Boulevard Brewing Company is the beer Kansas City drinks, and its brewery at 2534 Madison Avenue welcomes visitors every day for a one-hour walking tour that ends with samples in the Tasting Room. It is a simple, sociable way to spend an afternoon: you follow a guide through the brewhouse and cellars, learn how the beers are made, and finish with a tasting. The venue also runs longer specialty tours for adults. The Smokestack Tour and Tasting runs on Mondays and Thursdays, lasts about ninety minutes and pairs beer with food. The Unfiltered Tour runs on Fridays and Sundays, takes two hours, goes behind the scenes and sends you home with a souvenir glass and a tasting notebook. A Friday-evening Happy Hour Tasting is a shorter option at the Tours and Rec Center, and private tours can be arranged by email for groups. The standard tour costs roughly ten to fifteen dollars plus taxes and fees, which makes it one of the best-value experiences in the city. It suits beer lovers, curious travellers and anyone who wants an easy, rain-proof activity near downtown.
Choosing a tour
The public brewery tour is the right choice for most visitors, because it runs daily and is open to all ages, although the brewery does not recommend it for children under seven. The specialty tours are limited to people aged twenty-one and over and require closed-toe shoes. If you want food with your beer, take the Smokestack tour on a Monday or Thursday.
If you want the deepest look at how the brewery works and a souvenir to take home, take the Unfiltered tour on a Friday or Sunday. Anyone sampling must show valid photo identification, so bring it even if you look older than twenty-one.
Booking and timing
Tickets are bought online, advance sales close at 10 am on the day of the tour, and extra tickets are released each week on Wednesdays. A few day-of tickets may be available at the front desk, but weekends and holidays tend to sell out, so book early if your trip falls on a Saturday or a holiday weekend. Closed-toe shoes are strongly encouraged even on the standard tour because you walk through working brewery spaces. The brewery also runs a Beer Hall, which keeps its own hours separate from the tours.
Fitting it into a day
The brewery is a short drive from downtown and the Crossroads, so it pairs well with a downtown barbecue lunch before the tour or an evening out afterwards. Visitors who have already taken the Original KC Barbecue Tour or the Tom’s Town Distillery tour may find the brewery a natural third stop on a Kansas City drinks and food itinerary. If you are travelling with a non-drinker, the standard tour is still enjoyable, since the walking portion and the brewery spaces are the main attraction.
What to expect
The experience
A guided walk through a working brewery, finishing with samples in the Tasting Room. Longer specialty tours add food pairings or a behind-the-scenes visit and a souvenir glass.
Best time
Weekday afternoons are easiest to book, while Fridays and Sundays suit the longer Unfiltered Tour.
How long
About one hour for the public tour, ninety minutes for the Smokestack tour and two hours for the Unfiltered tour.
Tips
Bring photo identification, wear closed-toe shoes and book ahead, since advance sales close at 10 am on the day and weekends sell out.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Beer fans, groups of friends and visitors who like a behind-the-scenes look at a local business.
- Families
- The public tour is open to all ages but is not recommended for children under seven, and the specialty tours are 21 and over.
- Couples
- A relaxed afternoon activity, and the Smokestack tour adds food pairings.
- Pair with
- A barbecue lunch, the Tom’s Town Distillery tour or an evening in the Power and Light District.
- Time needed
- One to two hours, depending on the tour.
Good questions
Where is the Boulevard Brewery tour?+
Tours run from the Tours and Rec Center at 2534 Madison Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri.
What tours are offered?+
A daily one-hour public tour, the Smokestack Tour and Tasting on Mondays and Thursdays, the Unfiltered Tour on Fridays and Sundays, a Friday Happy Hour Tasting and private tours by email.
Can children join?+
Brewery tours are open to all ages but are not recommended for children under seven. Specialty tours are limited to people aged 21 and over.
When do I need to book?+
Tickets are bought online and advance sales end at 10 am on the day of the tour. More tickets are released weekly on Wednesdays, and weekends often sell out.
What should I wear?+
Closed-toe shoes are strongly encouraged for brewery tours and required for specialty tours. Bring valid identification if you plan to sample.
