Far Yeast Brewing (Head Office: Kosuge Village, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan; President: Shiro Yamada) whose mission is to introduce original beers from Japan to the world, will release the 9th installment of the “Off Trail” brand: “Kriek in the Barrel”, a collaboration with our good friends at Culmination Brewing in Portland, Oregon, on Saturday, February 20th. The Off Trail program aims to innovate in brewing, seeking new challenges with each project.
In November of 2019, we welcomed “Off Trail” into our brand portfolio as our third brand alongside “Far Yeast” and “KAGUA”. The name “Off Trail” is inspired by our aim to innovate and experiment with every batch to discover new recipes and chart undiscovered territory in brewing. These unique brews often contain region-specific specialties or seasonal fruits such as grapes and peaches, and are aged in wood barrels that were previously used for wine, sake, or whiskey.
This edition of “Kriek in the Barrel” marks our 4th collaboration with Culmination Brewing and the second time we have done this project. The beer begins as a kettle soured* cherry ale before it is divided in two. Part of it goes to a stainless steel fermenter and becomes “Kriek in the Flesh”, most recently released in June of 2020. The rest of it is transferred to oak barrels where it ferments on a wild yeast called Brettanomyces for 8 months. This longer aging time, different vessel, and abnormal yeast, produces a depth and complexity of flavor that makes this beer truly spectacular.
We were overjoyed when our 2020 batch of “Kriek in the Flesh” won a silver medal at the Asia Beer Championship 2020 in the Fruit Flavoured Beer category. Our previous version of “Kriek in the Barrel”, released in 2019, also took home a bronze award at the Asia Beer Championship and has received high praise internationally.
＊Kettle souring is a traditional method for making sour beer in which the wort undergoes a lactic acid fermentation by live bacteria added to the boiling kettle before the main fermentation.
Gentle sourness precedes blood cherry notes on the palate followed by leathery funk and cherry stones, terminating in a dry, fruity finish. This light bodied, fruit-forward, wilder, more complex version of Kriek in the Flesh shines when paired with grilled meats, wild mushrooms, or baked poultry.
Kriek in the Barrel will be released on February 20th nationwide in Japan.
【About Culmination Brewing】
Culmination Brewing Company, who earned the prestigious “Mid-sized Brewery of the Year” award at the 2019 Oregon Beer Awards, was founded in the heart of Portland, Oregon in 2014. Known for their ever-growing, large selection of classic and innovative beers, Culmination Brewing Company is a locally driven brewery focused on community and collaboration. They are committed to bringing great beer, good food, and community together in one concept, under one roof.
https://culminationbrewing.com/
【Product Overview】
Product name: Kriek in the Barrel
Sales start date: Saturday, February 20th, 2021
Price: Open price
Ingredients: Malt (produced overseas), cherry, hops, sugar
ABV: 5.5%.
Category: Happoshu
Brewery: Far Yeast Brewing Genryu Brewery (Kosuge Village, Yamanashi Prefecture)
Specifications: 330ml bottle, 750ml bottle, 10L keg
Online shop： https://faryeast.stores.jp/
JP
