According to a post on Aslan Brewing Company’s Instagram, the company’s co-managing owner Jack Lamb and artist illustrativewest visited Nomcraft Brewing in Aridagawa Town, Wakayama Prefecture, to celebrate the completion of their collaboration beer, “Moon Calendar.” The post expressed gratitude for Nomcraft’s warm welcome and conveyed that this was a partnership spanning the Pacific Ocean.

Nomcraft Brewing is a brewery that produces beer in a renovated former nursery school in Aridagawa Town. On its official website, the brewery says its international team, centered on people who have relocated there, works on making approachable beers with a focus on drinkability, from hop-forward American styles to classic styles. Its strong ties to the local community, while actively expanding connections beyond the region, also helped lead to this collaboration.

According to the online store, “Moon Calendar” is a West Coast IPA with 6.5% ABV and 53.5 IBU. It is a collaborative brew with Aslan Brewing Company, using Pilsner malt as the base and Simcoe, Nelson Sauvin, Idaho 7, and Cascade hops. The tasting notes list passion fruit, white grape, and citrus. Adam, who handles brewing at Nomcraft, said working with a brewery he had known for some time was a special experience, and that he finished it with a sharper, crisper drinking profile.

This post highlights both Nomcraft’s local brewing environment and its connections with overseas breweries. The water and facilities of Wakayama, combined with international exchange through art, add depth to a single IPA.