"Aspire to Grapeness," a barrel-aged beer made with luxurious Koshu and Muscat Bailey A grapes from Yamanashi Prefecture, will be released on Friday, February 14th.

Far Yeast Brewing Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Shiro Yamada) will release "Aspire to Grapeness," a barrel-aged beer that makes the most of Koshu grapes from Yamanashi Prefecture and Muscat Bailey A, as the third product of its new brand "Off Trail," which challenges itself to brew innovative beers, on Friday, February 14th.

This product is based on " Japanese Grape Saison ," a saison made with Koshu and Muscat Bailey A grapes that was released last October . After the primary fermentation of Japanese Grape Saison, additional Muscat Bailey A was added and the product was transferred to wine and whiskey barrels. After secondary fermentation by wild yeast on the grape skins and microorganisms in the barrels, it was aged for three months. As "Off Trail" project leader Richard said, "We wanted to take on the challenge of erasing the boundary between beer and wine by using grape varieties commonly used in wine," the complex aroma and acidity of the wine and whiskey barrels fermented result in a deep product reminiscent of a light-bodied red wine.

This is a product that we would like wine lovers, as well as those who like barrel-aged beers made with wild yeast, to try.

I recommend "Open"

Like certain wines, Aspire to Grapeness is best enjoyed by "opening" after pouring. (Generally, "opening" refers to exposing a wine to air, mellowing the flavor and enhancing the aroma.) A slight sulfurous odor will be present upon pouring, but with a little time, this will fade and the fruity aroma will gradually emerge. If you want to drink it as soon as possible, you can swirl the glass to expose the surface to air, or blow air into the glass to expel the sulfur.

[Product overview]

Product name: Aspire to Grapeness

Sales start date: February 14th (Friday)

Price: Open price

Ingredients: Grapes (domestic), barley malt, wheat malt, sugar, hops

Alcohol content: 6.8%

Style: Barrel-Aged Saison

Aroma/Taste: Berry fruit aroma, grape fruitiness, complex aroma and flavor derived from wild yeast, subtle acidity, red wine

Item: Low-malt beer

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

Specifications: 330ml bottle, 750ml bottle, 10L stainless steel barrel

[About Off Trail]

"Off Trail" is a new brand created as a follow-up to the two major brands "Far Yeast" and "KAGUA." Based on the theme of innovative beer brewing, such as products that utilize wild yeast and microorganisms, the brand was named after the image of forging ahead on an "off trail" (unpaved road) that sets it apart from the "well-paved road." This latest release, "Aspire to Grapeness," is the third release following the previous "3 Funkeys."