NEIGHBOUR Starts Serving a New Double IPA Made with Abashiri Malt
NEIGHBOUR Roast&Brew, the second factory of Abashiri Beer, announced its new original beer "Double IPA ~Made with Abashiri Malt~" on Instagram at 16:39 on January 8, 2026. Despite 8% ABV and 60 IBU, it is a glass that emphasizes a white-grape-like aroma and a light, easy-drinking finish.
Hop BroBreaking news: Sapporo's NEIGHBOUR Roast&Brew has released a new "Double IPA ~Made with Abashiri Malt~." It's a beer from Abashiri Beer’s second factory, and the theme is really interesting!
MugiWait! Double IPA is the punchy kind, right? Is it really something you can start with as your first drink in winter!?
Hop BroThat’s the clever part. It’s ABV 8% and IBU 60, so the numbers are definitely strong, but the white-grape-like aroma keeps the drinking experience light and easy.
MugiJust hearing IBU 60 makes my tongue tingle...! I always mix up ABV and IBU!
Hop BroABV is the alcohol content, and IBU is a rough measure of bitterness. When the aroma design is as well done as this, it ends up feeling less heavy than the numbers suggest.
MugiWhoa! And you can get white-grape notes in beer!? That sounds like the kind you drink like juice and then can't stand up!
Hop BroExactly. The hops are Mosaic and Citra-driven, so there’s a tropical aroma too. In other words, it’s a two-way player: bright aromatics, but still a Double IPA at its core.
MugiWhat is that! So the aroma is tropical, but the body is northern!? Amazing that this kind of drama is happening in Sapporo!
Hop BroAnd it was announced in an Instagram post at 16:39 on January 8, 2026, with the reveal that it was finished together with Mr. Hatakeyama (@hokkaido_beer_porter). It really shows NEIGHBOUR's playful spirit.
Mugi"This Double IPA breaks the preconception that strong means heavy" - I really want to try it! Hop bro, tonight we're starting with this one at that energy, no question!
NEIGHBOUR Roast&Brew in Sapporo, Hokkaido, announced that it would be serving its original new Double IPA (made with Abashiri malt). According to the post, its specs are ABV 8%, IBU 60. While the numbers are firmly in strong-beer territory, the tasting impression leans more toward drinkability than heaviness, with notes reminiscent of white grapes and a tropical aroma derived from Mosaic and Citra.
The shop also revealed that this beer was finished together with Mr. Hatakeyama (@hokkaido_beer_porter). On its official website, NEIGHBOUR promotes the concept of "Turning someone’s time into time with someone." and creates a place that connects people and the city through beer and coffee. On the beer side, it offers seasonal originals as well as a wide range of domestic and international labels, and is also introduced as a place where you can enjoy three standard Abashiri Beer offerings on draft.
This new release loosens the common assumption that "strong = heavy," and folds it into a design meant to be enjoyed from the first glass on a winter day in Sapporo. It seems fair to say this release captures both the context of Abashiri Beer’s second factory and NEIGHBOUR’s playful spirit.
Source: Instagram post
Reference: NEIGHBOUR Roast&Brew Official Site
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroBreaking news: Sapporo's NEIGHBOUR Roast&Brew has released a new "Double IPA ~Made with Abashiri Malt~." It's a beer from Abashiri Beer’s second factory, and the theme is really interesting!
MugiWait! Double IPA is the punchy kind, right? Is it really something you can start with as your first drink in winter!?
Hop BroThat’s the clever part. It’s ABV 8% and IBU 60, so the numbers are definitely strong, but the white-grape-like aroma keeps the drinking experience light and easy.
MugiJust hearing IBU 60 makes my tongue tingle...! I always mix up ABV and IBU!
Hop BroABV is the alcohol content, and IBU is a rough measure of bitterness. When the aroma design is as well done as this, it ends up feeling less heavy than the numbers suggest.
MugiWhoa! And you can get white-grape notes in beer!? That sounds like the kind you drink like juice and then can't stand up!
Hop BroExactly. The hops are Mosaic and Citra-driven, so there’s a tropical aroma too. In other words, it’s a two-way player: bright aromatics, but still a Double IPA at its core.
MugiWhat is that! So the aroma is tropical, but the body is northern!? Amazing that this kind of drama is happening in Sapporo!
Hop BroAnd it was announced in an Instagram post at 16:39 on January 8, 2026, with the reveal that it was finished together with Mr. Hatakeyama (@hokkaido_beer_porter). It really shows NEIGHBOUR's playful spirit.
Mugi"This Double IPA breaks the preconception that strong means heavy" - I really want to try it! Hop bro, tonight we're starting with this one at that energy, no question!
