Shiokaze Blue Lab Brewery to hold a TTO at iBrew Ginza; collaboration "Ginza Kölsch" to be served this week
On March 30, Shiokaze Blue Lab Brewery reported on Instagram that it held a tap takeover (TTO) at iBrew Ginza over the weekend. The collaboration-born neo-Kölsch-style beer "Ginza Kölsch" is scheduled to be served at Shiokaze this week, and another new beer project has also gotten underway.
Hop BroShiokaze Blue Lab just did a TTO at iBrew Ginza. Watching the reaction in Ginza over the weekend, then lining it up at their own place this week, is pretty exciting, right?
MugiWait, what's a TTO? Tap takeover sounds like some kind of special move that pours a ton all at once!
Hop BroExactly. Basically, it's like the brewery takes over the bar's taps. Shiokaze Blue Lab hijacked the taps at iBrew Ginza and turned it into an event where they could keep pouring beers for everyone who came by.
MugiOhh! So that's how they came up with that Ginza Kölsch. The name already sounds urban, and now it's going to be drinkable back in their local area too. That's a great flow.
Hop BroAnd the thing is, this isn't just any Kölsch, it's a neo-Kölsch style. It feels like they took Kölsch's lightness and added a more modern outline. I imagine something that goes down smoothly and then leaves a gentle umami impression afterward.
MugiBut honestly, I don't really know what Kölsch tastes like. Is it light? Refreshing? Or is it just the stylish name doing the work?
Hop BroKölsch, broadly speaking, is known for a refined, dry drinking character. Rather than pushing with flashy aroma, it has clean malt character and restrained hops that fade out smoothly, so you can keep going glass after glass.
MugiI see, it's the kind that wins by being easy to drink! And Shiokaze Blue Lab really values exploring ingredients too. No wonder they have "Lab" in the name!
Hop BroExactly. As a brewery in Chiba City, they make beer while looking closely at barley, hops, and yeast, so their connection to the local area comes through in the flavor too. They started in Soga in 2020, and it's interesting how they've stayed rooted in the community.
MugiAnd this time, they tested it in Tokyo first and will serve it back home within the week, which makes it feel like they're connecting Ginza and Chiba. They're also moving on another new beer project, so it makes you want to keep following along!
Hop BroIn the end, it's really about tasting it in Ginza and then enjoying it in Chiba, looking forward to the next pour. Shiokaze Blue Lab's Ginza Kölsch might be the kind that makes you want just one more after the first glass.
MugiWhoa, now that you've said that, I'm done for! I'm in the mood to drink it right now, and Hop, you're definitely going to pour one for me too!
On March 30, Shiokaze Blue Lab Brewery reported on Instagram that it held a tap takeover (TTO) at iBrew Ginza over the weekend. In the post, it expressed gratitude to everyone who came by and described enjoying beer in the springtime weather.
The highlight is the neo-Kölsch-style beer "Ginza Kölsch," born from the collaboration. According to the post, this beer is scheduled to be served at Shiokaze Blue Lab later this week, suggesting a path from its Tokyo rollout to becoming available in the brewery's home turf of Chiba as well. The post also indicates that another new beer project has already started moving, building anticipation for the next pour.
Shiokaze Blue Lab Brewery is a brewery in Chiba City that, true to the "Lab" in its name from the beginning, has paid attention not only to brewing but also to exploring ingredients such as malt, hops, and yeast. It opened in Soga in 2020 and has continued to promote craft beer with a focus on ties to the local community. This latest post reflects that stance well.
The brewery tested the beer at a collaborator's tap and will soon serve it at its own place. That kind of move fits a brewery that advances flavor development and place-making at the same time. It will be interesting to see what kind of drinking experience "Ginza Kölsch," connecting Ginza and Chiba, will bring to fans.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroShiokaze Blue Lab just did a TTO at iBrew Ginza. Watching the reaction in Ginza over the weekend, then lining it up at their own place this week, is pretty exciting, right?
MugiWait, what's a TTO? Tap takeover sounds like some kind of special move that pours a ton all at once!
Hop BroExactly. Basically, it's like the brewery takes over the bar's taps. Shiokaze Blue Lab hijacked the taps at iBrew Ginza and turned it into an event where they could keep pouring beers for everyone who came by.
MugiOhh! So that's how they came up with that Ginza Kölsch. The name already sounds urban, and now it's going to be drinkable back in their local area too. That's a great flow.
Hop BroAnd the thing is, this isn't just any Kölsch, it's a neo-Kölsch style. It feels like they took Kölsch's lightness and added a more modern outline. I imagine something that goes down smoothly and then leaves a gentle umami impression afterward.
MugiBut honestly, I don't really know what Kölsch tastes like. Is it light? Refreshing? Or is it just the stylish name doing the work?
Hop BroKölsch, broadly speaking, is known for a refined, dry drinking character. Rather than pushing with flashy aroma, it has clean malt character and restrained hops that fade out smoothly, so you can keep going glass after glass.
MugiI see, it's the kind that wins by being easy to drink! And Shiokaze Blue Lab really values exploring ingredients too. No wonder they have "Lab" in the name!
Hop BroExactly. As a brewery in Chiba City, they make beer while looking closely at barley, hops, and yeast, so their connection to the local area comes through in the flavor too. They started in Soga in 2020, and it's interesting how they've stayed rooted in the community.
MugiAnd this time, they tested it in Tokyo first and will serve it back home within the week, which makes it feel like they're connecting Ginza and Chiba. They're also moving on another new beer project, so it makes you want to keep following along!
Hop BroIn the end, it's really about tasting it in Ginza and then enjoying it in Chiba, looking forward to the next pour. Shiokaze Blue Lab's Ginza Kölsch might be the kind that makes you want just one more after the first glass.
MugiWhoa, now that you've said that, I'm done for! I'm in the mood to drink it right now, and Hop, you're definitely going to pour one for me too!
