Sankt Gallen Brewery to Release Spring/Summer-Limited "Pineapple Ale" on April 24
Sankt Gallen Brewery will release its spring/summer-limited fruit beer, "Pineapple Ale," on April 24. Made with 600 kg of Golden Pineapple, it is designed so that the fruit character spreads all the way into the foam. The brewery also teased pineapple as its next seasonal product on Instagram.
Hop BroSankt Gallen Brewery's spring/summer limited Pineapple Ale is coming out on April 24.
MugiWhat! A pineapple beer!? 600 kg of Golden Pineapple is basically a fruit festival!
Hop BroThey add the fruit to the wort before fermentation and let it ferment together, so not just the aroma in the glass, but the foam itself carries a fruit character too.
MugiFlavor in the foam!? Wait, magic? What's a Brut IPA base anyway, something crisp and dry?
Hop BroExactly. It's a dry design that keeps the malt richness low and brings out the pineapple's juiciness. It's like a base that lifts the sweetness.
MugiHuh! But the fact that it says "happoshu" is a little surprising. So using 30% fruit makes it that way?
Hop BroUnder Japan's liquor tax law, adjuncts have to stay within 5% of the malt amount for it to count as beer, so with this recipe it has to be labeled as happoshu. It's a name that changes by law.
MugiI see! 5% alcohol, 330 ml, and 539 yen sounds like the perfect spring-summer treat!
Hop BroAnd Sankt Gallen is the original local beer maker, with Chocolate Beer and Shonan Gold too. Their seasonal ingredient know-how is fully on display again here.
MugiYou can drink it on draft at the Atsugi taproom, and it might show up at events at the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse too. This year's first bottle is decided then - I definitely want to drink it!
Sankt Gallen Brewery in Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture, will release its spring/summer-limited fruit beer, "Pineapple Ale," on April 24. Each brew uses about 600 kg of Golden Pineapple, and its defining feature is fruit-derived aroma that carries through even into the foam.
Brewing Points
The fruit is added to the wort before fermentation, and the wort and fruit sugars are fermented together. This means that not only does the aroma come through the moment it is poured into a glass, but a subtle sweet pineapple character also remains in the foam. The base is a dry Brut IPA, with the malt richness kept in check so the juiciness of the pineapple comes to the fore.
Designed as Happoshu
The product name is "Pineapple Ale (happoshu)." Under Japan's liquor tax law, beer must contain adjuncts such as fruit within 5% of the malt amount, but this product uses fruit equal to 30% of the malt amount, so it is labeled as happoshu. It has an alcohol content of 5%, comes in 330 ml bottles, and has a suggested retail price of 539 yen (tax included).
What Makes It Sankt Gallen
Sankt Gallen Brewery is known as the "original local beer maker," having brewed on a small scale in the United States before craft beer was legalized in Japan. Even now, it continues to offer dessert beers that make seasonal ingredients shine, such as Chocolate Beer, Shonan Gold, and Apple Cinnamon Ale. It can also be enjoyed on draft at its directly operated taproom in Atsugi, and there are opportunities to try it at seasonal events such as the brewery's booth at the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse. As a beer that has become a spring and summer staple, it is one that beer lovers who have been waiting for this year's release should not miss.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroSankt Gallen Brewery's spring/summer limited Pineapple Ale is coming out on April 24.
MugiWhat! A pineapple beer!? 600 kg of Golden Pineapple is basically a fruit festival!
Hop BroThey add the fruit to the wort before fermentation and let it ferment together, so not just the aroma in the glass, but the foam itself carries a fruit character too.
MugiFlavor in the foam!? Wait, magic? What's a Brut IPA base anyway, something crisp and dry?
Hop BroExactly. It's a dry design that keeps the malt richness low and brings out the pineapple's juiciness. It's like a base that lifts the sweetness.
MugiHuh! But the fact that it says "happoshu" is a little surprising. So using 30% fruit makes it that way?
Hop BroUnder Japan's liquor tax law, adjuncts have to stay within 5% of the malt amount for it to count as beer, so with this recipe it has to be labeled as happoshu. It's a name that changes by law.
MugiI see! 5% alcohol, 330 ml, and 539 yen sounds like the perfect spring-summer treat!
Hop BroAnd Sankt Gallen is the original local beer maker, with Chocolate Beer and Shonan Gold too. Their seasonal ingredient know-how is fully on display again here.
MugiYou can drink it on draft at the Atsugi taproom, and it might show up at events at the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse too. This year's first bottle is decided then - I definitely want to drink it!
