Boulevard tasting tonight

Boulevard started its Smokestack Series in late 2007, right on the cusp of a great two years for Kansas City beer geeks. We’ve seen two beer festivals, Boulevard has introduced one year-long beer in addition to the seven Smokestack beers, and two bars with more than 100 drafts each — beer heavens — have opened.

One of those is the Foundry. The other is Flying Saucer in the Power & Light District, and tonight, it hosts a Boulevard Brewery Smokestack Series tasting hosted by brewmaster Steven Pauwels.

The Belgium-born Pauwels (whose wife Vivianne Berghman owns 39th Street cozy Duchess of Flanders) will be guiding participants through five beers — Long Strange Tripel, Saison, Double-Wide I.P.A, Imperial Stout and the Sixth Glass Quadrupel — each paired with a special cheese or dessert.

In addition, Pauwels will bring a special mystery beer that may or may not have been released. My guess is that it could be this pilsner that local blogger The Liquid Diet obtained through amazing contacts.

The tasting begins at 7 p.m. and costs $30 — a bargain when you consider it’d cost you twice that to buy a bottle of each to try. Space is limited and reservations are recommended; call 816-221-1900.