毬太郎 (Kyutaro)

Many of our beers here at Kyoto Brewing Co. explore the uncharted territory between where Belgian tradition stops and more modern styles, ingredients, and techniques begin. With this release we have taken that ideology to a new level…a dangerously high level!
While the IPA style is a relatively new concept in Belgium, we have played around with it quite a bit here in Kyoto, just never to this extent. Under the theme of “Tripel Meets Triple IPA,” this beer redirects a very modern style born in the extreme beers of America (Triple IPA) into a more traditional territory of the yeast driven flavours of Belgian Tripel. While the beer was generously hopped with only European varieties (Tettnang, Saaz, and Saphir), it was done so at nearly 14 grams per litter, a level normally reserved for NEIPA and other hop bombs more at home in the modern era. The result is a unique beer rich with aromas of fruit and spice from the yeast accented by the herbal character of the traditional hops. This is all underlined by the strong and warming 10% ABV, a first among IPAs here at Kyoto Brewing Co.

Naming: Our family of Belgian IPAs started with Mario, a brash and in your face American West Coast take on the style that acted like a bit of a big brother to our year round Ichii Senshin. Shortly thereafter, we welcomed Mariko, his softer and more demure younger sister, who is more in tune with current American trends. For some time now the family has been quite complete, but we have recently been blessed by a visit from a rarely seen member of the Belgian side of the family: Kyutaro. With one foot firmly planted in the old world hops from which he hails, he has shown his more Americanized relatives that one doesn’t have to rely on tropical and fruity hops to make one’s point. Instead, his incredibly high ABV is more than enough to make his presence felt throughout the family! For those unfamiliar with Japanese naming traditions, his name is a take on the alternative reading of Mari (Kyu) combined with Taro, the name usually reserved for the eldest brother. We hope you welcome him into the family as we have!