We are excited to announce another collaboration beer, Kintsugi, a rice lager brewed with their friends at Elevation Beer Company that tapped this week.
Our friendship with Elevation dates back to the brewery launch 9 years ago. The first year Elevation opened, they participated in Brewer’s Rendezvous, an annual event put on by the Colorado Brewers Guild. During this annual celebration of all things beer in Salida, CO, the two teams got to know each other pretty well, especially at the afterparty held at Elevation’s taproom. How well? Danny felt comfortable enough during the afterparty to climb the silo one year and pour beer on to the face of a fellow brewer. Christian, head brewer and co-founder of Elevation is well-versed in OSHA guidelines so he quickly put an end to Emily’s opportunity to collect on some life insurance. It has become a continuous joke between the Fermly and Elevation teams over the years since, and this collaboration was no exception to it!
This unique take on a hybrid fermentation incorporates saké yeast and Elevation’s houser lager yeast strain. With a 50% jasmine rice based grain bill, the beer is a classic rice lager through and through. After fermentation, the team added lychee fruit to this lager to impart a light sweetness to support the characteristics of this solid crispy boi.
Kintsugi is inspired not only by the yeast, but also a time-honored philosophy. Originating from the Japanese pottery technique that repairs cracks with gold-dusted lacquer, it is a celebration that something is more beautiful because it has broken. As we enter into the first summer after a pandemic, it is fitting to acknowledge the difficulties every person and business has gone through and that although it wasn’t easy, we are all better for it.
Elevation Beer Co. guests can now sip Kintsugi Rice Lager on tap and purchase it in 12 oz. cans to-go while supplies last.