Iwanai Brewery reports hop harvest, with fresh-hop hazy ale due in late September
Iwanai Brewery & Hotel has reported its local hop harvest in Iwanai, Hokkaido. The work finished ahead of schedule thanks to strong participation, and brewing followed the next day. The seasonal “Iwanai Nama Hop Hazy” is slated for release in late September.
Hop BroToday’s story is about Iwanai Brewery & Hotel. They finished harvesting local hops in Iwanai, and it went straight toward the next seasonal brew.
MugiWhat! A hop harvest update? I love that the field news turns directly into beer news. That feels so live and immediate!
Hop BroAnd get this, a job expected to take three hours was done in two hours. A lot of people joined, so the harvest moved fast.
MugiWow, harvesting together sounds like a festival with hop cones instead of lanterns. I’d want a party right after that.
Hop BroThen they brewed the very next day, and the seasonal Iwanai Fresh Hop Hazy is planned for release in late September. That short gap from harvest to brew is the exciting part.
MugiWait, what is a fresh hop hazy exactly? It already sounds delicious, but what does hazy even mean here? Is it fog? Is it beer?
Hop BroFair question. A hazy IPA style usually has a cloudy look, a softer mouthfeel, and juicy aroma. Add fresh hops, and you can get that vivid, just-picked green hop character.
MugiNo way, just-picked aroma in a beer? That makes it sound like the whole hop field is breathing inside the glass!
Hop BroExactly, and this brewery also uses deep ocean water brewing, which fits their local-first approach. Iwanai is also known as the place where Japan first recorded wild hops back in 1871.
MugiThat’s amazing. You can drink the place along with the beer. By late September, I’ll be emotionally ready with a glass in hand.
Hop BroThat’s the right attitude. A fresh-hop seasonal pint like this could capture the whole moment, so I’d chase it as soon as it drops.
MugiDeal. I want it right now, but I’ll age my excitement until late September, and then we’re toasting immediately.
Iwanai Brewery & Hotel in Iwanai, Hokkaido, shared an update on its local hop harvest on Instagram. In the post, the brewery thanked Yamamoto of Blueberry Farm Ram for growing the hops and noted that the harvest, planned as a three-hour event, wrapped up in about two hours because so many people joined in.
Brewing took place the following day, and the brewery says its seasonal beer, Iwanai Nama Hop Hazy, is scheduled for release in late September. The quick turn from harvest to brew day suggests a fresh-hop expression that will lean on the character of newly picked hops.
The brewery is known for making beer with local ingredients, including deep seawater drawn in Iwanai. Its website says it produces four core beers alongside seasonal and limited releases, and also highlights Iwanai as the place where wild hops were first discovered in Japan in 1871. This harvest-to-brew sequence fits neatly with that hop-rich local story.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroToday’s story is about Iwanai Brewery & Hotel. They finished harvesting local hops in Iwanai, and it went straight toward the next seasonal brew.
MugiWhat! A hop harvest update? I love that the field news turns directly into beer news. That feels so live and immediate!
Hop BroAnd get this, a job expected to take three hours was done in two hours. A lot of people joined, so the harvest moved fast.
MugiWow, harvesting together sounds like a festival with hop cones instead of lanterns. I’d want a party right after that.
Hop BroThen they brewed the very next day, and the seasonal Iwanai Fresh Hop Hazy is planned for release in late September. That short gap from harvest to brew is the exciting part.
MugiWait, what is a fresh hop hazy exactly? It already sounds delicious, but what does hazy even mean here? Is it fog? Is it beer?
Hop BroFair question. A hazy IPA style usually has a cloudy look, a softer mouthfeel, and juicy aroma. Add fresh hops, and you can get that vivid, just-picked green hop character.
MugiNo way, just-picked aroma in a beer? That makes it sound like the whole hop field is breathing inside the glass!
Hop BroExactly, and this brewery also uses deep ocean water brewing, which fits their local-first approach. Iwanai is also known as the place where Japan first recorded wild hops back in 1871.
MugiThat’s amazing. You can drink the place along with the beer. By late September, I’ll be emotionally ready with a glass in hand.
Hop BroThat’s the right attitude. A fresh-hop seasonal pint like this could capture the whole moment, so I’d chase it as soon as it drops.
MugiDeal. I want it right now, but I’ll age my excitement until late September, and then we’re toasting immediately.
