Crows Craft Brewery & Distilling Co. kicked off its sixth-anniversary celebration at Bar Pintxos in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) on the rainy evening of September 18. It was a night to laud the pioneering contributions to the local craft beverage industry of Josemari Cuervo and the Crows Crew. At the same time, the anniversary feast served as a venue for Crows to unveil new products that push further the envelope of craft brewing and distilling in the Philippines.
Craft Beer #NotForEveryone
Founder and brewmaster, Josemari Cuervo is one of the pioneers of craft beverages in the Philippines. Like most brewers and enthusiasts today, Cuervo’s flight to craft beer was due mainly to the disappointment with carbonated pisswater (aka. macro/ mass-produced beer) sold in groceries and liquor stores. He started as a homebrewer in 2010 and brewed under Crows Craft Brewery in 2013.
Cuervo’s beers are influenced heavily by the West Coast a “style” characterized generally by prominent citrus, floral, and piney profiles, and most of the time, a distinct in-your-face bitterness. Some of the popular West Coast-inspired breweries include Stone Brewing Co., Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., and Russian River Brewing Company among others. This style is in stark contrast to the purposely hazy, juice-like New England IPAs, a style from the East Coast, particularly the New England region, that has gained momentum in recent years. Monkish Brewing Co., Trillium Brewing Company, and Other Half Brewing are three breweries at the forefront of this hazy beer revolution. In the Philippines, as more local brewers are adopting the New England philosophy of inclusivity by brewing drinkable, juice-like beers, Cuervo’s hop-centric beers are a collective statement that he stays true to his style regardless of the trends. This is why Crows Craft is simply #NotForEveryone.
Through the years, the brewery has released a wide range of West Coast-inspired beers. The first in the core range is the “Crows Pale Ale.” According to Crows, this pale ale is a great entry-level beer because of its muted bitterness and high drinkability relative to their other beers. Second is the “Carte Blanche,” a White IPA with 7% Alcohol By Volume (ABV). The Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) in their 2015 Beer Style Guidelines* describes this style as a fruity, spicy, refreshing version of an American IPA, but with a lighter color, less body, and often featuring either the distinctive yeast strain used and/ or the spice additions typical of a Belgian witbier. We think “Carte Blanche” resonates well with lovers of traditional German and Belgian wheat beers that seek hoppier alternatives.
*The most current version of the guidelines can be found on the BJCP website.
The third beer, “Mala Hierba,” which translates to “Bad Weed” from Spanish, is an American IPA with 7% ABV. In particular, this IPA showcases the masterful extraction of bitterness and aromas from the hops used. “Mala Hierba” draws clearly the line separating casual beer drinkers from hop heads.
The fourth is “De Puta Madre,” a Double IPA with 8% ABV. This Double IPA exemplifies best the Crows mission: “We brew the beer we want to see in this world.” Due to its intensified hop presence in both aroma and flavor, this Double IPA is considered the big brother of “Mala Hierba.”
Aside from the core range, Cuervo has also brewed one-offs and exclusive beers. These include the “Puñeta” Triple IPA (13% ABV) and the “Pintxos Pale Ale” (6% ABV) in 2016. He also released “Hierba Buena” (5% ABV), a pale ale brewed purely using organic ingredients in 2017. Last year, the Crows Crew has explored more experimental variants of the IPA as they released “Murder of Crows” Red IPA (6% ABV) and “Crows Quill” Cocoa IPA (7% ABV).
To commemorate their sixth year in the industry, Josemari and the Crows Crew released an exclusive Reposado variant of “De Puta Madre.” “De Puta Madre REPOSADO” is a Double IPA rested inside the American Oak Barrels that housed formerly their Crows Gin. This is a first in the Philippines and showcases the best of both craft beer and spirits. (You may refer to our detailed review/tasting notes of “De Puta Madre REPOSADO” at the end of this feature.)
The Pioneering Spirit
Aside from producing the first barrel-rested beer, Crows Craft Brewery & Distilling Co. is also responsible for many firsts in the Philippine craft spirits industry: the first craft gin, the first barrel-reserve gin, the first single malt craft whiskey, and the first Eau de vie (fruit brandy).
In 2017, Crows ventured into distilling spirits and launched the first Craft Gin in the Philippines, the Crows Gin. While gin is a distilled alcoholic beverage flavored primarily with juniper berries, other botanicals can be added for more distinct aromas and flavors. The Crows Gin is distilled using 23 different botanicals from the Philippines and around the world. These include Lavender from France, Cardamom from India, Juniper berries from Germany, as well as Dalandan and Calamansi peels from the Philippines. As a testament to their craftsmanship, “Crows Gin” garnered the Bronze Award in the 2019 World Spirits Competition in both Singapore and San Francisco.
Next is the Barrel-Reserve Crows Gin. This Barrel-Reserve variant is a result of the Crows Gin that was rested in a medium-charred American Oak Barrel. Sensory notes from Crows include a nose of toffee and caramel sweetness with hints of spice. Palate up front is sweet, unveiling notes of citrus and spices. Juniper berries, spicy cardamom, and coriander continue to characterize the palate. Meanwhile, a lingering finish follows, of sweet spice and oak notes.
The Crows Single-Malt Craft Whiskey represents a full circle in the craftmanship of Crows. From brewing craft beer to distilling gin, the Crows Single-Malt Craft Whiskey adds the process of aging on the list. The country’s first single malt whiskey is made from a single-malt variety from New Zealand. It is then rested on a first-filled American oak barrel. Crows Whiskey was bottled undiluted at 65% ABV and has won the silver award in the 2019 World Spirits Competition in Singapore.
Cuervo has explored recently the more eccentric alcoholic beverages with the “Crows Eau De Vie De Mangue,” which they first launched during the anniversary event. In particular, an Eau de vie, which is French for “Water of Life,” is a clear and colorless fruit brandy. At 50% ABV, this fruit brandy is made using the sweetest available mangoes from the Philippines. Like their other distilled spirits, this fruit brandy also garnered a bronze award in the 2019 World Spirits Competition in Singapore.
A Crow’s Flight
While the anniversary feast of Crows Craft Brewery & Distilling Co. celebrated their hallmark beverages and contributions to the local craft beverage scene in the past six years, it seems Cuervo and the Crows Crew have only just begun. As they venture into more sophisticated beer styles and eccentric distilled beverages, while at the same time receiving international awards for their creations, the flight of the Crows toward greater heights is well on its way.
“De Puta Madre REPOSADO” Barrel-Rested Double IPA (8% ABV)
STYLE GUIDELINES
This beer is being evaluated as a Specialty Wood-Aged Beer (33B) with the Double IPA (22A) as the base style 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
“De Puta Madre REPOSADO” dazzles in its semi-opaque, dark orange color. The nose evoked enticing aromas of white chocolates, pears, and apple juice. The first sip was worth the wait as the palate perceived a mosaic of white chocolates, vanilla, and butterscotch. Meanwhile, prickling notes of star anise added complexity to this medium-bodied beer. A lasting impression of star anise and wood akin to oak continued after the sip. We have noticed that this reposado version has less hop bitterness compared to its original counterpart.
THE VERDICT
Overall, this reposado variant of the iconic Crows Double IPA showcases the wonders of what wood can do to a well-crafted beer. We enjoyed this and look forward to more beers with this level of complexity from the Crows Crew.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CrowsCraft/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/crowscraftbrewing/
