Yellow Beer Works to Release Strawberry Sour IPA "Merry Go Round / Ichigo Ver." on July 7
Yellow Beer Works in Fukushima City will release its new sour IPA, "Merry Go Round / Ichigo Ver.," at 2:00 p.m. on July 7. The brewery, run by the rice-farming Kato Farm, is continuing its fruit-driven seasonal approach with a strawberry-focused summer beer.
Hop BroToday's release is a good one: Yellow Beer Works in Fukushima is dropping Merry Go Round / Strawberry ver. at 2 p.m. on July 7, and it's built for summer.
MugiWait, a sour IPA with strawberries? So this is full-on sweet and tart with carnival energy too?
Hop BroThat's the appeal. Yellow Beer Works is Kato Farm's brewery, and they're good at using their own rice plus local fruit to make the seasons show up in the glass.
MugiOkay, but then I saw lactic fermentation and suddenly this turned into chemistry class!
Hop BroIt sounds technical, but it's really soft acidity building. Instead of a sharp jab, you get a yogurt-like tang with more depth.
MugiGot it... but now Sabro hops shows up. Is that a person? A band? Why does this beer have such a long intro?
Hop BroSabro is a hop variety, and here it helps shape white peach and citrus on the nose. Then they layer in strawberry puree after fermentation to widen the aroma.
MugiAnd it's lightly pink with an almost strawberry jam aroma? That's dessert behavior from a beer!
Hop BroThe smart part is that it doesn't stop at sweet-sour. Lactose adds more than just acidity, and then a herbal bitterness snaps the finish into place. It's 6.0% ABV too.
MugiLactose too? This is becoming a drinkable dessert case, and then it still finishes bitter? That's a lot to process!
Hop BroThe earlier merry go round sours sold out fast, so this one's a spin-off batch return. It lands at 2 p.m. on July 7, and the label is by PEELANDER-YELLOW.
MugiYeah, now I really want one. This sounds like the perfect hot-day pour. Hop bro, let's start planning the dash.
Yellow Beer Works, based in Osaso, Fukushima City, is a brewery run by Kato Farm, a rice-farming operation. The brewery regularly uses ingredients such as home-grown rice, vegetables, and local fruit, and has built a reputation for seasonal beers with a playful, fruit-forward style.
In an Instagram post, the brewery announced the release of "Merry Go Round / Ichigo Ver." The post says the beer will go on sale at 2:00 p.m. on July 7 and describes it as a sour beer made for summer, paired with sweet-tart strawberry.
According to the product information, the beer is a Sour IPA at 6.0% ABV. The base beer is built through lactic fermentation to develop depth and acidity, then finished with strawberry puree in post-fermentation. Sabro hops and a touch of lactose are used to round out the profile and add body.
The flavor notes point to strawberry jam, white peach, and citrus. The beer is described as having a soft mouthfeel, with strawberry and lactic acidity layered over a fruity base, then finishing with a herbal bitterness. Its faint pink color also fits the summer release window.
This release follows the earlier Merry Go Round sour IPA concept, which reportedly sold out quickly. The strawberry version extends that idea with a stronger fruit character, while the label art is credited to PEELANDER-YELLOW, keeping the series' visual identity intact.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroToday's release is a good one: Yellow Beer Works in Fukushima is dropping Merry Go Round / Strawberry ver. at 2 p.m. on July 7, and it's built for summer.
MugiWait, a sour IPA with strawberries? So this is full-on sweet and tart with carnival energy too?
Hop BroThat's the appeal. Yellow Beer Works is Kato Farm's brewery, and they're good at using their own rice plus local fruit to make the seasons show up in the glass.
MugiOkay, but then I saw lactic fermentation and suddenly this turned into chemistry class!
Hop BroIt sounds technical, but it's really soft acidity building. Instead of a sharp jab, you get a yogurt-like tang with more depth.
MugiGot it... but now Sabro hops shows up. Is that a person? A band? Why does this beer have such a long intro?
Hop BroSabro is a hop variety, and here it helps shape white peach and citrus on the nose. Then they layer in strawberry puree after fermentation to widen the aroma.
MugiAnd it's lightly pink with an almost strawberry jam aroma? That's dessert behavior from a beer!
Hop BroThe smart part is that it doesn't stop at sweet-sour. Lactose adds more than just acidity, and then a herbal bitterness snaps the finish into place. It's 6.0% ABV too.
MugiLactose too? This is becoming a drinkable dessert case, and then it still finishes bitter? That's a lot to process!
Hop BroThe earlier merry go round sours sold out fast, so this one's a spin-off batch return. It lands at 2 p.m. on July 7, and the label is by PEELANDER-YELLOW.
MugiYeah, now I really want one. This sounds like the perfect hot-day pour. Hop bro, let's start planning the dash.
