Bulbul, a Vertere collaboration, tapped at Inkhorn Brewing: a spring-ready fruit sour
At Inkhorn Brewing, the brewpub in Mejiro, Tokyo, the third collaboration beer with Vertere has arrived: "Bulbul." This Fruited Sour combines boysenberry juice and vanilla for a light drinkability, bright fruit character, and gentle acidity.
Hop BroLooks like Inkhorn Brewing in Mejiro has tapped its third collaboration with Vertere, "Bulbul". A spring-like beer has arrived!
MugiHuh! Third collaboration means they’re really close! So what kind of beer is it?
Hop BroIt’s a Fruited Sour, 6.0% ABV, and it’s designed to be light but still clearly show off its fruit character.
MugiWhat! Sour means tart, right? But if it’s fruit, I’m lost on whether it’s sweet or sour!
Hop BroThe base is a sour ale, and they layer in boysenberry and vanilla, so the acidity stays gentle while the aroma feels bright and fruity.
MugiOhhh! I also saw that it has white chocolate in it. Doesn’t that turn it into a dessert beer?
Hop BroThat’s the clever part: the white chocolate is there more to shape the texture than to stand out, so it seems to keep the sweetness in check.
MugiThat’s so artisanal... The post mentioned 'different souring methods' - what’s different? It sounds like a spell!
Hop BroBasically, it means the way the acidity is created is different. Even with similar ingredients, different ways of building sourness make side-by-side tasting really interesting.
MugiWhoa, now I’m doomed! If I find Bulbul at Inkhorn, I’m going to want a glass right away!
Here’s a collaboration beer update from Inkhorn Brewing, the brewpub in Mejiro, Toshima Ward, Tokyo. This new release is "Bulbul", the third joint creation with the brewery Vertere from Okutama.
The style is Fruited Sour, with an ABV of 6.0%. Built on a sour ale base, the recipe combines boysenberry juice and vanilla, and the post describes it as finishing with a light body while still delivering firm berry acidity and fruity character.
Another highlight is how the balance shifts as the beer warms slightly, with sweet vanilla notes becoming more pronounced. White chocolate is also used as an adjunct, but rather than standing out prominently, it seems designed to add texture and round out the background. It’s a spring-like sour that fits the mood when you want something not too sweet, but still full of fruit character.
The recipe breakdown is as follows.
- Malt: Extra Pils, Wheat, Oats
- Hops: Simcoe Dynaboost
- Others: Boysenberry Juice, White Chocolate, Vanilla
- Yeast: WLP001
The post also notes that while Inkhorn and Vertere use a similar malt bill and adjunct lineup, they finish the beers with different souring methods, making this a collaboration meant to be especially fun to compare side by side.
One of the best things about a brewpub is being able to enjoy both the brewery’s own character and a guest brewery collaboration. For anyone following Inkhorn Brewing’s latest taps, this is one to check for availability.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the venue’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroLooks like Inkhorn Brewing in Mejiro has tapped its third collaboration with Vertere, "Bulbul". A spring-like beer has arrived!
MugiHuh! Third collaboration means they’re really close! So what kind of beer is it?
Hop BroIt’s a Fruited Sour, 6.0% ABV, and it’s designed to be light but still clearly show off its fruit character.
MugiWhat! Sour means tart, right? But if it’s fruit, I’m lost on whether it’s sweet or sour!
Hop BroThe base is a sour ale, and they layer in boysenberry and vanilla, so the acidity stays gentle while the aroma feels bright and fruity.
MugiOhhh! I also saw that it has white chocolate in it. Doesn’t that turn it into a dessert beer?
Hop BroThat’s the clever part: the white chocolate is there more to shape the texture than to stand out, so it seems to keep the sweetness in check.
MugiThat’s so artisanal... The post mentioned 'different souring methods' - what’s different? It sounds like a spell!
Hop BroBasically, it means the way the acidity is created is different. Even with similar ingredients, different ways of building sourness make side-by-side tasting really interesting.
MugiWhoa, now I’m doomed! If I find Bulbul at Inkhorn, I’m going to want a glass right away!