A Limited Sour Ale Built Around Ingredients

Otama Brewing (Sanwa Ward, Joetsu City, Niigata) has released a limited product, "Small Green Apple Sakekasu Sour Ale." This sour ale combines thinned apples from Iizuna Town, Nagano Prefecture, with sake lees from Kimi no I Sake Brewery in Myoko City. It has an ABV of 4.5% and an SRM of 3.5. Sales have begun in bottles and 15L kegs.

At the starting point for this beer is the thinned apple, an ingredient that normally never reaches the market. The question was how to bring out the refreshing acidity and fresh aroma unique to young fruit in a beer. In response, Otama Brewing chose to layer in the gentle umami and richness of sake lees. The result is a beer that aims to be more than just a "sour beer," with greater depth.

The brew also involved the liquor shop Juuniya in Myoko City and freelance brewer M.B Gypsy Brewer. The structure, which combines local agricultural products, sake brewery byproducts, and an outside brewer's perspective, clearly reflects the brewery's stance of staying rooted in Joetsu while keeping its ideas open.

Its defining characteristics are a light, soft tartness, an aroma reminiscent of green apple, and the gentle richness derived from the sake lees. During tasting, some reportedly described it as "endlessly drinkable apple juice." It has a crisp, easy-drinking profile suited to spring, but knowing the background of the ingredients makes it even more compelling.

As a microbrewery brewing in Joetsu City, Otama Brewing continues to make beer that makes use of local ingredients and fermentation culture. This limited release is another clear expression of that direction. On April 2, a presentation for media and restaurant and liquor industry professionals is scheduled to be held in the kitchen space on the second floor of MUJI Naoetsu.