Stone Brewing Co., Escondido, Calif., released its latest collaboration beer, Baird/Ishii/Stone Japanese Green Tea IPA. The beer was proposed by former Stone Brewing intern and brewer Toshi Ishii, who currently owns Ishii Brewing Co. in Guam. Ishii contacted Stone Brewmaster Mitch Steele shortly after the Japanese earthquake and tsunami disaster with a proposal to make a beer intended to help with recovery efforts. The collaboration also includes Bryan Baird of Baird Brewing Co. in Numazu, Japan.
The team decided early on that the beer’s recipe would incorporate green tea to embody the Japanese spirit, Baird said.
“We decided to brew an IPA to accentuate the tea’s herbal character,” Steele said, in a statement. “But this won’t be the typical citrusy West Coast IPA flavor. We’re using Sorachi Ace, a variety of hops originally developed in Japan, as well as Pacifica, Crystal, Warrior and Aramis, a brand-new cultivar from the Alsace region of France.”
All proceeds of Baird/Ishii/Stone Japanese Green Tea beer, with a minimum of $50,000, will be donated to the Japanese Red Cross Society.
“A collaboration beer like this is a great way to demonstrate to Japan that they’re not alone,” Baird said. “They have friends, supporters and empathizers all around the world.”
The beer will be available in single 12-ounce bottles in the 21 markets where Stone Brewing is sold.