Omi Beer Introduces Shibugaki Ale, Then Teases a Hoshigaki Lambic
June 22, 2026
Omi Beer, a nano-brewery in Otsu, Shiga, featured its monthly special “Shibugaki Ale” on Instagram. The seasonal beer comes in at 5.5% ABV and 8 IBU, uses astringent persimmons sent from a colleague in Nagoya, and is followed in the post by a companion beer, “Hoshigaki Lambic,” made from the same fruit.
Hop Bro
Today’s topic is Shibugaki Ale from Omi Bakushu. This nano brewery in Otsu, Shiga made a limited batch with astringent persimmons sent by a senior brewer in Nagoya.
Mugi
What? Astringent persimmons are the ones that make your mouth go tight, right? They put that in beer? That is wildly bold.
Hop Bro
That’s the fun part. It’s an ale, and with 5.5% ABV and 8 IBU, the bitterness stays soft so the persimmon aroma and fermented fruit character can show up.
Mugi
Hold on, what does 8 IBU mean? You just threw science-class numbers at me!
Hop Bro
IBU is basically a bitterness scale. So here it means a very gentle bitterness, which makes it easier for the persimmon character to stand out.
Mugi
Ohhh! So it’s not some weird punishment drink, it’s a beer for enjoying persimmon aroma. I got scared just from the name!
Hop Bro
Exactly. And Omi Bakushu does monthly first-Sunday releases for seasonal beers, so the small scale makes experimental batches with fruit, vegetables, and koji much easier.
Mugi
No way! Nano brewery sounds like a secret hideout, but basically it means they can make tiny, adventurous batches, right?
Hop Bro
That’s pretty much it. And they didn’t stop there. They also introduced Dried Persimmon Lambic, using the same persimmons after drying them to concentrate the sweetness.
Mugi
That is unfairly tempting! Shibugaki Ale and Dried Persimmon Lambic side by side sounds like the kind of tasting that turns into a full-on ramble session. I want a glass now.
Hop Bro
First check the aroma with Shibugaki Ale, then chase the finish with the lambic and you’ve got the perfect comparison flight. If I see these on a menu, I’m ordering immediately.
Omi Beer, based in Otsu, Shiga, introduced `Shibugaki Ale` on Instagram as its monthly beer. The seasonal release is brewed with astringent persimmons and comes in at 5.5% ABV and 8 IBU. According to the brewery, the fruit was sent by a senior colleague in Nagoya, giving the beer a very direct fruit-driven starting point.
The post frames the beer as an experiment: what happens when persimmons are turned into beer, and how much of the fruit character survives fermentation? Rather than making a hard claim about the flavor, Omi Beer invites drinkers to pour a glass and decide for themselves. That approach fits the brewery’s style, which often leans on seasonal ingredients and small-batch brewing.
Omi Beer describes itself as a very small nano-brewery in Otsu and says its monthly `Shibugaki Ale`-type limited beers begin sales on the first Sunday of each month. The same post also points to `Hoshigaki Lambic`, a second beer made from the same persimmons after drying them to concentrate sweetness. In other words, the brewery is not just using a local ingredient once, but extending it into two different beers with different expressions.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop Bro
Today’s topic is Shibugaki Ale from Omi Bakushu. This nano brewery in Otsu, Shiga made a limited batch with astringent persimmons sent by a senior brewer in Nagoya.
Mugi
What? Astringent persimmons are the ones that make your mouth go tight, right? They put that in beer? That is wildly bold.
Hop Bro
That’s the fun part. It’s an ale, and with 5.5% ABV and 8 IBU, the bitterness stays soft so the persimmon aroma and fermented fruit character can show up.
Mugi
Hold on, what does 8 IBU mean? You just threw science-class numbers at me!
Hop Bro
IBU is basically a bitterness scale. So here it means a very gentle bitterness, which makes it easier for the persimmon character to stand out.
Mugi
Ohhh! So it’s not some weird punishment drink, it’s a beer for enjoying persimmon aroma. I got scared just from the name!
Hop Bro
Exactly. And Omi Bakushu does monthly first-Sunday releases for seasonal beers, so the small scale makes experimental batches with fruit, vegetables, and koji much easier.
Mugi
No way! Nano brewery sounds like a secret hideout, but basically it means they can make tiny, adventurous batches, right?
Hop Bro
That’s pretty much it. And they didn’t stop there. They also introduced Dried Persimmon Lambic, using the same persimmons after drying them to concentrate the sweetness.
Mugi
That is unfairly tempting! Shibugaki Ale and Dried Persimmon Lambic side by side sounds like the kind of tasting that turns into a full-on ramble session. I want a glass now.
Hop Bro
First check the aroma with Shibugaki Ale, then chase the finish with the lambic and you’ve got the perfect comparison flight. If I see these on a menu, I’m ordering immediately.