Yorocco Beer Iwase Brewery introduces three winter beers, suggesting their best drinking window before spring
On February 25, 2026, Yorocco Beer Iwase Brewery once again introduced three beers brewed in winter on Instagram. The post encourages people to enjoy a saison made with ginger, a porter with Belgian yeast, and a black IPA before the lineup shifts to spring releases.
Hop BroToday’s topic is Yorocco Beer Iwase Brewery’s three winter beers! Before the spring releases kick in, they’re reminding everyone once again about their "best winter beers."
MugiWhoa! That feels like a season finale episode! Which beers are they featuring?
Hop BroThe first is ROOTS ROCK, a Ginger Amber Saison. It uses pesticide-free ginger from Shimomura Farm in Nakatosa Town, Kochi Prefecture, and it’s designed to layer the rising ginger aroma with earthy, root-like character.
MugiWhat? "Root-like character" means the beer gives off a farm vibe even though it’s a drink?
Hop BroExactly. Not the smell of soil itself, but more of a root-vegetable-like depth. The lightness of the saison is carried by a core of ginger, making it taste like the air just before rain.
MugiHuh, that’s poetic! Then tell me about the other two!
Hop BroThe second is Blackbird Sipping, a Belgian Porter. Belgian yeast esters give it fruitiness like pear and green apple, while it still has the roast character and richness of a porter. And the label art is by Yusuke Hanai!
MugiEsters!? That sounds like a special move! And the art is fancy too, so there’s a lot of information before you even drink it!
Hop BroEsters are fruity aroma compounds produced by yeast during fermentation. The third one, Black Sword (Belgian Black IPA), is great too: a crisp mouthfeel, depth from Belgian yeast, citrus and bitterness from hops, and a light roasted note all come together. Blackbird and Black Sword are said to be classics that Yorocco has brewed for about 10 years.
MugiWow, this is exactly the time to compare them as winter turns to spring! Start with ROOTS ROCK, savor Blackbird, then finish with Black Sword. Let’s do it tonight!
The Kanagawa-based Yorocco Beer Iwase Brewery shared a lineup timed to the seasonal turning point.
In the post, the brewery picked out three beers, saying that as the rainy season feels near and spring draws closer, it had not yet fully introduced its "best winter beers."
The Three Beers Introduced This Time
- ROOTS ROCK (Ginger Amber Saison)
An amber saison made with pesticide-free ginger from Shimomura Farm in Nakatosa Town, Kochi Prefecture. Its defining feature is a design that layers the rising aroma of ginger with earthy, root-like nuances.
- Blackbird Sipping (Belgian Porter)
A beer that balances fruitiness from Belgian yeast, with impressions like pear and green apple, and the roast character and richness typical of a porter. It was introduced as a beer suited to slow sipping. The label art is by Yusuke Hanai.
- Black Sword (Belgian Black IPA)
A black IPA that combines a crisp finish with the depth from Belgian yeast, citrus notes and bitterness from hops, and a light roasted character. The label art is by USUGROW.
Within the post, Blackbird and Black Sword were described as "Yorocco classics that have been brewed for about 10 years," and the brewery also mentioned continuing labels such as Sky Walker, Peninsula Saison, and Cultivator. The message was that, as the season shifts from winter to spring, people should enjoy the changing character of the beer as well.
On its official website, Yorocco Beer describes itself as "an independent local brewery based in Kamakura," and this post once again reflected that brewery's distinctive context, including ingredients, yeast, and label art. With spring beers on the horizon, tasting and comparing the winter lineup is likely to become more popular.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroToday’s topic is Yorocco Beer Iwase Brewery’s three winter beers! Before the spring releases kick in, they’re reminding everyone once again about their "best winter beers."
MugiWhoa! That feels like a season finale episode! Which beers are they featuring?
Hop BroThe first is ROOTS ROCK, a Ginger Amber Saison. It uses pesticide-free ginger from Shimomura Farm in Nakatosa Town, Kochi Prefecture, and it’s designed to layer the rising ginger aroma with earthy, root-like character.
MugiWhat? "Root-like character" means the beer gives off a farm vibe even though it’s a drink?
Hop BroExactly. Not the smell of soil itself, but more of a root-vegetable-like depth. The lightness of the saison is carried by a core of ginger, making it taste like the air just before rain.
MugiHuh, that’s poetic! Then tell me about the other two!
Hop BroThe second is Blackbird Sipping, a Belgian Porter. Belgian yeast esters give it fruitiness like pear and green apple, while it still has the roast character and richness of a porter. And the label art is by Yusuke Hanai!
MugiEsters!? That sounds like a special move! And the art is fancy too, so there’s a lot of information before you even drink it!
Hop BroEsters are fruity aroma compounds produced by yeast during fermentation. The third one, Black Sword (Belgian Black IPA), is great too: a crisp mouthfeel, depth from Belgian yeast, citrus and bitterness from hops, and a light roasted note all come together. Blackbird and Black Sword are said to be classics that Yorocco has brewed for about 10 years.
MugiWow, this is exactly the time to compare them as winter turns to spring! Start with ROOTS ROCK, savor Blackbird, then finish with Black Sword. Let’s do it tonight!
