Golden Rabbit Beer to Release Imuraya Collaboration “Aka no Hioto” in January
Golden Rabbit Beer in Nara has announced a new collaboration product with Imuraya, “Aka no Hioto.” This craft beer uses the skins of Imuraya’s azuki beans, with bottle sales starting at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, and taproom service starting at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, January 9.
Hop BroGolden Rabbit Beer in Nara has released a new collaboration with Imuraya called “Aka no Hioto.” It’s a huge topic heading into the new year.
MugiWhat! Imuraya, as in that azuki bean company? How does that connect to beer!?
Hop BroIt’s a collaboration that uses Imuraya’s azuki bean skins as an ingredient, and as a style, it’s a specialty craft beer that makes use of Japanese ingredients. It’s characterized by a gentle aroma and a mellow, easy-drinking mouthfeel.
MugiWhat is that! “Specialty” sounds like some kind of special move name!
Hop BroBasically, it means ‘a beer that doesn’t fit neatly into a standard category and puts the character of the ingredients front and center.’ As you keep drinking, the azuki notes are said to drift softly through the nose, with a calm depth and a light sweetness.
MugiOhh! And the description ‘a flavor that brings to mind Azuki Bar’ is way too intriguing! It sounds almost dessert-like and fun!
Hop BroThe sales schedule is clear too: bottles start on Tuesday, January 6, 2026 at 10:00 a.m., and taproom service starts on Friday, January 9 at 7:00 p.m.
MugiNice, easy to plan for! But do bottles and tap taste different?
Hop BroThat’s the interesting part. Tap service makes the aroma feel more three-dimensional, while bottles are something you can enjoy slowly at home. It really feels like a Golden Rabbit beer that values ties to Nara ingredients and food culture.
Hop BroFirst I’ll try it on tap to check the aroma, then I’ll buy a bottle and go into aftertaste mode... this plan is so perfect I already want to drink it!
MugiI’m in! I want to drink “Aka no Hioto” right now too!
Nara-based Golden Rabbit Beer has announced an Imuraya collaboration beer, “Aka no Hioto,” as its first new release of the year. According to the brewery’s official post, the ingredients include the skins of Imuraya’s azuki beans. The aroma is gentle, and the beer is designed to have a mild, easy-to-drink mouthfeel. As you keep drinking, a subtle azuki note rises through the nose, with a calm depth and a faint sweetness spreading across the palate; the company describes it as having a flavor that brings to mind an Azuki Bar.
The sales and service schedule is as follows.
- From 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 6, 2026: Bottle sales begin
- From 7:00 p.m. on Friday, January 9, 2026: Taproom service begins
The post was published on December 31, 2025 (UTC), and also serves as an announcement for the start of New Year operations. Golden Rabbit Beer’s official website states that it produces “craft beer that makes use of ingredients from Nara,” and the brewery continues to pursue projects that emphasize connections with local ingredients and food culture. This Imuraya collaboration appears to be a beer that lets drinkers more clearly experience the brewery’s direction of bringing Japanese ingredients into beer.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroGolden Rabbit Beer in Nara has released a new collaboration with Imuraya called “Aka no Hioto.” It’s a huge topic heading into the new year.
MugiWhat! Imuraya, as in that azuki bean company? How does that connect to beer!?
Hop BroIt’s a collaboration that uses Imuraya’s azuki bean skins as an ingredient, and as a style, it’s a specialty craft beer that makes use of Japanese ingredients. It’s characterized by a gentle aroma and a mellow, easy-drinking mouthfeel.
MugiWhat is that! “Specialty” sounds like some kind of special move name!
Hop BroBasically, it means ‘a beer that doesn’t fit neatly into a standard category and puts the character of the ingredients front and center.’ As you keep drinking, the azuki notes are said to drift softly through the nose, with a calm depth and a light sweetness.
MugiOhh! And the description ‘a flavor that brings to mind Azuki Bar’ is way too intriguing! It sounds almost dessert-like and fun!
Hop BroThe sales schedule is clear too: bottles start on Tuesday, January 6, 2026 at 10:00 a.m., and taproom service starts on Friday, January 9 at 7:00 p.m.
MugiNice, easy to plan for! But do bottles and tap taste different?
Hop BroThat’s the interesting part. Tap service makes the aroma feel more three-dimensional, while bottles are something you can enjoy slowly at home. It really feels like a Golden Rabbit beer that values ties to Nara ingredients and food culture.
Hop BroFirst I’ll try it on tap to check the aroma, then I’ll buy a bottle and go into aftertaste mode... this plan is so perfect I already want to drink it!
MugiI’m in! I want to drink “Aka no Hioto” right now too!
