Futako Beer introduces seasonal Ume Ume Ale made with Setagaya-grown plums
Setagaya-based Futako Beer introduced a new seasonal beer, Ume Ume Ale, in an Instagram post on August 27. The fruit ale uses plums harvested from Setagaya City’s agri-welfare farm, Setasora, and is brewed for a light, refreshing finish.
Hop BroI want to talk about Ume Ume Ale today. Futako Beer just introduced it on Instagram, and a seasonal beer made with Setagaya plums is exactly my kind of trouble.
MugiWait, a plum craft beer? I was imagining something sweet like plum wine, so what happens when it turns into beer?
Hop BroThat's the fun part. Futako Beer used Setasora's plums from a local social-farming project in Setagaya, and the style is a fruit ale.
MugiWhoa, fruit ale already sounds way too stylish for me. Am I supposed to drink it with my pinky up?
Hop BroNot at all. It just means an ale that highlights fruit character, and here the plum tartness gets softened by yeast-driven aromas.
MugiHold on, yeast-driven aromas sounds like you opened a science textbook. Is yeast making perfume now?
Hop BroBasically, yes. Yeast does the fermentation, and on the way it creates fruity notes that round out the plum's sharp edge and keep everything gentle.
MugiOkay, that sounds amazing. If it has a clean, gentle finish, I could absolutely crush that while summer is still lingering around.
Hop BroExactly, and Futako Beer has been making seasonal local beers from its Futako-Tamagawa brewpub and Setta brewery for a while now, using regional ingredients like this.
MugiI love that. Turning local farming into a pint is such a great neighborhood story, and somehow that makes it taste better in my head already.
Hop BroSame here. Plum aroma plus an easy finish makes first pint choice feel pretty obvious to me.
MugiThen it's settled. The moment I find it, I'm taking a sip and calling it seasonal plum magic because there is no way I'm missing this one.
A seasonal beer built around local plums
Futako Beer, the brewpub based in Setagaya, Tokyo, has introduced a new seasonal release called Ume Ume Ale on Instagram. According to the post, the fruit ale is made with plenty of plums harvested from the large plum tree at Setasora, a Setagaya City agri-welfare partnership farm.
The brewery describes the beer as a clean, gentle fruit ale in which the plum’s tartness is wrapped in yeast-driven fruitiness. It is positioned as a refreshing beer for the still-warm season, with a plum aroma and an easy, crisp finish.
Futako Beer operates a brewpub near Futako-Tamagawa Station and the Seta Brewery, opened in 2021. The brewery has long focused on seasonal beers that make use of local ingredients, especially produce grown in Setagaya. Ume Ume Ale fits neatly into that approach, turning a regional agricultural connection into a seasonal beer release.
For beer fans who enjoy fruit ales with a clear local story, this is one to watch as serving details are announced.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroI want to talk about Ume Ume Ale today. Futako Beer just introduced it on Instagram, and a seasonal beer made with Setagaya plums is exactly my kind of trouble.
MugiWait, a plum craft beer? I was imagining something sweet like plum wine, so what happens when it turns into beer?
Hop BroThat's the fun part. Futako Beer used Setasora's plums from a local social-farming project in Setagaya, and the style is a fruit ale.
MugiWhoa, fruit ale already sounds way too stylish for me. Am I supposed to drink it with my pinky up?
Hop BroNot at all. It just means an ale that highlights fruit character, and here the plum tartness gets softened by yeast-driven aromas.
MugiHold on, yeast-driven aromas sounds like you opened a science textbook. Is yeast making perfume now?
Hop BroBasically, yes. Yeast does the fermentation, and on the way it creates fruity notes that round out the plum's sharp edge and keep everything gentle.
MugiOkay, that sounds amazing. If it has a clean, gentle finish, I could absolutely crush that while summer is still lingering around.
Hop BroExactly, and Futako Beer has been making seasonal local beers from its Futako-Tamagawa brewpub and Setta brewery for a while now, using regional ingredients like this.
MugiI love that. Turning local farming into a pint is such a great neighborhood story, and somehow that makes it taste better in my head already.
Hop BroSame here. Plum aroma plus an easy finish makes first pint choice feel pretty obvious to me.
MugiThen it's settled. The moment I find it, I'm taking a sip and calling it seasonal plum magic because there is no way I'm missing this one.
