Reimei (New Dawn) - Preview

A new dawn breaks. This is our first new release of the year. Coming straight from one challenging year into a new era with more challenges but equal amounts of promise. To get ready for the long haul, please enjoy this supremely balanced and accessible Belgian pale ale.

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2020 is finally behind us, and while 2021 will undoubtedly have a wide range of challenges in store for all of us, we can’t help but feel that we are turning the page from one chapter to another in the story of KBC. We sincerely hope that the same can be said for the Covid-19 pandemic, but at the very least we see 2021 as a year of great change and new challenges.

As we mentioned in our series of year end posts, some of these changes will affect our beer lineup, including our year-round teiban beers. In addition to brushing up the recipes for these three beers, we have also decided to put more of a focus on something we have come to be known for in the industry: pairing Belgian yeast with “New World” hops and brewing techniques. This release is the first to embody that change in 2021 and is simultaneously getting back to our roots while also furthering us down this new path.

We crafted this release as an expression of this ideal through one of our favourite styles to drink: Pale Ale. This style is one of the few that lets more than one ingredient take centre stage while at the same time ensuring that each one is in balance with the others. Walking the tightrope of hop and malt balance is no easy task, but when done right it ensures that the final product is in the home refrigerators of both brewers and consumers alike. The additional challenge of adding to this a subtle final layer of Belgian complexity without disrupting the balance of power was the motivation behind brewing this particular beer at this important juncture.

This Belgian Pale Ale has its feet firmly planted in beers like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale that gave birth to the American craft beer movement. A mixture of Golden Promise base malt with small amounts of Munich and light crystal malt gives a perfect blend of malt flavour and body. Our house Belgian yeast accents the sweet character of the malt while also providing a fruity backdrop for the classic Cascade and Centennial hops. The result is exactly what we love about the beers we make—dry and drinkable, with yeast, hops, and malt all being present but balanced in a way that none overpowers. So cheers to a new year and a new beginning in 2021!