Uchu Brewing (うちゅうブルーイング ) “Shooting Star (#258)” Wheat IPA

Name: Shooting Star (#258)
Brewer: Uchu Brewing うちゅうブルーイング (Japan)
Style: Alternative Grain Beer (Base Style: Specialty IPA: New England IPA)
ABV: 7%
Review Year: 2021

Shooting Star (batch 258) is a Wheat IPA brewed by Uchu Brewing from Hokuto City. Aside from wheat, this hazy beer was created with Centennial, Citra, and Talus hops.

Uchu Brewing is a space-themed craft brewery in Hokuto City, Yamanashi, and was founded by Masahiro Kusunose and Rumiko Suzuki in 2018. Head brewer Kasunose skipped high school to become a bassist in a hardcore punk band and, has, interestingly, only started drinking craft beer in 2016. Before brewing on his own, Kasunose spent two months in 2017 at Outsider Brewing in Kofu mentored by Satoshi Niwa. The other half of Uchu is Suzuki who traded in her Osaka city life for the quiet farm life in Kochi after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States. She is currently in charge of the brewery’s marketing, creative direction, and events. The two crossed paths as Kasunose and Suzuki became involved in environmental activism in which they practice strongly with their brewery.

STYLE GUIDELINES

This beer is being evaluated as an Alternative Grain Beer (31A) with the Specialty IPA: New England IPA (21B) as the base style in the context of the 2015 Beer Style Guidelines of the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). Note that the Specialty IPA: New England IPA is a provisional style as of this writing, with its working definition published on the BJCP website. The most current version of the guidelines can be found on the BJCP website.

TASTING NOTES

Hazy pale straw; foamy white head with excellent retention. A refreshing aroma of pineapple (moderately low) surfaced together with tamed wheat and dough qualities. Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation, with a slightly soft, fluffy mouthfeel. No chalky/gritty afterfeel. Moderately high pineapple and lemon peel (without the acidity) melded with medium-low wheat and a subtle herbal/tea-like accent. Bitterness was medium-low, while residual sweetness was significantly lower. The aftertaste did not last long but left impressions of pineapple, wheat, subtle wheat, mineral, and peppery spice.

THE VERDICT

Shooting Star is an extremely drinkable and refreshing hazy and juicy IPA brewed with wheat. The presence of wheat was noted particularly in the appearance (well-formed head), aroma, and flavor. Hop presence was sufficient to remind us that this is still a hop-forward IPA and not an American Wheat Beer (1D). Shooting Star also lacked the Belgian yeast-derived spicy and peppery qualities that are typical in a Specialty IPA: White IPA (21B).

For some reason, we think this could be enjoyed alongside fresh seafood. Overall, excellent.

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