Today’s weird yeast strain: Yeast collected from Easter Island during the head brewer’s honeymoon

The Intrepid Sojourner Beer Project will be releasing MO’AIPA tomorrow, Friday, August 23, when the tasting room opens at 3 p.m. at 925 W 8th Ave. in Denver. Made with yeast collected from Easter Island during the head brewer’s honeymoon last autumn, the 6.1 percent ABV international pale ale will take the drinker on a journey to Easter Island, where the Rapa Nui people centuries ago carved the famous giant stone statues, known as Mo’ai.

“This is a beer unlike any other in the world, due to its unique terroir. We are always striving to brew beer ‘from a place,’ whether that be Denver or Hanga Roa.” Owner and Brewer Andrew Moore said. “Given that it’s from my honeymoon, this is a very special beer to me. Many thanks to my patient wife for allowing me to start this project during such a special occasion. At ISBP, soon to be Next Stop Brew Co., we will continue to push the boundaries of travel-inspired, international beer.”

Moore left agar plates — similar to petri dishes — out to collect ambient microbes and pressed other plates with local flowers and plants. Denver’s Inland Island Yeast Laboratories helped isolate and propagate the samples, finding one that will eat maltose, or malt sugar, which is necessary to ferment beer.

Most yeast is not able to ferment maltose. “Most yeast that will ferment maltose has already been isolated and is used for brewing beer,” Moore said. “We’re fortunate to have stumbled upon the yeast that we did, but we still have to help it along.”

To that end, Moore included mango, guava and Viognier white wine during fermentation. “This increases the complexity of flavor and deepens the connection to Chile and Easter Island while providing alternative sources of sugar for the yeast to metabolize.”