For the second year, Snoqualmie Falls Brewing is releasing Bunghole, a double brown ale. Admittedly, the beer’s name was intended to push the boundaries of what the Feds will allow on beer labels. The name flashes back to a time when kegs (and barrels, for that matter) were filled through a hole in the side, and that hole was plugged with a wooden bung. These days, bunghole typically refers to something not directly related to beer.
Bunghole Double Brown Ale is out there right now. Get it at the brewery’s taproom in Snoqualmie or look for it in 22-ounce bottles at better beer retailers. For more info about the beer, see the release notes below.
Here are release notes from the brewery:
Snoqualmie Falls Brewing is proud to announce its current Special Release beer: Bunghole.
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Co-owner Dave Eiffert explains: “First off, get your mind out of the gutter! Way back when, after being filled, kegs were sealed with “bungs”, hence the term ‘bunghole’. The label features a picture of a bung, bunghole reamer, and wooden keg with the proverbial bung. Bunghole is a Double Brown Ale with plenty of attitude, just like our friend and regular customer ‘Bubba’. He’s not bashful or quiet and goes for the gusto whenever he can. This full bodied hugely malty Double Brown is just the kind of ale for the Bubba in you!”
Bunghole clocks in at 36 IBU and 7.7 ABV.
Bunghole’s big maltiness and low IBUs make it a great alternative for Strong Ale lovers who need a break from hop overload. Lacking any aromatic hops, it gives a slight hop flavor at first sip, that quickly gives way to silky chocolate, molasses and brown bread flavors, perfect for our cold, damp winters. It pairs excellently with the hearty soups and stews of winter and crème brulee.
According to Dave, the whole idea came up after Snoqualmie’s first Special Release, Baphomet. Its label featured the 15th card of the Tarot deck in honor of the brewery’s 15th anniversary. Because the label featured an all-but-naked female torso with a goat’s head, he told the others at Snoqualmie that the feds would never approve the label. But, they did! The next step was then to find out just how low they could go, and Bunghole, with its brewing roots seemed a natural.
Dave says, “So before we even clocked one minute for the graphic designer, I called the feds to explore the possibility. The voice on the other end said ‘I don’t think that will be a problem’, so we ran with it.”
Bunghole’s only around from January 1 through April 30th – 4 months- so get some while you can. Enjoy this great double brown ale.
Bunghole is brewed from Pale Two-row, C-75, Chocolate, Aromatic and Dark Munich malts, and bittered with Fuggle hops for pleasant wood and fruit tones.
