Pineapples don’t grow very well in Florida. This is Citrus country.
Pineapples need a little bit more tropical climate, which is why you find them in Hawaii, southeast Asia, and so on.
That was not known by a group of Japanese immigrants who settled in Palm Beach County after the turn of the century. Calling themselves the Yamato Colony, the group was organized by Jo Sakai and people from. his hometown in Miyazu, Japan.
They cleared off a plot of land in present-day Boca Raton (currently Florida Atlantic University) and attempted to farm the signature tropical fruit. Blight, competition, and Florida’s aversion to growing pineapple became quickly evident by the immigrants and most of them moved back to their native Japan or elsewhere.
One noticeable hold out was a farmer by the name of George Morikami. He ended up owning his own plot near Delray Beach, and upon his death gifted it to the county for use as a garden. Today, the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens is one of my favorite places in the state, and something I strongly urge every Floridian to visit at least once.
With their nearby proximity to Morikami Museum, the honorably named Yamato Road, and the site of the old farmland, Prosperity Brewhouse in Boca very happily named one of their more recent beers Yamato Scrub (West Coast IPA, 7% ABV).
A West Coast IPA, this beer pours a soft moderate orange color and has very bright, very citrus and melon forward aroma that brings in a solid, but not excessive, amount of citrus aromas.
The flavor, citrus forward as it is, basically explodes with juiciness. It has an absolute cornucopia of grapefruit, orange, and lemon flavors, with a moderately high amount of citrus hop bitterness.
It’s not as face-melting as other West Coast IPAs, and for that I am very happy. The alpha acids are present and actually do a solid job of accentuating the fruit more than drowning it out. For a style known for its excess, Yamato Scrub is a remarkably balanced beer.
And, like its namesake, and there it is ironically no pineapple.
Drink Florida Craft,
Dave
@floridabeerblog
floridabeerblog@gmail.com
Florida Beer Blog is a part of Florida Beer Media. Find us at FloridaBeerMedia.com.
Listen to the Florida Beer Podcast – Powered by Florida Beer Blog on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and more!
If you’re looking for awesome beer glass or cigar gifts, make sure to head to GroovyGuyGifts.com!
Florida Beer Blog 