Is Kensingston Melbourne’s answer to Belgium? It might be a stretch, but if you’ve ever cycled through the wonderful Stock Route, you’ll know there’s a touch of Ghent to that part of Melbourne’s northwest, albeit with more hills and fewer monasteries. The beer’s pretty good too, with both Bonehead Brewing and Sobremesa Fermentary & Blendery calling the suburb – and the same brewhouse – home.
Bourgogne Des Kensington is a labour of love from the two breweries that takes the form of a classic Flanders red ale. The beer was fermented in neutral barrels for ten months with a mix of all the good stuff – AKA pediococcus, lactobacillus, Brettanomyces and Saccharomyces – then bottle-conditioned for a further three months.
If cycling the backstreets of Kensington doesn’t take you to Belgium then this beer likely will: it's filled with a medley of classic funk plus cherries and cola flavours and aromas. Over time, raisins and toffee add a richness through the many layers, all cut through by the style's familiar acetic edge.
Will Ziebell
Published July 20, 2023 2023-07-20 00:00:00
