Young Henrys uses Phantasm in its new experimental IPA

Young Henrys' Brewers' limited-edition B-Sides series has always been where their brewers push boundaries. Their latest release, the Phantasmic Mr Hops Experimental IPA, might just be one of their most groundbreaking beers yet.

Over the years, the series has produced beers such as Wattleseed & Blood Orange Double IPA, Dark Blueberry Sour, Tiramisu White Stout, and Raisin Brown Ale. According to head brewer Jesse Searls, this time the team used ingredients and processes they had never tried before.

The beer's name pays homage to a Wes Anderson film. Its most unique ingredient is Phantasm, a powdered additive developed by Jos Ruffell, co-founder of Garage Project, and composed of dried Sauvignon Blanc grape skins, rich in thiol precursors. When used during active fermentation, it stimulates the yeast to release these thiols, which can impart an intense tropical aroma to the finished beer.

“It had been a while since we’d done a B-side, so the brewing team wanted this one to be extra special,” Jesse said. “We used ingredients and processes we’d never tried before: from the malt to the hops, the yeast, the additives, and the brewing processes themselves. Almost everything was new to us.”

The most striking moment came during fermentation. “We decided to add Phantasm when fermentation was at its most active, along with a small portion of the total dry hops. We did this to try and maximize the interaction between the yeast, hops, Phantasm, and the unfermented sugar remaining in the wort. It was like throwing gasoline on a fire. I’d never seen such an active fermentation; it was insane.”

The beer also includes FERMOPLUS® Fruity, a brewer's yeast nutrient with specific natural amino acids, designed for beers with a strong tropical aroma profile. The experimental American hop varieties HBC 1019 and HBC 58 were also used, along with Simcoe Cryo, Sabro, and Taiheke.

Jesse adds: “It’s a product quite similar to Phantasm, but we used it at a different stage of the brewing process. With a beer like this, you never know exactly which of all these new ingredients was responsible for what, but that was precisely the idea. We just wanted to try a bunch of new ingredients and see what came out.”

According to the brewery, the result offers "notes of caramelized coconut, sauteed pineapple, and citrus... before giving way to a creamy body and an exquisite mouthfeel." The beer can be purchased directly from the brewery or at specialty stores nationwide.