Baeren Brewery will release the limited beer "Kata-men Shiso Amber Ale," made with "Kawai red shiso," a specialty of Miyako City, Iwate Prefecture. Sales will begin on or after November 10, 2025, with rollout scheduled in stages through Baeren's directly operated stores, its web shop, mass retailers in the prefecture, roadside stations, and other outlets.

This product was created in response to the fact that "Kata-men Shiso," grown in the Kawai district of Miyako City, received GI certification. Kawai red shiso is characterized by its distinctive appearance, with green on the front of the leaf and purple on the back, and by a profile that combines freshness with spiciness. Baeren worked with Kokubu Tohoku and the Kawai Industrial Promotion Corporation to turn a local agricultural product into beer and share it with a wider audience.

The flavor is designed to layer the grainy malt character typical of an amber ale with berry notes from hops and a refreshing herbal quality from shiso. When sipped, the gentle sweetness of malt comes first, followed by the soft aroma of red shiso. Even while using Japanese ingredients, the beer still has the backbone of a craft beer, which may be the key point.

Baeren Brewery is based in Kitayama, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture, and continues to handcraft its beer using a brewhouse purchased from southern Germany that is more than 100 years old. The combination of traditional brewing equipment and local ingredients is a distinctly Baeren approach.

Product Overview


- Product name: Kata-men Shiso Amber Ale
- Style: Amber Ale
- Alcohol content: 5.0%
- Main ingredients: Malt, shiso extract (red shiso, produced in Iwate Prefecture), rice flour, hops
- Suggested retail price: 528 yen (tax included)

By turning a regional specialty into beer, this brew lets you taste the character of the place itself.