Having been finished with school for 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 Styrian Golding and 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.
Boss Tom’s Golden Bock will begin showing up on draft walls and liquor store shelves here soon. I suggest you pour yourself a pint, turn some Charlie Parker tunes up loud, and celebrate the arrival of spring.
-by Jeremy Danner, Boulevard Brewer