Off Trail is the beer brand that challenges craft beer’s new possibilities by utilizing microorganisms other than common wild yeast and beer brewing yeast.
Off Trail = unpaved road
Off Trail is the beer project launched in 2019 to challenge craft beer’s new possibilities.The name embodies the spirit of the project, conjuring the notion of forging a new path on an unpaved road, going Off Trail, rather than keeping to the beaten path of conventional brewing.
Well-crafted beer brewing with microorganisms
For Off Trail beers, we are particular about making beer using microorganisms other than brewer’s yeast, which are thoroughly washed through the modern beer brewing process. We are constantly trying to create a rich and complex aroma by utilizing various wild yeasts and microorganisms by the barrel aging method of aging beer in barrels used for wine, sake and whiskey.
Unique and non-reproducible beer
Each barrel-aged base beer has a unique character depending on the environment inside the barrel, and you will never encounter the same taste again. Local specialties such as fruits and spices can be blended with each beer, and different kinds of base beers can be also blended together. The chemical reactions that occur in nature give us new surprises everytime we brew Off Trail beer.
Off Trail
#29 Off Trail Mended with Spice
(JP) The base beer is four barrels of Imperial Porter and one barrel of Salted Caramel Chocolate Porter aged in a variety of different barrels. Two of the barrels are soy sauce barrels used to blend the December 2021 release of Shoyu the Way, two are wine barrels and one is a bourbon whiskey barrel. When blended together, the diverse flavors oozing from the history of each barrel mingled together to create a new taste. To give the blend direction, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, clove, nutmeg, and cacao nibs were added. Inspiration came from the philosophy of kintsugi. Just as gold holds together shards of pottery to create a more beautiful piece of art, spices hold together the different flavors to create a chai spice-like taste.
#28 Off Trail Trick or Treat Yourself
A blend of Barrel Aged Strong Ale, Imperial Stout, and Kettle Sour Red Ale with a generous amount of pumpkin puree and powder. We created an Imperial Pumpkin Ale with the rich, complex aroma that only Barrel Age can provide.
The result is like a Halloween party in a glass, full of aromas of brown sugar, roasted pumpkin, caramel, cinnamon, and oak barrels. The clean sourness derived from the base sour ale can be felt, and despite its high alcohol content of over 10%, it is dry and easy to drink, making it a perfect drink for party occasions. This beer is a perfect drink for a party, with its unexpected surprise and seductive taste that tickles the senses, making it a gorgeous addition to an autumn evening spent with friends and family.
The result is like a Halloween party in a glass, full of aromas of brown sugar, roasted pumpkin, caramel, cinnamon, and oak barrels. The clean sourness derived from the base sour ale can be felt, and despite its high alcohol content of over 10%, it is dry and easy to drink, making it a perfect drink for party occasions. This beer is a perfect drink for a party, with its unexpected surprise and seductive taste that tickles the senses, making it a gorgeous addition to an autumn evening spent with friends and family.
#27 Off Trail Ume-kin’Me Crazy! 2022
This is a re-brew of "Ume-kin' Me Crazy!" brewed in 2020. The base beer was slightly changed and a strong ale aged in several different types of barrels was used. To bring out the rich aroma and flavor of plums, the alcohol content and residual sugar content were set slightly higher, inspired by a recipe for making plum wine.
A luxurious 200 kg of fresh, hand-picked plums, which are rich in citric acid, are used for every 1,000 liters of beer. The base beer has no sourness, and the sourness of the plums is fully utilized to create a unique type of sour ale. Citric acid is expected to help relieve fatigue and aid in the absorption of minerals, and is recommended for this time of year when the lingering summer heat continues.
A luxurious 200 kg of fresh, hand-picked plums, which are rich in citric acid, are used for every 1,000 liters of beer. The base beer has no sourness, and the sourness of the plums is fully utilized to create a unique type of sour ale. Citric acid is expected to help relieve fatigue and aid in the absorption of minerals, and is recommended for this time of year when the lingering summer heat continues.
#26 Off Trail Nightmare Fuel
(JP) The theme for this year's edition is "The Dark Side of Dry Hopped Sour." We blended five unique kettle sour spiced porters and dry hopped them to further accentuate the character of the base beer, creating a flavor profile with a strong impact.
The appeal of this beer is its "once-in-a-lifetime" flavor, which means that no two beers are exactly alike. The name "Nightmare Fuel" is derived from the combination of fear and fun that comes with the thrill of not knowing where the journey will take you.
The appeal of this beer is its "once-in-a-lifetime" flavor, which means that no two beers are exactly alike. The name "Nightmare Fuel" is derived from the combination of fear and fun that comes with the thrill of not knowing where the journey will take you.
#25 Off Trail Whispers on the Wind
(JP) This is the 25th beer in the "Off Trail" series and the first product to use "flowers". The base beer is a blonde ale made by the kettle sour method, and the delicate aroma of lavender and red clover dried flowers are soaked in this sour ale. The base beer, a sour blonde ale, was barrel-aged and finished with a floral aroma, so we chose dried flowers as a secondary ingredient to take advantage of that characteristic. By using red clover, which is also widely used in honey production, we aimed to bring out the flavor of 《Lavender Honey》 without using honey itself.
#24 Off Trail From the Other Side
(JP) From an Imperial Porter with hints of baker's chocolate, toffee, and honey, the magic of barrel aging has created a beer with a variety of flavors and a fruity dried plum and raspberry aroma that no one could have predicted.
This beer pairs well with light, flavorful desserts such as vanilla ice cream, cheesecake, and mascarpone cheese, and is a great after-pour.
This beer pairs well with light, flavorful desserts such as vanilla ice cream, cheesecake, and mascarpone cheese, and is a great after-pour.
#23 Off Trail Recurring Dreams
(JP) Off Trail Hops and Dreams, released on August 2021, was the highest rated beer among the Off Trail series releases last year by beer fans on Untappd, a beer rating website. Off Trail Recurring Dreams, like last year's Off Trail Hops and Dreams, is a barrel-aged blonde sour ale dry-hopped with a variety of hops.