Takatsugawa River Beer’s “Shimane Shinku Ale” Wins Chairman’s Award at the Excellent Hometown Food Central Contest
“Shimane Shinku Ale,” created by Takatsugawa River Beer in Masuda City, Shimane Prefecture, won the Food Industry Center Chairman’s Award in the new product development category at the 38th Excellent Hometown Food Central Contest. The fruit ale, made with Shimane’s original grape variety “Shinku,” was recognized as a product that makes effective use of local ingredients.
Hop BroToday’s topic is Takatsugawa River Beer. The brewery in Masuda City, Shimane Prefecture, won the chairman’s award for Shimane Shinku Ale. It’s a fruit ale, and the way it uses local ingredients really stands out.
MugiWhat! So it’s a grape beer!? Now I’m wondering whether it tastes more like wine or juice, and my head is spinning!
Hop BroThat’s the interesting part. It uses Shinku, the lavishly used original Shimane grape variety. It has high sugar content, a beautiful red color, and a highly distinctive aroma - it’s a premium grape.
MugiWow! But hearing that it’s hard to cultivate makes it feel kind of divine all of a sudden. Turning such a rare grape into beer sounds almost too luxurious, doesn’t it?
Hop BroExactly. And the award was in the new product development category. It wasn’t just judged as tasty; it was also recognized as a proposal that conveys local ingredients in a new form.
MugiThat’s so cool! It’s like you can drink the region. Local souvenirs have finally made it all the way into the glass!
Hop BroTakatsugawa River Beer started in 2020, and its strength is packing the appeal of the Takatsu River basin into every glass. I like how it turns the river’s flow and local ingredients into flavor.
MugiOh, so it’s not just a fruity beer! It’s not the kind of thing that stops at “we added grapes,” but a beer with a real story behind it.
Hop BroExactly. And Shinku is known for its tea-like aroma, so I imagine it has a great nose too. Fruity, but elegant - with a slightly more adult finish.
MugiWhoa, now I want to drink it! Just hearing a glass from Shimane makes me feel like I’m traveling, and if it’s an award winner, I’m even more curious!
Hop BroIn the end, a beer like this brings not just flavor, but also the memory of the place. This is definitely the kind of one you’d want to line up for and have a glass.
MugiAgreed! I want to toast right now! If we drank while hearing a little more about Shimane with Shinku Ale in hand, it would definitely be delicious!
A Bottle That Makes the Most of Shimane’s Rare Grapes
“Shimane Shinku Ale,” brewed by Takatsugawa River Beer in Masuda City, Shimane Prefecture, won the Food Industry Center Chairman’s Award in the new product development category at the 2025 38th Excellent Hometown Food Central Contest. The awards ceremony was held in March 2026 at Josuikaikan in Tokyo.
The contest is held to recognize outstanding foods and producers with strong regional character, while encouraging quality improvement and new product development. “Shimane Shinku Ale,” which received this recognition, is a fruit ale made lavishly with “Shinku,” Shimane Prefecture’s original grape variety. The official award page describes Shinku as a premium grape known for its “high sugar content,” “vivid red color,” and “tea-like aroma,” suggesting that it is a rare variety with strict standards and difficult cultivation requirements.
Takatsugawa River Beer is a brewery that began making craft beer in 2020 in the Takatsu River basin of Masuda City, Shimane Prefecture, with a focus on local products. Drawing on the flow of the Takatsu River and local ingredients, its hallmark is the way it captures the charm of the region in a single glass. This award is meaningful not only because of the beer’s flavor, but also because it presents Shimane’s agricultural products in a new form.
There are many craft beers that use local ingredients, but a case in which the individuality of grapes is brought to the forefront and then recognized by experts in a competition is worth noting. As a bottle that connects Shimane’s food and sake culture, “Shimane Shinku Ale” seems likely to grow even more prominent in the years ahead.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroToday’s topic is Takatsugawa River Beer. The brewery in Masuda City, Shimane Prefecture, won the chairman’s award for Shimane Shinku Ale. It’s a fruit ale, and the way it uses local ingredients really stands out.
MugiWhat! So it’s a grape beer!? Now I’m wondering whether it tastes more like wine or juice, and my head is spinning!
Hop BroThat’s the interesting part. It uses Shinku, the lavishly used original Shimane grape variety. It has high sugar content, a beautiful red color, and a highly distinctive aroma - it’s a premium grape.
MugiWow! But hearing that it’s hard to cultivate makes it feel kind of divine all of a sudden. Turning such a rare grape into beer sounds almost too luxurious, doesn’t it?
Hop BroExactly. And the award was in the new product development category. It wasn’t just judged as tasty; it was also recognized as a proposal that conveys local ingredients in a new form.
MugiThat’s so cool! It’s like you can drink the region. Local souvenirs have finally made it all the way into the glass!
Hop BroTakatsugawa River Beer started in 2020, and its strength is packing the appeal of the Takatsu River basin into every glass. I like how it turns the river’s flow and local ingredients into flavor.
MugiOh, so it’s not just a fruity beer! It’s not the kind of thing that stops at “we added grapes,” but a beer with a real story behind it.
Hop BroExactly. And Shinku is known for its tea-like aroma, so I imagine it has a great nose too. Fruity, but elegant - with a slightly more adult finish.
MugiWhoa, now I want to drink it! Just hearing a glass from Shimane makes me feel like I’m traveling, and if it’s an award winner, I’m even more curious!
Hop BroIn the end, a beer like this brings not just flavor, but also the memory of the place. This is definitely the kind of one you’d want to line up for and have a glass.
MugiAgreed! I want to toast right now! If we drank while hearing a little more about Shimane with Shinku Ale in hand, it would definitely be delicious!
