Kawaii Pink Raspberry NE IPA
'Kawaii', as many know, means 'cute' in Japanese. To dismiss this delicious New England-style hazy IPA, brewed with raspberries and blackberries, as simply a...
'Kawaii', as many know, means 'cute' in Japanese. To dismiss this delicious New England-style hazy IPA, brewed with raspberries and blackberries, as simply a vapid exercise in cuteness would be a dumb mistake, though. Despite the fun color and rainbow-puking berry mascot, this beer drinks with balance and elegance that pits at gleeful sarcastic odds with its packaging.
Kawaii, by Japas, is a mid-weight, medium-dry IPA, with a (very cute) ruby-pink hue. There is not much sweetness from the fruit though, which instead functions to add aroma and refreshing light acidity to the beer's finish. The bitterness in this IPA recipe presents itself on the front of the palate and deftly moves aside as the mid-palate arrives bearing the notes of light and juicy raspberry and blackberry.
Japas Cervejaria is run by Maíra Kimura, Yumi Shimada and Fernanda Ueno, three women who merged their talents into a brewery following their love of beer and their shared Japanese-Brazilian heritage. Their beer is primarily produced in Sao Paolo, Brazil, however this particular one was made by Japas in Chicago.
Kawaii Pink pairs awesomely with roast chicken or pork, Mexican cuisine, and sausages.