Open Air Minatoyama Brewery Releases New American IPA "good times"
Hyogo's Open Air Minatoyama Brewery announced its new beer "good times" (Good Times) on March 4, 2026. It is an American IPA that emphasizes balance between malt and hops, built around a deep golden color from caramel malt and a firm bitterness; keg and can sales began the same day.
Hop BroA new American IPA called "good times" was released on March 4 from Open Air Minatoyama Brewery in Kobe. Even the name makes you want to raise a glass!
MugiWhoa! "good times" is an amazing name! What kind of beer is it?
Hop BroIt's 6.5% ABV and 65 IBU, with a deep golden color from caramel malt. It's definitely bitter, but the design focuses on balancing malt and hops.
MugiIBU 65 sounds intense! And what does "dry-hop amount was kept low" even mean? Is that some kind of spell?
Hop BroIBU is a rough measure of bitterness, and 65 is definitely on the bitter side. Dry hopping is the step where aroma is added, but this one intentionally keeps it modest so the flavor doesn't just rush in with aroma alone. It's meant to be more about drinkability.
MugiI see! So it's not a sparkling aroma bomb, but a more substantial IPA!
Hop BroExactly. The hops are Amarillo, Cascade, and Simcoe. It has bright citrus notes, but it still keeps the bitterness you'd expect from a classic American IPA. That's the clever part.
MugiWait, what? French fries, salty fried chicken, sausage, pizza... that covers my entire "weekend cravings" menu!
Hop BroWhat's more, since it's a brewery that uses the former elementary school cafeteria kitchen in Minatoyama, I like how it leans more toward an IPA you can keep drinking with meals rather than something flashy. Keg and can sales started the same day, so you can have it on draft out or open a can at home.
MugiThat's decided! I'll go with the can and karaage course, and you're taking the draft, Hop? Tonight, let's toast with "good times"!
Open Air Minatoyama Brewery announced its new beer "good times" on Instagram at 12:00 p.m. on March 4. The style is American IPA. In the post, it explained that the dry-hop amount was intentionally kept low, and the recipe was designed to balance malt and hops; rather than leading with aroma, it is presented as a beer intended to deliver heft and drinkability.
Beer Overview
- Product name: good times (Good Times)
- Style: American IPA
- ABV: 6.5%
- IBU: 65
- Hops: Amarillo / Cascade / Simcoe
According to the description, it is characterized by a deep golden color derived from caramel malt and a firm bitterness. Looking at the hop lineup, the recipe aims to strike a balance between bright citrus aromas and the bitterness typical of a classic American IPA. The food pairings listed in the post are french fries, salty karaage, and sausage pizza. Paired with salty, oily dishes, it is a classic combination that cuts through with bitterness and carbonation.
What Defines Open Air Minatoyama Brewery
Open Air Minatoyama Brewery is known as a brewery that repurposes the former cafeteria kitchen of an elementary school in Kobe. It has championed beer-making that makes use of local water and produce and evokes the changing seasons. In that context, "good times" can be seen as a release that places more emphasis on an IPA you can drink again and again with meals than on flashiness.
In the same post, it also announced that keg and can sales have started through the official online shop and the business-to-business shop. Whether you want draft beer at a bar or a can at home, being able to choose based on the drinking occasion is another appeal of this release.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroA new American IPA called "good times" was released on March 4 from Open Air Minatoyama Brewery in Kobe. Even the name makes you want to raise a glass!
MugiWhoa! "good times" is an amazing name! What kind of beer is it?
Hop BroIt's 6.5% ABV and 65 IBU, with a deep golden color from caramel malt. It's definitely bitter, but the design focuses on balancing malt and hops.
MugiIBU 65 sounds intense! And what does "dry-hop amount was kept low" even mean? Is that some kind of spell?
Hop BroIBU is a rough measure of bitterness, and 65 is definitely on the bitter side. Dry hopping is the step where aroma is added, but this one intentionally keeps it modest so the flavor doesn't just rush in with aroma alone. It's meant to be more about drinkability.
MugiI see! So it's not a sparkling aroma bomb, but a more substantial IPA!
Hop BroExactly. The hops are Amarillo, Cascade, and Simcoe. It has bright citrus notes, but it still keeps the bitterness you'd expect from a classic American IPA. That's the clever part.
MugiWait, what? French fries, salty fried chicken, sausage, pizza... that covers my entire "weekend cravings" menu!
Hop BroWhat's more, since it's a brewery that uses the former elementary school cafeteria kitchen in Minatoyama, I like how it leans more toward an IPA you can keep drinking with meals rather than something flashy. Keg and can sales started the same day, so you can have it on draft out or open a can at home.
MugiThat's decided! I'll go with the can and karaage course, and you're taking the draft, Hop? Tonight, let's toast with "good times"!
