Author: 若月香

At the International Brewing Awards 2021, which were judged in the United Kingdom from Tuesday, November 16 to Thursday 18, 2021, Far Yeast Brewing’s core brand product, KAGUA Rouge, received a bronze award in the International Strong Beer category.

 

About International Brewing Awards

The International Brewing Awards is the longest-established beer competition in the world, started in 1886, and is known as the “Oscars of the beer world.”

About International Brewing Awards, click here

【About the winning beer】

International Strong Beer Category Class 2 – Ale (abv range 7% – 9.9%) : Bronze,

『馨和 KAGUA Rouge』

The beer fits and looks great in the Japanese food scene, and has been on sale since the founding of Far Yeast Brewing. This year’s award-winning  “馨和 KAGUA Rouge” is a Belgian strong dark ale with a robust and heavy flavor, made with plenty of roasted malt and sansho, which is known as Japanese prickly-ash. The aroma of spicy sansho and savory malt, malt flavor and hop bitterness are all balanced at a high level, while the refreshing aftertaste matches well with well-seasoned Japanese food.

To find out more about 馨和 KAGUA Rouge, please click here

【About 馨和 KAGUA】

An original beer recipe created with the concept of “a fragrance that shines on a Japanese table,” it is brewed on consignment by a Belgian partner using the “Japanese” herbs that symbolize Japan, Yuzu, and Sansho.

馨和 Kagua beer is available in three varieties. Blanc” has a gorgeous ester aroma of wheat and fresh yuzu, “Rouge” has a spicy sansho aroma of roasted malt and savory malt, and “Saison” has a fresh and fruity aroma. Saison” has a fresh and fruity aroma. Like wine, 馨和 Kagua can be enjoyed by pairing it with different types of dishes.

Our products are sold at famous and popular restaurants that have been awarded stars in the Michelin Guide and at high-class hotels and restaurants overseas.

 

The judging for European Beer Star 2021 took place on November 4 and 5. Off Trail Kriek in the Barrel won a silver award in the Belgian-Style Oude Lambic and Geuze category.

About European Beer Star

The European Beer Star is the largest beer competition in Europe and one of the most prestigious beer competitions in the world.

Mainly traditional European beer styles are entered and awards are given to “authentic, distinctive and high quality beers”. This year’s competition was held on November 4 and 5 and judged by a panel of European Beer Star experts.

Even in Europe, where traditional beer styles are still very popular, there are many breweries that show diversity and originality, so for 2021, a new category called “Freestyle Beer” was added, and a total of 71 categories were judged.

Click here for more information about European Beer Star

【About the award-winning beers】

Belgian-Style Oude Lambic and Geuze Category：Silver award

『Off Trail Kreik in the Barrel』

A barrel-aged fruit sour ale fermented and aged in oak barrels for eight months with wild yeast added to the wort of KRIEK IN THE FLESH, a collaboration beer with Portland brewery Culmination Brewing. The result is a well-balanced taste with a mild sourness followed by a bright cherry fruit aroma, and the oak barrel and leathery notes that only barrel age can provide.

Kriek in the Barrel was released once in 2019 and won a bronze award at the Asia Beer Championship 2019. It’s a product that has been highly praised internationally,

Click here for more information about  “Off Trail Kreik in the Barrel”

 

【About Off Trail】

Off Trail is a brand that will take on the challenge of new possibilities in craft beer, and was launched in November 2019 as a follow-up to KAGUA and Far Yeast. The name “Off Trail” is derived from the image of going “off trail” (i.e., going down an unpaved road), which is a departure from “well-paved roads”. In order to produce a rich and complex aroma by utilizing microorganisms other than beer yeast, the beer is barrel-aged in barrels used for wine, sake and whiskey. We challenge ourselves to create unique flavors by blending seasonal fruits, such as grapes and peaches, and regional specialties to match the character of the base beer.

 

【About Culmination Brewing】

Culmination Brewing started in Portland, Oregon in 2015. A brewery that values local and pairings, the brewery is attached to a bar with over 20 taps and is led by owner and head brewer Thomas Sluiter, who brews a wide variety of over 100 different beers.

https://culminationbrewing.com/

 

On Thursday, October 28, 2021, the results of the Asia Beer Championship 2021 were announced, and Off Trail Kriek in the Barrel was selected as the Gold Award in the Wild Ale category. In addition to Kriek in the Barrel, 9 beers were selected as the Chairman’s selection in seven categories. 

About Asia Beer Championship

The Asia Beer Championship is an international beer competition for brewing companies from all over Asia, from Jordan to Japan.  There are 32 categories, with Gold, Silver and Bronze awards in each category, and a Chairman’s Selection for beers which quality meet or exceed the standard.

This year, the tasting was held in Singapore on October 22 and 23, and the results were announced at a ceremony broadcast live online on October 28.

Click here for more information about Asia Beer Championship

【About the award-winning beers】

WILD ALE category：Gold medal

『Off Trail Kreik in the Barrel』

A barrel-aged fruit sour ale fermented and aged in oak barrels for eight months with wild yeast added to the wort of KRIEK IN THE FLESH, a collaboration beer with Portland brewery Culmination Brewing. The result is a well-balanced taste with a mild sourness followed by a bright cherry fruit aroma, and the oak barrel and leathery notes that only barrel age can provide.

Kriek in the Barrel was released once in 2019 and won a bronze award at the Asia Beer Championship 2019. It’s a product that has been highly praised internationally,

Click here for more information about  “Off Trail Kreik in the Barrel”

 

INTERNATIONAL LAGER category：Chairman’s Selection

『Far Yeast WESTBOUND 5th India Pale Lager』

This is the only lager style beer by Headwaters Brewery.

Using five types of hops, including Nelson Sauvin and Lemon Drop, and focuses on cleanliness and drinkability rather than strong hop flavours. With ABV 4.8%, which is slightly lower than most lager styles, and with its refreshing citrus flavor and crisp drinkability, it is easy to pair with food and can be enjoyed in a wide range of situations.

Click here for more information about Far Yeast WESTBOUND 5th India Pale Lager

 

SOUR BEER category：Chairman’s Selection

『Off Trail Hops and Dreams』

This is a new hop aroma product made by dry-hopping a barrel-aged blonde sour ale with HBC630, a new hop variety in the experimental stage.

When poured into a glass, it has a sweet aroma of candy-like esters, freshly picked peaches, and bananas, and when you sip it, the tropical lychee and apple cider flavors from the base beer burst in your mouth, and the hop aroma reminiscent of raspberries and cherries invites you into a dream world. 

Click here for more information about Off Trail Hops and Dreams

SOUR BEER category：Chairman’s Selection

『Far Yeast Silk Road ～Hazy Sour Ale～』

A sour ale with a silky smooth mouthfeel, with the refreshing and slightly woody aroma of lime based on the rich hop aroma of pine and citrus like Juicy IPA. It is a collaboration beer with Nara Brewing Company, which took on the challenge of encountering a new aroma.

Click here for more information about Far Yeast Silk Road ~Hazy Sour Ale~

SAISON category：Chairman’s Selection

『Far Yeast Tokyo White』

Tokyo White is one of the flagship beers from  Far Yeast Brewing. It has a fruity ester aroma and a gorgeous hop flavor characterized by a dry and sharp mouthfeel. 

Click here for more information about Far Yeast Tokyo White. 

GOLDEN ALE category：Chairman’s Selection

『Far Yeast Tokyo Blonde』

A light, refreshing golden ale made with an abundance of aromatic hops.

The aroma of hops, a hint of esters and malt, and the sweetness and bitterness of the fruity hop flavors are in perfect balance.

Click here for more information about Far Yeast Tokyo Blonde. 

GOLDEN ALE category：Chairman’s Selection

『Far Yeast Farm to Brew』

This fresh hop beer is made with Sorachi Ace and Sterling hops harvested in the morning of the brewing day at Kobayashi Farm in Hokuto City. To simply enjoy the aroma and flavor of the hops, we have created a Kölsch style that is aromatic and easy to drink. You can enjoy the fruity flavor of the malt and hops in a clean and drinkable way.

Click here for more information about Far Yeast Farm to Brew. 

AMERICAN STYLE IPA category：Chairman’s Selection

『Far Yeast Tokyo IPA』

Belgian IPA with a gorgeous aroma from Belgian yeast and American hops.

It has a well-balanced aroma of hops, malt and esters, with a citrusy hop aroma and bitterness, and a hint of roasted malt flavor.

Click here for more information about Far Yeast Tokyo IPA. 

 

FRUIT FLAVOURED BEER category：Chairman’s Selection

『Far Yeast Peach Haze』

This Hazy-style fruit pale ale is made with an abundance of peaches from Yamanashi City, Yamanashi Prefecture. Freshly picked peaches are used to bring out the freshness of the peaches, with two types of hops, Eldorado with its stone fruit aroma and Mosaic with its tropical aroma, enhance the peach aroma.

Click here for more information about Far Yeast Peach Haze. 

FRUIT FLAVOURED BEER category：Chairman’s Selection

『Far Yeast Passion Haze』

A Hazy IPA with passion fruit aromas and tropical flavors of pineapple, mango, citrus, and coconut. 

Click here for more information about Far Yeast Passion Haze.