Boulevard Brewery Tour: What to Book Before You Go
A brewery tour sounds like an easy Kansas City plan until you find four different experiences and realize they aren’t offered on the same days. If you’re booking your first Boulevard Brewery tour, the choice comes down to how much time you have and whether you’d rather see the brewery or settle in for a tasting.
The good news: you don’t have to figure it out while standing in the parking lot. Pick your experience at Boulevard Brewing Co first, book online, and leave a little room for the Beer Hall afterward.
Key Takeaways
- Boulevard’s Tours & Rec Center is at 2534 Madison Ave.
- The one-hour public option costs $10 to $15, while specialty experiences cost $25 to $40, plus taxes and fees.
- Tour tickets are released weekly. Check the calendar and reserve online rather than counting on a last-minute spot.
- The second-floor Beer Hall doesn’t require a reservation for a regular visit.
Choosing a Boulevard Brewery tour
Boulevard offers a straightforward option, two longer specialty tours, and a Friday evening tasting. Here’s a quick comparison of its brewery tours before you match dates to plans. Prices and schedules come from Boulevard’s current tours and tastings listings.
| Experience | Typical schedule | Length | Price before taxes and fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Brewery Tour | Daily | One hour | $10 to $15 |
| Smokestack Tour & Tasting | Mondays and Thursdays | 90 minutes | $35 |
| Happy Hour Tasting | Friday evenings | Check available times | $25 |
| Unfiltered Tour | Fridays and Sundays | Two hours | $40 |
Start with the calendar, not the price. A longer tasting sounds lovely, but it won’t help much if your only free afternoon is Saturday. Available times can change, and a listed schedule doesn’t mean seats remain for every date.
The Friday option is described as a tasting rather than a full brewery tour. If seeing the brewing operation is your main reason for going, choose an experience that includes a tour.
The public tour and Smokestack tasting
Public Brewery Tour: the easy first pick
For a first visit, I like the simplicity of the Public Brewery Tour. It’s one hour, offered daily, and ends with beer samples in the tasting room. You get an introduction to the brewery and its tasting room without giving over your whole afternoon to it.
The $10 to $15 price makes it the easiest option for a mixed group, especially when some friends are curious about Boulevard’s craft beers but aren’t ready for a longer tasting. Taxes and fees are extra, so check the total before you pay.
Don’t assume the public tour includes a meal or a souvenir. If either matters to you, compare the specialty experiences before booking.
Smokestack Tour & Tasting: make time for the pairings
The Smokestack Tour & Tasting gives you 90 minutes for a brewery tour followed by guided beer and food pairings. It’s offered Mondays and Thursdays for $35 plus taxes and fees.
This is the one I’d look at for a date or for the friend who asks questions about every beer on the menu. The food is part of the guided pairing experience, though I’d still plan separately if you’re hoping for a full dinner.
Its limited schedule is the catch. Check Monday and Thursday availability before building a whole evening around it.
Happy Hour Tasting: a shorter Friday plan
Boulevard’s Friday evening Happy Hour Tasting costs $25 plus taxes and fees. It focuses on brewing, beers, and bites, making it a good fit when you want a planned experience but don’t have two hours to spare.
Think of it as a tasting-centered start to Friday night. Boulevard also lists it as an option for private experiences on other nights. For a regular visit, check the Friday calendar rather than assuming it’s available whenever you’re free.
Unfiltered Tour: give it the afternoon
The Unfiltered Tour runs for two hours on Fridays and Sundays and costs $40 plus taxes and fees. Boulevard lists beer along the way, a souvenir glass, and a tasting notebook among the inclusions.
That extra hour matters. This is the pick for someone who wants to slow down, pay attention, and make the brewery the main outing rather than a stop before dinner. Boulevard also offers it as a private event for groups of up to 15 guests.
If you’re torn between this and the public tour, ask yourself how much detail you’ll enjoy. An hour is plenty for a casual introduction. Two hours feels more like a planned activity.
How to book without making the day complicated
Buy tour tickets online
Boulevard releases tour tickets weekly, so an empty calendar far in advance doesn’t always mean tours have been canceled. Check back when your visit gets closer. Once your date appears, make online reservations through Boulevard’s booking system by choosing an experience and time.
Advance ticket sales stop at 10 a.m. Central time on the day of the tour. That cutoff isn’t a promise that tickets will still be available that morning. For a Friday or Sunday specialty tour, I’d book as soon as I see a time that works.
Keep the confirmation handy and check the details sent with your purchase. That’s where you’ll find the instructions for your reservation, rather than relying on something a friend remembers from a past visit.
Ask about private tours early
Planning a birthday, work outing, or larger get-together? Boulevard lists private tours daily between 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Contact the brewery about the experience, group size, and available dates instead of buying a handful of public-tour tickets and hoping everyone fits.
The distinction between tour tickets and Beer Hall reservations matters here. A table there doesn’t automatically put your group on a tour, and a tour booking isn’t the same thing as reserving space for a gathering afterward. Sort out both parts before inviting everyone.