Nito Brewing Releases “AUSTRALIAN PILSNER WITH UME,” the Fifth in Its Hanafuda Series
Nito Brewing in Omihachiman City, Shiga Prefecture, has unveiled a new release, “AUSTRALIAN PILSNER WITH UME,” the fifth installment in its 2026 Hanafuda project. It is a spring-ready beer that combines an Australian pilsner with ume, layering malt depth, light bitterness, and refreshing acidity.
Hop BroA new release from Nito Brewing in Omihachiman City, Shiga Prefecture has arrived as the fifth beer in its Hanafuda series. It’s called “AUSTRALIAN PILSNER WITH UME,” and it’s the perfect beer for spring.
MugiWait, ume in a pilsner? That alone makes me curious! What kind of flavor does pairing it with ume create?
Hop BroThe base is an Australian pilsner, so it has a solid malt depth, and Super Pride and Melba hops add light bitterness and citrus notes on top of that.
MugiSuper... Melba...? Those sound pretty intense! Do the roles of the hops really make that much of a difference?
Hop BroYes, hops are the main players when it comes to aroma and bitterness. Here, they add light bitterness and a citrusy character, while keeping the beer from becoming too heavy.
MugiI see! But if ume is in it, isn’t it going to be too sour? It says refreshing acidity, but what kind of balance does it have?
Hop BroThat’s the interesting part: the ume acidity doesn’t come on too strongly, and it all comes together into a clean and dry finish. It feels like a perfect match for the calm air of spring.
MugiOh wow! And it’s part of the Hanafuda series, right? If the theme is the May Hanafuda card, the label sounds cute and fun too!
Hop BroThis time the motif is Kakitsubata ni Yatsuhashi, and it’s not just about visual playfulness. The project expresses seasonal ingredients each month, which is very much in Nito Brewing’s style of connecting place and season.
MugiNito Brewing uses Australian and New Zealand hops, and they also put in domestic ingredients too, right? The connection between place and ingredients sounds so stylish...
Hop BroExactly. And it’s 688 yen for a 360 ml can, or 4,128 yen for a six-pack. This light, dry pilsner with ume really makes you want to compare a few right away.
MugiWow, now I want to drink it! When I hear it’s a beer for spring, I’m already thinking about snacks too. This is definitely the one for today!
A New Hanafuda-Motif Project Reaches Its Fifth Release
Nito Brewing in Omihachiman City, Shiga Prefecture, has released “AUSTRALIAN PILSNER WITH UME” as the fifth installment of its special project launched in 2026, which uses Hanafuda cards on the label. This monthly series expresses seasonal Japanese ingredients, and this time the theme is May’s Hanafuda card, “Kakitsubata ni Yatsuhashi” (iris and Yatsuhashi).
The Combination of Australian Pilsner and Ume
This beer is built around an Australian pilsner paired with ume. The depth brought out by double decoction and derived from the malt is layered with the light bitterness and citrus character provided by Australian Super Pride and Melba hops. With the addition of ume’s refreshing acidity, the result is a clean, dry finish.
While the style has a solid backbone, the aroma and aftertaste are designed not to feel too heavy. It is a balanced beer meant to be enjoyed in the mild days of spring.
A Connection Between Place and Ingredients, Nito Brewing Style
Nito Brewing is a brewery that has actively incorporated Australian and New Zealand hops while also flexibly using locally rooted ingredients such as wheat from Omihachiman, as well as domestic sansho pepper, yuzu, and kumquats. Its approach, influenced by both European tradition and the newer brewing cultures of Australia and New Zealand, is also reflected in this pilsner.
The Hanafuda series is interesting as an attempt to translate the feeling of each season and place into beer. Beyond the playful label design, this is a bottle that shows Nito Brewing’s characteristic thinking in both ingredient selection and flavor design.
The price is 688 yen for a 360 ml can and 4,128 yen for a six-pack. It is likely to catch the eye not only of those following the series, but also of anyone looking for a light, dry beer made with ume.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroA new release from Nito Brewing in Omihachiman City, Shiga Prefecture has arrived as the fifth beer in its Hanafuda series. It’s called “AUSTRALIAN PILSNER WITH UME,” and it’s the perfect beer for spring.
MugiWait, ume in a pilsner? That alone makes me curious! What kind of flavor does pairing it with ume create?
Hop BroThe base is an Australian pilsner, so it has a solid malt depth, and Super Pride and Melba hops add light bitterness and citrus notes on top of that.
MugiSuper... Melba...? Those sound pretty intense! Do the roles of the hops really make that much of a difference?
Hop BroYes, hops are the main players when it comes to aroma and bitterness. Here, they add light bitterness and a citrusy character, while keeping the beer from becoming too heavy.
MugiI see! But if ume is in it, isn’t it going to be too sour? It says refreshing acidity, but what kind of balance does it have?
Hop BroThat’s the interesting part: the ume acidity doesn’t come on too strongly, and it all comes together into a clean and dry finish. It feels like a perfect match for the calm air of spring.
MugiOh wow! And it’s part of the Hanafuda series, right? If the theme is the May Hanafuda card, the label sounds cute and fun too!
Hop BroThis time the motif is Kakitsubata ni Yatsuhashi, and it’s not just about visual playfulness. The project expresses seasonal ingredients each month, which is very much in Nito Brewing’s style of connecting place and season.
MugiNito Brewing uses Australian and New Zealand hops, and they also put in domestic ingredients too, right? The connection between place and ingredients sounds so stylish...
Hop BroExactly. And it’s 688 yen for a 360 ml can, or 4,128 yen for a six-pack. This light, dry pilsner with ume really makes you want to compare a few right away.
MugiWow, now I want to drink it! When I hear it’s a beer for spring, I’m already thinking about snacks too. This is definitely the one for today!
