Iwanai Brewery & Hotel introduces black beer "Kuropon" as a finishing beer
Iwanai Brewery & Hotel in Iwanai, Hokkaido, introduced its black beer, "Kuropon (Schwarz)." With aromas reminiscent of coffee and chocolate and a light finish, it is positioned as a beer to enjoy at the end of a meal.
Hop BroToday it's a story about the black beer introduced by Iwanai Brewery & Hotel in Iwanai, Hokkaido. The name is Kuropon, and the style is Schwarz.
MugiWait, drinking black beer at the end of a meal is new! I thought it would feel heavy in the middle, but you're drinking it at the end?
Hop BroThat’s what makes it interesting. Kuropon has a toasty aroma with coffee and chocolate notes, yet it finishes clean and is easy to drink.
MugiWhat even is Schwarz! It looks black and kind of bitter, but does that mean it’s a light black beer?
Hop BroTo put it simply, it has the aroma of roasted malt, but it isn’t the kind that pushes hard with the strong bitterness of an IPA. That’s why it has a light, after-dinner-drink feel.
MugiOhh! And Iwate Town uses deep seawater in brewing, right? It feels like the local land is making it taste better!
Hop BroExactly. And Iwanai is also known as the place where wild hops were discovered, so there’s a background of valuing hop aroma and flavor.
MugiA brewery that also has a hotel is amazing! Drink, eat, and stay overnight? That’s basically a win, right?
Hop BroAt the beer bar, you can enjoy freshly brewed draft beer and dishes made with local ingredients, and the official lineup also includes four standard beers plus seasonal limited editions. The range goes from pilsner and IPA to pale ale and stout.
MugiSo Kuropon also works with gateau chocolat? Black beer as dessert feels a little too grown-up...!
Hop BroYeah, it works both as the end of a meal and as a late-night drink, and it seems really good as an entry point into black beer. This is definitely the kind of thing that makes you want to go out and drink together.
MugiLet’s go, let’s go! I’m already in the mood to finish with Kuropon today!
A beer placed at the end of a meal
Iwanai Brewery & Hotel in Iwanai, Hokkaido, is introducing its black beer, "Kuropon (Schwarz)". The brewery says it has a toasty aroma reminiscent of coffee and chocolate, while finishing clean and easy to drink. It is being suggested as a beer to pair with the end of a meal.
The brewery continues to make beer that takes advantage of the characteristics of its ingredients and local area, including using deep seawater from Iwanai in the brewing process. On its official website, it produces and sells seasonal limited-edition beers in addition to four standard varieties, with a lineup that includes pilsner, IPA, pale ale, and stout.
A brewery tied to the town of Iwanai
Iwanai Brewery & Hotel is also presented as a place where visitors can drink, eat, and stay overnight. The beer bar attached to the brewery is known for offering freshly brewed draft beer and dishes made with local ingredients. Iwanai Town is also known as the place where Japan's first wild hops were discovered, and the brewery values hop aroma and flavor against that historical backdrop.
This "Kuropon" is one beer from a brewery with a story rooted in the local area, and it clearly conveys the appeal of black beer. Its design, which emphasizes drinkability over heaviness, makes it approachable even for people who are not used to black beer, and it is an easy beer to enjoy as a post-meal drink.
Suggested ways to drink it
According to the official information, Kuropon is suitable for the end of a meal, and it is also suggested as something to enjoy with gateau chocolat as a dessert-like pairing. It is a beer that suits the final course of a meal in Iwanai, or a slow sip late at night during a hotel stay.
Iwanai Brewery & Hotel
- Location: Iwanai Town, Hokkaido
- Official site: https://yado-iwanai.com/
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroToday it's a story about the black beer introduced by Iwanai Brewery & Hotel in Iwanai, Hokkaido. The name is Kuropon, and the style is Schwarz.
MugiWait, drinking black beer at the end of a meal is new! I thought it would feel heavy in the middle, but you're drinking it at the end?
Hop BroThat’s what makes it interesting. Kuropon has a toasty aroma with coffee and chocolate notes, yet it finishes clean and is easy to drink.
MugiWhat even is Schwarz! It looks black and kind of bitter, but does that mean it’s a light black beer?
Hop BroTo put it simply, it has the aroma of roasted malt, but it isn’t the kind that pushes hard with the strong bitterness of an IPA. That’s why it has a light, after-dinner-drink feel.
MugiOhh! And Iwate Town uses deep seawater in brewing, right? It feels like the local land is making it taste better!
Hop BroExactly. And Iwanai is also known as the place where wild hops were discovered, so there’s a background of valuing hop aroma and flavor.
MugiA brewery that also has a hotel is amazing! Drink, eat, and stay overnight? That’s basically a win, right?
Hop BroAt the beer bar, you can enjoy freshly brewed draft beer and dishes made with local ingredients, and the official lineup also includes four standard beers plus seasonal limited editions. The range goes from pilsner and IPA to pale ale and stout.
MugiSo Kuropon also works with gateau chocolat? Black beer as dessert feels a little too grown-up...!
Hop BroYeah, it works both as the end of a meal and as a late-night drink, and it seems really good as an entry point into black beer. This is definitely the kind of thing that makes you want to go out and drink together.
MugiLet’s go, let’s go! I’m already in the mood to finish with Kuropon today!
