Japanese Green Tea IPA (2011)
(Batch of Japanese Green Tea IPA)
Stone Brewing in Escondido, California, United States 🇺🇸
Collab with: Baird Brewing Co. / Ishii Brewing CompanyIPA - Imperial / Double Special Out of Production
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Score
7.23
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Collaborators: Toshi Ishii, President & Brewmaster, Ishii Brewing Co. / Bryan Baird, Brewmaster, Baird Beer / Mitch Steele, Brewmaster, Stone Brewing Co.
When our old friends Toshi Ishii and Bryan Baird approached us about brewing something special for Japan relief efforts, we of course jumped at the opportunity. We created this very special IPA, brewed with 100% Maris Otter Malt and Belgian candi sugar. Once we decided to tie it all together with the addition of Japanese Sencha green tea in a dry hop, the rest of the recipe came together easily. We included hops that we believed would blend well with the tea flavors, and we went non-traditional, at least in the sense of American IPAs. After bittering with Warrior hops, we used Crystal and New Zealand Pacifica for flavor. And then for the first dry hop, we again used Crystal and Pacifica, and added a brand new hop variety, Aramis, from the Alsace region of France. Then we went all Japanese for the second dry-hop, with Sorachi Ace whole leaf hops, and the Sencha tea. It’s always fun to use new ingredients and new hop varieties, and for that, I say to Toshi and Bryan: “Domo arigato!”
When our old friends Toshi Ishii and Bryan Baird approached us about brewing something special for Japan relief efforts, we of course jumped at the opportunity. We created this very special IPA, brewed with 100% Maris Otter Malt and Belgian candi sugar. Once we decided to tie it all together with the addition of Japanese Sencha green tea in a dry hop, the rest of the recipe came together easily. We included hops that we believed would blend well with the tea flavors, and we went non-traditional, at least in the sense of American IPAs. After bittering with Warrior hops, we used Crystal and New Zealand Pacifica for flavor. And then for the first dry hop, we again used Crystal and Pacifica, and added a brand new hop variety, Aramis, from the Alsace region of France. Then we went all Japanese for the second dry-hop, with Sorachi Ace whole leaf hops, and the Sencha tea. It’s always fun to use new ingredients and new hop varieties, and for that, I say to Toshi and Bryan: “Domo arigato!”
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7.2/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8
This brew pours a slightly hazy amber-gold color with a medium off-white head that recedes steadily. Sticky rings of lacing. Aroma of floral hops, sweet tea and citrus. Medium body with a noticeable green tea character and notes of citrusy hops, caramel and mild spice. The finish is fruity with note of resiny hops and tea left over. Above average overall, another interesting collaboration.
Tried
on 19 Aug 2011
at 10:08
8.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 9
Enjoyed on tap at Acre Restaurant in Chicago, IL as part of a Stone Tap Takeover...may have been my only chance to try this in the Midwest! Appearance a cloudy gold with a rich, creamy white head. Aroma of nice earthy hops, hints of sweetness, definite green tea presence, a touch of caramel malt. Taste is outrageous and just downright rude, just knowing this will be my only chance to try this. At first you’re hit with an abundance of earthy and piney hops, mixed with a citrusy sweetness which makes it a bit fruity, and in the finish the green tea turns everything into an ’ohm’ moment of clarity. As it warms some of the more malty qualities appear, also becomes a little more bitter. Also, no way this tastes like a 9% abv beer, way too smooth for that. Wish this was more readily available.
Tried
from Draft
on 16 Aug 2011
at 17:36
7.6/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Pours a slightly hazy deep amber into a tulip. White head with medium retention recedes to skim surface. Deep pine resin, sweet tea and grapefruit aromas. Thick with sweet resin upfront, thinning to green tea before the lasting grapefruit finish.
Tried
on 13 Aug 2011
at 14:23
7.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Pours very hazy burnt orange color with off white head. Strong citrus aroma with some bread and a hint of tea leaves. Bitter grapefruit rind and herbal flavor with a touch of tea and slight mintiness. Some spiciness. Medium body with average carbonation. It’s a bit different than your usual IPA but a decent brew.
Tried
on 10 Aug 2011
at 19:50
7.3/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottle at RBESG Grand Tasting, held at Dean Swift. Thanks to Chuwy for this one. Aroma is tea, green hops, creamy, malty. Deep orange gold color. Sweet, malty, citric flavor, with green tea,, good hops. Dry and astringent with nice hop bitterness.
Tried
from Bottle
on 09 Aug 2011
at 22:13
6.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
33 cL bottle. Pours cloudy yellow with a small off-white head. Aroma is fruity and light herbal hoppy. Fruity, citrusy, peachy and crisp tea like. Bitter, mild sweet and crisp hoppy. Bitter and smooth fruity finish.
Tried
from Bottle
on 08 Aug 2011
at 08:57
6.2/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
Pours a nice amber that starts sorta cloudy but very fine sediment quickly settles out. Small off-white head. Aroma is pineapple, mango, kiwi, pine resin, honeysuckle, caramel and a very floral green tea note. I wish the green tea was stronger because I’m mostly getting a standard pine resin tinged with tropical fruits and backed up by caramel IPA smell. Taste has more tea presence, but it’s mostly felt as a tannic note in the finish. Otherwise, the flavor is mildly dry with a big pine resin bitterness. Mouthfeel is pretty standard for an IPA, except for those tannic edges. It’s a decent DIPA, but I wish that they had tried to push the boundaries a bit more. The green tea flavor is mild compared to the big hop presence.
Tried
on 02 Aug 2011
at 22:16
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Bottle from Beverages 4 Less in Santee, CA. Pours hazy amber gold with a creamy/foamy near white head. Aroma is spicy herb over light caramel. Med+ body. Flavor is actually suggestive of tea, and not that black fermented stuff, but it is more spicy and floral/citrus. With a slight pause a herbal tea sort of flavor kicks in. There’s a lot going on - it’s like a revolving flavor palate. In the end I think it’s identifiably tea as the major flavor component. How strange this is.
Tried
from Bottle
on 02 Aug 2011
at 19:10
6.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Initial hit of green tea, but then beer fades into a regular IIPA, though not all that great of an IIPA. Decent herbal and citrusy notes, but overall a bit cloying and not so well balanced. A bit too sweet for my liking too. Not bad, but hardly outstanding, but at least it is for a good cause.
Tried
on 01 Aug 2011
at 01:10
6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 4
Bottle @ home. Somewhat hazy, yellow-orange appearance with a foamy, white head. Herbal, faint tea, moderately piney, dank hoppy nose. Kind of a weird organic, herbal, piney, dank, lightly citrus hoppy flavor with most of the tea on the finish. Green tea, piney, dank aftertaste. Weird brew that’s ok but not all that impressive.
Tried
from Bottle
on 27 Jul 2011
at 22:29