Friar Tuck Beverage is located on Watson Road in the Crestwood Square Plaza, half a mile east of Crestwood Mall. Friar Tuck Beverage has thousands of different wines, beers and micro brews. It also offer spirits and other beverages. Customers must be 21 or over to enter the store, or be accompanied by an adult. There is an October "Wine of the Month" tasting every Saturday in October. Friar Tuck Beverage also has beer and wine tastings every Saturday from 1pm - 5pm. The best of 2010 for Friar event is coming up on November 13, which is the Taste of Tuck.
Boulevard Brewing Company, also known as "Kansas City's Pride," annually brews 600,000 barrels of craft beers. Several tour options of the brewing facility are available. Valid ID required. The Tasting Room is open to the public every day, serving a complete selection of Kansas City's hometown beers.
Tours at Boulevard Brewing Company
Three types of staff-led tours are offered:
Free public tours
Walk through the production facility in this 40-minute tour that covers the company's history, philosophy and brewing process. End up in the Tasting Room for samples of Boulevard beers.
On Monday and Tuesday tours start at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. On Wednesday, they start at 12:30 p.m. and 2 pm. Friday tours start at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. On Saturday tours start every 45 minutes beginning at 10:15 a.m. Sunday tours start at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Smokestack tours
Smokestack tours feature the equipment and processes for making Smokestack Series beers, as well as the inspiration behind them. The tours end with guided tasting sessions that also include advice on which beers go best with which foods. Visitors on these 90-minute tours must be at least 21 years of age, wear close-toed shoes, be able to climb three flights of stairs without help and sign a release. Tours start at 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
Unfiltered tour
Unfiltered tours are last an hour and a half and are limited to 20 visitors and start on Sundays at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. The tours take visitors to areas of the brewery not allowed on public or smokestack tours. Taste a variety of beers along the way and receive a token of appreciation from the company. Visitors on these 90-minute tours must be at least 21 years of age, wear close-toed shoes, be able to climb three flights of stairs without help and sign a release.
When to go to the Boulevard Brewing Company
Weekends are the most crowded, and tours fill fast.
Admission to the Boulevard Brewing Company
Public tours are free. The Smokestack and Unfiltered tours cost $20 each. Admission to the Tasting Room is $5, which includes four 4-ounce samples of year-round and seasonal beers, Smokestack brews, and sometimes test beers. Visitors younger than 21 are allowed only on the public tour, and no samples are offered to them.
How to get to the Boulevard Brewing Company
The brewery is on the east side of Southwest Blvd. There's plenty of parking in front.
Food at the Boulevard Brewing Company
Boulevard Brewing Company has no on-site restaurant, but there are lots of restaurants on Southwest Boulevard within a mile of the brewery.
Insider tip for visitors to the Boulevard Brewing Company
Free first-come, first-served tickets for public tours go on sale at 10 a.m. daily for that day only. They go fast, so get there early. Reservations for the Smokestack and Unfiltered tours open on the first Monday of the previous month. They fill up fast, so book early. If you can't get a tour, visit the Tasting Room for a chance to sample some of the beers.
Author bio: Mary-Lane Kamberg is a professional writer and editor and a lifelong resident of the Kansas City area.
