Hatsujozo IPL

• Alcohol Content (by volume): 7.0%
• Starting Gravity (degree plato): 14.9
• Finishing Gravity (degree plato): 2.4
• Bitterness Units (IBU): 75
• Color (SRM): 3.1

• Water: Soft, Cleanly Flavorful, Local
• Malted Grain: Floor-malted Pilsen, Vienna, Munich
• Un-malted Grain: None
• Sugar: Japanese Korizato (Rock Candy)
• Hops:Whole Flower Cones – Various Varieties
• Yeast: House North American Lager Strain

It is common for Japanese to greet each New Year with a ‘first-visit’ to a Shinto shrine (初詣). Here the pillars of the shrine gates are rendered as Baird Beer bottles. Whole flower hops dangle from its archway. The first sunrise of the year (初日の出) is visible through the shrine gates. The Kanji on the label (新年 – Shinnen) mean ‘New Year’.

This year’s “First Brewed” is formulated as a hoppy India Pale Ale but fermented with a lager yeast, becoming an India Pale Lager. The grist bill combines floor-malted Pilsen with a deft touch of bready Vienna & Munich character malts. 75 IBUs of all-German hops in the kettle followed by a single round of dry-hopping in the conditioning tank with equal portions of all five hop varieties leaves no doubt about the India Pale-nature of this brew. Fermentation with our house Lager yeast imparts a clean, round flavor characteristic of Lager brews. Wishing you a beery happy year!

"It’s a Baird tradition to greet each New Year with a ‘First-brewed’ (Hatsu-jozo) celebratory beer. We’re excited to welcome the year with a reverentially irreverent hybrid take on an IPA – India Pale Lager. Happy drinking!"