Far Yeast Brewing × Hop Kotan Brewing Using Furano-produced Haskap, making you feel a touch of spring, a bright pink fruit sour IPL. Far Yeast Paykar Sour IPL is on sale Saturday, March 26

Craft beer brewery Far Yeast Brewing Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kosuge Village, Yamanashi Prefecture, Representative Director: Shiro Yamada) that has been introducing beers full of originality from Japan to the world had a collaboration with Hop Kotan Brewery in Kamifurano, Hokkaido. The collaboration beer is “Far Yeast Paykar Sour IPL,” Fruit Sour IPL style. It will go on sale to the general public on Saturday, March 26, with pre-sales starting on Tuesday, March 15th at 1:00 pm on the official online store.

The first-time collaboration with Hop Kotan Brewing Co.

 Mr. Takayuki Tsutsuno, president of Hop-Kotan Brewing, and Far Yeast Brewing have been in friendship for some time, and he was to serve as an advisor when Far Yeast Brewing established the Genryu Brewery. In the fall of 2016, we discussed “Let’s brew beer together” while camping in Kosuge Village, Yamanashi Prefecture, where the brewery was being prepared for its establishment. In fact, due to the delay in setting up the brewery, we missed the timing of our collaboration, and five years later, our first collaboration came to fruition.

■Challenging “Sour IPL,” which is rarely distributed in the Japanese market. 

We brewed our first lager style beer in 2021, and we wanted to use that experience while further perfecting lager. We chose the Sour IPL (India Pale Lager) style for this collaboration as a newer lager challenge while incorporating Hop Kotan Brewery’s knowledge of clean lager beer recipe structure and brewing techniques. Sour IPA (India Pale Ale) has become increasingly popular in recent years, but sour IPL brewed with lager yeast is rarely available in the market. This is because lager yeast is delicate, and it is challenging to brew a sour IPL with a hybrid of other yeasts. Far Yeast Paykar Sour IPL was brewed with an abundance of Furano Haskap and Kamifurano Cascade hops, which Hop Kotan Brewery uses in their regular products. The result is a sour fruit IPL with a rich single-hop aroma and a clean, clean mouthfeel. Paykar means spring in the Ainu language. The sourness of the Haskap and its bright pink color reminds us of the coming of spring, making it a perfect bottle for the coming season.

【Product Summary】

Far Yeast Paykar Sour IPL

Release date: Saturday, March 26th, 2022

Price: Open price.

Ingredients: Barry Malt (German-manufactured and Belgian-manufactured), Hascup, hops/acidifier. 

ABV:6.5%

Beer Style: Fruited Sour IPA 

Product type: Happoushu 

Brewery: Far Yeast Brewing, Genryu Brewery at Kosuge village, Yamanashi. 

Specification:350ml can, 15L keg

 


【About Hop Kotan Brewery】

“Seeking the Happiness of Brewing with Local Hops.”Hop Kotan Brewery is the only brewery in Hokkaido that brews beer using hops from Kamifurano, where hops are grown commercially. The logo motif also expresses the brewery’s passion for rare hops. The series of beers produced are first, the HOP KOTAN ORIGINALS series, which embodies the fundamental theme of beer brewed with local hops. Second, the HOP KOTAN ORIGINALS plus series adds a new twist to the concept of 100% hops from Kamifurano. The third is the HOP KOTAN FREEDOMS series, which challenges the creation of unique beers with a free spirit.

http://hopkotan.com/

 

Far Yeast Brewing × Black Tide Brewing Powerful sourness and red wine-like depth of flavor from barrel aging. Off Trail Fortune and Glory March 26, Saturday Release

Craft beer brewery Far Yeast Brewing Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kosuge Village, Yamanashi Prefecture, Representative Director: Shiro Yamada) that has been introducing beers full of originality from Japan to the world in collaboration with Black Tide Brewing, a brewery in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, will release “Off Trail #22 Fortune and Glory,” a traditional Belgian Flanders Red style beer, to the public on Saturday, March 26, 2022, with pre-orders available on the official online store from 1:00 pm on Tuesday, March 8.

■ Traditional Belgian Flanders Red Style

 This first collaboration with Black Tide Brewing is an experimental beer that challenges what can be achieved using only malt, hops, water, yeast, and bacteria, with no fruit or spice secondary ingredients. Paying homage to traditional Belgian sour beers, we created a Flanders Red style beer that both brewers prefer. Flanders Red Ale is an ale beer that has long been made in the Flanders region of Belgium. It is aged for a long time in oak barrels, and during the aging process, lactic acid bacteria living in the barrels give it a unique sour taste. The aroma of the oak barrels and the astringency of the tannins are also infused into the beer, giving it a full-bodied, red wine-like flavor.

■Barrel-aged sour ale with intense sourness and complex fruit flavors.

 If you are not used to drinking sour beers, you may be surprised by the taste of this beer. It starts with a potent sourness on the palate, followed by pear, pineapple, prune, and raisin flavors. This beer offers the depth of flavor of a barrel-aged beer expressed with only the minimum ingredients. We named this beer “Fortune and Glory” to evoke the image of an adventurer in search of unknown flavors and the deliciousness that awaits you. This beer is a must-try for those who love sour ales and barrel-aged beers and those who are looking for a different beer experience.

This beer also ages well in the bottle, gaining even more depth over time. If you want to enjoy it right away, transfer it to a decanter and let it air out, mellow the acidity and make it easier to drink.


【Product Summary】

Off Trail Fortune and Glory

Release date: Saturday, March 26th, 2022

Price: Open price.

Ingredients: Barry Malt (Foreign-manufactured), hops, sugar. 

ABV:7.0%

Beer Style: Flanders Red Style Ale

Product type: Beer

Brewery: Far Yeast Brewing, Genryu Brewery at Kosuge village, Yamanashi. 

Specification:750ml bottle, 350ml can, 10L keg

【About Black Tide Brewing】

 Black Tide brewery has the vision of “making world-class craft beer from Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture. Diverse background members established the brewery after the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, hoping to contribute to the recovery and reconstruction of Kesennuma. Black TIde Brewery has been delivering the best craft beer from Kesennuma to the rest of Japan and the world. The brewery’s name is derived from the “Black Tide,” a powerful ocean current that flows along the southern coast of Japan and near Kesennuma, and the words “Black Tide” in the logo also depict wave lines.

https://blacktidebrewing.com/ 

Far Yeast Bicycle Geisha Golden Ale, a collaboration beer using BICYCLE COFFEE TOKYO’s top grade coffee bean “Geisha”, to be released on February 24 (Thursday)

Far Yeast Brewing will release “Far Yeast Bicycle Geisha Golden Ale”, a limited edition collaboration beer with BICYCLE COFFEE TOKYO, a natural roastery born in the San Francisco Bay Area. The limited edition Far Yeast Bicycle Geisha Golden Ale will go on sale on Thursday, February 24, 2022, and will be available for pre-sale on the official online store from 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 22, 2022.

Use the world’s rarest coffee bean, “Geisha”

Since the first collaboration beer with BICYCLE COFFEE TOKYO, Far Yeast Bicycle Coffee IPA (Far Yeast Bicycle Coffee IPA) in 2017, this year marks the sixth year of this popular annual event.

This year’s IPA uses “Geisha” coffee beans, one of the world’s most popular specialty coffees. “Geisha” is a rare and top-quality variety that is difficult to cultivate and harvested in small quantities. It is characterized by a floral aroma that can be compared to perfume, a refreshing acidity like orange or grapefruit, and a rich sweetness like honey or chocolate. It is an aromatic coffee reminiscent of jasmine or Earl Grey tea.

Coffee Golden Ale that brings out the best of “Geisha” characteristics

In order to bring out the characteristics of “Geisha” to the fullest, we paid thorough attention to every detail, including the selection of the base beer, the roast and grind of the coffee beans, and the amount of addition. The majority of coffee beers are black beers such as porters and stouts, but this is a golden ale style.

The base beer is Far Yeast Tokyo Blonde, a regular beer. The beer was dry-hopped so that the astringency from the hops would not interfere with the original characteristics of “Geisha” and so that the clear taste could be enjoyed.

The beans were shallow-roasted because a medium roast gives a strong roasted coffee flavor while masking the aroma of Geisha.

When poured into a glass, it has a sweet aroma like vanilla, and as the temperature rises, the coffee flavor gradually rises. The sweetness of malt and coffee, and the tropical flavor of hops and coffee can be felt in this superb finish.This beer is a must-try for beer lovers and coffee lovers alike.

Far Yeast Bicycle Geisha Golden Ale will go on sale on Thursday, February 24, and will be available for pre-order on the official online store from 1 pm on Tuesday, February 22. It will also be available at the BICYCLE COFFEE TOKYO store in Kanamachi, Tokyo.

The official online store will also sell a set product that combines the “Geisha” coffee beans used in this project with “Far Yeast Bicycle Geisha Golden Ale”.

 

【Product Summary】

 

 

 

 

 

Far Yeast Bicycle Geisha Golden Ale

Release date: February 24 (Thursday)

Ingredients: malted barley (produced overseas), hops, sugar, coffee

ABV : 5.0%

Style : Golden Ale

Brewery : Far Yeast Brewing Genryu Brewery (Kosuge Village, Yamanashi Prefecture)

Specifications : 350ml can, 15L keg

 

About BICYCLE COFFEE TOKYO

Founded in 2009 in San Francisco Bay Area. They roast quality coffee grown by sustainable farms and deliver it by bicycle” is the concept of Bicycle Coffee Tokyo, a roastery that roasts fair trade, top quality sustainable coffee in-house and delivers it by bicycle to its customers. The company has been operating in Japan since 2013. In Japan, BICYCLE COFFEE TOKYO opened in 2013 as a Tokyo branch, selling fresh coffee on a daily basis.

https://bicyclecoffeetokyo.com

 

Please check past collaboration beers from the link below.

・2017:「Far Yeast BICYCLE COFFEE IPA」

・2018:「Far Yeast BICYCLE COFFEE IPA Medium Roast」「Far Yeast BICYCLE COFFEE IPA Dark Roast」

・2019:「Far Yeast BICYCLE COFFEE IPA 2019

・2020:「Far Yeast BICYCLE COFFEE IPA 2020」 「Bicycle Coffee Stout」 

・2021  : 「Bicycle Coffee Saison」

Off Trail Cot in a Funk, a funky, fruity sour ale with lots of apricots, to be released on February 10 (Thursday) .

Far Yeast Brewing will release Off Trail Cot in a Funk, a barrel-aged sour ale made with apricots, on February 10, 2022 (Thursday), with pre-sales starting on February 8 (Tuesday) at 1 p.m. on the official online store.

Off Trail was launched in November 2019 as the third brand following KAGUA and Far Yeast. Off Trail utilizes microorganisms other than beer yeast and the barrel aging method of aging in wooden barrels to create a unique beer with a rich and complex flavor.

Off Trail Cot in a Funk, the newest release from Off Trail, is a fruity sour ale made with apricots and aged in wood barrels.

The six-month aged sour blonde ale is blended with a 26-month aged wheat strong ale to add just the right amount of body. We also added a generous amount of apricot puree from Oregon-based Oregon Fruit Products, and with the help of wild yeast attached to the wood barrels, we fermented it slowly until it tasted dry.

Days that don’t go as smoothly as we would like. This is a drink that will bring you cheer, with its bright and fruity apricot flavor, funky taste from the wood barrels, and earthy aroma reminiscent of the earth and forests, which will blow away those blurred feelings.

Off Trail Cot in a Funk will go on sale nationwide on Thursday, February 10, and will be available for pre-order in our online store starting Tuesday, February 8 at 1:00 pm.

◆Recommended Pairings

Funky sour ale goes great with smoked cheese or jerky.

◆Music Recommendations

Drink Cot in a Funk while surrendering to the heavy funky grooves of Bootsy Collins, and you’re sure to feel the fuzziness clear right up and get into a good mood!

【Product Summary】

Off Trail #21 Cot in a Funk

Release date: Thursday, February 10

Ingredients: malted barley (foreign made), apricots, wheat, sugar, hops

Alcohol content : 7.0%.

Style : Barrel Aged Sour Ale with Apricots

Brewery : Far Yeast Brewing Genryu Brewery (Kosuge Village, Yamanashi Prefecture)

Specifications : 750ml bottle, 330ml bottle, 10L keg

 

【About Off Trail】

“Off Trail” is a new brand following our two brands, “Far Yeast” and “KAGUA.” The name “Off Trail” is inspired by our aim to express the local terroir of Kosuge-mura, Yamanashi, and Japan at large, coupled with our challenge to innovate and experiment with every batch to discover new recipes and chart undiscovered territory in brewing.

To generate rich and complex flavors by utilizing microorganisms other than beer yeast, we brew beer using the barrel-aging method, where beer is 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.

 

Off Trail – Azeotrope, a brand challenging to create innovative spirits, will release two types of barrel-aged fruit liqueurs blended with grapes produced in Yamanashi Prefecture on February 1 (Tuesday).

Far Yeast Brewing will release two barrel-aged fruit liqueurs “Off Trail Azeotrope Pineau de Yamanashi Koshu” and “Off Trail Azeotrope Pineau de Yamanashi Koshu” from its innovative spirits brand “Off Trail – Azeotrope” (“Azeotrope”). These spirits will be released on February 1, 2022 (Tuesday) in limited quantities.

 

■New liqueur from “Azeotrope”, a crossover brand of beer and spirits

 Off Trail – Azeotrope,  launched in October 2021, is a crossover brand of beer and spirits that challenges innovative spirits and liqueurs by utilizing the fermentation and barrel aging know-how cultivated in the brewing of beer. The brand is a crossover between beer and spirits.

 This time, we are releasing two types of fruit liqueurs, one a barrel-aged spirit made from KAGUA, our regular beer made with yuzu and sansho, and the other blended with grapes produced in Yamanashi Prefecture.

 This new style of distilled spirit is inspired by Pineau Des Charentes, which is made in the Cognac region of France by adding cognac brandy to unfermented grape juice and aging it.

 

■Matured for 9 months in wine barrels and blended with Yamanashi grapes

 KAGUA  was carefully distilled twice in a single distiller (pot still) at the Braeckman distillery, which has a history of over 100 years in Belgium, and then transported to Japan, where it was aged for 9 months in red wine French oak barrels at Far Yeast Brewing’s headwaters brewery in Kosuge Village, Yamanashi Prefecture. Finally, it was blended with Yamanashi grape puree and bottled unfiltered.

 Grapes of “Koshu” and “Muscat Baily A” were used to create two liqueurs of different varieties. Pinot de Yamanasi Koshu, made from the Koshu grape, has complex aromas and flavors from its aging in wine barrels, gently enveloped by the freshness of the Koshu grape. Pino de Yamanasi Muscat Baily A has a perfect balance of the wine-like fruitiness and sweetness of Muscat Baily A.

The color of each grape variety is brought out in the finished product, and because it is unfiltered, the pulp remains and the natural grape flavor can be enjoyed. We recommend mixing well and serving with carbonated water.

 

【Product Summary】

Off Trail Azeotrope Pineau de Yamanashi Koshu

Release date: February 1 (Tuesday)

Ingredients: Spirits (made in Belgium)

ABV: 25.0%.

Style: Barrel Aged Fruit Liquor

Item: Liqueur

 

【Product Summary】

Off Trail Azeotrope Pineau de Yamanashi Muscat Bailey A

Release date: February 1 (Tuesday)

Ingredients: Spirits (made in Belgium)

ABV: 25.0%.

Style: Barrel Aged Fruit Liquor

Item: Liqueur

 【About Off Trail – Azeotrope】

Off Trail – Azeotrope began in October 2021 is a craft spirits brand designed as a crossover between beer and spirits. Off Trail – Azeotrope is an offshoot of the Off Trail project, an advanced brewing program using diverse microflora and barrel aging. The brand’s mission is to make innovative spirits and liqueurs.

Modeled after Genever-style barrel-aged malt-derived spirits, Off Trail – Azeotrope aims to push boundaries  in the distilled spirits field by applying fermentation and barrel-aging techniques developed through brewing beer.

An “azeotrope” is a mixture of two or more liquids that retains the same composition ratio before and after boiling. The name “Azeotrope” symbolizes Far Yeast’s crossover between beer and spirits, the former being the current specialty and the latter a new endeavor.