Hansharo Tamayura Brut Bakushu IPA is a 6% Brut IPA from Hansharo Beer. Brut IPAs are made with wine yeast for a white wine-esque flavour profile. First Brut IPA I’ve tried!
Hansharo Tamayura Bakushu Brut IPA Aroma and Taste
Hansharo Tamayuru Bakushu Brut IPA pours out with a massive and unwieldy head (much like your esteemed reviewer, frequent patron of Honest Joe Merrick’s Hat Emporium For The Lumpen-Cranium’ed Gentleman). Faced with a potential loss of precious (and expensive) beer, I was forced to break the usual Eye-Nose-Mouth protocol and dive right in there to vacuum up the foam despite not being able to do my warm-up mouth exercises.
After that initial panic subsided, though, we’re left with a rapidly collapsing head and a vaguely cloudy golden syrup-coloured body.
The nose on my very first Brut IPA definitely belies the addition of wine yeast. Is it my imagination that it smells of grapes? Either way, I’m getting a definite Chardonnay vibe, with some spicy estery notes as well. Definite fresh fruit aromas, like peach and pear, are also peeking out. The esters have me a bit worried, as I will spontaneously combust if I come into contact with any “experimental yeast”, but here I go.
And… it’s… not bad. Not amazing, but not awful. It’s not what I was expecting, though. You know like how an Oyster Stout doesn’t taste of oysters. I was expecting this to taste like the beer equivalent of Cava. But what we have here is an IPA with a slightly sweet, grapey taste, and a dry, bitter aftertaste with some yeast grumbling around in there. It reminds me of a Weizen a little.
Hansharo Tamayura Bakushu Brut IPA The Bottom Line
Based on this, I can decisively say that Brut IPAs aren’t going to split the craft beer community the way New England IPAs did. They aren’t bad tasting, but they are just kind of dull. Not what I was expecting, and not earth-shatteringly innovative. Brewers have experimented with wine yeast for years- I don’t know why this style has come to the forefront at this time. Try it if you want, but it won’t knock your socks off.
