巴 (Tomoe)

This IPA was crafted to test out a new brewing technique that is taking the beer world by storm: biotransformation. Very generally, the science behind biotransformation revolves around a chemical reaction that happens when yeast interact with hops during fermentation, the result of which is the creation of flavor and aroma compounds that were not present in either the hops, the yeast, or the beer until the reaction occurred. For those with less patience regarding scientific descriptions, just know that it is one of the defining characteristics of the hazy New England-style IPA. What is truly interesting is that the ability for biotransformation to happen is not only dependent on hops and yeast being in contact with one another, but also on the biological makeup of the yeast itself. In short, the degree to which biotransformation can be achieved appears to also be linked to the type of yeast being used.

For this brew, we decided to add another dimension by fermenting it with a combination of American and Belgian yeast. The result is one of the more unique IPAs we have created to date. While not brewed to be a New England IPA, there is definitely a foundation of flavor and aroma that is not typical of the hops used, suggesting that biotransformation worked its magic. The soft malt background carries sharp and sweet citrus notes while the dryness of the Belgian yeast gives a light character to the heavy hop load. Give this new release a try and we think you will agree it is one of our most purposeful brews we’ve made!

Naming: The “tomoe” is a comma-like symbol used in Japanese crest designs and holds an association with Shinto shrines. It’s often pictured as three commas making a swirling circular pattern and can be pictured as the coming together of 3 droplets of water, as if to see a multiple coming together to form a singular. This seemed to be a fitting image for this beer, a true union of hops with two yeast strains to form a whole that we hope is far more than a sum of its parts.

Style: IPA

Malt Bill:

Pilsner, Malted Wheat, Malted Oats, Flaked Oats

Hops:

Bittering: Merkur

Flavour/Aroma: Citra, Cascade, Simcoe, Amarillo

Yeast: Belgian Ale/American Ale Blend

ABV: 6.5%

IBU: 31

Gas Volumes: 2.4