Sumikawa Beer Brewery Nishioka Factory Releases Limited-Edition "Natsumikan Wheat"
On February 26, 2026 at 1:54 p.m., Sumikawa Beer Brewery Nishioka Factory (Hokkaido) announced its limited beer, "Natsumikan Wheat." This American wheat beer uses domestically grown, pesticide-free natsumikan and is characterized by a design that suits the season shifting from winter to spring.
Hop BroToday's highlight is the limited "Natsumikan Wheat" from Sumikawa Beer Brewery Nishioka Factory! It's a beer from a Hokkaido brewery, made for the stretch from the end of winter into spring.
MugiWhoa! Even the name sounds refreshing! Since it's "wheat," does that mean it's light and easy to drink?
Hop BroExactly. It's an American wheat, with 4.5% ABV, 30 IBU, and a lightly cloudy orange color. The design layers moderate bitterness and citrus aroma over the softness of wheat malt.
MugiIBU 30 suddenly feels like chemistry class! Is that bitter? Bitter-bitter alert?
Hop BroIBU is a rough measure of bitterness, and 30 means "snappy, but not sharp." This time they use a luxurious amount of domestically grown, pesticide-free natsumikan, so the pleasant aroma should come forward more than the bitterness.
MugiOhhh! Pesticide-free natsumikan sounds reassuring, and the aroma should feel really vivid too!
Hop BroWhat's more, the backstory is interesting: in 2026, they received plenty of natsumikan, enough for two brews, and for the first batch they chose American wheat again after quite a while. On top of that, they aimed to combine the citrus character of the New Zealand hop "Southern Cross," which was well received in the previous IPL, with fresh natsumikan peel!
MugiWhat is that! Southern Cross sounds like a constellation and super strong! Hop big bro, I thought you were suddenly talking about outer space!
Hop BroNot outer space, but the hop world's citrus specialist. The online shop has four-can sets and sets with the regular beers too, so the right move is to compare them and check out the differences.
MugiDeal! Let's get ready for spring with Natsumikan Wheat! Hop big bro, please arrange the toast right now!
Overview of the Announcement
In an Instagram post from Sumikawa Beer Brewery, "This is Saito...", the limited beer "Natsumikan Wheat" was introduced. The style is American wheat. The post clearly states that the brew is made with an "luxurious amount" of domestically grown, pesticide-free natsumikan.
Specs and Flavor
The published specifications are as follows.
- ABV: 4.5%
- IBU: 30
- Color: lightly cloudy orange
The tasting concept centers on the soft mouthfeel derived from wheat malt, layered with moderate bitterness and citrus aroma. In the post text, it is described as a beer suited to the period just before winter ends and spring begins.
Recipe Background
According to the brewery, winter is the season when many citrus fruits arrive at the factory, and in 2026 as well, an abundant supply of natsumikan came in. With enough fruit for two brews, they chose American wheat again for the first batch in a while. Another highlight is that, because the citrus aroma of the New Zealand hop "Southern Cross" used in the previous IPL was well received, they aimed to pair it with fresh natsumikan peel.
Brewery Information and Purchase Details
As a small brewery in Sapporo, Sumikawa Beer Brewery presents both "beers they themselves want to make" and "styles they want to introduce to customers," operating on two pillars: standard and limited releases. This limited release can be seen as a beer that embodies that philosophy. The online store also offers four-can sets and sets paired with the brewery's regular beers, so it may be fun to start by comparing the different flavors.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroToday's highlight is the limited "Natsumikan Wheat" from Sumikawa Beer Brewery Nishioka Factory! It's a beer from a Hokkaido brewery, made for the stretch from the end of winter into spring.
MugiWhoa! Even the name sounds refreshing! Since it's "wheat," does that mean it's light and easy to drink?
Hop BroExactly. It's an American wheat, with 4.5% ABV, 30 IBU, and a lightly cloudy orange color. The design layers moderate bitterness and citrus aroma over the softness of wheat malt.
MugiIBU 30 suddenly feels like chemistry class! Is that bitter? Bitter-bitter alert?
Hop BroIBU is a rough measure of bitterness, and 30 means "snappy, but not sharp." This time they use a luxurious amount of domestically grown, pesticide-free natsumikan, so the pleasant aroma should come forward more than the bitterness.
MugiOhhh! Pesticide-free natsumikan sounds reassuring, and the aroma should feel really vivid too!
Hop BroWhat's more, the backstory is interesting: in 2026, they received plenty of natsumikan, enough for two brews, and for the first batch they chose American wheat again after quite a while. On top of that, they aimed to combine the citrus character of the New Zealand hop "Southern Cross," which was well received in the previous IPL, with fresh natsumikan peel!
MugiWhat is that! Southern Cross sounds like a constellation and super strong! Hop big bro, I thought you were suddenly talking about outer space!
Hop BroNot outer space, but the hop world's citrus specialist. The online shop has four-can sets and sets with the regular beers too, so the right move is to compare them and check out the differences.
MugiDeal! Let's get ready for spring with Natsumikan Wheat! Hop big bro, please arrange the toast right now!
