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DH, Miyuki, and myself spent all of last saturday helping brew at the Hansharo Brewery. We didn't actually make Hansharo Beer, we helped brew up a new creation from Rainbow Brewing. Lacking a brewing facility all their own, the Rainbow contract brew at Hansharo on certain saturdays. As of now Rainbow Brewing only markets Dusk Ale, a ruby colored amber ale stacked with malty goodness. Our homebrewer friend, Kawano-san, is the head brewer for the Rainbow operation. Besides the contract brewed Dusk Ale, he homebrews a mean coconut porter and yuzu ale. Little known fact, the current seasonal chocolate stout at Hansharo Brewing is one of Kawano-san's recipes. No offense to Hansharo, but it was blowing there regular line-up out of the water!
We showed up at 9 am to start work by dumping bags of crushed grain into the cooker. Hansharo Beer has a 1000 liter system, but Kawano-san was only making a 700 liter batch. On hand in the brewery that day was Hansharo's brewer Watanabe-san (blue fleece), Yokohama's new brewer Gojo-san (cute green overalls), Hansharo's heir to the throne Hide-san (double peace signs), Kawano-san (Yokohama 08 shirt), the Good Beer Country Boys ('I got my thumbs up' DH) and Miyuki. It was a regular brewing party!The mash cooked, was transferred to the mash tun, it was drained and sparged, then pumped to the giant boiling pot, where it was boiled and hopped. Remember, I have been on many a brewery tour, but this was my first working experience. 
I was like a kid in a big shiny stainless steel alcohol related toy store. Up to this point, it was like all grain homebrewing, until it the boiling wort was jetted into the whirlpool. This coned up all the hops in the middle so the wort could be pumped out from the side. I know in homebrewing you can stir the pot to get this same effect, but it was cool to see it work with 700 liters.
I was like a kid in a big shiny stainless steel alcohol related toy store. Up to this point, it was like all grain homebrewing, until it the boiling wort was jetted into the whirlpool. This coned up all the hops in the middle so the wort could be pumped out from the side. I know in homebrewing you can stir the pot to get this same effect, but it was cool to see it work with 700 liters. I haven't said much about the specifics of the beer we brewed. It will be ready to drink in about a month and I think Kawano-san wants to keep it a secret until then. I will say that it is not a dark beer at all and that I have a good feeling about it. I mean, I helped brew this stuff, of course it is going to be awesomeI think DH will post more about Hansharo beer as a whole. Their beer is average, except for a sake yeast beer that has a unique taste I have never experienced before. This said, the yakiniku style restaurant is amazing and serves Wagyu beef at an extremely low price. Right now a Kawano-san created stout is on draft, which I drank way too much of Saturday night, and this new beer will be there in a month. I don't remember what train stop it is, just that it is about 30 minutes by local from Mishima. Maybe DH wrote it down.
Look at the pictures of us and be jealous!
5 comments:
Good stuff, boys.
It's also interesting to see beer being made, instead of just being drunk. The Dusk choco stout was available at Ushi Tora last night. I didn't have it but I think they had another Dusk beer out before. Besides the first Dusk ale. Maybe it was Dusk ale no.2. The sake yeast one was the daiginjo masako or something ike that? Yes, quite a special taste.
Sorry, I think the Rainbow choco dusk is a porter. Haven't had it, though.
I think the Hansharo seasonal and the Dusk choco beer are one in the same. It is Rainbow Brewing because Kowano-san brewed it but Hansharo sells it in bottles and on draft at their restaurant under their own label.
My word verification is 'priest` marking the first time it has ever been a real word.
Miyuki verified it. Kawano-san told her that they are the same beer.
I went to Hansharo with Dominic (going away party guy) about two years ago. I agree with the comments about Masako being interesting. Their other beers are pretty boring, but not offensive. I thought Dusk Ale was OK, but the seasonal Chocolate Stout was pretty damn fine. I also heard they made a bitter, but I never tried it and it seemed to come and go very quickly. I hope they inspire Hansharo to make some more creative beers. I am looking forward to trying your beer and to trying more stuff from Rainbow. Good article.
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