TIELS Brewing in Mishima, Shizuoka has released its seasonal Strawberry Sour Wheat. Built on a wheat ale base, the beer is designed to showcase the sweet-and-tart aroma of strawberries, supported by a soft sour character.

This year’s fruit again comes from Benihoppe strawberries grown by Isonoen SOLARA in Nirayama, Izu. According to the brewery, the fully ripe berries were received in early June, washed one by one, stemmed, and turned into purée before being added to the fermentation tank. The process filled the brewery with strawberry aroma, showing how closely the beer is tied to the fruit itself.

The recipe keeps hops and strongly aromatic malts to a minimum so the strawberry character can stay at the center. The sour framework lifts the fruit’s natural sweetness and acidity, while the wheat brings a soft mouthfeel. The result is a beer that moves from gentle texture to clean acidity and then to a lingering berry aroma.

TIELS Brewing operates TIELS TEA & TAPS, a brewpub in Mishima that serves fresh beer alongside food and tea. Strawberry Sour Wheat is brewed only once a year, near the end of strawberry season, and will be available until sold out.