Nagahama Roman Beer to Release Nagahama Fresh Hop IPA on September 22
Nagahama Roman Beer will release its limited Nagahama Fresh Hop IPA on September 22, 2026, brewed with hops harvested by brewery staff, farmers, and public participants. The hops were added to the brew roughly five hours after harvest to preserve their fresh character.
Hop BroA limited IPA is coming from Nagahama, Shiga, built around brewing within five hours of harvest. Nagahama Roman Beer Brewery releases “Nagahama Fresh Hop IPA” on September 22.
MugiWhat?! Beer in five hours? Fermentation takes longer than that, right? I thought my clock had gone rogue!
Hop BroNo worries—the five hours means harvest to adding the hops at the brewery, not fermentation. They’re adding freshly picked hops right away.
MugiWow! The harvest involved the public too, right? Turning hops picked together into beer sounds like drinking a memory.
Hop BroExactly—participants, brewery staff, and farmers picked the Nagahama-grown hops. They make it a fresh hop IPA, using hops without drying or pelletizing them.
MugiPelletizing? What is that? Do hops suddenly become tiny supplement pills? Explain how hops are processed for a beginner!
Hop BroUsually, hops are dried and pressed into pellets so they keep well. These are used fresh instead, which can deliver a juicy, vivid aroma.
MugiSo fresh hops really smell that different? Like a green field after rain? I might want to bury my nose in it before taking a sip!
Hop BroI get it, but try not to fill up on aroma alone. This IPA is said to have little harshness and a soft, elegant bitterness—a lovely balance to look forward to.
MugiIt’s amazing that hops are being grown in Nagahama too. If the farm is close to the brewery, is the short trip from field the secret to that freshness?
Hop BroYou’ve got it. Hop cultivation in Nagahama has expanded since 2022, led by the Omi Haruba Association, and that proximity is a real advantage: a beer grown by the community.
MugiNagahama Roman Beer, founded in 1996, puts the aroma picked by local people into a glass… that’s lovely. But my conclusion is simple: I want this limited IPA!
Hop BroThat’s the perfect conclusion. It rolls out from September 22—if you find it, let’s toast to a sip of Nagahama autumn. I want one right now too!
Nagahama Roman Beer in Nagahama, Shiga, will begin selling its limited Nagahama Fresh Hop IPA on September 22, 2026.
The beer uses hops harvested during a recent public hop-picking experience attended by brewery staff, farmers, and guests. The freshly picked hops were transported to the brewery and added to the brew within approximately five hours, allowing the beer to retain the vivid, layered aroma associated with fresh hops.
Fresh hop IPA is brewed with hops used soon after harvest, before they are dried or processed into pellets. This approach brings a lively, green freshness that differs from conventional processed hops. Nagahama Roman Beer describes the beer as having a clean profile, a soft and refined bitterness, and a distinctly fresh aroma.
Hop cultivation in Nagahama began in earnest in 2022, led by the Omi Herba Association as part of an effort to develop locally distinctive agricultural products and strengthen the region’s connection to brewing. The proximity of the hop fields to the brewery makes it possible to move the crop quickly from harvest to production.
Founded in 1996, Nagahama Roman Beer operates in a historic area of Nagahama, using the region’s natural environment, including water from the Ibuki area, as part of its brewing identity. This limited IPA offers a seasonal expression of the brewery’s relationship with local growers and the people who took part in the harvest.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroA limited IPA is coming from Nagahama, Shiga, built around brewing within five hours of harvest. Nagahama Roman Beer Brewery releases “Nagahama Fresh Hop IPA” on September 22.
MugiWhat?! Beer in five hours? Fermentation takes longer than that, right? I thought my clock had gone rogue!
Hop BroNo worries—the five hours means harvest to adding the hops at the brewery, not fermentation. They’re adding freshly picked hops right away.
MugiWow! The harvest involved the public too, right? Turning hops picked together into beer sounds like drinking a memory.
Hop BroExactly—participants, brewery staff, and farmers picked the Nagahama-grown hops. They make it a fresh hop IPA, using hops without drying or pelletizing them.
MugiPelletizing? What is that? Do hops suddenly become tiny supplement pills? Explain how hops are processed for a beginner!
Hop BroUsually, hops are dried and pressed into pellets so they keep well. These are used fresh instead, which can deliver a juicy, vivid aroma.
MugiSo fresh hops really smell that different? Like a green field after rain? I might want to bury my nose in it before taking a sip!
Hop BroI get it, but try not to fill up on aroma alone. This IPA is said to have little harshness and a soft, elegant bitterness—a lovely balance to look forward to.
MugiIt’s amazing that hops are being grown in Nagahama too. If the farm is close to the brewery, is the short trip from field the secret to that freshness?
Hop BroYou’ve got it. Hop cultivation in Nagahama has expanded since 2022, led by the Omi Haruba Association, and that proximity is a real advantage: a beer grown by the community.
MugiNagahama Roman Beer, founded in 1996, puts the aroma picked by local people into a glass… that’s lovely. But my conclusion is simple: I want this limited IPA!
Hop BroThat’s the perfect conclusion. It rolls out from September 22—if you find it, let’s toast to a sip of Nagahama autumn. I want one right now too!
