Hansharo Beer Releases Limited "Natural Yeast Beer~COCOFARM&WINERY~Red" Made with COCO FARM Skins
Hansharo Beer in Izunokuni, Shizuoka, has unveiled a limited-edition collaboration with Coco Farm & Winery in Ashikaga, Tochigi: "Natural Yeast Beer~COCOFARM&WINERY~Red." Using grape skins from red winemaking, natural yeast, and two years of barrel aging, it has been crafted into a beer with wine-like character.
Hop BroToday I'm talking about Hansharo Beer's limited release, "Natural Yeast Beer~COCOFARM&WINERY~Red." It's the third collaboration with Coco Farm & Winery, and the name alone already tells you it's no ordinary beer.
MugiWait, what's natural yeast? Does that mean it ferments with wild yeast even though it's beer?
Hop BroExactly, and that's the interesting part. They soak grape skins used in winemaking into the wort, then ferment it using only the yeast attached to those skins. In other words, it's an idea of fermenting with the skins themselves.
MugiWhoa! But do grape skins really change the flavor that much? This is suddenly feeling way too much like the adult world!
Hop BroThey do. This one uses Tannat and Cabernet skins, which give it a strong sense of astringency and fruit character. What's more, they blended 2020 and 2021 fruit, brewed it in 2024, then aged it in French oak for two years, so a lot of time and effort went into it.
MugiWait, two years of barrel aging!? So it looks like beer, but it's also been through wine training!
Hop BroAnd it's 8.5% ABV with an IBU of 11, so the bitterness is restrained. That means it's not a punchy, bitter IPA; the design is clearly closer to red wine.
MugiGot it. So when you drink it, you'd get something like black cherry aromatics and notes of raspberry and cassis?
Hop BroThat's exactly the idea. It looks reddish brown, with barrel depth in the aroma, and the taste has a nice balance of acidity and grape-skin-derived astringency. So it's also well suited as a meal beer.
MugiBeef tendon stewed in red wine would be a total win! I kind of want to drink this in a wine glass right now!
Hop BroI know, this is the kind of beer that both beer fans and wine fans will keep coming back to. Hansharo Beer's soulful collaboration is definitely one you'd want to open if you found it on the shelf.
Hansharo Beer Announces Its Third Collaboration with Coco Farm & Winery
Hansharo Beer in Izunokuni, Shizuoka, has announced a limited beer, Natural Yeast Beer~COCOFARM&WINERY~Red, created in collaboration with Coco Farm & Winery in Ashikaga, Tochigi. The theme this time is to express the "macerative fermentation" of red wine through beer. Grape skins used in winemaking are steeped in the wort, and fermentation is carried out only with the wild yeast attached to those skins.
The grape skins used this time were from Tannat and Cabernet Sauvignon, both varieties also used in Coco Farm & Winery's red wines. The vintage is a blend of 2020 and 2021 fruit, brewed in 2024, then aged for two years in French oak. Alcohol content is 8.5%, and IBU is 11. It will be available in 330ml, 750ml, and 1500ml bottles, as well as 10L kegs.
According to the tasting notes, its appearance is a "reddish brown with a radiant sheen." The aroma layers red and black fruits such as black cherry, raspberry, and cassis, with barrel-derived notes adding depth. On the palate, it is characterized by moderate acidity and grape-skin-derived astringency, creating a finish that evokes red wine despite being beer.
Hansharo Beer is a brewery making craft beer in Nirayama, Izu. Its collaboration partner, Coco Farm & Winery, has been making wine since 1984 and has long valued production that does not rely on chemical fertilizer or herbicides, instead making use of natural wild yeast and wild lactic acid bacteria. Because the two companies share a similar approach to craftsmanship, this beer brings together fruitiness, barrel aroma, and the complexity of natural yeast.
This limited release offers substantial drinking satisfaction as a beer, while clearly being designed to lean toward red wine. It also seems well suited as a meal companion, especially with dishes like beef tendon stewed in red wine.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroToday I'm talking about Hansharo Beer's limited release, "Natural Yeast Beer~COCOFARM&WINERY~Red." It's the third collaboration with Coco Farm & Winery, and the name alone already tells you it's no ordinary beer.
MugiWait, what's natural yeast? Does that mean it ferments with wild yeast even though it's beer?
Hop BroExactly, and that's the interesting part. They soak grape skins used in winemaking into the wort, then ferment it using only the yeast attached to those skins. In other words, it's an idea of fermenting with the skins themselves.
MugiWhoa! But do grape skins really change the flavor that much? This is suddenly feeling way too much like the adult world!
Hop BroThey do. This one uses Tannat and Cabernet skins, which give it a strong sense of astringency and fruit character. What's more, they blended 2020 and 2021 fruit, brewed it in 2024, then aged it in French oak for two years, so a lot of time and effort went into it.
MugiWait, two years of barrel aging!? So it looks like beer, but it's also been through wine training!
Hop BroAnd it's 8.5% ABV with an IBU of 11, so the bitterness is restrained. That means it's not a punchy, bitter IPA; the design is clearly closer to red wine.
MugiGot it. So when you drink it, you'd get something like black cherry aromatics and notes of raspberry and cassis?
Hop BroThat's exactly the idea. It looks reddish brown, with barrel depth in the aroma, and the taste has a nice balance of acidity and grape-skin-derived astringency. So it's also well suited as a meal beer.
MugiBeef tendon stewed in red wine would be a total win! I kind of want to drink this in a wine glass right now!
Hop BroI know, this is the kind of beer that both beer fans and wine fans will keep coming back to. Hansharo Beer's soulful collaboration is definitely one you'd want to open if you found it on the shelf.
