Back in September, Ballast Point CEO & Founder Jack White and Specialty Brewer Colby Chandler traveled to COEDO Brewery, just outside of Tokyo, to brew a special collaboration beer blending the best of both cultures. “Like in San Diego, Tokyo has a passionate craft beer community, and we were inspired by that,” said White.
The resulting “West to East IPA” was the first IPA ever produced at the Japanese brewery, which coincidentally shares its 1996 birth year with Ballast Point.
“With this collaboration, we really tried to capture a balance of pan-Pacific flavors, starting with hops native to the U.S., Australia and New Zealand” explained Chandler, a former San Diego Brewers Guild President. “The rice adds a satisfying sushi flavor, and there is a bright citrus finish from the yuzu.” Another American touch was the use of San Diegan yeast (California Ale Yeast from White Labs) for fermentation.
Ballast Point sales team members told West Coaster that Crest Beverage distribution has their hands on kegs of the 6.8% ABV beer, and that it will start arriving next week at these accounts: O’Brien’s Pub (received 1/23), Churchill’s (tapping Wednesday 1/30), Local Habit (second keg received 1/23), The High Dive (received 1/23), Union Kitchen & Tap (received 1/23), Sublime Alehouse, all the Pizza Port brewpubs, Slater’s 50/50 (received 1/23), Hamilton’s Tavern (received 1/23), Small Bar (received 1/23), Monkey Paw, Supper Club (received 1/23), Neighborhood, and Craft & Commerce. Hoffer’s Cigar Bar in La Mesa was lucky enough to have already snagged a keg, and it will be on tap tonight (second keg received 1/23)
Specialty Brewer Chandler has yet to even try the beer himself, as he is currently in San Francisco having been nominated for a 2013 Good Food Award for his Winter San Salvador. This seasonal Schwarzbier, named for Cabrillo’s flagship that landed at Santa Catalina Island in 1542, features California-grown barley, bay leaf from a community garden in Banker’s Hill, La Costa coastal black sage, Nugget hops from Star B Ranch in Ramona, and Carlsbad Aqua Farm Luna Oysters. Good Food Award winners will be announced tonight, and Ballast Point is joined by locals The Linkery and Tender Greens, who are competing in the charcuterie category.
Stay tuned for Part 2 on Monday!