打ち水 (Uchimizu)

With this brew we chose two variables to experiment with: hop selection and whirlpool temperature. While the Kimagure Series is usually our playground for new hop varieties, allowing us the ability to gauge performance over an entire season, the recent arrival of HBC 692 was too tempting not to test out. Hops designated with HBC and three numbers after it are experimental varieties that are in their final stages of development. These hops have come a long way and fought a tough battle to be some of the finalists for full scale production out of the thousands of initial test plantings each year. Should they make it, they receive a product name (Mosaic, for example, started as HBC 369) and begin to be planted in earnest; if they don’t, they fade away into the pages of history. HBC 692 is another in a long line of hops featuring aromas of grapefruit, floral, and stone fruit, with a unique hint of pine and cream. In this brew we paired it with its distant cousin Sabro to further intensify the sweet fruity characteristics.

Both hops were used in the whirlpool, but using a technique that is relatively new to us. The whirlpool is conducted at the end of the boil to separate the heavier particles out from the sweet wort (base beer) by spinning the liquid vigorously. Usually this happens at boiling temperature, but based on our experimentation with Dirty Little Secret, we again lowered the temperature of the wort before adding hops, which allows more of the delicate aroma and flavour-containing oils to remain in the beer. The result: more hoppy goodness without additional bitterness! We hope you agree both variables combined to make a perfect late summer sipper. Kanpai!

Naming: In Japan, Uchimizu (splashing water in the entryways of homes and shops) is a common sight to try to find a repose from the summer heat. Think of this beer as uchimizu for your parched throat!