Tokyo IPA tasting

Another week, another BeerCast fieldtrip – although it’s pretty tough to compare Birmingham and Tokyo. After all, one of them is a glittering, fast-paced neon metropolis packed with exuberance and incredible food – and the other is the capital of Japan (you must have seen that one coming). On a recent visit to the far East I was determined to track down some local beer – stay tuned for two special Ji-Biru BeerCast podcasts in the near future. Thanks to local guide Tim Eustace, I attended a tasting session in central Tokyo. Tim runs regular workshops on different types and styles of ale, with discussions and sampling – educational and fun. The few days I was in town, an IPA tasting evening had been scheduled. Here’s what was on the menu…

1. Shiga Kogen IPA (6%abv)
Tamamura-honten, Nagano
Two Japanese IPA’s to start with, the first of them from Tamamura-honten, a sake brewery founded in 1805. They have since developed into a range of beers, and produce a blondes, porters and a couple of IPA’s. The 6%er we tried had little hops about it, but a nice bitterness and a lingering taste.

2. Ise Kadoya IPA (7%abv)
Kadoya Honten, Mie
From the Mie prefecture south of Tokyo comes another Japanese IPA. Ise Kadoya IPA is really quite fantastic – dry, fruity and hoppy, and very moreish. At 7%abv it packs a punch too.

3. ACME IPA (6.5%abv)
North Coast Brewing, Fort Bragg CA
The rest of the tasting event switched to American IPA’s – some of which I was seriously eager to try, others I had never heard of. North Coast’s Californian IPA was one of the latter, but with mouthfuls of citrusy grapefruit was a very pleasant surprise.

4. Full Sail IPA (6%abv)
Full Sail Brewing, Hood River OR
American IPA’s aren’t known for being subtle, but Full Sail IPA is just that. Delicate and zesty, despite the 6%abv – which is high in relation to UK IPA’s, but relatively middling for those from over the pond. I’d certainly drink this again, if I could find it.

5. Stone IPA (6.9%abv)
Stone Brewery, San Diego CA
Bang! This is one beer that needs to be noticed. Over the months we’ve been writing and talking about beer, other (overwhelmingly American-based) websites and podcasts I’ve looked at continually sing the praises of Stone’s beers such as Ruination IPA and Arrogant Bastard, held up as being classics of their type. Their ‘basic’ IPA has everything, citrus, hops, crispness, bitterness, aroma, It’s fantastic. We need to hunt this down in the UK and get it on the BeerCast.

6. Hair of the Dog Blue Dot Imperial IPA (6%abv)
Hair of the Dog Brewery, Portland OR
There are normal beers, and there are Imperial beers – essentially this means everything involved is ramped up a level. In this instance, the %abv is still relatively low (given the direction we were heading), but the taste was certainly not. Frothy and lingering, it was amusing watching Tim trying to explain the meaning of ‘Hair of the Dog’ to the Japanese tasters.

7. Dogfish Head 90min IPA (9%abv)
Dogfish Head Brewery, Milton DE
One from the Eastern seaboard, and another standout American brewery – Dogfish Head. This is what Imperial IPA’s are all about. At 9%abv it’s seriously strong and robust, with a long finish. It goes well with cheese, something I never considered from a beer. But then I’ve never had a 9% IPA before.

8. Hopsickle Triple IPA (9.2%abv)
Moylan’s Brewery and Restaurant, Novato CA
Back west to California and Moylan’s Hopsickle IPA, a triple-hopped Imperial IPA. Tomahawk, Centennial and Cascade hops scream for attention. It’s dark and unbelievably strong. Pouring the last inch out didn’t help, as clumps of yeast added to the mix. The suggested food pairing for this one is blue cheese, which gives you an idea of the taste. It’s really too much.

9. Green Flash Imperial IPA (9%abv)
Green Flash Brewery, Vista CA
The ninth and final beer of the night (and it’s not often I say that) is Green Flash IPA – “It’s all about the hops!” trills the website, but it tastes a bit line a pine air freshner. Having said that, it’s actually pretty good, and a welcome way to end the tasting.

With that, I staggered out into the Tokyo night feeling pretty good. IPA’s are my favourite beers, and I discovered a few crackers. Top three would certainly be those from Stone, Ise Kadoya, and Full Sail. I just need to track them down in the BeerCast’s backyard.

Thanks again to Tim for the organisation, and you can catch up with some more Japanese brews here soon – in a change to the advertised schedule (as they say), BeerCast number 7 will be a four panellist, four beer spectacular from that very country. Check back next week for the podcast…