And Beer Katsunuma Brewery in Yamanashi has released two new Hazy IPAs at the same time. The beers are "Misty Town ~Sun~ (Juicy Hazy IPA)" and "Misty Town ~Tree~ (Piney Hazy IPA)," and both come in at 6% alcohol by volume.

In the post, the brewery explained that the concept was inspired by Katsunuma’s seasonal scenery: smoke from burned grapevines spreads through the town, and the basin-like topography makes it easy for smoke to linger. That "foggy town" image was then reflected in the beer names and concept. It is a highly local project that turns the atmosphere of the place itself into the theme.

On the recipe side, the difference between the two is clear. Sun uses a heavy dose of American hops (Citra, Simcoe, Idaho 7, and Cascade) to push a tropical, juicy aroma to the forefront. Tree, on the other hand, uses dry-hopped hops from Kobayashi Farm in Hokuto, Yamanashi, bringing out a pine-resin character derived from Chinook and Cascade. The post strongly recommends a "side-by-side tasting," and the key point is being able to compare different aroma directions within the same Hazy IPA framework.

Availability will begin sequentially at the company’s taprooms in Koenji, Asagaya, and Yamanashi, and sales will end once stock runs out. The brewery also says keg sales for restaurants will be available through its business-use e-commerce site.

And Beer was founded in 2017 in Koenji, Tokyo, and is now a microbrewery with its production base in Katsunuma. Brewing in a region known for wine production while communicating through its own taprooms is a style that fits projects like this, where the landscape of the region is translated directly into flavor. This is a notable new release not only for Hazy IPA fans, but also for anyone interested in how hop expression can differ from beer to beer.