What’s your typical image of drinking beer? Maybe it’s a hot summer day, or just finishing a bath and cracking open a cold one, then taking that long and well-deserved sip of creamy foam and golden beer. While that may be the case for lager beer, craft beer doesn’t always follow that same rule of “The colder the better”.
The sweet and rich taste of ale-based beer has a more pronounced flavor with a slightly tepid temperature. If the temperature is too low, it's hard for the aroma and taste to come through.
For example, take Kagiya Brewery's "Mellow Yellow IPA." Inspired by Donovan, the so-called “Bob Dylan of England,” this IPA is full of fruity aroma and sugary sweetness. The temperature when poured from the tap is 6 degrees Celsius, but the owner says that the best temperature to enjoy it is 11 to 12 degrees. So they suggest waiting until one song is finished before taking your first sip.
Let’s control our urge to drink right after we receive our glass, and instead give into the music. Just a few minutes of patience will enrich the flavor of the beer and the night altogether.
The owner of Kagiya Brewery used to play guitar in a band when he was young, and he even lived in England for about four years while under contract with a label company. During his time there, he was drawn to the friendly atmosphere of the beer pub, so he used this experience to create the concept at Kagiya: "making beer that will connect people." He also wants to make beer that will give men and women of all ages a chance to enjoy conversations.
Beer from Kagiya Brewery is available at Cafe CLUB KEY, a craft beer bar managed by the brewery. Spending time in a British-style store with wallpaper imported from England combined with the cobblestone road outside makes you feel like you’re really in the UK.
At Cafe CLUB KEY, you can see people leisurely enjoying a glass of beer from tulip glasses to large pints. It’s a relaxed, slow-paced environment perhaps since they know the beer is still delicious even when it gets tepid.
The owner once told me that there's another origin story to “Mellow Yellow IPA” beside Donovan. “Mello Yello” without the “w’s” is the name of a carbonated drink released by Coca-Cola. “It’s a nostalgic drink and might be a catalyst for an interesting conversation. One day, an American customer came in who said he used to make Mello Yello.” This is a prime example of how beer can connect people.
