boulevard brewing company is a brewery located in kansas city , missouri .

the brewers association currently ranks the american arm of boulevard 's parent company , duvel moortgat usa , as the 12th largest craft brewery , and the 18th largest active brewery in the united states based on 2014 sales volume .

before the sale of anheuser-busch to inbev in 2008 , boulevard was the largest independent american brewery in the state of missouri .

boulevard 's beers are available in select markets across the country .

in 2013 , boulevard was acquired by duvel moortgat brewery .

terms of the deal were not disclosed , but industry publication beer business daily estimated the sale price exceeds $ 100 million .

boulevard brewing company

boulevard brewing company , kansas city : hours , address , boulevard brewing company reviews : 4 . 5 / 5
see the boulevard brewing company’s new brewing and packaging facility on google street view .
company : boulevard brewing co . contact : julie weeks email : jweeks @ urltoken
boulevard brewing company expands its operations in kansas city’s urban core while quadrupling beer production .
the boulevard brewing company , based in kansas city , mo . , produces a wide variety of beers under its own name .
about boulevard brewing company boulevard brewing company has grown to become one of the reputable specialty brewers in the midwest , dedicated to the craft of producing fresh , flavorful beers using traditional ingredients and the best of both old and new brewing techniques . in 2014 , boulevard became part of the world - renowned duvel moortgat family of breweries . for more information , visit urltoken , urltoken , or follow us on twitter at urltoken .
about boulevard brewing company boulevard brewing company has grown to be the largest specialty brewer in the midwest , dedicated to the craft of producing fresh , flavorful beers using traditional ingredients and the best of both old and new brewing techniques . boulevard’s portfolio of year - round and seasonal beers is available in fourteen states , primarily in the midwest , with select offerings distributed in an additional six states . for more information about boulevard visit www . boulevard . com , urltoken or follow us on twitter at urltoken
the gist citing continued growth in demand , particularly in the midwest , boulevard brewing company is embarking on a significant expansion to dramatically increase its output of canned beer .
pingback : boulevard brewing co . opening new markets in june , new packages coming this summer | urltoken
founded in 1989 , boulevard brewing company has grown to become the largest specialty brewer in the midwest . our mission is simple : to produce fresh , flavorful beers using the finest ingredients and the best of both old and new brewing techniques .
“our goal is to make boulevard a more sustainable company and a more sustainable business citizen in kansas city . ”
founded in 1989 , boulevard brewing company has grown to become the largest specialty brewer in the midwest . our mission is simple : to produce fresh , flavorful beers using the finest …
a kansas city landmark may be changing hands , but not changing in spirit . in a deal that was just announced , the duvel moortgat brewery of belgium acquired boulevard brewing company , a much - admired kansas city institution . boulevard owner and founder john mcdonald said that he had spent the last few years looking at the future of his company , but had been very careful to find a partner that would share the values and ideals that had come to define boulevard brewing company .
boulevard brewing company is already a kansas city success story . founded in 1989 , the local brewery grew rapidly to become a significant and recognized brand across the midwest and beyond . famously committed to sustainable initiatives , boulevard’s founder and owner john mcdonald also co - founded ripple glass , a successful local glass recycling company . he says that with the acquisition by duvel moortgat , boulevard brewing company has a chance to expand while still honoring the basic principles that made it what it is today .
boulevard brewing , a popular kansas city company that’s grown to be one of america’s largest craft brewers since its founding in 1989 , is being sold to a belgian brewer , duvel moortgat .
continue south on washington , past west pennway . when you get to southwest boulevard , turn right . just after you pass under the railroad tracks , turn left on 25th street and stop . the building at 2501 southwest boulevard is boulevard brewing company . its chapter begins on page 270 .
1970s : the company begins to make major inroads in the european beer market .
boulevard brewing company is the largest specialty brewer in the midwest , dedicated to the craft of producing fresh , flavorful beers using traditional ingredients and the best of both old and new brewing techniques . for more information , visit urltoken or follow us on urltoken , urltoken and urltoken .
boulevard brewing company has grown to be the largest specialty brewer in the midwest , with full or partial distribution currently in 39 states . since 1989 our brewery has remained dedicated to the cr . . .
project engineers with boulevard brewing company based their coating selection on a careful review of case studies involving other projects that used tnemec’s perma - shield family of products , which are specifically designed for wastewater immersion environments .
the company currently produces its canned offerings under contract at cold spring brewing co . in minnesota and at california’s firestone walker , which is also owned by duvel usa .
founded in 1989 , boulevard brewing company has grown to become the largest specialty brewer in the midwest . our mission is simple : to produce fresh , flavorful beers using the finest ingredients and the best of both old and new brewing techniques . click the link to learn what drove boulevard founder john mcdonald , and how we got where we are today .
boulevard brewing company needs no introduction to those in the kansas city area . anyone who has driven in downtown kansas city will recognize the distinctive smoke stack and holding tanks of the brewery , and just about any local craft beer aficionado has a favorite boulevard flavor or two .
1990 : boulevard wheat joins the lineup . while many others have joined the lineup , wheat and pale ale remain the company’s strongest sellers .
as european interest in american craft beers begins to mirror the mania for them stateside , the duvel moortgat brewery of belgium on thursday announced a deal to buy the boulevard brewing company , a craft brewery in kansas city , mo .
sales of boulevard brewing’s canned beer have grown considerably since the aluminum packages were first introduced in 2014 , and now the kansas city - based company is making a multi - million dollar bet that more sales are on the way .
both mcdonald and the owners of duvel moortgat are quick to say that there won’t be a big immediate change in the day - to - day operations of boulevard brewing company . michael moortgat , one of three brothers who own duvel moortgat , said that none of the employees at boulevard would lose their jobs , and that the kc - based sales and management team would grow to around 60 . the boulevard brewing company’s famous downtown brewery already has the capacity to produce up to 240 , 000 barrels a year , and could be expanded to produce as much as 600 , 000 with additional infrastructure and fermentation tanks . the owners of duvel moortgat say that they’re planning to invest heavily in the boulevard brewing company , and , as they’ve done with their acquisitions in the past , continue to respect boulevard’s specificity , traditions , and authenticity .
earlier this year , boulevard added wisconsin and tennessee to its distribution footprint , making the company’s beer available in 39 states and washington , d . c .
since the completion of a multi - million - dollar expansion of its cellar five fermentation building , kansas city - based boulevard brewing company has been busy rolling out barrels of its popular craft beers into new major markets across the united states and overseas .
the company plans to be packaging cans out of the new facility in the first quarter of 2018 .
free state brewing co . 636 massaschusetts st . lawrence , ks 785 - 843 - 4555 urltoken
first beer brewery tour , enjoyed it ! ! ! learned a lot about brewing , kc , and boulevard brewery . free samples included , highly recommend .
to that end , when the new canning line is up and running , pauwels says there ' s potential—depending on demand and brewing capacity—to grow boulevard’s canned output ten - fold . and there are a number of different routes the company can travel to get there .
late 1960s : company develops a unique tulip - shaped glass that holds a full 33 - centilitre bottle .
once installed , the canning line will take up the majority of the space within the new building . however , the company is leaving room in the building for a future replacement of the company’s existing kegging line .
tallgrass brewing co . 5960 dry hop cir . manhattan , ks 66503 785 - 537 - 1131 urltoken
( kansas city , mo ) – with the completion last summer of the latest in a series of plant expansions , the folks at boulevard brewing company thought they had bought themselves a little breathing room . but growing demand and a host of new brands and packages compelled the company to accelerate its expansion timetable . instead of breaking ground on a new building , boulevard will literally rip the roof off its original cellar , removing six 105 - barrel fermenters and replacing them with eight specially designed 300 - barrel vessels from the paul mueller company of springfield , missouri .
sales representative in northern california ( alameda county and other delta pacific territory ) - barley forge brewing co .
from the days boulevard hauled its first products around town in an isuzu panel truck , the company has grown to become the 12th ranked craft brewer in the nation with 125 employees .
boulevard also is the latest household name in kansas city to be acquired by foreigners . sprint corp . is now controlled by a japanese company and amc entertainment by a chinese venture .
1963 : the company contracts with the maredsous abbey to brew its beers . one variety has 10 percent alcohol content .
american craft beers have been growing in popularity not just across the country , but also in europe . the acquisition of boulevard brewing company by duvel moortgat will allow the kansas city brewery to expand into european markets , as well as up - and - coming craft beer markets like china and japan .
like boulevard brewing company , duvel moortgat is a family - owned and operated enterprise . they own several breweries in belgium , and also already own and operate one craft brewery in the united states , brewery ommegang in cooperstown , ny , which they acquired in 2003 . they bring a substantial history of craft brewing experience to the table , and also an international distribution footprint that only partially overlaps with the 25 states and washington d . c . where boulevard’s craft beers are already distributed .
boulevard brewing company has grown to be the largest specialty brewer in the midwest , with full or partial distribution currently in 37 states . since 1989 our brewery has remained dedicated to the craft of producing fresh , flavorful beers using traditional ingredients and the best of both old and new brewing techniques . our selection of fine ales and lagers include the midwest ' s best - selling craft beer , boulevard unfiltered wheat beer , our flagship boulevard pale ale , and the smokestack series line of artisanal beers . we are proud to be kansas city ' s beer .
it was the summer of 1984 , and john mcdonald was thirsty . on vacation in europe , the future founder of boulevard brewing company wandered into a bar specializing in belgian beers . he tried one , then another and another , amazed by the variety , the aromas , and the flavors . he was hooked .
“mueller is extremely excited and honored to be the chosen equipment supplier for this major project , ” said ashton lewis , staff master brewer and brewing market manager for the paul mueller company in springfield , missouri . “mueller first began working with boulevard in 1989 , and it’s been very gratifying to watch boulevard – an innovative missouri brewery producing exceptional and highly regarded beers – continue to grow . this project means a great deal to me and the paul mueller company . we are delighted to be part of the team . ”
crb provided concept design , detailed design , and construction administration services for boulevard brewing company’s fermentation facility expansion project . the expansion project , called cellar five , included construction of a 3 , 600 - square - foot fermentation structure and an 8 , 400 - square - foot , two - story utility and process building .
kansas city has already seen an increase in small businesses and startups in recent years , and the acquisition and possible expansion of the boulevard brewing company should mean a new influx of capital into the metro area , which can only mean good things for local businesses , any one of which might be the next big kansas city success story .
2006 : $ 25 million expansion opens that includes a new banquet hall and increases brewing capacity to 700 , 000 barrels annually .
with several large craft players offering low - cost 15 - packs — new belgium and founders brewing among them — krum said he doesn’t foresee boulevard trying to compete for those sales opportunities by lowering its price point .
boulevard / az wilderness / creature comforts collaboration no . 7 oak - aged lager
2003 : boulevard moves into minnesota , expanding its range to 11 midwestern states .
“doing business close to home has been a longstanding priority for boulevard” said mike utz , boulevard’s director of engineering . “mueller built the very first fermenters for boulevard , and the long history between our two companies made the new decision an easy one” .
we have to hand it to our design / build team and the good folks at boulevard . we have to hand them a boulevard pale ale , that is .
despite the size and scale of the cellar five project , the company is already planning for future expansion , which might not be that far away . the company still has available space on the property and is considering expansion of its packaging and bottling system and maybe even addition of a canning line .
june 6 , 2017 – kansas city – boulevard brewing company today announced it will soon break ground on a $ 10 million expansion of its kansas city brewery . the project , consisting of a 24 , 000 square foot , single - story structure to be built on land immediately adjacent to the brewery , will house a canning line designed to fill 350 12 - ounce cans per minute , providing boulevard with years of runway for its rapidly accelerating can business .
earlier this year , boulevard announced it had reached a sponsorship deal to become the “official craft beer” of the kansas city royals . the beer company’s unfiltered wheat beer is available in 16 oz . single - serve cans inside the stadium .
did you know : boulevard also has four unique event venues available for rental . picturesque views of downtown kansas city make boulevard the perfect place for weddings or corporate events .
built adjacent to boulevard’s original plant as a “model of efficient urban land use , ” the new facility includes a two - story , state - of - the - art brewing and packaging facility with skylights that illuminate the atrium .
october 23 , 2015 – kansas city – weeks away from celebrating its 26th birthday , boulevard brewing company unveils plans to update its iconic logo and packaging in the coming year . the goal for the kansas city brewery’s evolution is to provide better visibility for the boulevard brand at retail , more consistency within brewery’s much expanded beer portfolio , and refresh the brand’s overall visual identity . boulevard will begin using the new imagery on signage and point - of - sale merchandise in the early part of 2016 with bottle and packaging changes beginning to roll off production lines in march .
though duvel sees its purchase of boulevard as an opportunity to grow in the u . s . , there are no plans to brew its products here or boulevard products in belgium .
duvel moortgat was represented by mcdermott will emery . first beverage group was adviser to boulevard .
2007 : boulevard introduces its smokestack series , artisanal beers sold in . 750 ml bottles .
the facility is in a prominent location on the industrial edge of downtown kansas city . with a brick and stone facade punctuated by storefront glazing and glass blocks , the new brewhouse respects the local context while inviting views into boulevard’s meticulous brewing process .
boulevard brewing has announced a $ 10 million expansion to add a canning line to the kansas city brewery . sales of boulevard ' s canned offerings have grown substantially since they were first released three years ago . unfiltered wheat , heavy lifting ipa , ginger lemon radler , tropical pale ale and american kolsch are currently being canned at coldspring brewery in minnesota and boulevard ' s sister brewery , firestone walker , in california ; but demand for boulevard cans has outstripped the capacity of those two facilities necessitating a dedicated canning line in kc .
about paul mueller company paul mueller company manufactures stainless steel equipment and performs on - site construction and repair / maintenance in over 100 countries worldwide in a wide variety of industrial applications , including food , dairy , beverage processing , pharmaceutical , biotechnological , chemical processing , water distillation , heat transfer , hvac , heat recovery , and process cooling .
soon after the news of the boulevard sale hit social media , the reaction was mostly negative .
together , the new brand system aligns the full boulevard portfolio , lays groundwork for efficient and effective design for future beers , and ensures a cohesive brand identity that drinkers—old and new—recognize as unmistakably boulevard .
southwest boulevard is a remarkable kansas city street–a mess of storage facilities , lumber yards , candy - apple red nightclubs and mexican restaurants serving sunday morning menudo . right before the boulevard crosses under the railroad tracks and enters the crossroads , you’ll find one block of fully intact , turn - of - the century brick warehouses , stepping up and down before sprouting muscular stainless steel tanks and a lone smokestack . this is the home of the boulevard brewing company : tenth largest craft brewery in the u . s . ; largest american - owned brewery in missouri ; and the source of untold thousands of empty bottles in our recycling bins over the years .
boulevard , however , won’t look to add new sizes or styles to its can lineup until 2018 .
the third floor houses boulevard’s offices , two large hospitality rooms and an outdoor terrace overlooking downtown . this venue has generated additional revenue for boulevard by becoming one of kansas city’s most popular small - event spaces .
turn around and go west on 20th street to southwest boulevard . turn left . after one short block , turn left on central and stop . the building on the southeast corner of 21st and central was the depot of pabst brewing co . , constructed in 1911 . it is pictured on page 79 of our book . two additional stories have been added to the south part of the building . it eventually became pendergast distributing company , which was owned by tom pendergast .
the terms of the deal were not disclosed . boulevard said the sale gives it an opportunity to expand more rapidly to keep up with demand for its products . duvel , a family - owned belgian company founded in 1871 , said the purchase will allow it to expand in the united states .
backed by a new owner with fresh capital and plans to bring boulevard brewing co . ' s beers worldwide , the kansas city - based brewery launched an expansion project that will boost the capacity of the operation by 40 percent , to well over 300 , 000 barrels a year .
a bit more about how cellar 1 functions : the project called for eight tanks , each forty feet tall . the existing structure was only fifteen feet in height . the tanks , uniquely designed for flexibility in beer production , required free , regular access to the tops to allow the brewing staff to perform their critical functions safely and efficiently . the upward expansion makes room for the tanks and acts as a light monitor , bringing daylight into the adjacent brewing space below . the perforated screen keeps unwanted heat from affecting the brewing process .
while the end of the government shutdown has been big news , a huge beer story broke yesterday , so we ' ll turn our attention to that . belgium’s duvel moortgat , makers of the famous duvel beer , has acquired boulevard brewing from kansas city , mo . with an estimated value of $ 100 million , boulevard is the most expensive acquisition of a craft brewery in beer history .
we were tapped to work with the boulevard team to strategically refine , redesign and ultimately reignite the brand .
history : the boulevard story began in 1988 when founder john mcdonald started construction of the brewery along kansas city’s historic southwest boulevard . the first batches of beer were produced in 1989 and the first keg of boulevard pale ale was delivered to a restaurant a few blocks away that fall . fifteen years of steady growth later , sales exceeded for more than 100 , 000 barrels per year . in 2006 , a major expansion to the existing brewery raised brewing capacity to nearly 600 , 000 barrels per year .
boulevard currently cans five of its beers — unfiltered wheat , heavy lifting ipa , ginger lemon radler , tropical pale ale and american kolsch — in the 12 oz . format . the company also offers ginger lemon radler in 15 - pack configurations with a suggested retail price of $ 19 . 99 .
as defined by the brewers association , a craft brewer must produce no more than six million barrels a year ( a lower limit was dropped when the boston beer company , maker of samuel adams , exceeded it ) . any ownership stake by a non - craft alcoholic beverage company must be less than 25 percent . otherwise , a brewery cannot be a voting member of the association .
public tours are available seven days a week . this 60 - minute walking tour starts in the tours & rec center and takes guests through the production facility to learn the history , brewing process and business behind boulevard . the tour concludes back in the tours & rec center , where guests 21 and over can sample select boulevard beers . tour tickets are $ 5 each ( free on wednesdays ) .
boulevard engineered , fabricated and installed the process piping for the tanks , overseeing the entire construction process of the building’s inner workings . we constructed the building shell to boulevard’s exact specifications around that labyrinth of tanks and pipes .
turn left on 28th for one - half block to southwest boulevard . turn right and go north on southwest boulevard , past boulevard brewing company , back under the railroad bridge , to summit . turn left on summit and go north one block to cesar e . chavez street . turn left and drive west 6 / 10ths of a mile to wyoming . turn right on wyoming and proceed north 9 / 10ths of a mile to 12th street . turn left on 12th street and proceed straight ahead up the ramp , following it around the curve , and back down . proceed north to central avenue and turn right . drive east on central two blocks to an unmarked street , which is state line and stop .
to top it off , the expansion will afford the company the ability to explore 25 - ounce cans . “we think there might be a future there , ” pauwels says . however , he views this route through a more skeptical lens . asked what he personally sees in that future , pauwels says he doesn’t see anything . it’s more a sign of the company not wanting to be late again .
krum acknowledged that the sale of boulevard would be a disappointment to many people who’ve taken hometown pride in it .
2011 : mcdonald receives annual brewers association recognition award . boulevard expands to pacific northwest , bringing total to 20 states .
boulevard is working with project architect finkle + williams , general contract millerstauch construction and krones ag will supply key equipment .
boulevard’s most popular beers remain its mainstay boulevard pale ale and unfiltered wheat , but its brews have expanded to a wide selection of year - round and seasonal offerings as well as its artisanal smokestack series sold in 750 ml bottles and four packs .
in 2014 , boulevard became part of the duvel moortgat family , a collection of artisanal breweries dedicated to the highest expression of the brewers’ art . boulevard remains committed to its original mission , pushing boundaries and helping to re - define american beer .
this is the second u . s . brewery duvel moortgat has acquired , the first being ommegang brewery from cooperstown , ny back in 2003 , which brews exclusively belgian beer . as with goose island’s acquisition by ab inbev , where some of the brewing shifted to anheuser - busch’s facilities , there is the possibility of expanding brewing of boulevard ' s specialty belgian - inspired smokestack series to ommegang . but boulevard ' s barrel - aged program , featuring favorites like love child , saison - brett and bourbon - barrel quad , is one of the best in the country and isn ' t going anywhere anytime soon . beyond their excellent belgian - inspired brews , boulevard also produces highly drinkable wheat ales and ipas . their popular unfiltered wheat beer is even dispensed in stadiums from backpack - mounted kegs !
the boulevard brand evolved organically over their first 25 years as pioneers in craft brewing . each new beer was packaged with an independently designed label , which became a challenge for both the brewery and for drinkers as the brand grew . as the product family expanded and distribution spread it became difficult to recognize the brand in a crowded market .
earlier this week , the company announced it would break ground on a $ 10 million buildout of a 24 , 000 square foot facility to host a canning line capable of filling 350 12 - ounce cans per minute . to date , the kansas city brewery has outsourced packaging of canned offerings to a number of “sister breweries , ” including firestone walker—also owned by duvel moortgat brewery—and summit brewing in minnesota , the latter of which is unrelated in ownership .
for the first year the brewery produced only draft beer . the small crew worked long hours brewing , kegging , cleaning , and then selling , convincing bar and restaurant owners to put boulevard beers on tap . still , john knew he needed bottles . but there was no money , and bottling lines weren’t cheap . rejected by bank after bank , one institution finally saw promise in his vision and made a loan that enabled boulevard to install a very small , very used bottling line .
next , proceed south to where you can turn right on 21st street . go west one block and turn right on broadway . immediately turn right on southwest boulevard . drive straight for three blocks to the bright green building on your left , at 122 southwest boulevard , and stop . this building housed imperial brewing co . from 1933 to 1938 . this imperial ( there were two in kansas city ) is described on pages 24 and 25 . unfortunately , the building has been extensively remodeled .
don’t forget : to check back in the tasting room often as boulevard will occasionally offer unique samples of brewery - exclusive test beers .
not long ago the scrappy brewery bragged it was missouri’s largest , after beer giant anheuser - busch of st . louis was sold to inbev , another belgian company . now , that title will return to st . louis and craft brewer schlafly beer .
peter desilva , president of umb bank , which financed the growth of boulevard , said he hopes that relationship will continue with the new ownership .
circa 1992 : boulevard expands sales as far north as omaha , neb . , and east to columbia and springfield , and south to wichita .
annual special events : sponsored by boulevard , boulevardia is a unique beer , food and music festival held each june . created in 2014 , this event attracts thousands to the historic west bottoms area for three days of fun and festivities ( and plenty of boulevard brews of course ! ) .
furthermore , boulevard hopes to establish the can as a packaging format conducive to year - round consumption . right now , pauwels says , “they’re very seasonal for us , ” performing best in the spring and summer . meeting that seasonal demand was a driving motivation behind this expansion , he says , but the company also plans to “try everything we can” ( pun intended ? ) to bridge the gap between seasons .
thirsty for more ? join us for an in - depth , two - hour boulevard experience including a brewery tour plus guided food and beer pairings .
mcdonald said the sale to duvel should allow it to accelerate a $ 20 million expansion of its fermentation operation at the plant campus on southwest boulevard .
“we helped put boulevard in business many years ago , and it’s been so fun to watch them grow and their great brand , ” he said .
“this is a project we’ve wanted to do for several years , ” said jeremy ragonese , boulevard’s director of marketing . “the identity wasn’t broken , but we saw an opportunity to enhance it and make it more representative of what boulevard is today . it has been nearly 16 years since we’ve made any significant alterations to our core packaging architecture , and this evolution is a way to both recognize boulevard’s growth and demonstrate our commitment to the brewery’s future . ”
i stopped by here earlier today with my wife for some afternoon drinks . boulevard brewing beer hall wasn ' t originally on our list of places to visit , but whenever we had some free time in kansas city , we decided to go here . the boulevard beer complex is actually quite large and impressive . the factory has a large
boulevard
on their smokestack in case you don ' t know what it is and then some large boulevard brewing signs elsewhere on the building . the beer hall and tour facility is not a part of the factory and instead is in a second building that is nearby . it is here that we spent most of our time and the beer hall is on the second floor . the beer hall itself is quite massive and has everything from a bar to plentiful seating , a photo booth and even foosball and many board games . as i often do whenever i visit a new brewery i decided to go with a flight here and chose to pick my own . i ended up with the hibiscus gose , ginger lemon radler , double dry hopped galaxy ipa ( a test beer ) and the calling double ipa . all of the beers were good and so i didn ' t have a least favorite but the double dry hopped galaxy ipa was my favorite of the bunch as it was bright and juicy . the bottom line for me is that i would head back here again in the future . boulevard brewing has quite a nice space for their beer hall and i enjoyed all of their beers as well .
“our path for growth became abundantly clear as i got to know john and boulevard , ” michel moortgat , ceo of duvel , said in a statement .
this is the largest industry sale since goose island was bought by ab inbev for nearly $ 40 million in 2011 , which is surely going to draw some comparisons , as that was also a case of a belgian group acquiring a u . s . brewery . but there ' s little to worry about regarding matters of quality control — duvel , a family - run company with a 142 - year - old brewing history , is one of the largest and most respected producers of belgian beer , producing about 750 , 000 barrels a year .
“it’s a shame that boulevard is being sold , but hopefully they’ll keep everything the same , ” bondon said . “duvel moortgart makes wonderful but expensive beers . ”
we are sampling some @ boulevard _ beer on this great summer day here @ llywelynspubs central west end . come on out and have a drink with us ! urltoken
it’s the end of an era for the enterprising brewery founded in 1989 on southwest boulevard . in its short history it has become part of the cultural identity of kansas city
go south on southwest boulevard 4 / 10ths of a mile and turn left into the parking lot of margarita ' s . get out of your car and look west . the rather imposing structure across the street and behind some buildings is the front portion of the other imperial brewing co . , which did business at that location from 1901 until 1919 . its chapter begins on page 210 . because of the positioning of the freeway and some of the other buildings , it is hard to get a decent view of the building , but there is one from the east side of southwest boulevard , a block south of ponak ' s restaurant .
“no longer does a light american lager satisfy every beer lover , ” said julia herz , the craft beer program director at the brewers association , the trade group for the craft brewing industry . “light beer sales are down , and the majority of the top 10 brands are losing market share . ”
john mcdonald , who started the iconic brewery in a warehouse at 25th street and southwest boulevard with used equipment , said that at age 60 it was time to find a buyer .
for starters , boulevard plans to extend its canned portfolio by packaging beers that are currently only available in bottles ( pauwels would not divulge which bottle - only brews might be first to see the can treatment ) . currently , the brewery cans five beers : ginger lemon radler ( “the leader , our biggest volume… basically the one that helped us push this decision , ” pauwels says . ) , heavy lifting ipa , american kolsch , tropical pale ale , and the company ' s flagship unfiltered wheat ale .
he said he liked the way his company could mesh with the belgian brewery and the cultural alignment between the two businesses . “i was looking to give up control of my brewery , and to do that , i had to feel really good about the people i would be giving control to , ” mr . mcdonald said .
why it matters it’s not exactly revelatory in 2017 to note that aluminum has done a complete about - face in the craft beer industry . in fact , pauwels concedes boulevard was “a little bit late” with cans , having only debuted them in its portfolio back in 2014 . but despite all that , the can has become hugely important to the company , accounting now for “about 15 % of our business , ” he says . “and it’s growing . it’s one of the fastest growing parts of our different packaging . ”
“i think boulevard has been part of the fabric of kansas city , and it’s not going anywhere . it’s headquartered here and i plan to still enjoy a brew from time to time . ”
we completed the boulevard cellar 1 expansion at the beginning of the summer . we served as both architect and general contractor for the building portion of the project , an exciting addition to el dorado’s
in the daylight hours , driving along southwest boulevard , the perforated screen appears to be solid . the brewery’s inner workings are visible only through the glass of the north - facing curtain wall .
the cellar five expansion included the addition of new beer filtration equipment , an effluent equalization system , a pumping station and wet well that increased the brewery’s capacity for treating wastewater produced during the brewing , fermentation and packaging of beer . wastewater produced by the brewery is treated onsite to control its ph and comply with city requirements .
that’s not to say companies like anheuser busch , molson coors and sabmiller are absent from the fray . the tenth and blake beer company , owned by a joint venture between molson coors and sabmiller , produces blue moon and leinenkugel’s , and the goose island brewery in chicago was bought by anheuser busch , owned by the giant inbev , in 2011 .
in 2014 , boulevard became part of the world - renowned duvel moortgat family of breweries . currently available in more than 35 states , the district of columbia , as well as in belgium , brazil , canada , china , finland , france , netherlands , norway , sweden and the uk , boulevard has plans to increase distribution into more states and additional global distribution in the coming years .
from the west : take i - 35 n to exit 1c toward w pennway street . turn right onto w pennway and then bear right onto southwest boulevard . the brewery is on the left .
continue east on st . louis ave . three more blocks to santa fe street and turn left . go north past 9th street , to 811 santa fe and stop . the building was the office and warehouse for hamm brewing co . from 1910 to 1917 , when they moved to 1323 west 9th street ( no longer standing ) .
it was the summer of 1984 , and john mcdonald was thirsty . on vacation in europe , the future founder of boulevard brewing company wandered into a bar specializing in belgian beers . he tried one , then another and another , amazed by the variety , the aromas , and the flavors . he was hooked . back home , john couldn ' t stop dreaming about those beers . but dreaming was all he could do , because american beers of the time were homogenous and unremarkable . he started homebrewing . he put together a business plan , sold his house to raise money , and set out to find the rest of the resources he would need to start a brewery . it took more than a year and every bit of the money he ' d raised to retrofit the building , find the equipment - including a vintage 35 - barrel bavarian brewhouse - and get everything up and running . finally , in november 1989 , the first keg of boulevard pale ale was ready . john loaded it into the back of his pickup and delivered it to a restaurant just a few blocks away .
in a nod to american creativity , duvel three years ago started a fruit beer made from things like strawberries , raspberries and elderberries . the company wanted to suggest serving it over ice to make it more refreshing , mr . moortgat said , but was worried “that the whole industry would be shouting at us — ‘you can’t put ice cubes in beer . ’ ”
boulevard brewing was a great addition to our trip to kc ! it wasn ' t in our initial plans , but after our flight was delayed 5 hours we squeezed this place right in ! we first planned on taking a tour of the brewery but once we arrived , the next open tour was not for another 2 hours . no worries though . we skipped the tour and headed upstairs to the tasting room . it was a sunday around 11 when we visited and my first reaction was , hot dang this place is packed . we ordered a flight of beer to sample and found a seat . we soon realized that boulevard has bingo every sunday ! and its fo free . we grabbed a couple of bingo cards and played while we drank our flight . it was a blast ! really the icing on the cake . we also ordered two rounds of the pretzel bites . so good . you can choose between beer cheese or mustard to accompany your pretzel bites . we tried each and preferred the cheese . boulevard is also a green company ! when asking for a trash can , one of the employees politely let us know that we can compost our trash and pointed us in the right direction . super rad ! overall great place that you should definitely check out . we can ' t wait to come back and try the tour !
mcdonald said the current management team at boulevard would remain intact . a year ago , the firm hired mike magoulas , a former regional vice president of millercoors , to take over the ceo position from mcdonald .
2012 : boulevard moves into washington d . c . , and also quietly begins selling its smokestack beers in norway , finland and sweden . brewer also ranked 10th - largest craft brewer in u . s .
we began by leading a strategic survey of boulevard’s brand history , equity and identity . with new insight into the brand , we developed a system that simplifies the brand identity while amplifying brand impact and voice . a refined color palette , consistent typographic choices , and a uniform illustration style allows boulevard to consistently stand out while preserving the down - to - earth , humble wit and light - hearted personality of the brand .
to get an idea of how steep this bluff is you might want to drive west three blocks to delaware street and walk down the brick street towards the river . we do not recommend walking beyond the gate in the fence . the beautiful building at what would be 304 delaware was once the depot of george wiedemann brewing co . of newport , kentucky .
jack bondon , the owner of the berbiglia liquor - store chain , was surprised by the sale and wondered whether if that meant changes ahead . he knew mcdonald when he worked as a carpenter before starting boulevard .
from the north : take i - 35 south to exit 1d . turn right on w 20 th street then turn left on summit street . turn right onto southwest boulevard and the brewery is on the left .
the acquisition of boulevard will give duvel , pronounced doo - vel , ownership of a large united states craft brewer that is well known in the midwest and produces a wide variety of beers under its own name and others . boulevard’s brands range from 80 - acre hoppy wheat beer , described as citrusy with a slightly sweet flavor and light bitterness , to dark truth stout , an “inky” beer with hints of chocolate , coffee and fruits .
the buildings to your left , on both sides of oak between 3rd and 5th street , were the george muehlebach brewing co . , whose chapter begins on page 36 . unfortunately , the brewhouse , which was on the southwest corner of 3rd & oak , has been torn down . check out the pictures on pages 47 and 50 - 1 to help you get oriented .
however , for those of you that are in the mood for a little more adventure , check out the following : a building occupied by frank j . quigg brewery from 1913 to 1915 is located at 1700 madison ( five blocks west of broadway ) . a building occupied by lion brewing and bottling co . in 1903 is located at 2940 fairmont ( one block east of southwest boulevard ) . a faded sign advertising heim beer can be seen on the sign of a building on gillis ( four blocks east of cherry ) , just south of missouri avenue ( one block south of 5th street ) .
get straight to the sampling at the beer hall , open seven days a week . featuring a rotating lineup of brews available in full pours , tasters and flights—perfect for sampling a wide variety of boulevard’s offerings , including test flavors .
the expansion will do more than satisfy boulevard’s growing canned needs , too . pauwels says the goal is to make the equipment available to its duvel - owned sibling breweries firestone walker and ommegang , depending on their respective needs and capacities .
mcdonald said boulevard’s marketing arrangements with sporting kansas city at its stadium sporting park and the kansas city royals at kauffman stadium also would remain unchanged . the firm will continue to be involved with its ripple glass recycling program and other local commitments .
boulevard , the 12th - largest craft brewer in the united states , has distribution approaching 180 , 000 barrels this year . the acquisition will give it access to wider distribution in the domestic market and an avenue into international markets using duvel’s worldwide system .
choose from a wide selection of top quality apparel , barware , and all things boulevard ! please note : some items sold at our tours & rec center gift shop such as beer , neon signs and tin tackers are not available for online purchase .
back in 1984 , one of the beers that so captivated john’s imagination was duvel , among the most famous and iconic beers of all time . so when john was approached by michel moortgat , president and fourth generation leader of duvel moortgat , he listened . in 2014 , boulevard became part of the duvel moortgat family , a collection of artisanal breweries dedicated to the highest expression of the brewers’ art . boulevard remains committed to its original mission , pushing boundaries and helping to re - define american beer .
“this is the accumulation of all of our collective knowledge that we’ve gained over the last 25 years in the industry , ” boulevard’s director of engineering mike utz told the kansas city business journal . “it’s state of the art , flexible and efficient . ”
when you are finished in this area , proceed south to 20th street and drive east ( turn left ) to mcgee and stop . at 215 east 20th street sits the beautifully restored depot of wm . j . lemp brewing co . of st . louis , built in 1895 . this building is now the home of the mckay , bell and byerely law firm . the chapter on the lemp brewery begins on page 194 .
i would have kicked myself if i didn ' t make time to visit boulevard brewing . it was one of the many things on my kansas city
bucket list
in my short three days there . after getting some work done at a coffeeshop , i decided to spend a few hours here before my flight home . for a monday , i was surprised the brewery was open and that there were a decent amount of people here . that ' s kansas city , i guess ! i wanted to come earlier , but boulevard closes relatively early at 8pm . my events ended after than that . this place is massive . it seems like there ' s two main buildings in the area , and i went to the one that has tours . actually i ' m not sure what the difference is . this one also had a gift shop . there ' s a ton of seating inside and outside . it makes me wonder how crowded it gets during peak hours . i ordered a flight of mostly ipas , then later got the pretzel bites with beer cheese as a snack . both were so good ! the bartender was helpful when it came to choosing beers for the flight , though i ' m sure he was annoyed at my indecisiveness . i found a seat near a coat hook and electrical outlet so i could answer emails while enjoying my mini meal . later i migrated to the outdoor patio to cool down in the beautiful , breezy weather . this was the kind of atmosphere that made me want to stay in kansas city a little longer . next time i will and definitely come back to boulevard brewing !
he said duvel would continue to invest in boulevard . “one of the things we have come to realize is that american craft brewers are more creative , more daring than we are in europe , and we don’t want to change that , ” he said .


kendama ( けん玉 , also written as 剣玉 and 拳玉 ) ( ( also known as duce ball ) ) is a traditional japanese toy .

the ken has three cups and a spike which fits into the hole in the ball .

kendama bears similarities to the classic cup-and-ball game , and the hispanic world toy known as boliche or balero .

the principle of these toys are the same : catching one object with another , where both are joined by a string .

however the modern kendama style takes influences from a diverse range of skills including yo-yo , diabolo , juggling and dance .

kendama

krom kendama - aura kendama cz shop is pleased to welcome krom kendma to our kendama cz shop .
we sell japan kendama associaton officailly certified competetion type kendama “ozora”in our manufacturers store . official kendama “ozora” are also sold by the japan kendama association .
kendama that are officially certified by the japan kendama association are “official kendama” . officially certified kendama have various grades and are eligible for use at all competitions in japan . yamagata koubou is the designated manufacturer selected by the japan kendama association .
hatsukaichi city became the birthplace of the kendama after it was selected as a kendama manufacturing area .
the japan kendama association holds kendama competitions and provides certificate tests from level 1 to level 10 .
we do have some of the best kendama players worldwide in our kendama europe - pro team .
aura kendama cz shop thanks krom kendama for all the help they provided so far and we hope to be supplying krom kendama for the future .
gloken ' s mission is to build relationships among kendama players and make kendama popular around the world .
european kendama open 2016 - amsterdam - almere , netherlands irish kendama open april 9th british kendama open april 30th - may1st prague winter battle feb 20th bath jam feb 20th british kendama open 2015 - may , west london . eko / kendama camp 2015 , leeds , august
the title of this edit should be : this is kendama . * yourname * kendama usa pro contest round 2
[ . . . ] kendama usa posted these amazing videos of a japanese robot playing kendama . [ . . . ]
peter lives in berlin where he pushes kendama in skate halls and further . he just became german kendama champion in 2014 .
kendama usa was registered as a business in 2008 , and it soon became the leading kendama manufacturer in north america . other manufacturers have since emerged , including sweets kendamas and kendama co . in the united states , copenhagen - based krom kendama and amsterdam - based sunrise kendama . these companies often employ professional kendama players as consultants to help promote their products . sander , for example , works closely with kendama usa in this capacity .
round 2 : try other 5 tricks in 180 seconds . use one kendama . you can use different kendama from round 1 .
the classic wacky kendama is the mega kendama . some of these things are too big to actually play , and are limited to appearances at kendama championships . but on the smaller end of the scale , iwata mokko , maker of the discontinued mugen jka kendama , has made scaled up but playable versions of the jka kendama design ( sans jka sticker ) .
dave is one of the most innovative and creative kendama players in the game . the way he combines both dancing and kendama is completely mind blowing !
it has been our vision to work with krom kendama and to bring to the kendama players an outlet to enrich their collection with this finely tuned product . aura kendama cz has worked closely with krom kendama to bring the newest products to the aura kendama cz shop as soon as possible in order to give the players the opportunaty to get the stock at the earliest possibility .
kendama france est le premier site d ' information et de vente en ligne de kendamas en france . rejoignez - nous et partagez l ' amour du kendama
kendama boom has brought a fresh wind to the kendama producing area , tohoku . from there , with a bigger scale , it is spreading once again .
these days , kendama has made inroads into the domestic fashion industry , too .
a kendama learning robot based on bi - directional theory . - pubmed - ncbi
the kendama is not allowed to have more than one spike and three cups .
spanish kendama champion 2010 , 2012 , 2014 - 16 depth perception is overrated .
app to visualize proficiency levels for kendama world cup tricks . - kendama world cup 2014 - 2018 - you can create a new sheet according to the purpose .
kendama usa is thrilled to host the 2013 dama fest on may 11 , 2013 in atlanta ga . dama fest is a unique kendama event with high level players from across north america , japan , and europe all under 1 roof . it’s a great opportunity to meet your favorite kendama pros face to face , see brand new unreleased kendama products , and jam with some of the icons in the kendama world .
in fact , kendama usa has asked tosta to be a part of our country’s representation at the kendama world cup , july 23 and 24 in hatsukaichi , japan .
- kendama world cup 2017 trick list - kendama world cup 2014 - 2016 trick list , also . - you can create a new sheet according to the purpose .
during the golden week , with the theme of “having as many people as possible get a glimpse of kendama” an event was held in different places in tokyo . from young to elderly , many people participated and the event ended in a success . kendama tohoku brought a wind of kendama back to tohoku and merged with the kendama boom that the young has made , making a kendama even a bigger culture ever before .
now kendama is becoming popular outside of japan too . around 2010 , kendama seems to have caught on with street kids in america . young people in their teens and 20s came back from japan with kendama and started to upload videos of themselves perfecting various kendama techniques set to music . also , from around 2013 the kendama style that had become popular abroad began to be imported back into japan , especially in the trend - sensitive harajuku , and kendama is really booming inside japan too as a fresh game .
there is a monument to commemorate the birthplace of the kendama near hatsukaichi city hall .
matsunaga , a kendama player for more than 30 years , says the association has also been active in spreading kendama abroad , holding ranking tests in hawaii and other places .
don’t change or move the kendama’s string position with your free hand during the play .
kendama attack interviews joris schweppe after the vol 2 competition in rome . joris talks about the european kendama community , his love for the game and how he got started .
on august , 1918 , hamaji egusa in kure city created kendama in its current form .
classic - kendama usa - $ 14 . 99 a perfect choice for the player who is looking for an affordable kendama , but isn ' t willing to sacrifice build & playability .
– the use of detachable attachment ( accessory ) to kendama is not allowed .
gravity : big cup , swing kendama over head while keeping the ball in the cup .
he only wins . inventer of the new school performance style . full time kendama performer .
we are excited and honored to announce tj kolesnik as the newest 2016 kendama usa pro ! tj is an embodiment of dedication to kendama . his passion and work ethic can be seen in his progression from a player to a pillar in the kendama community . tj has been part of the kendama community for several years . he began his kendama journey back in 2010 while he was in his junior year of high school . for years , he has continued to hone not only his kendama play and steeze but his skills in videography . he’s helped us share great moments and memories with the community and continues to host kendama events around the globe .
kendama ( けん玉 ? , also written as 剣玉 and 拳玉 ) is a traditional japanese toy .
people like them are rare though , and hong kong doesn’t have a kendama scene like the us just yet , but more and more players are following in chan’s footsteps and taking kendama seriously .
wenatchee kendama team co founder 2010 , maker of count me in ! and where we are .
photo jacqueline ramseyer / bay area news group / april 23 , 2015caylie morrison , 7 , shows off her kendama skills inside her dad jason ' s newly opened kendama syndicate store in san jose .
“by involving many cities and focusing on culture , an interesting “chemical reaction occurred , which was the result of kendama . ” takuya hasegawa , the manager of “fukko department” recalled the kendama tohoku project .
totally wish i could go to this or any kendama event . i always work . . . i would have been given a free ticket to camp kendama too if it hadnt been for work .
photo jacqueline ramseyer / bay area news group / april 23 , 2015jason morrison is the owner of the newly opened kendama syndicate , selling all things kendama , located at 6055 meridan avenue , san jose .
we are honored , humbled , and excited to announce dave mateo as the newest member of the kendama usa pro team . dave brings a unique flow , energy , and style to the world of kendama . dave’s raw talent , passion , and dedication continues to be an inspiration to countless kendama players around the globe . he has been a leading force for developing strong grassroots kendama scenes , most notably in sacramento and las vegas . he has also spearheaded multiple community projects , including the national kendama retreat .
lau chun - ho ( left ) and chan chung - yin admit they’re totally addicted to kendama .
various tricks require that the kendama be held in different ways . the major grips are as follows :
in july 2014 , the “kendama world cup” was held in hatsukaichi city , hiroshima , which is known as the birthplace of kendama where mass - production of kendama began in about 1921 , and players gathered from ten countries . the venue was filled with great excitement , with the top players competing with each other in performances with splendid techniques and a kendama class being held , in which general visitors could participate .
yamagata koubou prides itself in producing authentic kendama made by skilled japanese artisan and their professional craftsmanship . our kendama are used in the official competitions . in order for the players to perform a variety of thchniques at these competitions , we maintain a high standard for the quality and precision of every kendama we produce .
japan kendama association chairman yoshiki matsunaga says kendama used to be played at drinking sessions by adults before ultimately being used as an educational toy by the end of the 19th century . hiroshima’s hamaji egusa registered a patent for the contemporary - shaped kendama in 1919 , which he called nichigetsu ball ( sun moon ball ) .
kendama was introduced to japan at the end of the edo period as a drinking game played at parties .
all the people who were involved in kendama tohoku said . the power that the culture possesses is great .
acrobatic : put ball on spike then swing , catch kendama in the air then land on base cup .
※if the kendama ' s body or shape is altered , such as an accessories , we might ask you to take it off , but if it is fixed or embedded onto the kendama , it is okay .
dama dice gives slayers a new way to enjoy games of ken . the dama dice app , available on ios , gives you a random kendama trick in easy , medium , and hard difficulty modes . it also helps you learn about new kendama tricks with the integrated kendama tricktionary . just tap on one of the dice , and you can read about how it’s done or view tutorial videos from the best kendama pros in the community .
kendama was re - born as a children’s game after the ministry of education introduced it as “cup and ball” .
kendama has enjoyed recent popularity because players can enjoy trying various techniques as well as testing their power of concentration .
if you play with a kendama , this is the place for you . ranging from everything from videos , reviews , tricks , to selling used damas . if it ' s related to a kendama , post it here !
in 2012 krom kendama was born to fulfill the vision of producing the most high quality kendamas in the world . since then the company and global kendama community has grown and allowed krom to spread and travel the entire world .
held on sept . 13 , catch & flow was the first freestyle kendama tournament to be organized in japan .
“the foreigners in the industry respect its japanese background and their kendama initially started out as a copy of those made here , ” komoto says . “now , however , they are branching out and making unique kinds of kendama . ”
for more than 25 years , matsunaga has been holding a saturday kendama class in hino , tokyo . held at a public facility , about 20 students , from elementary school age to retired people , gather to master the various kendama techniques . each kendama class begins with a bow and silence prevails when the students are performing and perfecting their moves .
outside of the realm of jka kendama , toy kendamas and folkcraft kendamas , there have been many wacky kendamas made .
you can get up to three kendamas passed per player via the dama - check” for the kendama world cup 2016 .
zero gravity : spike the ball and spike the whole kendama around your finger as the ball is still on spike .
living in the beautiful region - la reunion – david makes some of the most beautiful , high skilled kendama movies .
figi rocks play kendama so much that he got his own pro - model with catnip smell and fish - graphics .
the kendama is a unique and expressive toy . it was born in japan as a drinking game but dates back to the aztecs , the iniuits , and the french nobility of the 1600s . the kendama develops hand - eye coordination and perseverance and is fun and easy to learn . new tricks are constantly being invented by the creativity of players worldwide . the global kendama community continues to grow and players from all over the world are experiencing what kendama has to offer .
so lets get round 2 started ! ! we feel that a pro should be able to represent kendama on a variety of levels , and we want to see how you would choose to present kendama to the world in a single edit .
win a copy of the new book
spike ! mastering the kendama
, plus some original artwork by donald grant .
people in the united states first started to see kendama a little differently around 2006 . one of the first advocates is believed to be colin sander , a freelance filmmaker who stumbled across video footage of skiers in hokkaido playing kendama during a storm .
“i have to admit , it’s tough for us old folks to sit in that noise for three hours , ” matsunaga says with a laugh . “kendama is a traditional part of japanese culture and that’s why we call it kendama - do , or the way of kendama . at our competitions , we ask everyone to be quiet so that the players can concentrate . ”
when i complimented him on his skills , he informed me that he was practicing kendama , a traditional game from japan .
highlight video of minnesota kendama open , hosted by sweets kendamas at mall of america . filmed and edited by : ben steine
the kendama is made up of the “ken” ( handle ) and the “tama” ( ball ) , which is connected by a string . the kendama tricks are done by variations of juggling the ball in the 3 cups , spiking the ball with the ken spike , and balancing both in new creative ways . mastering the kendama takes practice , focus , patience , and creativity .
“it’s one of those things where his friends stopped playing kendama , but he kept playing and kept playing and he’s got pretty good , ” seth said . “he’s put in hours and hours into it and always is playing ( a kendama ) . ”
a japanese student learning lathe techniques in shop class made this kendama out of iron rods . he did it as a learning experience over the course of a six - month class . he warns that this kendama cannot actually be used without serious risk of injury , as anyone who has almost broken a tooth or fractured a wrist learning the furiken with a wooden kendama can imagine .
sander shot a few videos of himself playing kendama and posted them on youtube . it didn’t take long for word to spread .
chan has been honing his kendama skills ever since he discovered it . he has won several competitions , including the first ever competition in hong kong in 2006 and an international video competition with another player in 2007 . the 26 - year - old now works as a tour guide , but he founded pak fuk kendama in fanling , where he sells kendama products and coaches new players .
there are other grip variations and even ways of holding the kendama by the string , used in more exotic or advanced tricks .
kendama is steadily growing as a sport . the us has a team of professional players , and even pak fuk kendama in hong kongsponsors seven players , meaning those players get free kendamas and coaching . sunny wong , a bartender who helps smore chan run pak fuk kendama , says there are around 200 enthusiasts in hong kong who practise every day , and that it is a serious discipline .
the kendama has arrived in kl . the traditional japanese toy is made up of the ‘ken’ ( handle ) and the ‘tama’ ( ball ) , which are connected by a string ; kendama enthusiasts then do tricks which take influence from dance , juggling and even the yo - yo . you can join the kendama club ( no , really , kendama culture , apart from being a webstore , is also ‘a collective of creative people’ in the city who enjoy the toy ) , but first you’d need a kendama . choose from different colours or themes ; the webstore recently rolled out the ‘malaysian breakfast’ series , which is inspired by nasi lemak and teh tarik . urltoken
sakura classic this year was bigger than ever , with an amazing first place prize for the amateur bracket – an all expenses paid trip to the 2016 kendama world cup in japan ! not only did we have members from gloken fly all the way out to the event from japan , but we had the world’s best kendama performing duo , zoomadanke , show some of their most impressive kendama play ever .
this year will be the third year for the kendama world cup , considered to be the super bowl of all kendama competitions . tosta and his teammates will compete individually against others from literally all over the world . the top prize will be $ 5 , 000 .
dendama ver . 2 : “gummy” series dendama is a modern innovation in kendama . it connects to your phone and allo [ … ]
but a more serious form of kendama play is overseen by the small staff of the japan kendama association ( 日本けん玉協会 ) , founded by author and kendama enthusiast issei fujiwara in 1975 and reorganized as a nonprofit association in 2002 . headquartered in cramped offices a few blocks from the grounds of the imperial palace in tokyo , the jka sets the technical specifications for licensed competitive kendamas , establishes rules and regulations , organizes competitions ( mostly for children ) , awards kyu and dan level rankings to kendama “athletes , ” much as in the martial arts world , and works with the ministry of education , culture , sports , science and technology in preserving the kendama as a piece of japanese traditional culture .
you can use any regular - sized kendama ( the ken can not be any taller than 17 cm / 6 . 7 inches ) .
kendama anything and everything . videos , reviews , pictures , custom damas . if it ' s related , let ' s see it !
having asian roots , nic started to play kendama at the very beginning . he is also famous as great inline skater in the scene .
established in 1975 , the japan kendama association has been involved in spreading the culture for almost 40 years . the organization has set up unified rules for kendama and has its own ranking system . toys used for official championships and ranking tests must also be approved by the japan kendama association . matsunaga says none of the toys produced by foreign manufacturers have been officially approved , although a few have been categorized as “recommended . ”
about 10 years ago , some people in western countries started using kendama in performances . the trigger for the kendama boom was when a young guy from the u . s . took a japanese kendama back home and posted a video of his performance on the internet . his performance of one technique after another in time with music attracted attention from all over the world , including young people in japan . now , there is a new kendama boom as performances or as a sport , with young people in street fashion performing acrobatic techniques in parks or on wide streets .
in recent years , kendama has become a craze , mainly amonst young people , but several older folks have played with the strangely - shaped wooden dowel with a round ball attached via a short rope . in fact , a couple of tosta’s kendama usa teammates are in their 30’s .
chan says his group performs and hosts workshops at schools and universities . he says his next goal is to organise parent - child kendama classes .
but , the soon - to - be seventh grader at joseph kerr middle school is also one of the best kendama players in the country .
we love that the kendama is a simple , productive , interactive toy that strengthens mental and physical skills while you play . in today’s world of toys bombarded with flashy lights , computers , and mainstream entertainment , the kendama stands out with its simple design and creative new ways to have fun .
“i was at a music festival and i saw one guy playing kendama . it looked really cool , ” may says . “i liked the look and aesthetics of kendama . i’ve been skateboarding and bmx riding , and i can see some similarities . i just wanted to join the fun . ”
since day one , dave has been extremely generous and selfless in his approach to enrich and spread kendama culture . his passion for kendama is undeniable , and his signature style is unmistakable . dave has been a key part of kendama usa for several years now , helping both publicly and behind the scenes . he continues to challenge his own limits and is committed to pushing others toward their dreams . we’ve been truly blessed to have dave as part of our family , and we’re excited for this next chapter to unfold . please join us in welcoming dave mateo to the kendama usa pro team .
in november 2012 the kendama usa pro team traveled to japan to explore kendama ' s roots , players , and experience the homeland of this game that has changed all of our lives . this is the full length edit of our travels and tricks . edited by colin sander . learn more at urltoken
“as kendama becomes bigger , it’s becoming more of a possibility to live off kendama and make it your profession . some people that i know are doing that and it’s incredible . right now though , it is kind of hard to make your living from competing . you would need another job . ”
the all girls kendama event 2017 was the first of its kind . a series of contests for women , all hosted by female players in the scene , in three different countries . kendamausa’s tribute member haley bishoff teamed up with some a few other kendama players in the community to create an incredible event !
young post , a junior reporter club recently wrote an article about the expanding kendama scene in hong kong . this amazing article covers some very important topics regarding education with kendama and the ability to build a community around it . alex , zack , and jake are all mentioned in the article as well .
in 2014 , two companies from japan , it company yahoo ! japan and the apparel company beams , collaborated and started a tohoku rebuilding project through kendama . the project’s name is kendama tohoku , and specialists from various fields were gathered ; creators from tokyo chosen by the beams creation laboratory , which keeps the company policy of playfulness and a sense of humor , a sewing studio and a dye house from the disaster - stricken area , and the japan’s largest kendama factory in yamagata . new and stylish kendamas that were never designed before and kendama related goods were created here and sold on the yahoo ! website .
4 - if kendama touches hand or clothes , and you keep going , trick will be judged as
failed
and you will lose 200 points .
we can’t wait to see the entries . have fun making your edits , and prove to us why you’re going to be the next kendama usa pro .
currently , kendama competitions and events are held all over the world and a lot of players have been active globally spanning countries and regions over the nationality .
many sponsored players that attended the event showed up with some fantastic giveaways . one of which was one of a kind rez kendama that went to charity cristobal .
“i have played ( kendama ) for five years and even today while practicing for this tournament , i came up with 10 new tricks , ” eldridge says .
kendama are available in a specialized shop in hatsukaichi city , as well as department stores and toy shops throughout japan . their prices start from about 1 , 500 yen . if you visit japan , why don’t you purchase an authentic kendama and practice playing with it while watching videos , so that you can perform advanced techniques ?
on sept . 13 , dozens of kendama players showed off their skills at first installment of the kendama world championship . related story on our website : urltoken subscribe to our youtube channel : urltoken visit our website : urltoken like us on facebook : urltoken follow us on twitter : urltoken learn about japan times digital subscriptions : urltoken
nobuaki komoto , owner of decade , an apparel shop for skateboarders and bmx riders in tokyo’s trendy harajuku district , started selling domestic and foreign kendama two years ago .
rows of colorful kendama sit on display at decade . some of these were made by domestic companies , but many were actually imported from europe and the united states .
“traditional kendama culture has come back to japan in a completely different form , ” says shimpei kimura , digital producer at ultrasupernew gallery . “players now take on a completely new approach . some people didn’t know what to make of it , so we asked the question ‘what is kendama ? ’ and let the artists express themselves . ”
although the ainu in japan are thought to have developed a bilbouquet style toy , the kendama probably traces back to the introduction of the bilboquet from europe at the end of the 18th century . in the early 20th century the japanese kendama had acquired the two additional side cups and was called a nichigatsu ball ( 日月ボール ) . in 1919 hamaji egusa of hiroshima successfully registered a sort of early japanese style patent for the device . at this point the basic form of the kendama was essentially fixed .
finger spin : catch ball on big cup and spin the whole kendama in a 360 on your middle finger as its placed on the bottom of the small cup .
kendama usa , the biggest manufacturer of kendamas in this country . , discovered logan and is now sponsoring him in competitions on what is known as the “tribe” team .
this year’s event brought players from across canada , the us , and japan to the terra workshop . turner thorne , haley bishoff , and i were the repping kendama usa , and it was awesome having teammates in town ! we spent a lot of time seeing sights , eating good food , and jamming kendama around the city .
danish kendama player thorkild may recently took home the red bull catch & flow championship in tokyo japan . check out all the madness in the video recap down below !
eldridge’s style of kendama resembles dancing . he moves his entire body — occasionally even jumping over the strings — rather than concentrating on the hand that’s guiding the toy .
“spreading kendama throughout the world is a part of our mission , and so the recent boom in popularity certainly helps us to achieve that , ” matsunaga says . “at the same time , however , such modern competitions operate on a very different level . i think kendama is evolving — it just shows how full of possibility it is . ”
the kendama has a split personality in japan . on the one hand inexpensive kendama toys of varying designs are common and most families have one laying around somewhere . most japanese children have a bit of experience in playing with them , but are not particularly skilled . game machines or other more modern entertainment now hold the attention of japanese children .
the 4th annual kendama world cup took place in none other than hatsukaichi ; the birthplace of kendama . this year was even greater than the last and seeing more and more players from across the globe shows how kendama is spreading . there are so many connections that are made through kendama and friends seeing each other for the first time or linking back up at the airport and venue is always a warm welcome . the first day is always arduous as the full list of registered players which is always over 100 , is whittled down to 35 top finalists which will compete in the next day’s championship round where one winner will be crowned the 2017 champion . let’s take a look at what all went down…
the kendama , a departure from the electronic devices that seem glued to many kids’ hands , is a wooden toy that is putting old - fashioned fun back in the game .
the eko has always been the place for all the og kendama players from europe to come together . this year it was held at the european juggling convention , one of the biggest juggle events in the world . it is super cool to see how kendama take’s its own place in such big event with mainly just jugglers . it’s truly awesome ! !
have you heard of a toy called kendama ? a kendama is a toy made up of a cross - shaped sword ( ken ) , and an open hole for the ball ( tama ) . stabbing the ball with the pointy bit of the sword and getting the ball in the hole - it’s difficult , but that’s why it’s so much fun .
thumping beats from the dj helped liven up the carnival atmosphere . it was a moment like this that first attracted eldridge’s krom kendama teammate , thorkild may , to the sport .
“the great thing about kendama is that it is something that everyone can enjoy , regardless of age , gender or nationality , ” kubota says . “the important thing from here is to make sure that this diversity is maintained in the kendama community — to protect the different opinions , the different ways of thinking and various types of products that have been created . ”
zack yourd , a professional player for the us team and recent college graduate , wants to develop a curriculum to introduce it to schools in the us . the 22 - year - old started playing with the kendama around eight years ago and he says whenever people ask him what the kendama is , he’ll show them a few tricks and they are always impressed .
tosta to represent kendama usa at world cup . by john hull – citizen sports editor published : friday , july 8 , 2016 10 : 47 am pdt elk grove citizen – news
“it would be funny to watch me as compared to logan and his friends with the kendama , ” he laughed . “it’s comparing a world - class player to a novice . ”
the tip of the ken is called the spike or point ( けん先 kensaki ) . the ridge around the handle of the ken is called the slip stop ( すべり止め suberidome ) . the base of the ken is the center cup ( 中皿 chuuzara ) . between the center cup and the slip stop is the jka seal , indicating authorization and certification by the jka as a competitive kendama ( 日本けん玉協会公認シール nihon kendama kyokai kounin shiiru ) . for each model of kendama the jka selects a distintive colors in which to print the center portion of its seal .
given the speed with which kendama is spreading worldwide , global kendamas network’s kubota feels this is the last chance for japan to join the party if it wishes to avoid being left behind .
ken flip : catch ball on cup , flip kendama in mid - air , and catch ball on any cup , spike , bird etc . ( you can use only one hand )
haley bishoff described the event as “an incredible day for the progression of female kendama . the event was put on by all girls and the winner of the open division was a young female who actually won the beginner bracket at last years’ lets dama . seeing how female kendama has evolved makes me psyched as ever and i’m very happy i can be apart of it . ”
at the end of the summer , the terra kendama workshop celebrated one year of being open in vancouver , after moving to the coast from edmonton last spring . the ‘van jam 2′ is an event that celebrates the core of what kendama is : having fun while hanging out with friends , learning some new tricks , and maybe a little bit of competition on the side .
this year we are offering a $ 1000 top prize , and have some unbelievable prizes and raffles . this is the kendama event of 2013 you do not want to miss ! ! !
the very first czech kendama open will take place as a part of prague juggling marathon 2010 which will take place at tj skokol žižkov , koněvova 19 , prague 3 at 13th of november . contact
according to reigning european freestyle champion eldridge , who has traveled around the world more than eight times in the past 18 months , the charm of this new style of kendama lies in its flexibility .
may’s performance in september was enough to give him the catch & flow trophy for 2014 . using a special kendama that had been given to him on his birthday , he blew the competition away .
wing tang kin - wing , 16 , is also one of the pak fuk kendama players . he started playing two years ago , and back in mid - december , he entered the tka kendama contest in taiwanand beat all the other players from japan , korea , and taiwan to win the timed contest , where the players try to do as many difficult tricks as they can within two minutes .
kendama has been around for centuries . it’s origination is in japan . kendama is a toy , generally made from wood , with a main body , “ken” , a spike on the top , “kensaki” , a large cup on one side of the ken , “osara” , a smaller cup on the opposite side , “kozara” and it has a short string , “ito” , with a small ball , “tama , ” attached . when playing with a kendama the object is to do a series of tricks such as swinging the ball in the air and having it land on the spike or one of the cups .
when he realized that the paint frequently chipped , morrison set out to learn how a better kendama could be made and decided to make a living out of selling high - end versions of the toy .
almost every child that has grown up in japan has seen a kendama , a wooden traditional japanese toy consisting of a ken ( sword ) and tama ( ball ) connected by a length of string .
toys similar to kendama can be found all over the world , but the game is believed to have developed from france’s bilboquet . according to the japan kendama association , bilboquet can be traced back to the 16th century and was even played by king henry iii . the toy made its way to nagasaki around the late 18th century , as that was the only port open to foreign trade at the time .
japanese robotics developer maxis shinto ' s robotic arm playing kendama ( cup - and - ball game ) to show its magnificent level of precision . please like and subscribe . facebook : urltoken instagram : urltoken
the countdown to mko 2018 has started ! sweets kendamas is so proud to be hosting the 6th annual minnesota kendama open , the largest kendama competition in north america . mko will be october 26 , 27 and 28 at 2 venues , the first 2 days will be held at the double tree bloomington & south minneapolis , and the last day , the finals , will be held at the mall of america rotunda .
“when i was asked to join the project , i said on the spot , ‘it sounds interesting , i will accept , ’” said nobuaki komoto who is one of the members of the kendama tohoku project .
but denso robots are not only this , they are much more , and they have fun also : like vs050 robot you can see in the following video , which has been expertly programmed for playing kendama .
to encourage such performances , the tournament almost ripped up the rulebook . restrictions were placed on the size of the kendama and the length of the string , but players were given relative freedom on anything else .
the tokyo event was once again , such a success with 100 attendees and 39 competitors , making this the largest all girls kendama event , ever ! this year’s event was the second all girls kendama event in japan . in 2015 , haley and yuka hosted another event in osaka , japan . but this year’s event was so much bigger with a way higher skill level . huge congratulations to all the competitors and winners .
matsunaga , 62 , attended a vibrant freestyle kendama competition in tokyo’s shinjuku district in september called catch & flow . the atmosphere was electric , with booming music providing a noisy backdrop for the fanciful moves on stage .
the jka holds a number of japanese patents on the shape and construction of its approved , official kendamas . the jka occasionally makes insignificant changes in its specifications , presumably to stay one step ahead of expiring patents . the only currently valid patent on the competition kendama is a patent on the idea of offsetting the string hole slightly to the left of center ( or right of center on the left - hand string hole ) for the purpose of imparting somewhat better balance when holding the kendama . however , no current kendamas seems to to incorporate this feature . the current kendama model is called the jka16 - 2 , replacing the earlier jka16 .
logan’s father , seth , says his son has been a kendama player since he was in third grade and now it is not unusual for him to be practicing all his tricks six to eight hours a day .
danny mason is running a fundraiser kendama tournament on saturday april 16th in canton georgia . the event will run from 2 - 6pm at moe ' s southwest grill , 135 reinhardt college parkway , canton , ga 30114 .
van jam 3 has come and gone . for the 3 rd year in a row , the lovely folks at terra kendama put on an amazing event with some amazing players that came in from all around the world .
the toys have made their way into the art scene as well . an exhibition titled “around the world — what the dama ? ” features 75 domestic and foreign artists from a variety of backgrounds — illustrators , kimono designers and graffiti writers — who were all given the same kendama and were told to use it as they see fit . the project resulted in a dynamic selection of kendama that produced all sorts of shapes , colors and sizes .
the origin of the game is disputed : some say it is a variant of a french ball and cup toy called a bilboquet , but most agree that the japanese kendama dates back to the late 1600s or early 1700s .
“i like that kendama can open your mind to new ways of thinking , ” sander said . “whether it be other sports or just life … the detailed nature of kendama moves increases your perception in general . i think a big part of the game’s growth had to do with the fact that it is so analog and we were entering a very digital - heavy era . people responded well to the low - tech nature of the game . ”
we are so proud to announce that nobu nori is the newest member added to our tribe team . nobu is our first japanese team member and has always impressed us with his incredible kendama play , style , and positivity .
“i was playing like crazy and even when i left for dinner , i was still playing with it . i didn’t want to give it back . i had to give in and buy a kendama of my own . ”
the strings can be any length over 38 centimeters ( 35 for youth ) , but the longer the string , the more difficult it is to perform tricks , so most kendama athletes use strings from 39 to 42 centimeters .
bonz atron is a 21 - year - old living a glamorous double life : when he ' s not the receptionist for a log cabin complex outside boulder , colorado , he ' s a superstar kendama player in japan .
“when you learn a trick , it opens a new world of kendama , ” he says . “then you can start expanding your trick list and do different stuff . that way , everyone can develop their own style . ”
“people didn’t think much of kendama in the past other than that it was an uncool children’s toy . i used to get frustrated because people teased me for playing kendama in college , ” said tamotsu kubota , head of global kendamas network , which was established in 2012 to promote the game worldwide . “it was then that i knew i wanted to change the image of the game so that others would see how cool and amazing it really is . ”
this year marked the 30th anniversary of japanfest atlanta . kendama usa had the pleasure of participating in the event for the 3rd year in a row . going to japanfest is always an amazing time for us to experience the culture from which our favorite toy comes originates . it also allows us to meet new people and get them excited to try out kendama . there is so much to do at japanfest from drum shows , sumo matches , kabuki shows , and even eating some amazing authentic japanese food . it also provides the opportunity to pick up merchandise from your favorite animes while getting to know new people and trying new things . this year , jake kopanski and ryan plourd were holding it down for kusa , putting on 2 shows and a workshop to teach kendama to everyone who was interested . it was great teaching new people how magical kendama is and we hope to see you there again next year !
and play it he did , eight hours a day from then onward . skipping college classes to practice , mastering every trick he could try .
i was just so into it ,
he said .
when i started , i had no idea that kendama was popular anywhere .
that was a year before he found that a company called kendama co was organizing an online competition to find a new player for its team .
there was no way i thought i was good enough , but i sent my audition video in anyway .
despite having only been playing for a year , bonz ' s tape won him a place on kendama co ' s team .
kenyatta williams & dave mateo release a 3rd installment . flownamic duo strives for you to continue to kaizen . kenyatta and dave give you complimentary versatility within each others play style in fd3 and continue to revolutionize kendama for the love .
the jka supports itself with license fees from a small number of kendama makers who make competitive kendamas with the jka seal , corporate sponsorships , and annual dues collected from members who wish to compete and receive an official level ranking .
to develop and expand the kendama community , we have categorized each competition and set the points corresponding to the scale and level . we are starting the world ranking system on the basis of points earned by the player throughout the year .
the kendamausa staff was first introduced to kendama in 2006 while touring in japan . our good friends were always playing while we waited at train stations , bus stops , and while walking around the cities . we got our first kendama in downtown tokyo , and showed all of our friends when we got back home . our entire pro team even had the golden mugens before they were discontinued . everybody’s curiosity and enthusiasm inspired us to start kendamausa and help introduce people from all over the world to this great skill toy . people from all over the world have now been exposed to the kendama , and we are proud to say that if you live outside japan and have played , it is almost surely because of kendamausa .
to play with a kendama , the ball is jerked or swung and caught in one of the cups or impaled on the spike . more advanced tricks involve sequential catches , juggles , and balances often not even involving the cups or spike .
this is a pattern that was to repeat itself throughout bonz atron ' s career : he ' d enter something thinking he didn ' t stand a chance of getting in , and then he ' d go on to win it . his first tour with kendama co saw him take on his kendama hero keith matsumura in the battle in seattle , the biggest competition event in the world at the time .
i worshipped this guy on youtube
, said bonz ,
he was the one i had been idolizing as the most og player on the planet .
bonz beat him , won the whole competition , and in 2014 found himself on a plane to japan to compete in the first ever kendama world cup .