Fujizakura Kogen Beer to Release Hoppy Rice Lager Made with Yamanashi Rice
Fujizakura Kogen Beer, based in Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi, will release Hoppy Rice Lager this weekend. Brewed with locally grown Koshihikari rice and Czech Saaz hops, the new lager is designed to be clean, crisp, and easy to drink at 4.5% ABV.
Hop BroThis weekend, a new Fuji-Zakura beer is landing. It’s called HOPPY RICE LAGER, a lager brewed with Yamanashi-grown Koshihikari rice.
MugiWait, a rice lager? Beer with rice jumping into the mix suddenly feels very dinner-table coded, and I need to know more!
Hop BroThat’s the fun part. Fuji-Zakura Heights Beer from Fujikawaguchiko is known for German styles, but this time they went for a cleaner, crisper build with rice at the center.
MugiWhoa! But that dry body phrase is exactly the kind of thing people nod at while secretly panicking. What does it actually mean?
Hop BroHere’s the simple version: it means the sweetness doesn’t linger and the finish snaps off neatly. That clean rice finish is doing a lot of the work.
MugiOhhh! So it disappears smoothly instead of sticking around. That sounds like the bring out the food kind of beer!
Hop BroExactly, and they’re loading it with Czech Saaz hops too. That gives it elegant spice, herbal aroma, and a defined hop edge without making it heavy.
MugiHold on, premium aroma hop sounds wildly fancy. So Saaz is basically the nice-smelling specialist on the team?
Hop BroPretty much. It adds refined aroma and a gentle bitterness, and it fits that 4.5% easy-drinking profile perfectly.
MugiAt 4.5%, it sounds super food-friendly. I already want to try the Yamanashi pairings like Koshu chicken offal stew and Fuji-no-Suke carpaccio.
Hop BroAnd don’t skip the Fuji-Zakura pork steak or the game sausage. I like that it uses local ingredients while keeping that classic lager precision intact.
MugiI’m done for, I totally want this now. This weekend, HOPPY RICE LAGER needs to be in my glass immediately!
A crisp lager rooted in local ingredients
Fujizakura Kogen Beer is introducing Hoppy Rice Lager, a new beer made with Koshihikari rice grown in Yamanashi Prefecture. The brewery, based in Fujikawaguchiko, is best known for its German-style brewing, and this release extends that precision into a more familiar Japanese flavor profile centered on rice.
The beer uses only the traditional Czech hop Saaz, adding elegant herbal notes, a spicy edge, and a pleasant bitterness. Those hop qualities are balanced by a clean, dry body and a subtle sweetness from the rice. At 4.5% ABV, it is built as an everyday lager that should work well as a food-pairing beer.
Suggested pairings
The brewery recommends pairing it with local Yamanashi dishes such as Koshu torimotsu stew, Fujizakura pork steak, Fujinosuke salmon carpaccio, and game sausages. The combination of regional ingredients and a restrained lager profile makes this a straightforward but thoughtful seasonal release.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroThis weekend, a new Fuji-Zakura beer is landing. It’s called HOPPY RICE LAGER, a lager brewed with Yamanashi-grown Koshihikari rice.
MugiWait, a rice lager? Beer with rice jumping into the mix suddenly feels very dinner-table coded, and I need to know more!
Hop BroThat’s the fun part. Fuji-Zakura Heights Beer from Fujikawaguchiko is known for German styles, but this time they went for a cleaner, crisper build with rice at the center.
MugiWhoa! But that dry body phrase is exactly the kind of thing people nod at while secretly panicking. What does it actually mean?
Hop BroHere’s the simple version: it means the sweetness doesn’t linger and the finish snaps off neatly. That clean rice finish is doing a lot of the work.
MugiOhhh! So it disappears smoothly instead of sticking around. That sounds like the bring out the food kind of beer!
Hop BroExactly, and they’re loading it with Czech Saaz hops too. That gives it elegant spice, herbal aroma, and a defined hop edge without making it heavy.
MugiHold on, premium aroma hop sounds wildly fancy. So Saaz is basically the nice-smelling specialist on the team?
Hop BroPretty much. It adds refined aroma and a gentle bitterness, and it fits that 4.5% easy-drinking profile perfectly.
MugiAt 4.5%, it sounds super food-friendly. I already want to try the Yamanashi pairings like Koshu chicken offal stew and Fuji-no-Suke carpaccio.
Hop BroAnd don’t skip the Fuji-Zakura pork steak or the game sausage. I like that it uses local ingredients while keeping that classic lager precision intact.
MugiI’m done for, I totally want this now. This weekend, HOPPY RICE LAGER needs to be in my glass immediately!
