探求心シリーズ ブリュワーインタビュー -賢者の意思(けんじゃのいし)-
Our third installment of our Exploration keg-only series continues, with our third installment being from Kai, who joined our brewery last year from Steel & Oak in Canada last year.Kai is in the process of preparing for his own brewery, which will open in Higashiomi in Shiga later this year.Having enjoyed a very multi-cultural upbringing, Kai was keen to broaden his (and Kyoto Brewing's) knowledge of various beer cultures further by attempting a Zoiglbier, a relatively unknown style brewed only within on area within Germany, and one that we've never seen being produced anywhere in Japan.
KBC: Please introduce yourself.Kai: I'm Kai, born and raised in Vancouver, Canada, although my parents are Japanese and German. My craft beer career started with CRAFT BEER HOUSE molto!! in Osaka, before which I then started brewing at Nagahama Roman Beer. I from there enrolled in a university brewing program at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) in Canada. While at KPU, I spent three years at Steel and Oak Brewery and, after that, I returned to Japan to work towards starting a brewery. Whilst preparing to launch the brewery, called Flora Fermentation in Shiga, I have been helping out at Kyoto Brewing since last year.
KBC: Alchemist's Resolve follows on from the Exploration Series' previous release, White Tiger, in being a first for Kyoto Brewing! This time around, it may well also be the first of its kind in Japan. How would you describe the character of this beer?Kai: Zoigl is a beer that has been brewed for over 500 years in five towns in the Oberpfalz region of Bavaria, Germany. The Zoigl style is brewed using the same method in each town, at a community brewhouse, but each has its own unique taste. The beer is not completed at the community brewhouse, as the wart is then moved to the individual brewers' houses, where fermentation and maturation take place.It is made in a brewery jointly owned by a group of citizens who have the right to brew, and the brewing method was recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2018. Stores that serve Zoiglbier will hang a star-shaped symbol called the Zoigl Star in front of the store to let everyone know that their beer is ready to be served!
KBC: “Zoigl” is a style that includes many elements of tradition and culture. How does the beer actually taste, and what were the key points of Exploration for you? Kai: Our goal was to create a beer with a pleasant hop aroma and a refreshing aftertaste. We focused our efforts on bringing out the herbal and spicy elements of the hops, whilst maintaining a balance of bitterness, along with the hop aromas that make the character distinctive. We were able to tweak and perfect the balance of aroma, flavour, and the body of the beer by taking advantage of the malt's characteristics, and I feel succeeded in creating well a style that has not been produced often in Japan, if ever before.
KBC: Many people in Japan are not familiar with Zoiglbiers, as you say. What kind of people do you want to drink it?Kai: IPA lovers - I want them to drink it! At first they may not think it is what they are looking for, as it's not bursting with the tropical notes that many IPA drinkers go for nowadays, but modern juicy hops aren't the only thing that makes beer taste good! That's what I want people to get out of this. Anyway, it's easy to drink, so I'd like to get about 10 refills in Kyoto, which is about to get hot, and get lots of people completely drunk! Haha.
It's been about a year since Kai joined KBC, and he's been a cheeky and bright personality since he has been here. Last November, we decided to take part in Movember and raise some money for men's cancer and mental health awareness (here's our post from the time: https://x.gd/G4wcf)Whilst for a serious cause, taking part helped to bring people together internally as well, and got us to read into issues that we hadn't been so aware of. True to character, he has now gone and got us to read into a very unique beer culture in a specific part of Germany!The brewery Kai is founding with his friends, Flora Fermentation, will finally begin operations this year in Higashiomi City, Shiga Prefecture, so keep an eye out for further updates there as well!