Brewer's Note - Poire Shock

Poire
Refers to either a pear or a pear-based cider. While the term "perry" is more common, we’ve always operated in a market that drifts away from the mainstream, so that suits us just fine.

Poire Shock
We’ve combined Japanese pears and honey with a fantastic tea selected by Tajimi-san from wacasu, a group that loves honey and, as always, tea. The Japanese pears are from Iekichi Farm, located right near our facility, and the tea is "Benifuki" from Horiguchi Tea in Shibushi City, Kagoshima Prefecture.
Both are wonderful ingredients. The preparation was nearly flawless as well—it’s the kind of work that triggers some pretty wild endorphins.

Every year, we celebrate the anniversary of "THE MUSEN IN SHOCK," a fantastic standing bar in Shinsaibashi, Osaka, and this year marks the third time. We’ve used apples every year, but this time, we went with Japanese pears.
The way different winds and cultures seem to blend together feels like a true reflection of the convivial, chaotic energy of their shop.

It’s okay if you don’t understand what that means; we’re the type of people at ANTELOPE who prefer to feel the rhythm in both writing and music.

〈Before → Now → Future〉
There’s some unremarkable statistic about the probability of restaurants going under within three years, and while I have no desire to use it as an example, I am truly grateful that we get to celebrate with mead for three years running.

This year, it’s pears.

What about next year? We’re excited ourselves, and we have to keep running steadily until this time next year. Whether or not we get a request, the suspicion that someone might be expecting something from us is a very warm kind of pressure.
(By the way, I’m terrible with pressure; when I played little league, I was the type who strongly wished the batter before me would strike out or hit into a double play rather than having my turn at bat in a crucial moment.)

The cooperation of everyone at wacasu is also remarkable. They really travel everywhere to find the right tea leaves, and they even come to see the preparation and brewing process. That’s something most people can’t do—or rather, something a "normal" person wouldn’t do.
What matters isn’t statistical data; it’s the guts you have in this very moment.

(2023 Anniversary Mead: Apple in Shock)

〈Tasting Note〉
A clear hue; the aroma blends the faint sulfurous note of pear skin with glamorous tea leaves and yeast esters. A rounded acidity, assertive astringency, a dry finish, and a pleasant carbonated mouthfeel. A new encounter.

ーーー

Style: Poire w/ Honey and Tea
ABV: 9％
Carbonation: Sparkling
Volume: 500ml
Ingredients: Honey, Japanese Pears (Iekichi Farm), Japanese Tea (Horiguchi Tea - Benifuki)
Sweetness (10-point scale): 2 (Dry)
Recommended Serving Temperature: Chilled (4-8℃)

〈Mead making〉
We explored ways to cleanly extract the tea alongside Tajimi-san from wacasu and brewed it together. Since this was our second time, we managed to extract a wonderful liquid with a clean tea profile. We added honey and pears to that, stirred, cooled, and fermented. After the primary fermentation finished, we racked the lees once before bottling.