Nara Brewing Releases EIGHTY EIGHT 2026, a Saison Brewed with First-Harvest Tea
Nara Brewing Co. has introduced EIGHTY EIGHT 2026, its seasonal saison steeped with first-harvest tea leaves from Teafarm Inokura in Tsukigase, Nara City. The beer went on sale via the brewery’s online store on July 3.
Hop BroNara Brewing's new EIGHTY EIGHT 2026 is here. It's a seasonal saison steeped with first-harvest tea leaves, and it feels exactly like the start of summer.
MugiWait, tea in beer!? A tea-infused saison sounds like a teacup and a pint glass fused together!
Hop BroThey used first-harvest tencha from Tea Farm Inokura in Tsukigase, Nara. It's the leaf used for matcha, with lots of umami and less astringency.
MugiHold on, what is tencha? That sounds less like tea and more like a secret finishing move!
Hop BroSimple version: it's tea that's dried without rolling. That makes it a low-astringency leaf, so the sweetness and umami sit nicely in the beer.
MugiOhhh, so it's not just charging straight into matcha flavor. And that cold-brew style steeping sounds like the patient kind of delicious.
Hop BroExactly. They steep it slowly at a low temperature, which pulls out the tea's depth and sweetness. Then the saison yeast adds a fruity aroma on top, so it becomes more than just a gimmick beer.
MugiWhoa, you just switched into expert mode. But if it's saison... does that dry finish mean it's super easy to drink?
Hop BroThat's the beauty of it. You get a slight haze from the tea, a dry palate, and then a soft green tea note lingering after each sip. It's basically a seven-year collaboration between Nara, the tea grower, and the brewery.
MugiAnd if it went on sale online at noon on July 3, there go all my excuses! As a seasonal summer pint, I want to start summer with this right now.
Hop BroOnce stock is gone, it's gone, so the online store release is not something to sleep on. I'd crack one open first with no food, just to focus on the tea character.
MugiDeal! I'll bring an actual glass, not a teacup. I need that Nara and Yamato tea combo in my life before it disappears.
Nara Brewing Co., based in Nara City, announced EIGHTY EIGHT 2026 on July 3. The beer is part of a seasonal series released every year at this time, built around a saison base infused with first-harvest tea leaves.
This year’s tea comes from Teafarm Inokura, a tea farm in Tsukigase, Nara City, with a history spanning 275 years. Michihiro Inokura, the farm’s 11th-generation producer, said the 2026 beer feels “rounder” and “richer” than the 2025 version, suggesting that the tea expression changes from year to year.
According to the brewery, the tea leaves are steeped slowly at a low temperature, much like a cold-brew extraction. That approach is intended to draw out concentration, umami, and sweetness. The tea used here is tencha, the leaf material used to make matcha. Because it is dried without rolling, tencha is known for low astringency and a strong savory character.
The finished beer is described as lightly hazy from the tea, with fruitiness from saison yeast on the nose. Its dry finish carries a subtle green tea note and a refreshing aftertaste, making it a fitting release for the humid season. The beer marks the seventh year of the project in 2026, underscoring how the collaboration between local growers and the brewery has developed over time.
EIGHTY EIGHT is available through wholesale accounts and went on sale in Nara Brewing’s online store at 12:00 on July 3. As a seasonal release, sales will end once stock runs out. For drinkers interested in tea-infused beers, it is a clear example of how local agricultural ties can shape flavor and identity in a craft beer.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroNara Brewing's new EIGHTY EIGHT 2026 is here. It's a seasonal saison steeped with first-harvest tea leaves, and it feels exactly like the start of summer.
MugiWait, tea in beer!? A tea-infused saison sounds like a teacup and a pint glass fused together!
Hop BroThey used first-harvest tencha from Tea Farm Inokura in Tsukigase, Nara. It's the leaf used for matcha, with lots of umami and less astringency.
MugiHold on, what is tencha? That sounds less like tea and more like a secret finishing move!
Hop BroSimple version: it's tea that's dried without rolling. That makes it a low-astringency leaf, so the sweetness and umami sit nicely in the beer.
MugiOhhh, so it's not just charging straight into matcha flavor. And that cold-brew style steeping sounds like the patient kind of delicious.
Hop BroExactly. They steep it slowly at a low temperature, which pulls out the tea's depth and sweetness. Then the saison yeast adds a fruity aroma on top, so it becomes more than just a gimmick beer.
MugiWhoa, you just switched into expert mode. But if it's saison... does that dry finish mean it's super easy to drink?
Hop BroThat's the beauty of it. You get a slight haze from the tea, a dry palate, and then a soft green tea note lingering after each sip. It's basically a seven-year collaboration between Nara, the tea grower, and the brewery.
MugiAnd if it went on sale online at noon on July 3, there go all my excuses! As a seasonal summer pint, I want to start summer with this right now.
Hop BroOnce stock is gone, it's gone, so the online store release is not something to sleep on. I'd crack one open first with no food, just to focus on the tea character.
MugiDeal! I'll bring an actual glass, not a teacup. I need that Nara and Yamato tea combo in my life before it disappears.
