Powell Gardens Partners with Boulevard Brewing to Create New Aronia Berry Kriek Ale

Super Local, Super Delicious

In a unique collaboration celebrating local agriculture and Kansas City’s native plants, Boulevard Brewing Company has teamed up with Powell Gardens, Kansas City’s botanical garden with the release of Aronia Berry Kriek Ale on November 25th. This limited wild ale offers a unique taste experience and shines a spotlight on the region’s natural heritage, featuring aronia berries—a fruit prized for its earthy, tart profile and deep connection to Midwestern ecosystems.

Cultivating a Collaboration

This partnership between Boulevard Brewing Company and Powell Gardens reflects both organizations’ commitment to regional agriculture and sustainability. As Laina Burdette, spokesperson for Powell Gardens, explains, “The collaboration grew from a shared dedication to the community and local ecosystems. With the aronia berry, a native Missouri plant, we’re able to introduce people to a lesser-known but ecologically vital ingredient that resonates with our mission of native plant education and conservation.” For Powell Gardens, this initiative is a way to showcase the beauty and resilience of Midwest flora and inspire locals to connect more deeply with their environment.

Boulevard brewer Brent Cox echoed this sentiment, expressing how the project aligned with Boulevard’s enthusiasm for locally sourced ingredients. “Powell Gardens is a vital resource in our region, promoting native plants and sustainable practices. Working with them allowed us to explore new flavors and highlight an ingredient grown right here in Missouri.”

The Unique Flavor of Aronia Berries

Aronia berries, also known as chokeberries, bring a distinctive flavor that sets this kriek-style ale apart. As Powell Gardens’ Senior Gardener Christian Van Matre describes, “Aronia berries have a tart, earthy quality with a dry finish, rich in antioxidants and uniquely adapted to our Midwestern climate.” With antioxidant levels four times that of blueberries, these berries have long been valued for their health benefits. In fact, Native American tribes, including the Potawatomi people, historically brewed aronia berries in teas for their medicinal properties.

Brent highlighted how the aronia berry’s characteristics complement the beer’s complexity. “We used a blend of wit beer and wild saison that had been aging in oak for six months as the base. The slight acidity in the base beer pairs well with the berry’s tartness, bringing a wine-like depth with a cherry-like undertone. Aging it on the aronia berries has elevated those notes to a dry, refreshing finish that leaves you wanting another sip.”

The Brewing Process: A Blend of Art and Science

The journey of Aronia Berry Kriek Ale from concept to bottle involved several key milestones. The project began with Brent and our barrel-aging team touring Powell Gardens, where they explored potential beer ingredients and honed in on aronia berries. Once the berries were selected, they were hand-macerated, skins and juice alike, and added to the aging ale for a secondary fermentation. According to Brent, this process was key to preserving the berry’s complex flavors and integrating them fully with the beer’s profile.

“Aging the beer in oak casks imparted an additional layer of flavor that highlights the berries’ unique qualities,” Brent explains. “We wanted to create a depth of flavor, so each sip brings out different notes—the acidity, the earthiness, the cherry-like fruitiness—without overwhelming the palate. It’s a testament to what native ingredients can bring to craft beer.”

A Taste of Kansas City’s Natural Heritage

For Powell Gardens and Boulevard, this collaboration is not just about creating a new beer but also about fostering a greater appreciation for the local environment. “We want people to experience the taste of Kansas City’s landscape,” says Christian Van Matre. “Aronia berries are resilient, thriving in challenging conditions and supporting biodiversity through their drought tolerance and role in soil health. They’re a powerful symbol of our native ecosystems.”

The collaboration also underscores Kansas City’s growing reputation as a hub for innovation in agriculture and brewing. By bringing together the expertise of a seasoned craft brewery with Kansas City’s premier botanical garden, Aronia Berry Kriek Ale showcases the value of community-driven, locally sourced ingredients. As Brent puts it, “We’re celebrating the incredible work Powell Gardens does to conserve our regional flora. It’s our hope that people come away not only enjoying the beer but also with a deeper understanding of the importance of supporting local ecosystems.”

An Invitation to Explore

With the release of Aronia Berry Kriek Ale, Boulevard and Powell Gardens invite Kansas City locals to experience a taste of their homegrown landscape. This collaboration is an entry point for the community to explore native plants, sustainable practices, and the unique flavors of the Midwest. Laina Burdette notes, “Through this beer, we hope to inspire pride in our local environment and invite people to reconnect with the land. We look forward to welcoming more people to Powell Gardens to see firsthand the plants that shape our beautiful region.”

On November 25th, take a step into Kansas City’s natural world with Aronia Berry Kriek Ale. Available exculsively at the Tours & Rec Center on November 25, 2024.

To learn more about Powell Gardens, or to book tickets to their amazing winter wonderland, Evergy Festival of Lights, please visit www.powellgardens.org.