A reunion with one of Nara Brewing’s former brewers

Nara Brewing has announced a collaboration with Flora Fermentation, a brewery based in Shiga, Japan. In its article “A Collaboration Story,” Nara Brewing explains how the project grew from the career of one of its former assistant brewers, Tanaka.

Their story began in the summer of 2020, during the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. Tanaka applied for a position as an assistant brewer at Nara Brewing after telling the brewery that he eventually hoped to return to his hometown and open a brewery with friends. Impressed by his determination, Nara Brewing hired him as its first assistant brewer.

Tanaka supported the brewery’s beer production for approximately three years. In the summer of 2023, he left after finding a location for his own brewery. Together with two friends he had known since he was 20, he founded Flora Fermentation in Shiga. Nara Brewing now describes the brewery as one of the leading breweries in the prefecture.

Building on recipes from his Nara Brewing years

The collaboration beer will use a recipe Tanaka wrote during his time at Nara Brewing as its starting point. The recipe has been further developed by incorporating elements from Flora Fermentation. The project came together after Tanaka contacted Nara Brewing to propose brewing a beer together.

Nara Brewing has previously released two beers based on recipes created by Tanaka: “NEW HORIZON,” made with jasmine, and “MEMORY GARDEN,” made with rosemary. Both beers explored the use of additional ingredients to broaden the flavor of the base beer. That approach will provide an important point of reference as the two breweries develop the new collaboration.

Nara Brewing says further details will be announced later. Beer fans can look forward to seeing how Tanaka’s experience at Nara Brewing and Flora Fermentation’s emerging identity come together in the finished beer.