebration to last all year. One of the ways we're starting the party early is by rereleasing three retired fan favorite recipes starting with Boss Tom's Golden Bock on Monday, March 18th. In order to keep our normal production moving smoothly, each beer will be a draft-only release exclusively in the Greater Kansas City Area and Lawrence, but we will offer crowlers to go in the Tours & Rec Center Beer Hall.
In the spirit of turning back the clock with Boss Tom's, I humbly present the same blog post I wrote back in 2013 to announce the beer's release:
Having been finished with school for several years now (editor's note: even more several years now), I’m no longer able to break the year up into quarters and semesters, so I’ve chosen beer as my secondary calendar. Seasonal releases typically coincide with the changing of the season and are definitely better to look forward to than midterms and finals. I’ve been over winter for a few weeks now and I’m ready to celebrate warmer temperatures and sunny skies with one of my favorite transient beers we brew, Boss Tom's Golden Bock.
Boss Tom’s is the perfect companion for when the days begin to warm, but there’s still a slight chill in the air. Traditionally brewed to celebrate the coming of spring and the end of colder weather, Maibocks are a welcome arrival in the seasonal rotation of beers. Our approach to brewing a Maibock is fairly traditional. We use a blend of our two-row base malt, Munich and pilsner malts, and a touch of caramel malt to lend a slight sweetness, balancing out the clean bitterness provided by Perle hops. At 6.1% ABV, Boss Tom’s is sturdy enough to provide warmth on a cool spring evening, but the crisp malt character makes this brew ideal for days when the sun is able to chase away the chill.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t delve into why we’ve named this beer after “Boss Tom Pendergast.” A quick web search would reveal that Pendergast isn’t exactly a saint, but without his political power and penchant for rule breaking, Kansas City might have remained just another rural outpost in flyover country. He was the leader of a political faction nicknamed the goats and his rival Joe Shannon led a group referred to as the rabbits. The goat has long been the symbol of bock beer so we made the obvious leap to dedicate this beer to the “work” of Pendergast and his goats who allowed Kansas City to develop a seedy underground that would lay the foundation for our town to become the Paris of the Plains.
I suggest you pour yourself a pint, turn some Charlie Parker tunes up loud, and celebrate the arrival of spring.
Flavor Profile
Aroma – Crisp/subtly sweet malt, slight floral hop
Malt – Sweet, cracker-like
Hops – Light floral flavor, moderate hop bitterness
Balance – Malt
Body – Light to medium
Characteristics
Alcohol by Volume – 6.1%
IBUs – 22
Color – 12 EBC
Pairings
Herb roasted chicken, spicy Mexican or Asian dishes, Emmethaler, goat's milk cheeses, a house with all the windows open
Boss Tom's Golden Bock will begin showing up on draft walls exclusively in the Greater Kansas City Area, Lawrence, Kansas, and our Beer Hall starting on Monday, March 18th. Please note that we do not have access to our distributors' delivery schedules and will be unable to confirm when Boss Tom's is on tap near you.
- Jeremy Danner, Ambassador Brewer
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