Uchu Brewing (うちゅうブルーイング ) “Seed of Life (#323)” DDH IPA

Name: Seed of Life (#323)
Brewer: Uchu Brewing うちゅうブルーイング (Japan)
Style: American IPA
ABV: 7%
Review Year: 2021

Seed of Life (batch 323) is a Double Dry-Hopped (DDH) IPA by Uchu Brewing and features the hop trio, Nelson Sauvin, Galaxy, and Strata.

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 American IPA (21A) in the context of the 2015 Beer Style Guidelines of the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). The most current version of the guidelines can be found on the BJCP website.

TASTING NOTES

Seed of Life pours a hazy straw-colored beer with a well-retained white head. The aroma melded fairly high pineapple and orange with piney, leafy/ resiny, slightly herbal, and floral impressions. The orange citrus aroma was more notable as the beer settled. Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation. “Green” flavors of pine and resin dominated the palate alongside orange pith, pineapple, and a touch of a spice-like character. A moderately bready and oaty backbone supported these flavors. Medium-high bitterness and very low residual sweetness. Pine and resin impressions lingered long into the aftertaste.

THE VERDICT

Despite being hazy, Seed of Life was benchmarked as an American IPA, and not a New England IPA (NEIPA) due mainly to its prominent hop qualities of pine and resin, dryness (lack of sweetness), and moderately high perceived bitterness. Further, when compared to a typical NEIPA, this beer has a similar bready malt backbone but lacks the “juicy” character the style is known for.

Seed of Life is quite drinkable despite having assertive hop flavor and bitterness. The mouthfeel was smooth and was free from astringency and the gritty/ chalky afterfeel. While we think this is neither a classic American IPA nor NEIPA, Seed of Life blurs the boundaries and has still presented itself as an excellent brew.

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