Himitsu Beer from Ise City, Mie Prefecture, has released "Banachuru," a weizen made with banana and vanilla. In the post, the brewery first mentions that it recently bought and ate zha cai for the first time in a while, and then uses that as a lead-in to introduce the new product.

"Banachuru" is based on a chewy weizen known for its banana aroma, then undergoes secondary fermentation with added banana and vanilla. ABV is 5.5%. It emphasizes a sweet aroma reminiscent of banana cake and a mouthfeel like a juicy banana juice, while keeping the sweetness from becoming too heavy and finishing clean.

The post also mentions a design that layers the banana aroma derived from the weizen yeast with the actual aroma from banana. By combining the soft mouthfeel from wheat with the fruit and vanilla aromas, it creates a profile with a strong aromatic impression and a smooth texture. Even as it puts sweetness to the fore, a faint tartness remains at the finish, resulting in a balance that also pairs easily with food overall.

As pairing suggestions, it points to fried white fish coated in sweet-and-sour sauce and potato chips flavored with nori salt. While enjoying its distinctive aroma, pairing it with salty or oily snacks should make the beer's banana and vanilla character come through even more clearly.

Based in Ise, Himitsu Beer has steadily been rolling out beers with a sense of season and ingredients. This "Banachuru" is also a beer with a clear fruit-centered design, and can be said to show the brewery's signature approach in a new release.