On Thursday the 21st of December I visited The Boston Brewing Company in Denmark, Western Australia. This brewery was started six years ago in Willoughby Park Winery. The name comes from the owner’s wife’s maiden name.
They underwent an upgrade and expansion two years ago that saw them increase the brewhouse size from 500 litre capacity to a three vessel 1800 litre system. They have three 18 hectolitre fermentation tanks and three 36 hectolitre tanks and numerous bright tanks. They are expanding their sale range by moving into the packaged beer market and recently added a canning line. At present they have their Rye Pale Ale, Brown Ale and Ginger Beer available in the cans, with two more varieties of beer to be added to the range in the new year. The brewery also is moving into barrel ageing some special beers, these include Stouts and sours.
The brewery also houses a large restaurant and has a children’s playground in the beer garden.
The beers that I sampled were:
1. Hey Hay, 4.6% abv, this is a German Hefeweizen with a straw colour and a banana and yeast aroma. It has a great spicy banana, clove and wheat flavour on a dry finish.
2. Boss, 4.8% abv, this is a Lager with a golden straw colour and a subtle malt aroma. It has an easy drinking malt taste with a gentle bitterness on a crisp, clean finish.
3. Boondie, 5.0% abv, this is a Rye Pale Ale with a golden amber colour and a citrus and tropical fruit aroma. It has a well balanced flavour of sweet malt and tropical fruit before a nice bitterness on the finish.
4. Poison Point, 6.0% abv, this is an West Coast IPA with a golden colour and a tropical fruit and pine aroma. It has a lovely sweet fruitiness and then a resinous hop bitter finish.
5. Rame Head Red, 7.4% abv, this is a Red IPA that may undergo a name change in the near future. It has an amber colour and a malt and fruit aroma. The flavour is one of malt and tropical fruit tastes and then transitions into a nice, lingering mild bitterness on the finish.
6. Little Fella, 3.5% abv, this is a mid-strength beer with a golden colour and subtle citrus and malt aroma. It has a good citrus fruit taste and a gentle bitterness on a crisp finish.
7. The Right, 5.7% abv, this Nut Brown Ale has a brown colour and a sweet caramel malt aroma. It has a wonderful complex malt palate of nuts and caramel with hints of chocolate.
8. Afterglose 4.5% abv, this is a Raspberry Gose with a hazy pink colour and a raspberry aroma. It has a fruity raspberry taste with a good tart finish.
The Boston Brewing Company is producing some wonderful beers and has a fantastic family friendly venue. This is a brewery that is definitely worth visiting if you are in the Denmark area.
I would like to thank Tyson, the head brewer, for his time and hospitality when I visited.
