DD4D Brewing Announces “Hoshi Nogyo,” the Fourth Label Novel Collaboration
Matsuyama-based DD4D Brewing has announced “Hoshi Nogyo,” the fourth release in its Label Novel collaboration with short-short fiction writer Masatoshi Tamaru. Built around the theme of stars, the project pairs a beer label featuring an exclusive story with a citrus-forward IPA made with Ehime-grown citrus peels.
Hop BroDD4D BREWING has a new release: “Star Farmer,” the fourth installment of its Label Novel series with Masatomo Tamura. You can drink the beer while reading a story printed on its label.
MugiWhat?! The label is a novel? If it’s short enough to finish before my beer, I might finally look literary!
Hop BroThis installment’s theme is a sparkling star. The story is exclusive to purchasers, so opening the can unlocks a little private universe.
MugiA beer with a secret story! Reading while drinking sounds perfect. But does “Star Farmer” mean they harvest stars and put them in the beer?
Hop BroNo stars in the kettle—but it is a Citrus IPA. At 6.0% ABV and 35 IBU, it puts citrus aroma front and center.
MugiWhat’s that? What does IBU measure? The brightness of a star? A cosmic bitterness ranking?
Hop BroIBU is a guide to a beer’s bitterness. At 35, it should be approachable rather than intensely bitter, with balanced aroma and bitterness.
MugiOh, nice! That sounds beginner-friendly. What does it smell like? I’m sensing a citrus explosion!
Hop BroNZ Cascade, Motueka, and Riwaka hops evoke lime, grapefruit, and passion fruit. Then they add peel from thinned Ehime citrus—blood orange, Iyokan, and ponkan.
MugiA starry story and Ehime citrus aromas! Holding that 350ml can while reading the label would feel like visiting a night-sky orchard. I want a toast now!
A story to read while you drink
DD4D Brewing has announced the fourth installment of its Label Novel series with Masatoshi Tamaru, a writer known for contemporary short-short fiction. The project places a short story directly on a beer label, creating an experience that combines reading and drinking. This installment is themed around “stars,” and the story printed on the label is available exclusively to customers who purchase the beer.
“Hoshi Nogyo (Hoshi)” is a Citrus IPA with an alcohol content of 6.0% and an IBU of 35. The hop bill includes NZ Cascade, Motueka, and Riwaka, bringing aromas reminiscent of lime, grapefruit, and passion fruit. The beer also uses the peels of Ehime-grown immature citrus—blood orange, iyokan, and ponkan—adding distinctive green citrus aromatics beneath the brighter hop character.
The beer will be packaged in 350ml cans and distributed through DD4D Brewing’s official online store, the brewery’s directly operated store in Chibunecho, Matsuyama, and retailers across Japan. The source article lists the release date as “2026/11/XX,” so a specific launch date has not yet been announced. Pricing will be determined by each retailer.
A collaboration rooted in Matsuyama
DD4D Brewing grew from an apparel select shop that has operated since 1998 and completed its brewery in 2019. In 2021, the company opened a new production facility in Mitsuhama, a port district of Matsuyama, allowing it to produce a wide range of small-batch beers and begin canning. Its beers are distributed through specialty retailers in all 47 prefectures of Japan, and the brewery has also participated regularly in overseas events since beginning exports in 2023.
Tamaru was born in Ehime, giving the project a natural local connection. Through Label Novel, the brewery and writer link aroma, flavor, and fiction around a shared theme. With its hop-driven citrus notes and locally sourced citrus peels, “Hoshi Nogyo” offers a beer designed to be enjoyed alongside the world unfolding on its label.
A short-short fiction contest is also planned to commemorate the fourth release. The theme will be “citrus,” with submissions accepted from November 13 through December 13, 2026. Prizes will include assortments of seasonal craft beers.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroDD4D BREWING has a new release: “Star Farmer,” the fourth installment of its Label Novel series with Masatomo Tamura. You can drink the beer while reading a story printed on its label.
MugiWhat?! The label is a novel? If it’s short enough to finish before my beer, I might finally look literary!
Hop BroThis installment’s theme is a sparkling star. The story is exclusive to purchasers, so opening the can unlocks a little private universe.
MugiA beer with a secret story! Reading while drinking sounds perfect. But does “Star Farmer” mean they harvest stars and put them in the beer?
Hop BroNo stars in the kettle—but it is a Citrus IPA. At 6.0% ABV and 35 IBU, it puts citrus aroma front and center.
MugiWhat’s that? What does IBU measure? The brightness of a star? A cosmic bitterness ranking?
Hop BroIBU is a guide to a beer’s bitterness. At 35, it should be approachable rather than intensely bitter, with balanced aroma and bitterness.
MugiOh, nice! That sounds beginner-friendly. What does it smell like? I’m sensing a citrus explosion!
Hop BroNZ Cascade, Motueka, and Riwaka hops evoke lime, grapefruit, and passion fruit. Then they add peel from thinned Ehime citrus—blood orange, Iyokan, and ponkan.
MugiA starry story and Ehime citrus aromas! Holding that 350ml can while reading the label would feel like visiting a night-sky orchard. I want a toast now!
