Two Shiga Kogen Beers Arrive at Beer shop Llama: SNOW MONKEY IPA 2026 and Barrel-Aged Pilsner
The beer pub "Beer shop Llama" in Mitaka, Tokyo, has received a new shipment of Shiga Kogen Beer. In addition to the perennial favorite SNOW MONKEY IPA 2026, a new Cask Finished release aged in French Oak Puncheon is also available, making this a lineup that lets you compare different styles side by side.
Hop BroA new shipment from Shiga Kogen Beer has arrived at Beer shop Llama in Mitaka. This time, SNOW MONKEY IPA 2026 and the barrel-aged PILS!? are on the shelves, making for a lineup that's really fun to taste side by side.
MugiWhoa! SNOW MONKEY IPA already sounds cute, and now it even has 2026 attached to it!? Is a future monkey brewing beer?
Hop BroNot future monkey, just this year's batch. It's a Hazy IPA made with American and Australian hops, with citrus layered over aromas like passion fruit and white peach.
MugiOhhh! So Hazy means it's kind of cloudy? Is there some rule that beer fails if it's not clear?
Hop BroThat cloudiness is part of the character. It's a style that brings hop aroma and flavor to the front, and this one also finishes with a firm bitterness, so it doesn't end as just something soft and sweet.
MugiWhat, that's such a gap-moe beer! And the other one, SHIG KOGEN PILS!?, has a name that's confusing enough to make me curious!
Hop BroThis is a Barrel Aged Pilsner: the original pilsner aged for 89 days in a 500L French oak barrel. It keeps the clean edge of a pilsner while layering in the barrel's soft sweetness and tannins, giving it a very refined finish.
MugiWait, tannins? Isn't that something you hear about in wine? They're working overtime if they're showing up in beer too!
Hop BroExactly, that's what makes it interesting. When a little of the barrel's woodiness comes through, even a honey-like aftertaste appears, and it stops being just a normal pilsner. The style power of French oak barrels is pretty strong.
MugiIt's nice that the same brewery can show such opposite expressions. One fruity and juicy, the other quietly deep. I want to drink both.
Hop BroAnd since both are 330 ml cans, it's dangerously easy to grab both. If you see this pairing at Beer shop Llama, there's no way you're stopping at just one.
MugiYep, today's a side-by-side tasting for sure! First I want to go wow over the hop aroma, then settle into the barrel-aged finish.
New Arrivals
On March 27, Beer shop Llama (3-23-5 Shimorenjaku, Mitaka City, Tokyo) announced a new arrival from Shiga Kogen Beer. This lineup consists of two 330 ml cans: the Hazy IPA "SNOW MONKEY IPA 2026" and the barrel-aged "SHIG KOGEN PILS!? Cask Finished / French Oak Puncheon." Both beers let you enjoy the brewery's character from different angles.
- SNOW MONKEY IPA 2026
A 6.0% ABV Hazy IPA made with American and Australian hops. Bright citrus is layered with tropical notes reminiscent of passion fruit and white peach, finishing with firm bitterness and a dry, crisp drinkability.
- SHIG KOGEN PILS!? Cask Finished / French Oak Puncheon
A 5.0% ABV Barrel Aged Pilsner made by aging "SHIG KOGEN PILS" for 89 days in a 500L French oak barrel. It retains the crispness typical of a pilsner while adding the barrel's soft sweetness, tannins, and a honey-like finish.
Beer shop Llama is a beer pub located on the first floor of the Inoue Building, 3-23-5 Shimorenjaku, Mitaka City, Tokyo. What makes news like this interesting is that you can follow where a brewery is at right now through the shop's lineup. This time, the selection brings together two contrasting beers: a fruity Hazy IPA and a pilsner that has taken on a different expression through barrel aging. It is a release suited to anyone who wants to compare Shiga Kogen Beer's character across styles.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the venue’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroA new shipment from Shiga Kogen Beer has arrived at Beer shop Llama in Mitaka. This time, SNOW MONKEY IPA 2026 and the barrel-aged PILS!? are on the shelves, making for a lineup that's really fun to taste side by side.
MugiWhoa! SNOW MONKEY IPA already sounds cute, and now it even has 2026 attached to it!? Is a future monkey brewing beer?
Hop BroNot future monkey, just this year's batch. It's a Hazy IPA made with American and Australian hops, with citrus layered over aromas like passion fruit and white peach.
MugiOhhh! So Hazy means it's kind of cloudy? Is there some rule that beer fails if it's not clear?
Hop BroThat cloudiness is part of the character. It's a style that brings hop aroma and flavor to the front, and this one also finishes with a firm bitterness, so it doesn't end as just something soft and sweet.
MugiWhat, that's such a gap-moe beer! And the other one, SHIG KOGEN PILS!?, has a name that's confusing enough to make me curious!
Hop BroThis is a Barrel Aged Pilsner: the original pilsner aged for 89 days in a 500L French oak barrel. It keeps the clean edge of a pilsner while layering in the barrel's soft sweetness and tannins, giving it a very refined finish.
MugiWait, tannins? Isn't that something you hear about in wine? They're working overtime if they're showing up in beer too!
Hop BroExactly, that's what makes it interesting. When a little of the barrel's woodiness comes through, even a honey-like aftertaste appears, and it stops being just a normal pilsner. The style power of French oak barrels is pretty strong.
MugiIt's nice that the same brewery can show such opposite expressions. One fruity and juicy, the other quietly deep. I want to drink both.
Hop BroAnd since both are 330 ml cans, it's dangerously easy to grab both. If you see this pairing at Beer shop Llama, there's no way you're stopping at just one.
MugiYep, today's a side-by-side tasting for sure! First I want to go wow over the hop aroma, then settle into the barrel-aged finish.
