FROM THE LEFT: Kizakura Matcha IPA, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto Japan - Fieldwork ‘Sherbet Dip’ Kettle Sour Ale, Berkeley, California - Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen, Bamberg, Bavaria Germany
Beer #1: This brew is one of a kind! Kizakura’s KYOTO Matcha IPA from Fushimi Ward in Kyoto, Japan is super high quality, but is an acquired taste! Matcha is ground green tea leaves that are steeped in water as a powder and create a rich, frothy tea. Most people who try matcha for the first time pretty much despise it. Yet, for those of us who have a long relationship with it, there is nothing like it! It is a staple ingredient in many Japanese sweets and it’s exciting to see it featured in beer form. The matcha itself is from Uji, Kyoto, which has one of the greatest reputations for matcha production. Kizakura Shuzo also brews sake, which is how I first learned about the company. When I visited Fushimi last year, I made sure to stop at Kizakura’s gift shop and restaurant complex called Kizakura Kappa Country. Their mascot is a yōkai folklore monster called the ‘kappa.’ I found myself wandering into their closed kappa museum (the door was unlocked and I can’t read Japanese!) and learned a ton about this unusual, slightly perverted and masochistic creature. They are amphibious and have an indentation on the top of their heads called a ‘sara’ which has to be filled with liquid whenever the kappa wanders onto dry land. Kappas are known for causing havoc and occasionally drowning humans, but they have some redeeming qualities. What a strange and hilarious character to represent a sake brewery! I assume it’s due to his connection to water and agriculture (if you happen to befriend a kappa, they may agree to irrigate your land).
It’s me with some of my favorite kooky brews! :D
Beer #2: The next beer comes from my favorite local brewery called Fieldwork Brewing Co. Their first location was established in late 2014 and is a short bike ride from my house. They now have 7 locations after having been in operation only 5-6 years! They do a great job with their brews to say the least. They always have a classic stout, pilsner and the like, but their talent shines with their wide array of IPAs and sour beers. The one I featured today is called Sherbet Dip. It is a kettle sour ale brewed with raspberries, oranges, limes, pineapple, vanilla and milk sugar. It also clocks in at 9% abv! Pretty crazy, it’s almost unnoticeable. It has a powerful fruit-driven nose, almost exactly like sherbet. I’ll admit I haven’t had sherbet in almost 2 decades, but it smells just as I remember. This is a highly successful brew! The sour aspect really balances the fruit notes and helps to hide the alcohol content. I could only notice the high abv when really concentrating on the slight chalky, vitamin-esque taste on the palate. Otherwise, this beer is pure perfection!
Beer #3: Rauchbier aka ‘smoked beer’ has been on my top ten list for many years now. I remember the first time I tried it and thinking, ‘holy shit, this is beer?’ It tastes like liquified campfire and smoked sausage. Located in Bamberg, Bavaria Germany, Aecht Schlenkerla is one of only two breweries left in the country that make this style. It was a nice surprise to find out that Schlenkerla actually makes a bunch of different rauchbiers. They make a Märzen, Weizen, Urbock, Dopplebock, Fastenbier, Kräusen, Hansla (low-alcohol) and Pale Lager. They also distill their beers; making smoky interpretations of whiskey and schnapps. After doing some research on this brewery, I want to plan a trip to Germany asap! I have had this country on my travel list for a long time, but the idea of visiting historic Bamberg might turn this fantasy into a reality. One disclaimer from this week’s video: I mentioned the Bavarian Purity Law of 1516. I mistakenly mentioned the only ingredients allowed were malt, hops, water and eventually yeast. This is mostly true, but the malt has to be made of barley. Wheat and rye are not allowed. Believe it or not, this law seems archaic, but is still in existence! I hope this flight opened the eyes of non-beer drinkers and nerds alike! Prost!