As Stardust IPA, Uchu Brewing (meaning roughly Outer Space Brewing in English so their beer names have a space theme) launched in 2018 and is very well regarded up in Tokyo. They started to pop up in Kansai recently (Asahiya & Maruho have them I think) but bottles are about 800¥ so I’m glad a friend hooked me up with this one! Uchu Stardust Sour IPA 6.5% I was surprised to see this pour a salmon/grapefruit juice pinkish purple color and even more surprised to see all the floaters in my glass. I guess this one (this brewery’s beers?) should be poured slow and keep the last bit in the bottle to avoid them if they bother you. Color cool, floaters not so cool. The pink tinged head left nice lacing behind and the aroma on this beer is pretty good tangy lactic grapes. The taste is grapes, sour, a bit bitter with a touch of cardboard in the aftertaste. It’s weird really, I don’t get this style as I don’t feel hops work so great with really sour beers generally. It’s fine but I’d like to try one of their normal hoppy beers as I hear those are the best...

very dark brown color. Very interesting grape, roasted malt, slightly sweet, slight tart and fairly perfumy. Big roasted malt with good roasted malt, modest fruitiness and low medium bitterness. Medium carbonation. Very different and not at all an ipa. Very different but very enjoyable.