I Regressed and Became Too Good at Brewing - Chapter 48

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 48. Hops and Hope (4)
After hearing the full story, I couldn’t hold back the frustration that came pouring out and let out a shout.
“I suspected something like this from the moment I heard about the contaminating bacteria…….”
At The Hop, run by Jin-woo and Eun-chae, contaminating bacteria couldn’t have appeared through ordinary means.
I’m a tidy person myself, and this couple had obsessively cleaned even when driven into a dead-end alley.
So the presence of contaminating bacteria had to be something that happened during the manufacturing process.
“The only thing it could have gotten into is the hops.”
<Could there have been a problem with that green koji?>
“No. There’s nothing wrong with the hops.”
“Hm? Hops? What do you mean?”
Just as I was about to say something more to Hwang-gu, who wore an expression of confusion, Jin-woo asked from behind me.
Right—it would be far more effective to explain this to Jin-woo and his wife than to Hwang-gu.
I straightened the legs I’d been crouching on to meet Hwang-gu at eye level, then stood and met Jin-woo’s gaze.
“I figured out exactly what the problem is.”
“Re… really? Is this something we can actually fix?”
“Please, tell us!”
<Human! I’ll do anything! Truly anything at all—please just tell me the answer!>
In truth, this wasn’t a problem that should have grown this large.
The original issue was something trivial.
“You added too much hops.”
“Pardon?”
“You know hops have antimicrobial and sterilizing properties, don’t you?”
“Yes… wasn’t that the very origin of India Pale Ale?”
Jin-woo was right.
India Pale Ale itself has deep roots in hops.
The most widely known story is that it was born when England wanted to export beer to its colony in India.
In the nineteenth century, the journey from England to India required a long sea voyage.
During that harsh, extended passage—crossing the equator twice—ordinary beer would spoil easily.
So English brewers added far more hops than usual, packed with natural preservative compounds, to prevent the beer from degrading.
The result was a Pale Ale distinguished by the hops’ characteristic bitter bite and intense aroma.
This is the theory behind IPA.
So it’s a given that IPA contains a large amount of hops.
“And given that production method, you use Dry Hopping.”
“That’s right. You have to go through that step to get that distinctive intense hop aroma…….”
To maximize aroma, IPA beer involves dumping fresh hops in their raw form in large quantities during the late stages of fermentation—this process is called Dry Hopping.
That’s where the problem started.
Jin-woo and Eun-chae wouldn’t have known, but Hwang-gu, insisting he’d help them, secretly dumped an excessive amount of these hops into the batch.
As a result, the aroma would have grown stronger.
And when the Dokkaebi’s power was still at a certain level, it could have overcome the minor contamination that occurred in this process.
But…….”
“You changed the yeast in the middle.”
The yeast they’d been using before was the same strain, but it was probably the more robust, hardy variety.
With Hwang-gu’s power on top of that, they would have been able to withstand the wild yeast and contaminating bacteria clinging to the hops’ surface to some degree.
“And the thing is, how strong the previous yeast was became a problem in reverse.”
The yeast supplied by the new vendor was probably ordinary, lacking the vigor and resilience of the old supplier’s strain.
So these cells would have endured a living hell.
Hwang-gu, greedy to make the flavor and aroma stronger, secretly added far more hops than the couple had prepared, causing contamination.
The new yeast had no way to withstand it.
The hops’ powerful antimicrobial effect killed not just the harmful bacteria but the already-struggling yeast cells as well, all at once.
“When the yeast loses its vitality, the alcohol content and acidity can’t be properly maintained.”
That’s when the contaminating bacteria clinging to the hops’ surface got their chance to flourish.
With yeast as a competitor gone, the only power to stop them was Hwang-gu’s strength.
But even that had its limits.
Because Hwang-gu himself kept adding more hops every time, making things worse.
“So… you mean this would’ve been solved just by reducing the amount of hops?”
“From what I can tell, yes.”
The sound carried through the ability I’d received from Hyo-gi before coming here also told me the same thing.
‘It burns! It burns!’
‘Too much green powder! I’m hungry but I can’t move because of all this powder!’
‘I can’t breathe!’
‘I’m starving! This is awful!’
‘The bad ones are beating me! It hurts!’
The sounds coming through were nothing short of a yeast’s inferno.
They couldn’t secure an environment where the yeast could thrive, contaminating bacteria poured in by the thousands, and the hops made it impossible for them to feed.
In human terms, it was like being caught in a war with nothing to eat while enemy forces circled, hunting for your life at every moment.
“Honestly, I think it’s remarkable that the beer maintained this level of quality under such circumstances.”
The problem went far beyond merely diminished taste and aroma.
Under these conditions, the entire batch should have rotted, reeking with putrefaction.
That it had at least managed to remain within the category of “flavorless beer” was owing to Hwang-gu’s willingness to stake his own existence on the beer’s survival, and to the couple’s unwavering attention.
“I never imagined the solution would be this simple…….”
Thud.
Perhaps it was the sheer simplicity of the answer.
Or perhaps it was the relief of knowing things could only improve from here.
Jin-woo’s legs gave out beneath him, and he sank to the floor.
Tears traced down his cheeks.
“Thank you… I put in the request, but honestly, I thought there was no hope left…….”
“We inquired at quite a few places ourselves… and there were times we told them everything about our entire brewing process. We wanted to fix it even if our secrets got out… but…….”
“You couldn’t identify the problem.”
“That’s right. Which made it even more despairing.”
<Does that mean… I ruined everything?>
“…….”
<I ruined it all…….>
Hwang-gu was born from a distillery that once brewed makgeolli.
If there was a single fault to lay at his feet—
it was only that he’d rushed forward with eagerness to help, despite knowing little about beer production.
“Then we can start fresh. If we reduce the hops from what we’re using now, that should do it, right?”
“Mmm… I’m afraid reducing the hops alone won’t solve the problem.”
“It wouldn’t, would it…….”
Even if the problem stemmed from the amount of hops, the solution didn’t follow automatically.
This arose from the interplay of countless substances working within the beer itself.
Reducing the hops alone might yield a better brew, true, but it would never recapture the earlier performance.
The appeal of an India Pale Ale has always come from the hops, after all.
“Still, I couldn’t ask you to go that far. What you’ve done so far is already more than I deserve.”
“It is.”
<I’m truly grateful… good people…….>
The atmosphere began to settle, the situation finding its resolution.
But I had no intention of leaving it at that.
What had I come here for in the first place?
Wasn’t it to experience the finest beer made at a brewery where a Dokkaebi dwelled?
To end things here felt incomplete.
And thinking of the Dokkaebi King’s request—for Hwang-gu to recover and go on living in proper condition, there was more work to be done here.
“Might I offer a proposal?”
“Yes? A proposal, you say…….”
“To be frank, I see considerable potential in this place, The Hop.”
A diligent and capable couple.
And a brewery with a Dokkaebi besides.
There was nothing more to deliberate.
“Would you consider a partnership?”
“Yes? A partnership, you mean…….”
“I’m speaking of a business agreement between Songhadan and The Hop.”
To reiterate, Songhadan’s goal—my goal—is to craft the finest liquor.
In that, we are not limited to traditional spirits.
Yet expanding Songhadan’s scope now to master every type of alcohol would be impractical in terms of time.
Thus, the business agreement emerged as the solution proposed in our internal meetings.
“We will form a collective. Distilleries that join this collective will gain access to Songhadan’s knowledge and support.”
“That… you mean…….”
“Yes. If you join the collective, I will do everything in my power to help you craft more delicious beer. We will need to discuss various conditions, of course…….”
Of course, I wasn’t offering help without anything in return.
Any new liquor born through this partnership would carry a certification mark showing collaboration with Songhadan, and in exchange, I intended to receive a certain amount of royalty.
When you think about it plainly, the terms could hardly be better.
After all, the place was already struggling financially, and I’d be helping them resolve that.
Besides, without boasting, they’d be receiving support from Songhadan, which is thriving and famous these days.
Yet Jin-woo and Eun-chae remained conflicted.
“We’re grateful for the offer, but…….”
“You’re worried that it would prevent you from making the kind of liquor you want to make. I understand completely.”
By ordinary logic, accepting such an offer would be the sensible thing.
But the people we’ll be working with are craftsmen.
Regardless of their abilities, they’re artisans who possess their own philosophy in the art of brewing.
Since we plan to select people to work with Songhadan based on their pursuit of fine spirits rather than mere profit, that independent streak would only be more pronounced.
“I won’t interfere with your direction.”
“I’m sorry? What do you mean by that……?”
“Exactly as I said. If you have a particular vision in mind, I’ll provide support tailored to that vision.”
“Is… is that even possible?”
The couple stares at me with confusion written across their faces.
A natural reaction.
Master brewers spend their entire lives honing their own distinctive skills.
They perfect a single type of spirit, refining it to its absolute limit with a singular character.
Which is why even the most accomplished master of traditional liquors finds it nearly impossible to produce exceptional beer.
To narrow it further: a craftsman who has spent a lifetime brewing Dongjungchun may belong to the same category of traditional spirits, yet cannot perfectly master another type like Hongju.
But I’m different.
“I can match whatever you desire.”
The Aroma Perception that Song-ha granted me.
The Aging Foresight that Mok-tong granted me.
And the Fermentation Hearing that Hyo-gi granted me as well.
Added to the countless varieties of spirits I’ve experienced.
That’s why I had such confidence.
“I can craft any spirit exactly as you envision it.”
I could make any liquor in whatever direction they wanted.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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