On an Instagram post at 1:44 a.m. on January 15, 2026, Hiruzen Brewery Tsuchitomizu announced the release of its new beer, “Chuka [S-11].” The style is a limited-batch sour ale. As for ingredients, the brewery says it uses its own homegrown hop “Tea Maker,” but keeps the amount modest in light of the flavor balance.

In the post, the aroma is described as a layered profile of “a faint citrus hop aroma,” “the earthy scent created by wild yeast,” and “the wheat aroma from sourdough.” The taste carries that impression forward while remaining brisk, and is said to be designed to drink more easily than the 8% figure might suggest. Rather than foregrounding a strong hop character, it is a bottle aimed at complex, layered flavors that evoke a sense of place.

Production data lists the brewing date as June 23, 2025, and the bottling date as August 5, 2025. The announcement invites readers to experience the “terroir of Hiruzen Chuwa,” and directs individual customers to a set product in the online store.

Based in Hiruzen, Okayama, Hiruzen Brewery Tsuchitomizu has consistently communicated its emphasis on fermentation that makes use of wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria in the air. Its approach accepts the distinctive character that emerges in a given year and environment rather than pursuing reproducibility, and that philosophy is clearly reflected in this “Chuka [S-11].” The brewery's thinking, combining locally grown hops with the work of microorganisms to express regional climate as a liquid, can also be read in the release text.