Kensington Brewing Company (KBCo) was the first microbrewery to hit downtown’s historic open-air market and started by selling its flagship brew, Augusta Ale, at local restaurants and bars in the neighbourhood. Brock Shepherd, who heads up the brewing company and a close by burger place called Beer2Beer, plans to spread more of KBCo’s beer to an even broader market. A West Coast–style pale ale, Augusta Ale is the first in a series of microbrews from KBCo. Shepherd describes AA as hoppy, without sacrificing its mainstream approachability, featuring malt flavours of biscuit and caramel, as well as subtle notes of spice and citrus from the mandatory hops. Planned predecessors include Baldwin FisheyePA and Nassau Nectar, as well as one off and collaborative brews, all of them from local brewers. Shepherd cites Kensington Market as the primary inspiration for his brews, and in keeping with the community ethos of Kensington, he hopes to set up a community-supported beer program.
