Afterschool Brewery taps its first brew, Best Bitter “1st Batch Spec”
Afterschool Brewery in Ikejiri-Ohashi, Tokyo, tapped its memorable first brew, “First Batch (1st Batch Spec),” on April 2. A Best Bitter with an ABV of 3.6 to 4.0%, it is an experimental beer finished with the same recipe using two different yeasts.
Hop BroAfterschool Brewery in Tokyo’s Ikejiri-Ohashi tapped its memorable first brew on April 2.
MugiWait, they went straight into a first brew!? The name 1st Batch already makes it feel extra special!
Hop BroAnd the style is Best Bitter, with an ABV of around 3.6 to 4.0%. It’s going for drinkability and malt character rather than flashy impact.
MugiBest Bitter means the bitterest one is the best? Bitter but easy to drink sounds a little confusing!
Hop BroThat’s the interesting part. They split the wort from the same recipe in half and fermented it with two different yeasts. Windsor and Old English let them compare the differences in aroma and mouthfeel.
MugiWhat, beer can change just because of the yeast!? So even with the same ingredients, it can become a totally different person!?
Hop BroExactly. British ale yeasts tend to show their individuality in aroma and mouthfeel, so even with the same recipe the impression can change completely.
MugiWow! So instead of the hops being the star, this is the kind of beer where you can slowly appreciate the shape of the malt. It feels like a grown-up beer!
Hop BroAnd the location is great too. Since you can enjoy it inside Home/Work Village, you get to taste the atmosphere of the brewing process itself, which feels very Afterschool Brewery.
MugiA first pint with the taste of trial and error on top of it makes me want to root for them.
Hop BroIt’s the kind of first brew that quietly delivers the goods rather than making a lot of noise. I want to keep following the next standard releases and future batches, and now I really want to go drink one.
MugiYeah, I’m way too excited for the next pint! We really should head to Ikejiri-Ohashi and raise a glass!
Afterschool Brewery in Ikejiri-Ohashi, Tokyo, tapped its memorable first brew, “First Batch (1st Batch Spec),” on April 2. The venue is inside Home/Work Village. As you’d expect from a brewery that has only just started homebrewing, the theme this time is “experimentation.”
This beer is a Best Bitter. With an ABV of 3.6 to 4.0%, the wort brewed from the same recipe was split in half and fermented separately with two yeasts: Lallemand’s “Windsor” and WHC Lab’s “Old English.” By using different British ale yeasts, this batch is designed to test how aroma and mouthfeel change even when the recipe itself stays the same.
Rather than flashy hop character, this is a beer for people who want to slowly appreciate the contours of the malt and the personality contributed by the yeast. Within the calm, easy-drinking character typical of a Best Bitter, what stands out is the freshness of a first brew and the trial-and-error process that went into making it.
Afterschool Brewery is an interesting brewery to watch in Ikejiri-Ohashi, where you can enjoy not only the finished beer but also the brewing process itself. Starting with this first pint, it will be fun to follow how its regular offerings and future batches develop over time.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the venue’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroAfterschool Brewery in Tokyo’s Ikejiri-Ohashi tapped its memorable first brew on April 2.
MugiWait, they went straight into a first brew!? The name 1st Batch already makes it feel extra special!
Hop BroAnd the style is Best Bitter, with an ABV of around 3.6 to 4.0%. It’s going for drinkability and malt character rather than flashy impact.
MugiBest Bitter means the bitterest one is the best? Bitter but easy to drink sounds a little confusing!
Hop BroThat’s the interesting part. They split the wort from the same recipe in half and fermented it with two different yeasts. Windsor and Old English let them compare the differences in aroma and mouthfeel.
MugiWhat, beer can change just because of the yeast!? So even with the same ingredients, it can become a totally different person!?
Hop BroExactly. British ale yeasts tend to show their individuality in aroma and mouthfeel, so even with the same recipe the impression can change completely.
MugiWow! So instead of the hops being the star, this is the kind of beer where you can slowly appreciate the shape of the malt. It feels like a grown-up beer!
Hop BroAnd the location is great too. Since you can enjoy it inside Home/Work Village, you get to taste the atmosphere of the brewing process itself, which feels very Afterschool Brewery.
MugiA first pint with the taste of trial and error on top of it makes me want to root for them.
Hop BroIt’s the kind of first brew that quietly delivers the goods rather than making a lot of noise. I want to keep following the next standard releases and future batches, and now I really want to go drink one.
MugiYeah, I’m way too excited for the next pint! We really should head to Ikejiri-Ohashi and raise a glass!
