Boulevard releasing beers in honor of Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the Royals

This is a great year for baseball lovers in Kansas City — for multiple reasons.

Fans are back at Kauffman Stadium after the stands remained empty in 2020 as a safety precaution during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The global health crisis kept the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum from properly celebrating its 100th birthday a year ago. But it is going forward with plans for its 100th anniversary.

In honor of both, the Boulevard Brewing Company is planning special beers for the Royals and the Negro Leagues museum. Here’s more on both brews.

Tip Your Cap

Last June, a “Tip Your Cap” campaign to honor the Negro Leagues drew support from former presidents, Michael Jordan, MLB players and even an astronaut orbiting the Earth.

Boulevard said a portion of the proceeds from this beer will be given to the NLBM.

“We’re honored to team up with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum on this collaboration,” Bobby Dykstra, vice president of sales at Boulevard parent company Duvel Moortgat USA, said in a news release. “The Negro Leagues play an important role in our nation’s history and the museum is a treasured attraction for the Kansas City community.

“We’re thrilled to be able to support the museum while commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Negro Leagues.”

Boulevard said Tip Your Cap is a baseball style beer with 4.6% alcohol by volume. It will be available at Kauffman Stadium, and on tap and in cans from May to August of this year.

Back to the K

In the past, Boulevard has released beers to celebrate championships won by Sporting Kansas City, the Royals and the Chiefs.

This time, the brewery is celebrating fans being at baseball games with its “Back to the K” release.

“To rejoice in the return of baseball and the return to Kauffman Stadium,” Boulevard wrote on its website, “we brewed up the perfect celebratory beer for tailgates, outdoor watch parties, or porch-listening to Denny on the radio. Meet Back to the K — Saison Ale.”

Boulevard said this beer, which will be sold in 750 milliliter bottles, has a 5.9% ABV and its IBU is 35. It will be available on April 19.

“This beer features our house Saison yeast for bright citrus notes alongside a hop bill of Magnum, Simcoe, and Styrian Golding, and Mandarina Bavaria (say that five times fast) that rounds it all out for a refreshing, crisp, and citrus-on-the-nose Saison,” Boulevard wrote.

Boulevard said this beer is different than Saison Brett, which is a favorite in KC, and is not expected to impact whether that beer is made this year or not.