Brewer's Note 〈Ginger Cat4〉

Hi, I’m Okada, and I was in charge of this recipe.

It has been five years since I joined ANTELOPE. After graduating from university, I drifted into the world of mead brewing.
At the time, I had no background in brewing science and no experience in making alcohol—I didn't even know what mead was.

Ginger Cat was the first recipe I ever released as my own.
I believe I had help from Yazawa-san with the recipe development at the start. Since then, I’ve continued to create Ginger Cat 2 and Ginger Cat 3.

Every year I’ve tried to make the recipe more challenging in my own way, but this time, the theme is a little different. While brainstorming, I happened to have the chance to drink the original Ginger Cat. To my surprise, it was incredibly delicious.
It had aged over two years and become even better. Perhaps this is a unique kind of joy that only comes with alcohol.

With that in mind, I based this latest version on that sentimental original Ginger Cat recipe, aiming to unlock its full potential.

〈Shimanto→Aomori→Shiga〉
Once again, we were looked after by Yamazaki Ginger Farm.
When I was literally wandering around Shikoku looking for ginger without knowing left from right, they welcomed me with open arms, and I’ve been using their ginger for four years now.

In addition to Yamazaki-san’s fresh ginger, I decided to try using blackcurrants this time.
Having reached out to them a few years ago, I had always dreamed of making a blackcurrant mead, so I traveled to Hayashi Farm in Aomori to see the fruit I had longed for.

Hayashi-san is the president of the Aomori Blackcurrant Association, also known as the "Blackcurrant King."
Despite that title, he is an incredibly kind and playful person.

"It’s a terrible harvest year," he told me.
Because there was almost no rain compared to typical years, the blackcurrants didn't grow well.
He also mentioned that cultivation is becoming more difficult every year due to rising temperatures.
Even in those circumstances, he found the idea of mead interesting and shared his precious blackcurrants with us.

The actual taste of a blackcurrant was much more refreshing than I had imagined.
It wasn't very sweet, but rather quite tart.
It wasn't the flavor you’d expect from a Cassis Orange cocktail at all.

Harvesting is done by hand, one berry at a time.
I was allowed to experience it, but since the blackcurrant bushes are low, it really puts a strain on your lower back.
Even after working seriously for an hour, I couldn't even pick one kilogram.

Despite how hard it is, Hayashi-san drank his homemade blackcurrant juice and reacted as if it were his first time tasting it.
Seeing him react with such genuine delight despite drinking it every year, I realized he is the gold standard of a producer.

〈Tasting Note〉
A slightly bright wine red. Due to the characteristics of the yeast, it looks a bit cloudy. The aroma carries the fruitiness of ginger and blackcurrant. The mouthfeel is weighty, but not overly sweet. It would pair well with heavy meat dishes.
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Style: Metheglin
ABV: 10%
Carbonation: Yes
Volume: 500ml
Ingredients: Honey, Ginger, Blackcurrant
Sweetness (10-point scale): 3 (Semi Sweet)
Recommended Serving Temperature: Thoroughly chilled (4-8℃)
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〈Mead making〉
I cut the ginger into small pieces and simmered it with the honey. Then, I added roughly crushed blackcurrants and continued boiling for about 30 minutes. This extracts the spiciness of the ginger, while the blackcurrants naturally break down, turning the liquid a deep red.

For this batch, I used Lallemand’s W15 yeast, which I also used in "Poe." A characteristic of this yeast is that it produces more glycerol than typical yeast, giving it a heavier mouthfeel. At the same time, it releases esters that make the alcohol feel slightly more pronounced. Therefore, I set the fermentation temperature to 18 degrees Celsius, aiming to enhance the body while softening the sharpness.

After fermenting for about two weeks, I added bentonite (a clay used for clarifying liquids) to aim for a clear appearance. Then, I stabilized it at a low temperature for another two weeks and stopped the fermentation through pasteurization.