Rio Brewing Co. Announces New "BERRY GLAZE," Launches Winter Smoothie Beer for Online Sales
Rio Brewing Co. Brewery & BBQ (Chiba) announced its new product "BERRY GLAZE" on Instagram at 10:24 a.m. on December 24, 2025. A FRUITS SMOOTHIE-style happoshu made with three kinds of berries and cacao nibs, it will be sold through the e-commerce site linked from its profile.
Hop BroMugi, winter release news just dropped! Rio Brewing Co. Brewery & BBQ in Chiba has announced "BERRY GLAZE."
MugiWhat! It already sounds delicious from the name! What kind of beer is it?
Hop BroThe style is FRUITS SMOOTHIE, a happoshu with 5.0% ABV. It combines purees of strawberry, blackcurrant, and blueberry with cacao nibs and hops for a "winter dessert" vibe.
MugiWhat is that! FRUITS SMOOTHIE sounds like something you can chew even though it's a drink!? And cacao nibs are like chocolate's relative?
Hop BroGood question. FRUITS SMOOTHIE means a rich style that really brings out the fruit character, so basically it's a "berry-packed, super-smooth beer." Cacao nibs are crushed cacao beans, and their job is to add a pleasant bitterness instead of sweetness and create depth.
MugiWow! Sweet-tart berries plus a little bitterness? My dessert brain is thrilled!
Hop BroAnd the brewery recommends pairing it with panettone and stollen. It's aimed squarely at after-dinner drinking, and it should be kept refrigerated with a shelf life of 120 days from production.
MugiSo much Christmas energy! Where can I buy it? Run to the store? Fly online?
Hop BroYou can go to the e-commerce link at the top of the Instagram profile. The announcement post went up at 10:24 a.m. on December 24, 2025. Rio is a brewery with Belgian brewing roots, and this kind of "tradition x cutting edge" beer is what they do best.
MugiNow that I know its history, I want to drink it even more! Let's crack open a glass of winter berries and cacao tonight!
Rio Brewing Co.'s new release is a smoothie beer focused on the fruitiness of winter. In the post, it was introduced as "BERRY GLAZE," with specs of Alc. 5.0%, category happoshu, and style FRUITS SMOOTHIE. The ingredients are listed as malt (produced in Belgium), plus strawberry, blackcurrant, and blueberry purees, along with cacao nibs and hops.
The flavor is designed around the sweet-tart richness of three berries, with a subtle bitterness from cacao nibs adding depth. The brewery promotes it as a glass like a "winter dessert," and recommends pairing it with panettone and stollen. Keep refrigerated; best before 120 days from production.
Sales are available through the e-commerce link at the top of the brewery's Instagram profile. As a year-end release, it appears aimed at people looking for an after-dinner drink or a dessert-like craft beer.
Rio Brewing Co. is based in Chiba but has roots in brewing experience in Belgium. It began brewing in Brussels in 2015, expanded domestically in Tokyo in 2018, and then relocated and expanded to Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture in 2021. In recent years it has also been expanding its equipment, and this fruit-forward new release clearly shows the company's direction of "connecting tradition and cutting edge."
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroMugi, winter release news just dropped! Rio Brewing Co. Brewery & BBQ in Chiba has announced "BERRY GLAZE."
MugiWhat! It already sounds delicious from the name! What kind of beer is it?
Hop BroThe style is FRUITS SMOOTHIE, a happoshu with 5.0% ABV. It combines purees of strawberry, blackcurrant, and blueberry with cacao nibs and hops for a "winter dessert" vibe.
MugiWhat is that! FRUITS SMOOTHIE sounds like something you can chew even though it's a drink!? And cacao nibs are like chocolate's relative?
Hop BroGood question. FRUITS SMOOTHIE means a rich style that really brings out the fruit character, so basically it's a "berry-packed, super-smooth beer." Cacao nibs are crushed cacao beans, and their job is to add a pleasant bitterness instead of sweetness and create depth.
MugiWow! Sweet-tart berries plus a little bitterness? My dessert brain is thrilled!
Hop BroAnd the brewery recommends pairing it with panettone and stollen. It's aimed squarely at after-dinner drinking, and it should be kept refrigerated with a shelf life of 120 days from production.
MugiSo much Christmas energy! Where can I buy it? Run to the store? Fly online?
Hop BroYou can go to the e-commerce link at the top of the Instagram profile. The announcement post went up at 10:24 a.m. on December 24, 2025. Rio is a brewery with Belgian brewing roots, and this kind of "tradition x cutting edge" beer is what they do best.
MugiNow that I know its history, I want to drink it even more! Let's crack open a glass of winter berries and cacao tonight!
