A wise friend once told us to “brew the beers you want to drink.” We took that advice to heart. While there are many great beers brewed in Japan, we still felt that there was something missing--no one brewery that fully satisfied all of our beer desires. We started KBC to fill that desire, believing that there were many others out there who felt the same way and would rally behind our products. For our inspiration, we looked to the two brewing traditions that excited us the most: American and Belgium.
American craft beer has done more to change the face of the brewing world in the last 30 years than anything else out there. New hops, new styles, new hybrid beers, new extremes of high (and low) ABVs and IBUs. This is what we aspire for; never being afraid to try something new just because it hasn’t been done before or someone tells you that it can’t be.
Belgium is much more steeped in history and tradition, but is just as willing to continue doing what works for them, not what others tell them they should do. Effects from different yeast, both selected and wild; different taste sensations from the sweet, to the dry, the light, the heavy, the bitter and the sour, Belgian beer has been hugely varied and complex in both its methods of production and results.
While beers from both of these traditions are interesting on their own, we feel that combining our favourite aspects from both produce a more unique and rewarding product. Our house yeast is a Belgian strain. The majority of the hops we use are American. Combining both in interesting and unique ways makes for inspired beers, flavourful products, and a really fun brewing experience. This is our starting point. Where our journey will take us and what beers we will make in the future, we do not yet know.
Orange-ish gold with slightly rocky off-white foam that leaves decent lacing behind. The aroma is like believing Tabasco or sticky icky while the taste is a really interesting sort of candied pine needles and branches.
I think the only one in this series I’ve not tried is mosaic as it sold out before I ever saw it ;)
Apparently, 5 years ago they released a collab with the same name… this is definitely different though.
KBC Habakarisan 4.5% Belgian Wit with Yuzu & Sansho
Nice matte straw gold with soapy off-white foam. The aroma has the Yuzu and Sansho while the medium to light body gives lots of peppery witbier notes with nice sweet Yuzu citrus. Enjoyable.
Orange gold with thick light beige foam and a spicy white pepper, orange and jasmine aroma. Full bodied with a spice forward Belgian flavor. The taste is vinous, rich, bready, spicy with soft jasmine in the finish. The jasmine was most present in the initial sips before it blended in to the rich tripel flavor profile.
Nice brassy orange gold colo with thick fast-dissipating foam. The aroma is a graham maltiness. With a herbal butter bite. Crisp, clean, crushable fall brew.
Can from Isetan. Quite dark brown with orange tints and a tall, fine, tan head. Nutty malt nose, toast, orange, earthy and spicy hops. Nutty, malty flavor, caramel but not too sweet, slightly rich and fudge-like, but nice prickly hops and a drying finish. Light on the palate, quite carbonated. Would perfect it on the handpump, but hey... Well done.
Can from Lupia. Big, dank, creamy and juicy nose with grapefruit, over-ripe mango, weed and white grape. Fruity, pithy flavor. Dry and dank, soft and smooth, with a prickly, pithy, bitter finish. I find the hops somewhat abusive. Interesting but not delicious.
Can from Fujii Daimaru. Hazy pale yellow. Big grapefruit in the nose, resin, weed, mango. Dry and dank-ass flavor, unripe tropical fruit and resins. Dry and dank, not all that fruity or juicy. Decent but a big much.
Can from Isetan. Deep golden color. Low head. Big, fresh hop nose, dank, spicy, floral, with tropical fruits and also some noble notes. Spicy, herbal hop flavor, resiny, fresh, topical fruit. Quite herbacious and also bitter.
Can. Bright medium to deep red with a pink head. Big cherry nose, some lime, light vanilla and lactic acid. Very dry flavor, crackery malt, cherry, a touch of lime. Rather underwhelming flavor after the big cherry nose. Somewhat disappointing.
Lovely gold with big soft foam which vanished quickly. Nice sweet malty aroma withnotes of dusty soft wheat. Medium to full bodied with a soft mouthfeel. This was really good and if I’d drunk it sooner after taking it out of my fridge it probably would’ve been amazing.