Fans of Boulevard Brewing Co.’s Unfiltered Wheat Beer will soon be able to enjoy the iconic ale like never before: as a whiskey. The collaboration with Iowa-based Foundry Distilling Co. turns nascent Unfiltered Wheat into 89 proof Midnight Ritual, an American malt whiskey.
Prior to fermentation, Unfiltered Wheat traveled by tanker from Boulevard’s Kansas City brewery to historic Valley Junction in West Des Moines, Iowa, home of Foundry Distilling Company. After distillation in Foundry’s towering column still and a slumber of more than two years in new 30-gallon #3 charred oak barrels, Midnight Ritual entices with notes of caramel, banana bread, and allspice.
The first release in Foundry’s Brewer/Distiller Alliance, Midnight Ritual kicks off a series of innovative partnerships, turning well-known craft beers into limited edition whiskeys.
“We’re pleased to find this new and imaginative way for our most popular beer to be enjoyed,” said Boulevard brewmaster Steven Pauwels. “Midnight Ritual’s spicy sweetness and smoky barrel character make it perfect to sip alongside an Unfiltered Wheat. We’re having a blast with our friends at Foundry, and look forward to tasting new whiskeys made from other Boulevard beers.”
“We think this is an amazing spirit, and can’t wait for more folks to try it,” said Scott Bush, founder of Foundry Distilling Co. “We are collaborating with some of the best breweries in the country to create a collection of the most unique and interesting whiskeys in the world.”
Starting in September, Midnight Ritual will be available in very limited quantities in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska.