Kamihiei Sake Brewery Plans to Release "IBUKI HOP IPA," Made with 100% Tono-grown IBUKI Hops, on July 9, 2026
Kamihiei Sake Brewery in Tono City, Iwate Prefecture, is set to release its seasonal beer "IBUKI HOP IPA" on July 9, 2026. This is a single brew that uses the largest amount to date of frozen, crushed hops and brings out their aroma through the SMaSH method.
Hop BroKamihiei Sake Brewery in Tono is releasing IBUKI HOP IPA on July 9, 2026. It’s a seasonal limited beer, and the fact that it uses 100% Tono-grown hops is seriously exciting.
MugiWait, 100% hops? That’s basically a hop traffic jam! What kind of flavor is that even going to make!
Hop BroThe key is that they’re using Tono-grown IBUKI hops, frozen and crushed, in the largest amount they’ve ever used. It’s a pretty bold brew if you want to really push the aroma.
MugiFrozen and crushed? What is that! Does freezing the hops really make that much of a difference?
Hop BroYeah, it helps handle the aroma compounds without losing as much of them. And because it’s made with the SMaSH method, the character of the malt and hops comes through really clearly.
MugiSMaSH sounds like some kind of special move! So it means a single-ingredient design, right?
Hop BroExactly. It stands for Single Malt and Single Hop, so basically it’s a brew that shows the shape of the ingredients head-on. Since there’s no room to hide, it really shows the brewer’s skill.
MugiAnd the flavor is bright, fresh citrus! If it’s an IPA that isn’t too bitter, I could really go for that!
Hop BroAnd the ingredients are just barley malt and hops, with an alcohol content of 5%. In other words, it’s an IPA that lets the aroma do the talking.
MugiKamihiei Sake Brewery has been making sake for more than 200 years, right? I love how they’re making local hops the star like this.
Hop BroTono is famous as a hop-producing region too, so this is really a beer you taste through the land itself. It makes me want to chill one down and wait for release day.
MugiYeah, I want to drink this ice-cold on release day! Just imagining the citrus aroma is making my throat call out for beer!
Kamihiei Sake Brewery is a brewery that has been making sake in Tono City, Iwate Prefecture, for more than 200 years. In addition to sake, it has also been making beer since 1999, and has built the "ZUMONA" brand around the appeal of Tono-grown hops.
The newly announced "IBUKI HOP IPA" is a seasonal beer made with 100% of the hop variety "IBUKI," grown in Tono City. According to official information, it uses frozen and crushed Tono-grown "IBUKI" hops in the largest amount the company has ever used in a single product. In addition, finishing the beer with the Single Malt and Single Hop (SMaSH) method highlights the hop's individuality.
The flavor is a refreshing style with lively citrus notes. The ingredients are barley malt (produced in the United Kingdom) and hops (grown in Tono City), and the alcohol content is 5%. Rather than relying on flashy adjuncts, the design focuses on how to bring out the aroma and definition derived from the hops.
Tono City, where Kamihiei Sake Brewery is based, is known as one of Japan's leading hop-producing regions. The company continues to brew using local ingredients, and this new release is positioned as a beer that combines materials unique to the region with brewing technique. The release date is scheduled for July 9, 2026.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroKamihiei Sake Brewery in Tono is releasing IBUKI HOP IPA on July 9, 2026. It’s a seasonal limited beer, and the fact that it uses 100% Tono-grown hops is seriously exciting.
MugiWait, 100% hops? That’s basically a hop traffic jam! What kind of flavor is that even going to make!
Hop BroThe key is that they’re using Tono-grown IBUKI hops, frozen and crushed, in the largest amount they’ve ever used. It’s a pretty bold brew if you want to really push the aroma.
MugiFrozen and crushed? What is that! Does freezing the hops really make that much of a difference?
Hop BroYeah, it helps handle the aroma compounds without losing as much of them. And because it’s made with the SMaSH method, the character of the malt and hops comes through really clearly.
MugiSMaSH sounds like some kind of special move! So it means a single-ingredient design, right?
Hop BroExactly. It stands for Single Malt and Single Hop, so basically it’s a brew that shows the shape of the ingredients head-on. Since there’s no room to hide, it really shows the brewer’s skill.
MugiAnd the flavor is bright, fresh citrus! If it’s an IPA that isn’t too bitter, I could really go for that!
Hop BroAnd the ingredients are just barley malt and hops, with an alcohol content of 5%. In other words, it’s an IPA that lets the aroma do the talking.
MugiKamihiei Sake Brewery has been making sake for more than 200 years, right? I love how they’re making local hops the star like this.
Hop BroTono is famous as a hop-producing region too, so this is really a beer you taste through the land itself. It makes me want to chill one down and wait for release day.
MugiYeah, I want to drink this ice-cold on release day! Just imagining the citrus aroma is making my throat call out for beer!
