Ichiban Shibori brewed with freshly picked Tono hops

Tono hops go into the kettle

On 9 September, a brewing ceremony for the seasonal beer Ichiban Shibori Fresh Hop Lager was held at Kirin Brewery’s Sendai plant in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. The hops used were harvested this summer in Tono, Iwate Prefecture. Tono lies in the Tohoku region of north-eastern Honshu, in an inland, mountainous area. About 80 people attended, including plant staff, Tono’s mayor Kazuhiko Tada and Junpei Abe, chairman of the Tono Hop Agricultural Cooperative, the growers’ organisation. According to the local newspaper Kahoku Shimpo, a fresh fragrance spread through the hall as the hops, which had been kept frozen, were placed in the brewing kettle. Plant manager Seigo Kubota called hops the “soul of beer” and said he wanted to bring out the full appeal of fresh Tono hops.

Japanese hops that carry the name of their region

Hops are a plant that gives beer its bitterness and aroma. Most beers use hops that have been dried and processed. This product uses hops that are frozen after harvest rather than dried, a method meant to preserve a green aroma close to that of freshly picked hops. A major brewer is putting a domestic growing region’s name on the product, and both a mayor and a representative of the growers attended the brewing. This points to the close ties between hop-growing regions and beer companies. The idea that a place name signals a certain aroma, as with Hallertau in Germany or Saaz (Žatec) in the Czech Republic, will be familiar to European readers.

What kind of beer is Ichiban Shibori?

Ichiban Shibori is one of Kirin Brewery’s flagship brands. Its name comes from how it is made. The liquid obtained by dissolving sugars out of malt is called wort, and only the portion that runs off first, naturally, is used. It is known for a clean, crisp malt flavour with few off-notes. The fresh hop edition is a limited release that layers the aroma of seasonal hops over this character. It goes on sale on 17 November and will be sold nationwide in Japan.

Whether this limited release will be sold in Europe has not been announced so far. There are still ways to enjoy the idea. Autumn is also the season when “fresh hop” or “wet hop” beers, made with hops used right after harvest, appear in Europe. If you find regular Ichiban Shibori at a Japanese or Asian grocery, you could compare it with a local fresh hop beer, and you may notice differences in the strength and character of the hop aroma. Japanese beer is said to pair well with delicately flavoured dishes such as sushi, tempura and yakitori. It is said that serving it not too cold and pouring it to form a head brings out the aroma. The way major Japanese brewers are putting domestic hop-growing regions front and centre is worth watching in future limited releases and export products.