Rare Breed: Japanese Cowboy IPA

Not long after completing the sale to Asahi, Mountain Goat decided to pay tribute to our new owners in beer form. We created the Japanese Cowboy, the American style IPA we love with a twist from the use of a quirky Japanese hop Sorachi Ace. The draught release was well received so we brewed a little bit more of it and popped it into bottles for an official Rare Breed release – complete with tasting notes almost entirely presented in Japanese.

The Japanese hops are kept company by some big-hitting Americans too and it's these – Chinook, Simcoe and Columbus – that seem most prominent within the subtle, citrusy aroma. It's late on in the flavour of this glowing copper beer that we picked up the Sorachi more, adding a dash of its herbal, lemon curd characteristics to proceedings. The most notable thing about the beer, however, is just how smooth and balanced it is, massaging 7 percent ABV and a reasonably sizeable hopping regime into a dangerously drinkable drop. Show Less