Japanese Green Tea IPA (2015)
(Batch of Japanese Green Tea IPA)
Stone Brewing in Escondido, California, United States 🇺🇸
Collab with: Baird Brewing Co. / Ishii Brewing CompanyIPA - Triple Special Out of Production
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Score
7.32
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Collaborators: Bryan Baird, Brewmaster, Baird Brewing Company / Toshi Ishii, President/Brewmaster, Ishii Brewing Co. / Mitch Steele, Brewmaster, Stone Brewing Co.
Our style of brewing has always been about taking chances. It’s an extension of our “What if” mentality, wherein we ask ourselves what would happen if we did things differently in the brewhouse, such as fermenting with a different strain of yeast or, in the case of this beer, incorporating whole-leaf green tea imported from Japan. The answer, embodied in this IPA when we first released it in 2011, was something truly magnificent, delicious and well worth brewing again. But what if we changed it up a bit? This time around, we exchanged Pacifica hops from New Zealand for Helga hops from Australia. The result is an IPA that’s as bright, herbaceous and bitingly hoppy as the one that’s had our fans requesting its return ever since its depletion from store shelves, but with a modern, hop-driven twist that makes this second draft unique and tasty in its own right.
Bryan Baird of Baird Brewing Company, Toshi Ishii of Ishii Brewing Co., and I selected hop varieties for this beer that would blend well with Japanese sencha green tea, and I think we succeeded. Heavy doses of Crystal and Australian Helga hops, accompanied by the Aramis variety from France, provide a wonderful, spicy, and fruity hop character that blends exceptionally well with the herbal and grassy sencha tea flavors. The very late addition of Japanese Sorachi Ace hops provides hints of citrus and dill. Aside from switching out the Pacifica hops for Helga hops, we kept the recipe the same. The ABV on this rebrew is slightly higher than the 2011 release because of the annual changes in malt enzyme strength and variability with the yeast. This was one of our team’s all-time favorite Stone collaboration brews and we are thrilled to be brewing it again.
Our style of brewing has always been about taking chances. It’s an extension of our “What if” mentality, wherein we ask ourselves what would happen if we did things differently in the brewhouse, such as fermenting with a different strain of yeast or, in the case of this beer, incorporating whole-leaf green tea imported from Japan. The answer, embodied in this IPA when we first released it in 2011, was something truly magnificent, delicious and well worth brewing again. But what if we changed it up a bit? This time around, we exchanged Pacifica hops from New Zealand for Helga hops from Australia. The result is an IPA that’s as bright, herbaceous and bitingly hoppy as the one that’s had our fans requesting its return ever since its depletion from store shelves, but with a modern, hop-driven twist that makes this second draft unique and tasty in its own right.
Bryan Baird of Baird Brewing Company, Toshi Ishii of Ishii Brewing Co., and I selected hop varieties for this beer that would blend well with Japanese sencha green tea, and I think we succeeded. Heavy doses of Crystal and Australian Helga hops, accompanied by the Aramis variety from France, provide a wonderful, spicy, and fruity hop character that blends exceptionally well with the herbal and grassy sencha tea flavors. The very late addition of Japanese Sorachi Ace hops provides hints of citrus and dill. Aside from switching out the Pacifica hops for Helga hops, we kept the recipe the same. The ABV on this rebrew is slightly higher than the 2011 release because of the annual changes in malt enzyme strength and variability with the yeast. This was one of our team’s all-time favorite Stone collaboration brews and we are thrilled to be brewing it again.
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7.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Sample at Daily Growler Powell. The beer is a clear orange-gold color with a medium thick ivory white head that dissipates gradually. Partial rings of lacing on the glass. Aroma of citrus, herbal hops and malt. Medium to full body with flavors of floral hops, grapefruit and malt. The finish is moderately bitter with a citrusy hops and subtle tea aftertaste. Above average overall.
Tried
from Growler
on 09 Feb 2015
at 08:34
7.9/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Bomber from Nugget Market in Woodland, CA. Pours bright translucent gold with a creamy/foamy near-white head. Aromas of tropical fruits and herb/tea. It’s really fruity in a melon/South Pacific way, but the tea is not lost, really coming out in the finish. Very tasty stuff, and the heat doesn’t seem to be an issue. A bit warming in the gullet.
Tried
on 05 Feb 2015
at 18:36
6.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 7
22 Oz bottle pour shared. Very mild grainy aroma with some hints of sweet tea leaves. Pours a clear golden color. Floral flavor with some huge green tea flavor. One that lingers forever. Definitely a different beer then the rest. Fun beer.
Tried
from Bottle
on 31 Jan 2015
at 23:38
8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 6
Poured from a bottle it is an effervescent clear golden color with a big head. The aroma is citrus and has some hint of green tea. The taste is strong ln lack licorice some orange and green tea and has some spice in it
Tried
from Bottle
on 24 Jan 2015
at 15:10
7.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
from a 22 oz bottle courtesy of Ryan. Pours a clear gold with a thick off white head. Herbal, citrus nose. Flavors of green tea and oranges. Satisfying mouthfeel. Slightly bitter, somewhat boozy finish.
Tried
from Bottle
on 24 Jan 2015
at 14:45
8.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
22 ounce bottle into tulip glass, best before 4/2/2015. Pours slightly hazy golden orange color with a 2 finger dense and rocky off white head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice dense soapy lacing clings around the glass. Aromas of big grapefruit, lemon zest, orange peel, green tea, light pepper, light pine, herbal, floral, grass, honey, light caramel, bread, and herbal/grassy earthiness. Damn nice aromas with good balance and complexity of citrus/floral hops, earthy tea, and moderate malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big grapefruit, lemon zest, orange peel, pine, light pepper, green tea, herbal, floral, grass, honey, light caramel, bread, and herbal/grassy earthiness. Fair amount of spicy pine/herbal bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of grapefruit, lemon zest, orange peel, pine, light pepper, green tea, herbal, floral, grass, honey, light caramel, bread, and herbal/grassy earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Fantastic balance and complexity of citrus/floral hops, earthy tea, and moderate malt flavors; with a great malt/bitterness balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a smooth, crisp, and fairly sticky mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a slight warming present after the finish. Overall this is an outstanding tea spiced IPA. All around awesome complexity and balance of citrus/floral hops, earthy tea, and moderate malt flavors; and very smooth and crisp to drink for the big ABV. A highly enjoyable offering.
Tried
from Bottle
on 23 Jan 2015
at 21:07
8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
22 oz bottle (2015 release, 10.1% ABV) poured into a Hitachino Nest tulip. Slightly smudged Enjoy By date, 4/2/2015 I believe. Clear golden orange with a finger of off-white head. Aromas of powdered green tea, green tea leaves, light floral notes, citrus. Tastes of tropical fruit, citrus, light floral notes, mango, slight alcohol, fresh green tea leaves. Medium body with a dry finish. Juicy mouthfeel, medium carbonation. Pretty tasty.
Tried
from Bottle
on 22 Jan 2015
at 01:39
7.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Avenue Pub, New Orleans tap: pours hazy orange yellow with a white head. Aroma is juicy grapefruit, hints of tea, and more citrus. Taste is green tea powder at the front and then goes into some of the most juicy grapefruit larter into it. It ain’t bitter, but it is extremely flavorful. Good.
Tried
from Draft
on 19 Jan 2015
at 10:58