Kansas City breweries sweep state competition

Two Kansas City breweries swept the Brewery of the Year category during the inaugural Missouri Beer Cup.

Why it matters: Beer is good, but Kansas City beer is even better.

The big winners: BKS Artisan Ales (under 1,000 barrels) and Boulevard Brewing Co. (over 1,000 barrels)

Driving the news: The Missouri Craft Brewers Guild earlier this month judged 181 beers across 36 categories from across the state based on a blind taste test.

• Those that placed earned extra points for the brewery — four for gold, three for silver, two for bronze, and one for a non-placing entry.

Zoom in: Boulevard took home nine medals, including four golds: Tank 7, Space Camper Zero Gravity IPA, Space Camper Chillbreak IPA, and Chocolate Stout.

• BKS nabbed nine medals with six golds: Colors in Your Mind IPA, Citra and Mosaic IPA, Double Current IPA, Repetitions on Citra IPA, Rockhill and Locust English Mild Ale, and Pivo Project Bohemian Style Pilsner.

What they're saying: "I think we have a laser-sharp sense of what's relevant in the larger national beer scene," Mary Rooney with BKS tells Axios. "Our size and setup allows us to be very nimble."

• "This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team, from our brewers to our packaging and sales teams," Boulevard innovation brewer Greg Garrity said in a statement.

My thought bubble: I tried BKS's gold-winning Rockhill and Locust, an English mild ale that's a little sweet and packed with flavor. It smells and tastes like a dimly lit pub full of laughs and good memories. 10 out of 10.

• As for Boulevard's winners, I've long been a fan of its popular Tank 7 saison, which is punchy and refreshing. And kudos for its first-place, non-alcoholic Space Camper.

What's next: Rooney says BKS operates on a quarterly cycle, so while some of the award winners aren't currently on tap, they'll be back in a month or two.