Gogoshima Beer Farm Introduces Two Seasonal Iyokan Beers
Gogoshima Beer Farm, based on Gogoshima Island in Matsuyama, Ehime, has introduced two seasonal beers built around iyokan citrus. One is a spring-flower saison, and the other is a July-only lager made with thinned young iyokan fruit.
Hop BroI want to talk about the tiny brewery on Gogoshima today: Gogoshima Beer Farm just introduced two seasonal iyokan beers.
MugiWait, two iyokan beers? So we're getting a double feature from one citrus fruit!?
Hop BroExactly. There's the saison AZAHAR de Iyokan made with spring blossoms, and a lager brewed with thinned young iyokan fruit.
MugiWhat even is a saison again? You said that like I was already enrolled in Beer University!
Hop BroA saison is a light, food-friendly style, and this one sounds like soft floral aroma riding alongside the hops.
MugiWhoa, so you can't just toss flowers in and call it done? I was imagining flower tea logic here!
Hop BroNot even close. They scrapped all 450 liters of the first batch because it didn't feel right, then rebuilt the recipe from zero.
MugiFour hundred fifty liters!? That's a bathtub-sized decision. The commitment level is absurd!
Hop BroThen there's Iyokan Lager, their July seasonal, made by peeling those tiny first-harvest thinned iyokan by hand, one by one.
MugiBy hand!? And the daughters take turns drawing the label? That's basically a family tradition beer!
Hop BroVery Gogoshima Beer Farm, honestly. Since 2022 they've leaned into island crops, and this pair really shows two faces of one tree.
MugiNow I need the spring saison and the summer lager side by side. I want that tasting flight immediately!
Two Iyokan Beers
Gogoshima Beer Farm, a small brewery on Gogoshima Island in Matsuyama, Ehime, shared two seasonal beers centered on iyokan citrus on Instagram. The pair consists of the saison AZAHAR de Iyokan, made with spring blossoms, and Iyokan Lager, a July seasonal lager brewed with thinned young iyokan fruit. Together, they show two very different expressions born from the same iyokan tree.
AZAHAR de Iyokan
This saison was developed after brewer meetings with Chef Rei Anzai of MAQUILA TOKYO, a Spanish restaurant in Akabane, Tokyo. The first batch did not meet expectations, so the entire 450 liters were discarded and the recipe was rebuilt from scratch. The result is described as a beer where bright hop aromas are gently joined by iyokan blossoms.
Iyokan Lager
The lager is an annual July release. July is the birthday month for the brewer, his eldest daughter, and his younger daughter, so the label is drawn by the daughters in rotation each year; this time, the eldest daughter handled the artwork. The beer is brewed with the season's first thinned iyokan fruit, which is still too small to peel with a machine, so each fruit is peeled by hand.
Gogoshima Beer Farm has been brewing on the island since 2022 with a focus on agriculture, local ingredients, and beers that pair naturally with food without becoming tiring to drink. These two releases fit that philosophy well: one leans into floral complexity, while the other turns the fresh, young side of iyokan into a lighter, more direct seasonal lager.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroI want to talk about the tiny brewery on Gogoshima today: Gogoshima Beer Farm just introduced two seasonal iyokan beers.
MugiWait, two iyokan beers? So we're getting a double feature from one citrus fruit!?
Hop BroExactly. There's the saison AZAHAR de Iyokan made with spring blossoms, and a lager brewed with thinned young iyokan fruit.
MugiWhat even is a saison again? You said that like I was already enrolled in Beer University!
Hop BroA saison is a light, food-friendly style, and this one sounds like soft floral aroma riding alongside the hops.
MugiWhoa, so you can't just toss flowers in and call it done? I was imagining flower tea logic here!
Hop BroNot even close. They scrapped all 450 liters of the first batch because it didn't feel right, then rebuilt the recipe from zero.
MugiFour hundred fifty liters!? That's a bathtub-sized decision. The commitment level is absurd!
Hop BroThen there's Iyokan Lager, their July seasonal, made by peeling those tiny first-harvest thinned iyokan by hand, one by one.
MugiBy hand!? And the daughters take turns drawing the label? That's basically a family tradition beer!
Hop BroVery Gogoshima Beer Farm, honestly. Since 2022 they've leaned into island crops, and this pair really shows two faces of one tree.
MugiNow I need the spring saison and the summer lager side by side. I want that tasting flight immediately!
