MANGOSTEEN HOKUTO releases HOTARU farmhouse ale with plum and kaffir lime leaf
MANGOSTEEN HOKUTO introduced HOTARU, a 5.0% farmhouse ale brewed with Yamanashi-grown Oishi plums and kaffir lime leaf. The beer revisits a recipe first made two years ago as a TYU anniversary beer and now returns as a new release.
Hop BroToday I’ve got one from Yamanashi’s Manchin Brewery: the new beer HOTARU. It’s a farmhouse ale brewed with sumomo plums and makrut lime leaf, and the name already feels poetic.
MugiWait, a plum beer? Is this beer or dessert? And makrut lime leaf sounds like you just cast a spell!
Hop BroMakrut lime leaf is basically citrusy leaf aroma in ingredient form. It gives a bright, green, refreshing lift instead of straight-up fruit sweetness, which is the fun part.
MugiOkay, but when you say farmhouse ale, I’m just picturing someone drinking in a barn with chickens watching.
Hop BroHonestly, that vibe isn’t totally wrong. It usually means rustic, flexible brewing with character. Here, saison yeast meets the tartness of Yamanashi-grown Oishi sumomo plums.
MugiHold on, spicy yeast flavors? Why does the yeast sound like it’s seasoning the beer by itself?
Hop BroBecause sometimes the yeast really is the aroma MVP. And HOTARU sits at ABV 5.0%, IBU 11, so it should drink light, with soft bitterness and easy fruit expression.
MugiThose numbers are so friendly! And this wasn’t just invented yesterday, right? It’s based on a two-year-old anniversary recipe, which makes this feel weirdly romantic.
Hop BroThat’s exactly why it works. The base came from a beer brewed for TYU in Shizuoka, last year’s batch got skipped because the timing didn’t line up, and now it’s finally back. Add in tree-ripened plums that needed careful transport, and the ingredient story gets serious.
MugiAnd the car ride home smelled like plums the whole time? That’s not brewing, that’s cinema. I want this now, preferably on a summer night.
Hop BroIf I’m pouring it, I’m smelling it first. That Hokuto farm character plus the breezy saison profile sounds like the kind of beer I’d order immediately.
MugiYeah, this has the name, the backstory, and the flavor image all lined up. It feels like a bright, story-filled pint, and now both of us absolutely need a glass.
HOTARU
- Style: Farmhouse Ale with Sumomo and Kaffir Lime Leaf
- ABV: 5.0%
- IBU: 11
MANGOSTEEN HOKUTO in Hokuto, Yamanashi, introduced a new beer called HOTARU on July 15. The farmhouse ale uses a large amount of Yamanashi-grown Oishi plums and kaffir lime leaf, creating a saison with bright fruit acidity, a tropical citrus character, and yeast-driven complexity.
According to the caption, the beer is based on a recipe originally brewed two years ago as a TYU anniversary beer in Iwata, Shizuoka. The brewery had wanted to make it again every year, but the timing did not work out last year. This time, after close coordination with plum grower Watanabe, the release finally came together.
The plums were harvested at full ripeness while still on the tree, rather than being ripened after picking. That made them sweeter and fresher, but also soft and sensitive to vibration, so transport required extra care. Even the drive home reportedly filled the car with the scent of plums, underscoring how central the fruit is to the beer.
As a brewery based in Hokuto, Yamanashi, MANGOSTEEN HOKUTO continues to build beers around local agricultural ingredients. HOTARU is another example of that approach, and sales were directed through the link in the profile.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroToday I’ve got one from Yamanashi’s Manchin Brewery: the new beer HOTARU. It’s a farmhouse ale brewed with sumomo plums and makrut lime leaf, and the name already feels poetic.
MugiWait, a plum beer? Is this beer or dessert? And makrut lime leaf sounds like you just cast a spell!
Hop BroMakrut lime leaf is basically citrusy leaf aroma in ingredient form. It gives a bright, green, refreshing lift instead of straight-up fruit sweetness, which is the fun part.
MugiOkay, but when you say farmhouse ale, I’m just picturing someone drinking in a barn with chickens watching.
Hop BroHonestly, that vibe isn’t totally wrong. It usually means rustic, flexible brewing with character. Here, saison yeast meets the tartness of Yamanashi-grown Oishi sumomo plums.
MugiHold on, spicy yeast flavors? Why does the yeast sound like it’s seasoning the beer by itself?
Hop BroBecause sometimes the yeast really is the aroma MVP. And HOTARU sits at ABV 5.0%, IBU 11, so it should drink light, with soft bitterness and easy fruit expression.
MugiThose numbers are so friendly! And this wasn’t just invented yesterday, right? It’s based on a two-year-old anniversary recipe, which makes this feel weirdly romantic.
Hop BroThat’s exactly why it works. The base came from a beer brewed for TYU in Shizuoka, last year’s batch got skipped because the timing didn’t line up, and now it’s finally back. Add in tree-ripened plums that needed careful transport, and the ingredient story gets serious.
MugiAnd the car ride home smelled like plums the whole time? That’s not brewing, that’s cinema. I want this now, preferably on a summer night.
Hop BroIf I’m pouring it, I’m smelling it first. That Hokuto farm character plus the breezy saison profile sounds like the kind of beer I’d order immediately.
MugiYeah, this has the name, the backstory, and the flavor image all lined up. It feels like a bright, story-filled pint, and now both of us absolutely need a glass.
