Beer # 284 35 & 118 Cream Ale Bushkung Brewing Company

#283 35 & 118 Cream Ale

Boshkung Brewing Company

Carnarvon, Ontario, Canada
Brewery
Cream Ale 
5.0 % ABV IBU: 18
473 ml Aluminium Can
$3.50 (Canadian) At the Brewery

Twitter: @Boshkungbrewing

Finishing up with my last can from boshkung, we end on the last core beer the rather popular 35 & 188 Cream ale. Named for the two highways that intersect in front of the brewery 35 & 118 has won two medals for Boshkungs trophy room. In 2015 they took home a silver for the Cream Ale category at the Canadian Brewing awards, in 2016 they took top spot in the same category.

Onto the cream of the crop...

Pours a light gold colour with a large fluffy white head made up of small bubbles. Nose is malt forward with lots of caramel and straw, Light hints of green hops with a good hit of bitterness. Aeration brings out tart green hops graininess, light spice, and some sweet caramel.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  4/6  PASS
Experience: 4/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:

I am disappointed in myself for leaving this one until last. Every beer from Boshkung has been delicious and fantastic. Sadly, Cream Ale is not a preferred style for me... I have never been able to get a taste groove going on them. While the style of this beer is outstanding, I can't enjoy it personally. So I have to leave this on a down note which bothers me a bit, since this is a great beer. Technically, it is crisp, flavourful, well balanced, good malt usage and just the right amount of hops. So in this one case you kinda have to ignore me and go out and try this beer for yourself. If you like Cream Ales, you will love this. I am looking forward to more great things from Boshkung, I hope I can get my hands on some of the seasonals that are coming up.


CJT

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Beer # 283 North Country Kellerbier Boshkung Brewing Company

#283 North Country Kellerbier 

Boshkung Brewing Company

Carnarvon, Ontario, Canada
Brewery
Kellerbier 
5.0 % ABV IBU: 23
473 ml Aluminium Can
$3.50 (Canadian) At the Brewery

Twitter: @Boshkungbrewing

Back to Boshkung again to try out the first of the two canned beers I brought back from my visit. Tonight's offering is a Kellerbier and I believe this may be the first Keller I've written about. So quickly, a Kellerbier (or "cellar beer" in English) is a German ale that has been fermented at a lower temperature than regular ales. Before refrigeration they were fermented in the cellar, hence the name, and generally for a longer time, giving them a much more complex flavour. Tonight's beer is an excellent example of the style, and the Canadian Brewing Awards seems to agree with me. This beer added another gold medal to Bushkung's trophy cabinet Taking top spot for the Kellerbier category in 2015.

Ok, let's go down to the cellar...

Pours a darker off-gold colour with a bright fluffy white head made up of small bubbles. The nose is amazing! Very fruity with bright notes of red berries, hints of currant and raspberry. First sip is fruity fresh with notes of citrus. Toasty caramel malt follows, tinges of honey and raspberry round out the middle. Aeration gives us some tingly citrus and more honey, well balanced malt and a hint of spice. Finish is clean with some hints of bread dipped in honey fading into the background.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Re-Order:  6/6  EXCEPTIONAL
Experience: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL



Final Thoughts:

YES! Best Kellerbier I've tasted so far. Too many are washed out and weak. This one is bright and flavourful Many Kellers walk a line between tasting like a lager and an ale, (most tasting like a flattened out lager) This one doesn't... It pirouettes down that line effortlessly bending the crispness of the cold fermentation with the hearty malt drive ale flavours. This is a summer refresher to be proud of. But don't just take my word for it... get some for yourself. 
Cheers

CJT

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Beer # 278 Black Rock Dark Ale Boshkung Brewing Company

#278 Black Rock Dark ale

Boshkung Brewing Company

Carnarvon, Ontario, Canada
Brewery
Dark Ale 
5.5 % ABV IBU: 23
32 oz Brown Glass Half Growler
$7.00 (Canadian) At the Brewery Saloon

Twitter: @Boshkungbrewing


Back again to Boshkung and the second of the two half growlers I bought when I visited the bottle shop by the lake. I will have two more offerings from Boshkung coming up this week as I have to do a little housekeeping. The Fridge of Fame is bursting at the seams with craft beer (Not usually a bad problem...) and I really need to work my way through it.

Tonight's offering is a dark ale and a silver medalist in its category at The Ontario Brewing Awards 2016.

Let's see how it earned it's silver...

Pours a deep chestnut colour with a dark tan head made up of tiny bubbles. Aroma is deeply caramelized sugar, molasses, licorice, and barley biscuits. First sip is smoky rich caramel, coffee, and notes of cola and licorice. Aeration gives you more smoke and espresso, molasses, and vanilla.




Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 6/6  EXCEPTIONAL
Re-Order:  6/6  EXCEPTIONAL

Experience: 5/6 PASS

Final Thoughts:

Nicely complex, lots of layering of flavours. A good beer to sit and ponder. Definitely worthy of award and praise. I would sit and sip this, long into a fall night in front of a campfire. You should too.

Cheers

CJT

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Beer # 277 Kungaroo IPA Boshkung Brewing Company

#277 Kungaroo IPA

Boshkung Brewing Company

Carnarvon, Ontario, Canada
Brewery
IPA 5.8 % ABV IBU: 40
32 oz Brown Glass Half Growler
$7.00 (Canadian) At the Brewery Saloon

Twitter: @Boshkungbrewing

Now, I've been wanting to try Boshkung Brewing beers for quite some time, however I've never had the opportunity to get over to Carnarvon to visit them. They are a small batch brewery and they are located next to Mirror Lake, and under a restaurant. They share a space with Rhubarb Restaurant, a well respected eatery in Haliburton. Boshkung (yes, pronounced exactly how it is spelled) is actually named after a nearby Lake and sports an overall outdoorsy, canoeing theme. Some of their beers names are plays on the name of the brewery, especially tonight's beer Kungaroo IPA (My other favourite is King Kung...)

Let's hop on over to tonight's tasting:

Pours a slightly cloudy off orange colour with hints of tan and red. The head is short and off white made up of a loose collection of small bubbles.The aroma is bright citrus and bitter herbs with some light caramel malt on the background. First sip is a bright and spicy citrus with a strong malt background. Hints of caramel and licorice, lots of green herbs. Plenty of warm citrusy orange notes. Aeration gives us lots of bitter green hopes with a spicy tart finish.



Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 4/6  PASS
Re-Order:  5/6  PASS
Experience: 5/6 PASS

Final Thoughts:

A good serviceable IPA. I am partial to big juicy IPAs and this one tickles my fancy. A very simple brew not a lot of complexity, what you see is what you get. A good beer to introduce beer newbies to hoppier brews.

Cheers

CJT

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