Uchoten Brewing Co. and SQUIRREL FOREST co-create and unveil 8.5% "Pequeno / Super Saison"
Uchoten Brewing Co. in Nagano introduced its collaboration beer "Pequeno / Super Saison" with the craft beer shop SQUIRREL FOREST in Nagano City. It is designed to drink smoothly despite its high alcohol content, balancing the dryness typical of a saison with the fruity aromas generated by fermentation.
Hop BroToday's highlight is Pequeno / Super Saison, the beer Nagano's Uchoten Brewing Co. made with SQUIRREL FOREST!
MugiWhoa! Just from the name it sounds strong, but 8.5% ABV is boss-level territory, isn't it!?
Hop BroThat's the interesting part: even with IBU 30, it's designed not to feel heavy, aiming for a dry, sharp finish.
MugiWhat? How do you do that? Is it magic? Or beer alchemy?
Hop BroWell, they use beet sugar so the body doesn't get too full, and finish it light and lively with the fermentation character of Belgian Saison II.
MugiHuh! But what does "yeast character" taste like? In my head, bakery spirits are dancing!
Hop BroPretty close, but a bit more fruity, with fermentation-derived fruit aromas of peach, pear, and apple that come through softly.
MugiWow, I'd definitely love that! What about the hops? I heard something about floral and herbal notes!
Hop BroThey build the base with noble hops like Aurora, Styrian Golding, and Saaz, and then age it in three oak barrels after a double batch brew.
MugiSo much information, yet the drinking feel is light and easy to enjoy... Tonight, let's toast to this Nagano collaboration together!
In a recent post, Nagano-based Uchoten Brewing Co. unveiled its collaboration creation, "Pequeno / Super Saison". The partner is SQUIRREL FOREST, a Nagano City craft beer shop that carries a wide selection of domestic and international beers. What stands out is how carefully the brewery explains not just the beer itself, but also the thinking behind the design, making this a collaboration rooted in local connections.
The theme this time was originally aimed at a Belgian Golden Strong, but ultimately settled into a Super Saison. The ABV is 8.5%, and the IBU is 30. On paper, those numbers suggest a powerful beer, but the actual focus is on keeping it from feeling heavy. Beet sugar is used to avoid making the body overly full, leading into a dry finish driven by saison yeast.
The recipe is as follows.
- Malts: Pilsner, Vienna, Munich, Wheat
- Hops: Aurora, Styrian Golding, Saaz
- Yeast: Belgian Saison II
- Other: Beet Sugar
It was also brewed as a double batch and aged in three oak barrels. To keep the mouthfeel light even in a high-alcohol beer, the design aims for a balance between malt richness and fermentation-derived fruity aromas such as peach, pear, and apple. Noble hop herbal and floral notes form the foundation, but the yeast-derived aroma remains the true focus.
Uchoten Brewing Co. is a Nagano-based brewery that has been working with Belgian-style and saison expressions. This "Pequeno" can be seen as a beer where that technical accumulation has taken shape through a collaboration. It is a release worth checking out for anyone who wants both the satisfaction of high alcohol and the crispness of a saison.
Reference: Instagram post
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroToday's highlight is Pequeno / Super Saison, the beer Nagano's Uchoten Brewing Co. made with SQUIRREL FOREST!
MugiWhoa! Just from the name it sounds strong, but 8.5% ABV is boss-level territory, isn't it!?
Hop BroThat's the interesting part: even with IBU 30, it's designed not to feel heavy, aiming for a dry, sharp finish.
MugiWhat? How do you do that? Is it magic? Or beer alchemy?
Hop BroWell, they use beet sugar so the body doesn't get too full, and finish it light and lively with the fermentation character of Belgian Saison II.
MugiHuh! But what does "yeast character" taste like? In my head, bakery spirits are dancing!
Hop BroPretty close, but a bit more fruity, with fermentation-derived fruit aromas of peach, pear, and apple that come through softly.
MugiWow, I'd definitely love that! What about the hops? I heard something about floral and herbal notes!
Hop BroThey build the base with noble hops like Aurora, Styrian Golding, and Saaz, and then age it in three oak barrels after a double batch brew.
MugiSo much information, yet the drinking feel is light and easy to enjoy... Tonight, let's toast to this Nagano collaboration together!
