Hansharo Beer Releases "Izu Banana Pils," a Pilsner Made with Green Bananas
Hansharo Beer in Izu no Kuni, Shizuoka Prefecture, released its new collaboration product, "Izu Banana Pils," with Atagawa Banana Crocodile Garden on April 23, 2026. It is a canned beer that uses unripe green bananas, combining pilsner-like crispness with a fresh, fruit-derived aroma.
Hop BroHansharo Beer has come out with something interesting again. This time it's Izu Banana Pils in collaboration with Atagawa Banana Crocodile Garden, and it's a pilsner too.
MugiWhat, a pilsner made with bananas!? Using green bananas is already enough to make me curious just from the wording!
Hop BroThat's the key point. Since they use unripe green bananas rather than ripe ones, it brings out a fresh aroma instead of an overly sweet taste.
MugiI see! But is it really okay to put such a bold aroma into a pilsner? I thought the image of a crisp lager was all about clean flavors!
Hop BroOf course. It keeps the clean, refreshing drinkability of a lager, while delivering a fruity finish with banana-like and white-fruit notes when you take a sip.
MugiThat sounds delicious! And Atagawa Banana Crocodile Garden is the place that grows bananas using geothermal heat, right? The Izu local character really comes through!
Hop BroExactly. The Taiwanese banana variety is Senninjyo. The alcohol content is a light 5.0%, and the IBU is 15, so the bitterness should be modest and it ought to be easy to drink.
MugiI like that it's coming in 350 ml cans too! And since it's the garden's first canned beer, it feels extra special!
Hop BroThe packaging doesn't cut corners either, with the mascot "Banio" featured in an all-over pattern. Sales are spreading out from the main shop and the official online store to more and more outlets.
MugiHansharo Beer is right in front of the Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace, isn't it? It feels like you can drink the region's story too, and this is definitely a must-toast-now item!
Atagawa Banana Crocodile Garden has released a new product, "Izu Banana Pils", in collaboration with Hansharo Beer. The release date is April 23, 2026, and it marks a new approach from the garden, which has previously mainly used ripe bananas, this time focusing instead on green bananas.
This beer is made with Taiwanese bananas (variety: Senninjyo) grown by Atagawa Banana Crocodile Garden using geothermal heat, and finished as a pilsner. A tropical, refreshing aroma derived from green bananas layers with a clean, lager-like crispness, and when you take a sip, fruity notes reminiscent of bananas and white or yellow fruits spread across the palate. It has an alcohol content of 5.0% and an IBU of 15. It comes in 350 ml cans, and this is also the garden's first canned beer release.
The package features an all-over label of the mascot character "Banio." Sales will be rolled out sequentially at the Atagawa Banana Crocodile Garden main shop, the official online store, the Hansharo Beer official online shop, Hansharo Bussankan Tannan, Hansharo Beer Stand, and other locations.
Hansharo Beer is a brewery based in Izu no Kuni, Shizuoka Prefecture, with its brewery located directly in front of the Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace. In addition to its core lineup, it consistently releases limited beers, and its defining characteristic is the way it brings local ingredients and stories into its beers. This latest release is also drawing attention as a collaboration where ingredients from Izu and the creators' ideas intersect.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroHansharo Beer has come out with something interesting again. This time it's Izu Banana Pils in collaboration with Atagawa Banana Crocodile Garden, and it's a pilsner too.
MugiWhat, a pilsner made with bananas!? Using green bananas is already enough to make me curious just from the wording!
Hop BroThat's the key point. Since they use unripe green bananas rather than ripe ones, it brings out a fresh aroma instead of an overly sweet taste.
MugiI see! But is it really okay to put such a bold aroma into a pilsner? I thought the image of a crisp lager was all about clean flavors!
Hop BroOf course. It keeps the clean, refreshing drinkability of a lager, while delivering a fruity finish with banana-like and white-fruit notes when you take a sip.
MugiThat sounds delicious! And Atagawa Banana Crocodile Garden is the place that grows bananas using geothermal heat, right? The Izu local character really comes through!
Hop BroExactly. The Taiwanese banana variety is Senninjyo. The alcohol content is a light 5.0%, and the IBU is 15, so the bitterness should be modest and it ought to be easy to drink.
MugiI like that it's coming in 350 ml cans too! And since it's the garden's first canned beer, it feels extra special!
Hop BroThe packaging doesn't cut corners either, with the mascot "Banio" featured in an all-over pattern. Sales are spreading out from the main shop and the official online store to more and more outlets.
MugiHansharo Beer is right in front of the Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace, isn't it? It feels like you can drink the region's story too, and this is definitely a must-toast-now item!
