October 05, 2024KBC2.0

Next Steps of KBC 2.0 Beers

We’ve talked a lot about “KBC 2.0” recently, and the limited releases that are separate from the series we have done so far. These posts have talked about sourcing of ingredients, as well as taking on what our new head brewer, James, can bring to KBC, and how we hope to combine his knowledge with what we are already proud of.So far, a lot of this has meant talk about modern, hoppy beers. People might want to assume that our new direction is just that: big, brash, on board with the popular hype styles. But that isn’t the point of what we are wanting to do. Yes, we would like to make quality IPAs - west coast or hazy, session or imperial - but we have many other kinds of beers we want to make.

We recently released two English styles in the form of Sharaku - a Bitter and an Imperial Porter. This was a shift away from the “KBC 2.0” hoppy beers up to now, which surprised some people. But our talk about refreshing our company and a new direction is not about abandoning what we valued up to now, nor is it specifically about hops.The point of our update is to challenge ourselves, explore and learn, and ultimately make more beers we want to drink and share. Off the bat, we have made highly hopped IPAs, it’s true. Part of it is because James brought in a lot of experience in these hoppier styles, and part of it is because we have made many different styles up to now but our hoppier beers have always been somewhat reigned in. Beyond these hoppy beers, though, we are making other beers. Beers that may be American in inspiration, but they might also be Belgian-inspired, German inspired, or other, like Sharaku.

As a peek into what we have coming up, we are currently back into the hops for the Shingyoso Mosaic hop trilogy. Beyond this, we look forward to going in a new direction for two upcoming Mexican-inspired releases. Please don’t expect Corona, however! These are moving in a very different direction, inspired by the Mexican drink Horchata, and a Mexican Coffee Stout. Beyond that, we are also looking forward to showcasing Nelson Sauvin hops in our next hop-forward series.Upcoming KBC 2.0 releases within 2024:
Gyo (Hazy IPA) Oct 6th
So (Oat Cream DDH DIPA) Oct 13th
Itchuya (Mexican “Horchata” White Milk Stout) Nov 2nd
Itchuya (Mexican Coffee Stout) Nov 9th
Hojo (Belgian Pale Ale) Nov 23rd
Hojo (Grape Rose IPA) Dec 7th
Hojo (Grape White IPA) Dec 21stIt goes without saying, but we are also well into discussions on our new releases for the first quarter of 2025. All will be shared in due course, so keep an eye out on what’s to come!