Yellow Monkey Brewing Releases tvk Collaboration "Nekohita Ale"
Kanagawa-based Yellow Monkey Brewing released its collaboration beer "Nekohita Ale," created over the course of a year with TV Kanagawa's information program "Neko no Hitai Hodo Wide," on March 11. Made with 36 kg of rice "Nekohikari" grown in Oiso Town and sake yeast, it is a locally connected brew.
Hop BroToday’s highlight is this! Yellow Monkey Brewing in Kanagawa released "Nekohita Ale" on March 11, 2026, after spending a year making it with tvk's "Neko no Hitai Hodo Wide."
MugiWhoa! TV collaborations happen all the time, but a year-long effort is seriously intense!
Hop BroThat’s the exciting part: in 2025, they worked from rice planting to harvesting at the "Nekohita" field in Oiso Town, and the brewery’s representative Hiroki also joined the "Nekohita team" to help make the ingredients.
MugiWhat! A beer that starts in a rice paddy? That story is way too strong!
Hop BroAnd the rice they used is 36 kg of project rice called "Nekohikari." The style is Ale, and the key point is that it’s fermented with sake yeast.
MugiSake yeast? There’s the technical term all of a sudden! What kind of flavor does that make?
Hop BroTo put it simply, it tends to produce a bright aroma like sake, along with a fuller rice-derived body and a soft mouthfeel. It’s the kind of beer that makes you go, "Oh," first with the aroma rather than just gulping it down.
MugiI see! So it’s like an Ale that’s gentle in a catlike way, but has a crisp, polished aroma!
Hop BroExactly. With program, agriculture, and brewing all working together, it’s a collaboration that pours Kanagawa’s local connection into a single glass. Having it introduced on a live broadcast the day it launches is pretty moving too.
MugiI can’t wait anymore! Tonight I’m opening "Nekohita Ale," checking the aroma, and raising a toast!
Yellow Monkey Brewing announced on March 11, 2026, that it has released "Nekohita Ale," a collaboration beer developed together with TV Kanagawa (tvk)'s program "Neko no Hitai Hodo Wide."
This project goes beyond a simple program tie-in. According to the post, the project began with rice cultivation in 2025 at the paddy field "Nekohita" in Oiso Town, Kanagawa Prefecture. From rice planting to harvesting, Hiroki, the brewery's representative, took part as a member of the "Nekohita team," becoming involved in beer making from the raw-material stage.
36 kg of "Nekohikari" and fermentation with sake yeast
"Nekohita Ale" uses 36 kg of the project rice "Nekohikari." Sake yeast was used for fermentation, and when poured into a glass, it is designed to release a floral aroma with the rich depth derived from rice and a soft mouthfeel. The recipe stands out for combining the free-spirited ideas of craft beer with Kanagawa's local context.
A beer that embodies a Kanagawa-born brewery's community approach
Based in Kanagawa, Yellow Monkey Brewing describes itself on its official website as a brewery that "connects people through beer and sports." This "Nekohita Ale" can be seen as a collaboration that gives shape to that philosophy through a three-way partnership of "program, agriculture, and brewing."
Hiroki is scheduled to appear on a live broadcast of "Neko no Hitai Hodo Wide" on March 11, the release date, and the beer is also expected to be featured on the program. It is worth paying attention to as a point of contact between Kanagawa's media and craft scene.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroToday’s highlight is this! Yellow Monkey Brewing in Kanagawa released "Nekohita Ale" on March 11, 2026, after spending a year making it with tvk's "Neko no Hitai Hodo Wide."
MugiWhoa! TV collaborations happen all the time, but a year-long effort is seriously intense!
Hop BroThat’s the exciting part: in 2025, they worked from rice planting to harvesting at the "Nekohita" field in Oiso Town, and the brewery’s representative Hiroki also joined the "Nekohita team" to help make the ingredients.
MugiWhat! A beer that starts in a rice paddy? That story is way too strong!
Hop BroAnd the rice they used is 36 kg of project rice called "Nekohikari." The style is Ale, and the key point is that it’s fermented with sake yeast.
MugiSake yeast? There’s the technical term all of a sudden! What kind of flavor does that make?
Hop BroTo put it simply, it tends to produce a bright aroma like sake, along with a fuller rice-derived body and a soft mouthfeel. It’s the kind of beer that makes you go, "Oh," first with the aroma rather than just gulping it down.
MugiI see! So it’s like an Ale that’s gentle in a catlike way, but has a crisp, polished aroma!
Hop BroExactly. With program, agriculture, and brewing all working together, it’s a collaboration that pours Kanagawa’s local connection into a single glass. Having it introduced on a live broadcast the day it launches is pretty moving too.
MugiI can’t wait anymore! Tonight I’m opening "Nekohita Ale," checking the aroma, and raising a toast!
