玉乗り姉妹 (Balancing Act)

Craft brewing has a tendency to look towards more complicated, flavourful, or inventive beers, often times at the expense of things like drinkability. While big IPAs and crazy Stouts are fun; after a long day at work, nothing seems to bring you back to life like a well-balanced, easy drinking beer. To accomplish this task in this release we looked to two different beer styles: American Blonde Ale, a simple, no-frills brew that is crisp and light without being boring, and American Wheat, which gets its refreshing character from a portion of wheat malt and usually brings the hops more into the spotlight.

Without going too far in either one direction, we looked to create something that was balanced yet had a noticeable character and nuance that meant we could be happy drinking pint after pint. The flavour of Cascade and Motueka hops really bring out the fruity ester character from the yeast without being overly bitter, and sit nicely on the unique sweetness of Golden Promise malt...the perfect all-rounder!

Naming: Of all the acts at the circus, it is not always the most flamboyant that captures the audience’s attention. Flying through the air on a trapeze or daring to put ones head in the mouth of a lion may thrill the crowd, but nothing holds the focus quite like the tightrope.

Aiming to combine two styles can often result in a beer that can’t quite decide what it wants to be, and one such tiny misjudgment can result in a long fall. If the light sweetness from the Wheat Ale meets well with the dryness of the Blonde; however, it may be truly viewed as a subtle performance to be admired: a true balancing act.

Style: American Wheat Ale

Malt Bill:

Pilsner, Golden Promise, Flaked Wheat

Hops:

Bittering: Merkur

Flavour/Aroma: Cascade, Motueka

Yeast: American Ale

ABV: 5.0%

IBU: 20

Gas Volumes: 2.4