Kyoto Brewing Co. - Wholesale
【樽限定】颯爽と (Sassouto)
A refreshing gose, accented with lemongrass, rock salt, and lots of hops
For me, the joy of brewing comes from the fact that craft beer is created through free expression, without being bound by the boundaries of style. Because there is such freedom, the finished product can vary greatly depending on the brewer, but I personally value balance within the final product, and the relationship with food that well suited beer can provide.
From my past career working in kitchens, I love to explore and express new flavours, and I enjoy playing around with non-traditional ingredients. However, I want to make sure that, just like with a great dish, it all comes together in a way that is both unique and innovative, but also balanced and delicious in itself. This time, I wanted to make a gose, but I wanted to bring in ingredients that I thought would add character in a way that could be both bold and balanced, and so I added lime leaves and lemongrass.
For this recipe, I used a little more wheat, giving it a pale color with a slightly hazy appearance. By adding yeast that produces a refreshing sour taste during fermentation and a small amount of rock salt, the beer has a roundness that avoids it being thin, but the salt simultaneously brings out a touch of sweetness and helps to boost the flavours present.
To avoid letting the citrus notes dominate, the carefully selected hops showcase a more stone fruit base, such as white peach. The lemongrass added to the kettle just before the end of boiling, and the lime leaf added on the cold side were used to add a summery refreshing sharpness, and greenness to the final character. The finished product has a gentle peach scent with a refreshing botanical feel, and the sharp acidity gives a brightness to what I hope will be an ultimately satisfying summer thirst-quencher.