If you’re looking for the Holy Grail of craft beer, look no further than Portland, Oregon, USA. There, you can find many breweries with different styles of beer, all within walking distance of the city center.
There are many beer festivals, such as the Oregon Brewers Festival, said to be "the largest craft beer event in North America.” It’s no wonder Portland is nicknamed “Biervana” or Beer Heaven, as it's the perfect place for any brewer or beer lover to visit.
Many people go to Portland to learn craft beer brewing, and the owner of Izumi Brewery is one such brewer. The signature beer is a Saison-style beer called 3A Farmhouse Ale, which is prepared with the same yeast and recipe as Urban Farmhouse Ale of Portland’s Commons Brewery. Let’s enjoy the taste of beer descending from “Beer Heaven” itself.
Saison is a beer style originally made as a drink for farmers in Belgium to soothe their throat during summer work. It’s often characterized by the fruity and spicy flavor peculiar to yeast.
IPA and pale ale are popular in the current craft beer scene, and there aren’t many places that have Saison style as their flagship. So why did the owner choose this style? While he was interested in making IPA and pale ale, his training was done at Commons Brewing where they focus on Saison-style. "When I first drank it, I thought, 'I'm making this?'" the owner said while laughing. But after training for a month, he became completely fascinated with this style and wanted to create a Saison for his own brewery's signature beer.
The owner of Izumi Brewery actually has a full-time job as an office worker. He only gets to brew on the weekends. “It’s much harder than I imagined, running a brewery as a side job. I don’t recommend it to anyone. But I must say, it's our brewing team and all of the regular customers that provide support and keep us going.”
The owner is motivated by the craftsmanship of brewing. With this, he can continue to make beer as he pleases, even when times are tough.
"The American brewer who mentored me always said, 'I want to make the beer I made even better. From there, I realized that’s how new beers are born. In other words, it's all about craftsmanship. And when everyone can pursue and enjoy their own path, well, that’s the making of a successful craft beer scene."
