Ino Chujiro Shoten’s "INOU Shiro" Wins Silver at JGBA 2026
The brewpub Brewery and Cheese Ino Chujiro Shoten in Sawara, Chiba, announced that its flagship beer "INOU Shiro" won a silver award at the domestic competition JAPAN GREAT BEER AWARD 2026. It is served and sold both on tap and in bottles at the shop.
Hop BroA hot piece of news from Sawara: INOU Shiro won silver!
MugiWhoa! JGBA 2026 is that big of a competition?
Hop BroIt’s a competition that gets a lot of attention domestically, and the winner was the flagship beer from Brewery and Cheese Ino Chujiro Shoten!
MugiHmm, but I still can’t quite picture what the Belgian-style Ale category tastes like!
Hop BroSimply put, it’s an aromatic, soft style, and this one is a white beer made with wheat from Katori City, so it has a gentle drinking feel.
MugiWhat? The article mentioned the Nelson Sauvin aroma - does that mean the hop smells wine-like?
Hop BroExactly. It’s a variety that gives off a white-wine-like aroma. Add in the gentle mouthfeel and sweetness, and it goes down really smoothly!
MugiThat’s amazing! And now they have both tap service and bottle sales - super convenient!
Hop BroYou can drink it fresh at the shop and take some home after wandering around. Plus, it pairs great with cheese and works well with meals too.
MugiI’m already hungry just imagining it! Experiencing an award-winning beer on location in Sawara’s historic streets is definitely exciting!
Hop BroIt’s settled then. On the next day off, let’s go and toast with INOU Shiro first!
Brewery and Cheese Ino Chujiro Shoten, located in Sawara, Katori City, Chiba Prefecture, announced in a post on February 28, 2026, that its beer "INOU Shiro" won a silver award at JAPAN GREAT BEER AWARD 2026. The post introduced it as the shop’s "most popular beer" and noted that it can still be enjoyed just as before after the award.
The award category, shown in the information within the post image, was the Belgian-style Ale category. The image also described "INOU Shiro" as a white beer made with wheat from Katori City, using Nelson Sauvin hops with an aroma reminiscent of white wine, and having a gentle mouthfeel with a sweet finish.
It is currently available both on tap and as bottle sales. That means you can enjoy it fresh in the shop or take it home as a souvenir from a stroll through Sawara, which suits this brewery’s style perfectly. As a brewpub centered on cheese and craft beer, it is a beer that works well with food as well as on its own.
In the streetscape of Sawara, Katori City, this award reflects how a beer made with local ingredients was recognized in a nationwide competition. The experience of drinking "INOU Shiro" on site may well be the quickest way to understand where the shop stands today.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the venue’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroA hot piece of news from Sawara: INOU Shiro won silver!
MugiWhoa! JGBA 2026 is that big of a competition?
Hop BroIt’s a competition that gets a lot of attention domestically, and the winner was the flagship beer from Brewery and Cheese Ino Chujiro Shoten!
MugiHmm, but I still can’t quite picture what the Belgian-style Ale category tastes like!
Hop BroSimply put, it’s an aromatic, soft style, and this one is a white beer made with wheat from Katori City, so it has a gentle drinking feel.
MugiWhat? The article mentioned the Nelson Sauvin aroma - does that mean the hop smells wine-like?
Hop BroExactly. It’s a variety that gives off a white-wine-like aroma. Add in the gentle mouthfeel and sweetness, and it goes down really smoothly!
MugiThat’s amazing! And now they have both tap service and bottle sales - super convenient!
Hop BroYou can drink it fresh at the shop and take some home after wandering around. Plus, it pairs great with cheese and works well with meals too.
MugiI’m already hungry just imagining it! Experiencing an award-winning beer on location in Sawara’s historic streets is definitely exciting!
Hop BroIt’s settled then. On the next day off, let’s go and toast with INOU Shiro first!
