Beer shop Llama taps GOOD HOPS 'Lupulin Season' IPA
On March 25, 2026, Beer shop Llama (Mitaka, Tokyo) announced a new tap: GOOD HOPS draft 'Lupulin Season.' Centered on an IPA made with lupulin from Tono-grown hops, the lineup spans a broad range from sours to DIPA and porter.
Hop BroAt Beer shop Llama in Mitaka, a new tap has landed: GOOD HOPS' 'Lupulin Season.' Just the words 'a springtime IPA you want to drink' sound delicious already.
MugiWow! The name 'Lupulin Season' is cute, but it sounds seriously crafted too! And being able to drink it on draft makes me really curious.
Hop BroThat's the cool part: it uses lupulin from hops grown in Tono. They extract the aroma compounds from Cascade, Saaz, and the new variety No Wind, bringing out fruitiness and floral notes.
MugiWait, what even is lupulin? So instead of throwing in whole hops, you use the aroma compounds? That feels a little like a science experiment, and I'm excited!
Hop BroExactly. Roughly speaking, it's like a hop flavor essence, so it makes it easier to bring out not just bitterness but also the shape of the aroma. That's why this IPA has a grassy note layered in, giving it that spring feel.
MugiI see! So it's not a gulp-it-down beer, but more of an IPA you savor for the aroma. At 6.0% ABV, it sounds like a nice, pleasant buzz!
Hop BroAnd Llama's TAP list is interesting because the style range is really wide. From Unhopped Sour to DIPA and porter, you can change your game plan depending on your mood.
MugiThat's the best! If there are sour beers and heavy beers lined up, everyone gets covered even if you go with friends. I think I'd start with a sour and see how it goes!
Hop BroWhat's more, there are hop-forward names like WCB and Ushitora, and ending with a Micro Porter like Nara Brewing's LIGHTHOUSE is also an option. Llama makes good use of its bottle-shop strengths and clearly recommends a solid beer that's on tap right now.
MugiWow, my head is already full of beer! I want to compare the flavors that are on tap now so badly, and now we really have no choice but to get pulled toward Llama!
At Beer shop Llama, the beer pub in the south exit area of Mitaka Station, a notable new tap was announced. This time on tap is GOOD HOPS 'Lupulin Season.' The post mentions that the brewery is taking the rare-in-Japan approach of extracting and using lupulin from its own hops, and introduces it as a fresh IPA for early spring.
'Lupulin Season' is an IPA (ABV 6.0%). It uses lupulin from Cascade, Saaz, and the new variety No Wind grown in Tono, with a design that layers fruit- and flower-like aromas with a grassy nuance. It is a glass for drinkers who want to enjoy not just bitterness, but the three-dimensional character of the aroma.
The current TAP list released at the same time is also substantial. From an Unhopped Sour like Jofuku's 'Medieval Scents' to hop-forward labels such as Ushitora's 'Beware the C-Style Double,' Stoup's 'Chrome Posies,' and WCB's 'Full Hop Alchemist r7,' and even Nara Brewing's 'LIGHTHOUSE' (Micro Porter), the lineup spans a wide range of styles.
Llama's strength is that, while it functions as a bottle shop, it also firmly recommends the flavors that are 'on tap now' through draft. Starting with the newly tapped GOOD HOPS, the lineup lets you branch out to sour styles or high-ABV IPAs depending on your mood.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the venue’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroAt Beer shop Llama in Mitaka, a new tap has landed: GOOD HOPS' 'Lupulin Season.' Just the words 'a springtime IPA you want to drink' sound delicious already.
MugiWow! The name 'Lupulin Season' is cute, but it sounds seriously crafted too! And being able to drink it on draft makes me really curious.
Hop BroThat's the cool part: it uses lupulin from hops grown in Tono. They extract the aroma compounds from Cascade, Saaz, and the new variety No Wind, bringing out fruitiness and floral notes.
MugiWait, what even is lupulin? So instead of throwing in whole hops, you use the aroma compounds? That feels a little like a science experiment, and I'm excited!
Hop BroExactly. Roughly speaking, it's like a hop flavor essence, so it makes it easier to bring out not just bitterness but also the shape of the aroma. That's why this IPA has a grassy note layered in, giving it that spring feel.
MugiI see! So it's not a gulp-it-down beer, but more of an IPA you savor for the aroma. At 6.0% ABV, it sounds like a nice, pleasant buzz!
Hop BroAnd Llama's TAP list is interesting because the style range is really wide. From Unhopped Sour to DIPA and porter, you can change your game plan depending on your mood.
MugiThat's the best! If there are sour beers and heavy beers lined up, everyone gets covered even if you go with friends. I think I'd start with a sour and see how it goes!
Hop BroWhat's more, there are hop-forward names like WCB and Ushitora, and ending with a Micro Porter like Nara Brewing's LIGHTHOUSE is also an option. Llama makes good use of its bottle-shop strengths and clearly recommends a solid beer that's on tap right now.
MugiWow, my head is already full of beer! I want to compare the flavors that are on tap now so badly, and now we really have no choice but to get pulled toward Llama!
