Hikone Beer Announces Rebrew of Hojicha Ale "Chayu Ichie-ru"
In a post at 4:04 p.m. on February 20, 2026, Hikone Beer’s Kojinyama Brewery said, "\\ Chayu Ichie-ru, now in production //..." The seasonal hojicha brew that had been well received in the past is back in motion.
Hop BroBig news! Hikone Beer’s Kojinyama Brewery announced in a February 20, 2026 post that "Chayu Ichie-ru" is being rebrewed!
MugiWhat, the one with the cute name!? I already want to drink it just from how "Chayu Ichie-ru" sounds!
Hop BroExactly! It’s a seasonal hojicha ale by style, and it’s labeled happoshu. The key is that it uses tea leaves from Mandokoroen, a Japanese tea specialty shop, so the hojicha aroma really comes forward.
MugiHapposhu makes me think, "Wait, so it’s not beer?" And what does "bringing it forward" even mean? Stage direction?
Hop BroGood catch! The happoshu label is a legal classification based on ingredient ratios, and the malt content is 50% or more. As for the flavor, it’s very much craft beer. And "bringing it forward" means the recipe is designed so the hojicha aroma hits first on the first sip!
MugiOhhh! So even if the legal name is happoshu, the experience is solidly craft!
Hop BroThe specs are interesting too: 6.0% ABV and 28 IBU. Bitterness is moderate, sweetness is restrained, and acidity is almost nonexistent. In other words, it’s a "Japanese-style ale" that’s easy to pair with meals.
MugiIBU 28 and suddenly it’s science class! Is this going to be on the test? Do I need notes?
Hop BroNo, no test (laughs). IBU is just a guideline for bitterness, and 28 is about "not too bitter, but with some backbone." What’s more, it takes inspiration from Lord Ii Naosuke and the tea culture of ichigo ichie, and the limited label features a scene from the Hikone Screen, a national treasure. It’s basically a trip to Hikone before you even take a sip.
MugiThat’s amazing! They’ve put the local story right into the glass. Hop, let’s toast tonight in our imagination to the reopening of Chayu Ichie-ru! I’m completely ready to drink it now!
Hikone Beer’s Kojinyama Brewery announced production progress for its tea-based ale, "Chayu Ichie-ru," in an Instagram post titled "\\ Chayu Ichie-ru, now in production //...". The opening line of the post confirms that it is the well-received hojicha-based "Chayu Ichie-ru," which is welcome news for fans who had been waiting for its return.
According to the product page, "Chayu Ichie-ru" is a label created to honor the achievements of Lord Ii Naosuke and to commemorate the enactment of an ordinance promoting tea ceremony and the culture of ichigo ichie. It uses tea leaves from the Japanese tea specialty shop Mandokoroen, and its design foregrounds the aroma of hojicha. Its specs are 6.0% ABV and 28 IBU. Bitterness is moderate, sweetness is restrained, and acidity is said to be barely noticeable, suggesting a profile that should pair easily with food.
The ingredients are malt, hojicha, hops, and carrageenan. With a malt ratio of 50% or more, its style classification is happoshu. The limited label also features a scene from the national treasure Hikone Screen, showing how the brewery weaves Hikone’s history and culture into the beer experience, which is one of this label’s biggest attractions.
At its core, Hikone Beer is a brewery founded at the foot of Kojinyama in Shiga, near the rice fields and Lake Biwa, with a mission centered on preserving the local community and building a sustainable business. The company was established in 2019, and the Kojinyama Brewery opened in 2021. It also continues its "ALL HIKONE BEER" challenge, aimed at making beer with 100% Hikone-grown ingredients, and seasonal brews like "Chayu Ichie-ru," which are deeply rooted in the local context, are perhaps the clearest way to taste that philosophy.
This production post is more than a simple re-sale notice. It is a seasonal signal in true Hikone Beer style, linking tea culture with craft beer and pouring the story of the land into the glass.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroBig news! Hikone Beer’s Kojinyama Brewery announced in a February 20, 2026 post that "Chayu Ichie-ru" is being rebrewed!
MugiWhat, the one with the cute name!? I already want to drink it just from how "Chayu Ichie-ru" sounds!
Hop BroExactly! It’s a seasonal hojicha ale by style, and it’s labeled happoshu. The key is that it uses tea leaves from Mandokoroen, a Japanese tea specialty shop, so the hojicha aroma really comes forward.
MugiHapposhu makes me think, "Wait, so it’s not beer?" And what does "bringing it forward" even mean? Stage direction?
Hop BroGood catch! The happoshu label is a legal classification based on ingredient ratios, and the malt content is 50% or more. As for the flavor, it’s very much craft beer. And "bringing it forward" means the recipe is designed so the hojicha aroma hits first on the first sip!
MugiOhhh! So even if the legal name is happoshu, the experience is solidly craft!
Hop BroThe specs are interesting too: 6.0% ABV and 28 IBU. Bitterness is moderate, sweetness is restrained, and acidity is almost nonexistent. In other words, it’s a "Japanese-style ale" that’s easy to pair with meals.
MugiIBU 28 and suddenly it’s science class! Is this going to be on the test? Do I need notes?
Hop BroNo, no test (laughs). IBU is just a guideline for bitterness, and 28 is about "not too bitter, but with some backbone." What’s more, it takes inspiration from Lord Ii Naosuke and the tea culture of ichigo ichie, and the limited label features a scene from the Hikone Screen, a national treasure. It’s basically a trip to Hikone before you even take a sip.
MugiThat’s amazing! They’ve put the local story right into the glass. Hop, let’s toast tonight in our imagination to the reopening of Chayu Ichie-ru! I’m completely ready to drink it now!
