Sakura Brewery Introduces 'Apple Pilsner' Made with Green Apples and Jonagold
Sakura Brewery in Kitakami, Iwate Prefecture, introduced its "Apple Pilsner" on Instagram. Built on a pilsner base and blended with green apple purée and 100% Jonagold juice from local Ito Farm, it is a beer that promises a sweet-tart, fresh taste.
Hop BroToday we're talking about "Apple Pilsner" from Sakura Brewery in Kitakami, Iwate Prefecture. It's a seasonal beer based on pilsner, blended with green apple purée and 100% Jonagold juice from Ito Farm.
MugiWhoa! A pilsner where the apple is the star? It sounds kind of like juice and easy to drink, but can it really come together as a beer?
Hop BroThat's the interesting part: the base still has that light, pilsner-like crispness. They combine malt, apple juice, apple purée, hops, and coriander to layer the sweetness and acidity beautifully.
MugiCoriander? You mean the spice coriander? If that's mixed with apples, my brain starts turning it into a cooking show!
Hop BroExactly. It plays a role in giving the aroma more depth in small amounts. And since it's unpasteurized, the fresh apple aroma comes through more clearly.
MugiOhh! So the first sip probably gives you a burst of green apple aroma, and then the beer's crisp finish comes through? Just imagining it makes it sound delicious!
Hop BroThat's exactly the idea. With 5% alcohol and 350 ml, it's designed to be easy to drink with food, which is great.
MugiAnd it's local fruit, too, which really hits home. Hearing that it uses apples from Kitakami makes it feel less like just a fruit beer and more like the taste of the place!
Hop BroExactly. Sakura Brewery has been brewing in Kitakami since 2015, and even its name comes from the cherry blossoms of Tenshochi, so its ties to the region are very strong.
MugiI see, so this Apple Pilsner is packed with local pride too. It would go amazingly well with light appetizers or white fish!
Hop BroYeah, it's great chilled and refreshing, and it should also pair nicely with salty dishes. This is definitely one of those beers that makes you think, I want to drink this right now.
MugiWait, I'm totally in that mood too! I want to raise a glass with this one today while feeling the seasonal apple character!
A seasonal pour that makes use of local apples
Sakura Brewery's "Apple Pilsner" is a sparkling beverage based on pilsner. In addition to green apple purée, it uses 100% Jonagold juice made by Ito Farm in Kitakami, bringing the fruitiness of apples to the forefront. The official shop describes it as a beer with a sweet-tart, fresh character.
Pilsner in style, apples in character
The ingredients are malt, apple juice, apple purée, hops, and coriander. It has an alcohol content of 5% and comes in a 350 ml can. Because it is unpasteurized, it is also a product where the aroma and fruit impressions are easy to enjoy as they are. By combining the lightness typical of a pilsner with the soft sweetness and acidity from apples, it aims for a balance that works well both with meals and on its own.
A strong connection to its local roots
Sakura Brewery began production in Kitakami, Iwate Prefecture, in March 2015, and opened its directly operated store, "ale house Robin Hood," in April of the same year. The brewery name "Sakura" comes from the cherry blossoms of Tenshochi in Kitakami. As a brewery run by British brewer Steven Michael Butland, it has continued making beers that make use of local ingredients and culture. The brand background evoking the cherry blossoms of Tenshochi, combined with this Apple Pilsner made with apples from Kitakami, reflects that direction clearly.
How to enjoy it
Because it has an apple nuance, it is naturally pleasant served chilled and refreshing, but it also pairs well with light appetizers, white fish, and salty dishes. As a beer that brings in the feeling of seasonal fruit, it stands out as one of the more memorable items in Sakura Brewery's lineup.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroToday we're talking about "Apple Pilsner" from Sakura Brewery in Kitakami, Iwate Prefecture. It's a seasonal beer based on pilsner, blended with green apple purée and 100% Jonagold juice from Ito Farm.
MugiWhoa! A pilsner where the apple is the star? It sounds kind of like juice and easy to drink, but can it really come together as a beer?
Hop BroThat's the interesting part: the base still has that light, pilsner-like crispness. They combine malt, apple juice, apple purée, hops, and coriander to layer the sweetness and acidity beautifully.
MugiCoriander? You mean the spice coriander? If that's mixed with apples, my brain starts turning it into a cooking show!
Hop BroExactly. It plays a role in giving the aroma more depth in small amounts. And since it's unpasteurized, the fresh apple aroma comes through more clearly.
MugiOhh! So the first sip probably gives you a burst of green apple aroma, and then the beer's crisp finish comes through? Just imagining it makes it sound delicious!
Hop BroThat's exactly the idea. With 5% alcohol and 350 ml, it's designed to be easy to drink with food, which is great.
MugiAnd it's local fruit, too, which really hits home. Hearing that it uses apples from Kitakami makes it feel less like just a fruit beer and more like the taste of the place!
Hop BroExactly. Sakura Brewery has been brewing in Kitakami since 2015, and even its name comes from the cherry blossoms of Tenshochi, so its ties to the region are very strong.
MugiI see, so this Apple Pilsner is packed with local pride too. It would go amazingly well with light appetizers or white fish!
Hop BroYeah, it's great chilled and refreshing, and it should also pair nicely with salty dishes. This is definitely one of those beers that makes you think, I want to drink this right now.
MugiWait, I'm totally in that mood too! I want to raise a glass with this one today while feeling the seasonal apple character!
