Boulevard, Vine Street breweries to pay tribute to Buck O’Neil with limited-release beer

Three months later and the words are still sweet: Buck O’Neil is a Hall of Famer.

John Jordan “Buck” O’Neil was a player and manager for the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro Leagues. When his playing days ended, O’Neil was the first Black scout in Major League Baseball with the Chicago Cubs.

That résumé got O’Neil enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in July after being selected by the Early Baseball Era committee. It came 15 years after O’Neil missed out on enshrinement shortly before he passed way in 2006.

If a baseball fan in Kansas City hasn’t yet toasted O’Neil, the perfect opportunity is coming in November.

That’s when a special Buck O’Neil Barrel-Aged Saison beer will be released by the Boulevard Brewing Company, in collaboration with Vine Street Brewing.

“We are thrilled to be teaming up with our friends at Vine Street Brewing Co. to honor an incredible Kansas City legend,” Bobby Dykstra, vice president of sales at Boulevard parent company Duvel Moortgat USA, said in a news release. “Donating the proceeds from Buck O’Neil Barrel-Aged Saison to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is one small way we can give back for everything they’ve done for our community.”

Boulevard said the breweries will donate 100% of sales from Buck O’Neil Ale to the NLBM.

“The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is excited about this historic collaboration with Boulevard Brewing Company and Vine Street Brewing Company to honor Buck O’Neil and celebrate his induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame,” Bob Kendrick, the museum’s president said in a release.

“I know that Buck would be thrilled about this recognition and the support that it is generating for his museum. He would be equally excited about the opportunity to shine light on the Vine Street Brewing Company, a great new addition to Historic 18th & Vine.”

The beer will be sold in bars, restaurants and stores in the Kansas City area, beginning in the first week of November. It’ll be on tap and in bottles in stores. Once the beer is gone, it won’t be back, Boulevard said.

Here is a description of the beer from Boulevard: “The ale is a chardonnay barrel-aged saison with a crisp, light flavor featuring notes of fruit and accentuated by hops.”

The beer will have a 9% ABV.