Cliff Garo Brewing completes second batch of sour ale 'Dragon Mee'
Okinawa City-based Cliff Garo Brewing says the second batch of its sour ale 'Dragon Mee' is complete. The beer uses Miyakojima-grown dragon fruit, shima-yamahihatsu from Itoman, and blueberry to balance sweetness and acidity.
Hop BroHere’s a fun one today: Dragon Me batch two from Cliff Garo Brewing in Okinawa City has officially been announced complete on Instagram.
MugiWhat! Second batch done means the first brew must have landed well, right? Even the name sounds powerful!
Hop BroExactly, and the style is a sweet-leaning sour ale, so it is not just sharp acidity, it is built to feel nicely tart and easy to drink.
MugiWhoa! But a sweet-and-sour beer does not turn into juice territory? Where did the beer club go!?
Hop BroThat is the clever part: they used Miyakojima dragon fruit, blueberries, and even Shimayamahihatsu pepper from Itoman to layer fruit character with a little spice.
MugiNo way! Shimayamahihatsu pepper sounds less like an ingredient and more like a spell you cast before battle!
Hop BroIt is actually an Okinawan superfood, and the article says they aimed for tannin-like astringency to overlap naturally with the acidity. Think of that gentle mouth-tightening feel from tea or red wine.
MugiOhhh, that mouth-tightening feel I can picture! This just went from scary lecture to delicious homeroom real fast!
Hop BroOn top of that, the hops are Galaxy and Citra, giving a passion-fruit-like aroma that lines up with the fruit side, and it sits at 5.6% ABV for draft or bottle.
MugiThat is unfair! If it works on draft or bottle and brings sweetness, acidity, and tropical aroma, how am I supposed to not want one immediately?
Hop BroThat is why it feels like a beer where the Okinawan ingredients really click, and I want to taste that balance of sweet and tart for myself.
MugiThen it is settled! I want a toast now, and you can handle the beer lecture while I handle the dramatic reactions!
The brewing idea
Cliff Garo Brewing, based in Okinawa City, reported on Instagram that the second batch of its sour ale 'Dragon Mee' has been completed. The brewer says a small amount of sweetness was added to bring out a gently sweet-sour character and make the beer easier to drink.
The recipe leans heavily on local ingredients. It uses dragon fruit from Miyakojima, shima-yamahihatsu from Itoman, and blueberry, with the brewer aiming for a point where tannic dryness blends naturally with the acidity. Galaxy and Citra provide a passionfruit-like aroma, tying the fruit and hop profile together in the same direction.
The beer comes in at 5.6% ABV and uses Extra Pale, Pilsner, and Wheat malts. Coriander seed and salt are also included among the other ingredients. The post notes that it is available both on draft and in bottles, suggesting the beer is meant to work in more than one serving format. It is a clear example of a Okinawa-based brewery building a beer around regional ingredients and a carefully tuned sour profile.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroHere’s a fun one today: Dragon Me batch two from Cliff Garo Brewing in Okinawa City has officially been announced complete on Instagram.
MugiWhat! Second batch done means the first brew must have landed well, right? Even the name sounds powerful!
Hop BroExactly, and the style is a sweet-leaning sour ale, so it is not just sharp acidity, it is built to feel nicely tart and easy to drink.
MugiWhoa! But a sweet-and-sour beer does not turn into juice territory? Where did the beer club go!?
Hop BroThat is the clever part: they used Miyakojima dragon fruit, blueberries, and even Shimayamahihatsu pepper from Itoman to layer fruit character with a little spice.
MugiNo way! Shimayamahihatsu pepper sounds less like an ingredient and more like a spell you cast before battle!
Hop BroIt is actually an Okinawan superfood, and the article says they aimed for tannin-like astringency to overlap naturally with the acidity. Think of that gentle mouth-tightening feel from tea or red wine.
MugiOhhh, that mouth-tightening feel I can picture! This just went from scary lecture to delicious homeroom real fast!
Hop BroOn top of that, the hops are Galaxy and Citra, giving a passion-fruit-like aroma that lines up with the fruit side, and it sits at 5.6% ABV for draft or bottle.
MugiThat is unfair! If it works on draft or bottle and brings sweetness, acidity, and tropical aroma, how am I supposed to not want one immediately?
Hop BroThat is why it feels like a beer where the Okinawan ingredients really click, and I want to taste that balance of sweet and tart for myself.
MugiThen it is settled! I want a toast now, and you can handle the beer lecture while I handle the dramatic reactions!
