Nagano Brewery to serve new IPA 'Suijo' from July 25
Nagano Brewery in Ojoji, Nagano City, has announced a new IPA called Suijo, with service starting on July 25. The draft-only release uses grape leaves rather than grape fruit.
Hop BroToday’s headline is the new IPA Suijo. Nagano Brewery starts serving it on July 25, and it’s draft only.
MugiWhat?! Grape leaves? Not grapes? Is this a beer or a salad with ambitions?!
Hop BroThat’s the fun part. NAGANO BREWERY in Ojoyoji, Nagano, is using wine grape leaves to bring the character of the vineyard into an IPA.
MugiNo way! I thought IPA meant hops in the spotlight and a nice bitter kick. Don’t the leaves start a flavor argument?
Hop BroGood question. The key is layers of aroma. Leaves can add greener, more delicate notes than the fruit, so they stack a different character onto the hops.
MugiLayers of aroma? That suddenly sounds like a fancy magazine. How many layers is this beer trying to wear?!
Hop BroBasically, the aroma doesn’t arrive all at once. You get hops first, then that leafy green note drifts in after, kind of like a second wave.
MugiThat’s wild! My brain is already in a vineyard. And it’s draft only? That is extremely aggressive "drink me on site" energy.
Hop BroPretty much. Nagano Brewery runs its farm and brewhouse together, and even turns spent grain into compost. It’s a circular brewing approach all the way through.
MugiWow, so this isn’t just a new release. It feels like drinking the place itself, with that nature-rich setting west of Zenkoji folded into the glass.
Hop BroExactly. Suijo feels like a snapshot of where Nagano Brewery is right now, and I seriously want to taste the answer to what grape leaves do in an IPA.
MugiThen it’s settled. On July 25, let’s grab a pint. You do the explaining, and I’ll handle the dramatic gasping.
NAGANO BREWERY has announced a new IPA called Suijo. Service begins on July 25, and the beer will be available draft only. In its post, the brewery says the recipe uses grape leaves rather than grape fruit, tying the beer directly to its wine-grape fields.
The brewery is based in Ojoji, Nagano City, west of Zenkoji Temple, in a setting shaped by clean air, water, and a strong agricultural backdrop. Its official website describes a farm-and-brewery model built around local terroir, with spent grain composted and returned to the fields alongside branches, leaves, and fruit from apples, grapes, and hops.
Seen in that context, Suijo is more than a seasonal novelty. It is another example of how Nagano Brewery turns its own farm into part of the brewing process. For beer drinkers, the main question is simple: how does an IPA built around grape leaves express the landscape behind it?
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroToday’s headline is the new IPA Suijo. Nagano Brewery starts serving it on July 25, and it’s draft only.
MugiWhat?! Grape leaves? Not grapes? Is this a beer or a salad with ambitions?!
Hop BroThat’s the fun part. NAGANO BREWERY in Ojoyoji, Nagano, is using wine grape leaves to bring the character of the vineyard into an IPA.
MugiNo way! I thought IPA meant hops in the spotlight and a nice bitter kick. Don’t the leaves start a flavor argument?
Hop BroGood question. The key is layers of aroma. Leaves can add greener, more delicate notes than the fruit, so they stack a different character onto the hops.
MugiLayers of aroma? That suddenly sounds like a fancy magazine. How many layers is this beer trying to wear?!
Hop BroBasically, the aroma doesn’t arrive all at once. You get hops first, then that leafy green note drifts in after, kind of like a second wave.
MugiThat’s wild! My brain is already in a vineyard. And it’s draft only? That is extremely aggressive "drink me on site" energy.
Hop BroPretty much. Nagano Brewery runs its farm and brewhouse together, and even turns spent grain into compost. It’s a circular brewing approach all the way through.
MugiWow, so this isn’t just a new release. It feels like drinking the place itself, with that nature-rich setting west of Zenkoji folded into the glass.
Hop BroExactly. Suijo feels like a snapshot of where Nagano Brewery is right now, and I seriously want to taste the answer to what grape leaves do in an IPA.
MugiThen it’s settled. On July 25, let’s grab a pint. You do the explaining, and I’ll handle the dramatic gasping.
