It’s Only Wit But We Love It! Brouwerij Maenhout Collaboration

What does “collaboration” mean in the fast-paced, and ever changing craft brewing world? There are plenty of one-and-done collaborative beers out there. They appear fast and disappear even faster. Boom Island Brewing is no stranger to the collaboration beer scene. Last fall, we released our first collaborative beer, Kollusion, a Russian Imperial Stout,  with a …

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Belgian Pale Ale, what might be one of the most under-recognized of the Belgian styles.

Silvius Brabo was a mythical Roman soldier who killed a giant in Antwerp, Belgium.  The story goes like this: once upon a time there was a giant named Droun Antigoon, who asked for money from people to cross the only bridge over the river Scheldt. If they couldn’t pay, he would cut off their hand …

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Boom Days 2018 – The Beer

Many of you know and love Boom Days. We pull all the stops to celebrate summer and beer. What makes Boom Days special is the beer, the very special beer: Cuveé de Boom. This year we sweeten the deal and will  be releasing our Petite Rosé as well! Both will be available to take home …

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This Is More Than Beer To Me

I always wanted a beer that represents where I am from. A beer that reminds me of home and great times with friends. I want to make that connection and I want to share my story with you. I had the opportunity to sit down with a good friend Frank from the Minnesota Skinny who …

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Pints & Purrs Fundraiser for Feline Rescue

  We are joining forces with Feline Rescue host the 3rd Annual Pints & Purrs Fundraiser. On Saturday, June 23, we pair unique Belgian-inspired craft beers with lots of cat-themed fun. Join us for a purring good time! At Pints & Purrs, you’ll not only have the privilege of snuggling with Feline Rescue’s finest kittens, …

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Farm to Brewery: Literally.

"Farm to table" to most of us means the relationship between farmers and food we consume at home or in restaurants. People want to know where their food comes from and the faces behind their food. They want it to be local and personal. For those of us working in breweries, "farm to table" has …

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Conversation with Thijs Maenhout

On February 23, we released our first collaboration beer created in partnership with a small Belgian brewery, Brouwerij Maenhout. The beer, Kollusion, is a Russian Imperial Stout. It’s not a style commonly associated with Belgium, and neither Brouwerij Maenhout or Boom Island has released one before. I checked in with Thijs Maenhout to get his …

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The Kollusion Kollaboration

“Why would two different brewers stick their mash paddles into the same pot?” This was a question posed to me by a Dutch brewer in a small enclave of Belgian territory about 5 years ago. That has been my thinking ever since regarding collaborations. They almost always come across as a marketing gimmick, despite the …

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Breaking Boundaries Series II: This one is about the malt.

This one started out with a wonderful journey 5 months back, to where else? Belgium! Qiuxia, my wife, and I had the wonderful opportunity to meet up with Karl Dingeman. Karl just happens to be the great great grandson of Alexander Dingeman who started malting barley in Belgium in the mid 1800’s. Karl is now …

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