Usami Brewery and Yugawara Mikan Club Co-Release "Shonan Gold Beer"
The first co-brewed "Fruit-Aromatic Shonan Gold Beer" by Usami Brewery (Usami Beer Brewing) and Yugawara Mikan Club was released on February 11, 2026. It was also introduced in an Instagram post at 22:08 on February 14, and is being rolled out sequentially across western Kanagawa and eastern Shizuoka.
Hop BroToday’s featured news is this! Usami Brewery in Ito, Shizuoka teamed up with Yugawara Mikan Club to release the fruit-aromatic "Shonan Gold Beer."
MugiWhat! A collaboration between a mikan club and a brewery!? Even the name already sounds refreshing!
Hop BroIt’s their first co-brew, and it went on sale on February 11, 2026. It was also introduced in an Instagram post at 22:08 on February 14, and is gradually spreading across western Kanagawa and eastern Shizuoka.
MugiHuh! But last year it was "Shonan Gold Ale," right? This time it’s "beer" - what’s the difference?
Hop BroThat’s the interesting part: this time it’s the renewed "Shonan Gold Beer." The main focus is the aroma of Shonan Gold, and they use an "added juice later" method, where juice is added in the latter half of brewing.
MugiWhat is that! Added juice later? Like adding a little something in after the fact, like adding soy sauce later?
Hop BroThat’s pretty much right! Because the juice is added later in the process, the bright citrus aroma comes through more clearly. It makes it easier to balance hop bitterness with fruitiness.
MugiOhhh! So it doesn’t just end up bitter - it finishes nicely and fruity!
Hop BroThe ingredients are malt (produced in Germany), hops, Shonan Gold juice, and peel; ABV is 5.0%, in 330 ml bottles. The regional collaboration angle that connects a hot spring area with a citrus-growing region is also exciting.
MugiConnecting the flavor of a region through beer feels really nice... If I find it at a ryokan or hotel, I’m definitely going to get excited.
Hop BroIf you see it at a place serving it, check it out immediately. Brewing expertise from Izu and agricultural resources from Yugawara - this is the kind of thing you want to experience in a glass!
MugiDeal! The moment we find it, let’s secure two bottles - I’m fully in "I want to drink this" mode too, hop bro!
Usami Brewery (Usami Beer Brewing), based in Ito, Shizuoka, has released a new collaboration product with the general incorporated association "Yugawara Mikan Club" in Yugawara, Kanagawa. The product is called Fruit-Aromatic "Shonan Gold Beer". It is positioned as a renewal of last year’s "Shonan Gold Ale," this time as a "beer."
The focus this time is how to capture the aroma of Shonan Gold, a citrus known as a rare specialty fruit, in beer. The brewing method described uses an "added juice later" process, in which juice is added in the latter half of brewing, aiming to balance hop bitterness with a fruity character. The ingredients are malt (produced in Germany), hops, Shonan Gold juice, and peel; the alcohol content is 5.0%, and it is available in 330 ml bottles.
Sales are starting sequentially, mainly at restaurants, inns and hotels, and retailers in western Kanagawa and eastern Shizuoka. Another highlight of this collaboration is its regional partnership context, bridging a hot spring area and a citrus-producing region, combining Yugawara's agricultural resources with Shizuoka's brewing expertise. For anyone who wants to confirm the balance of bright citrus aroma and gentle bitterness, this is one to pick up when it appears at a serving venue.
Usami Brewery is a long-established Shizuoka brewer known for making ale-focused beers in the prefecture for many years, and is well known for its local craft beer production in Izu. It has also consistently worked on products that make use of local ingredients, and this Shonan Gold Beer can be seen as part of that extension, an effort to "edit the region's flavors into beer." If you want to experience the balance of gorgeous citrus-derived aroma and a touch of bitterness, it is worth grabbing it when you spot it at a retailer or serving venue.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroToday’s featured news is this! Usami Brewery in Ito, Shizuoka teamed up with Yugawara Mikan Club to release the fruit-aromatic "Shonan Gold Beer."
MugiWhat! A collaboration between a mikan club and a brewery!? Even the name already sounds refreshing!
Hop BroIt’s their first co-brew, and it went on sale on February 11, 2026. It was also introduced in an Instagram post at 22:08 on February 14, and is gradually spreading across western Kanagawa and eastern Shizuoka.
MugiHuh! But last year it was "Shonan Gold Ale," right? This time it’s "beer" - what’s the difference?
Hop BroThat’s the interesting part: this time it’s the renewed "Shonan Gold Beer." The main focus is the aroma of Shonan Gold, and they use an "added juice later" method, where juice is added in the latter half of brewing.
MugiWhat is that! Added juice later? Like adding a little something in after the fact, like adding soy sauce later?
Hop BroThat’s pretty much right! Because the juice is added later in the process, the bright citrus aroma comes through more clearly. It makes it easier to balance hop bitterness with fruitiness.
MugiOhhh! So it doesn’t just end up bitter - it finishes nicely and fruity!
Hop BroThe ingredients are malt (produced in Germany), hops, Shonan Gold juice, and peel; ABV is 5.0%, in 330 ml bottles. The regional collaboration angle that connects a hot spring area with a citrus-growing region is also exciting.
MugiConnecting the flavor of a region through beer feels really nice... If I find it at a ryokan or hotel, I’m definitely going to get excited.
Hop BroIf you see it at a place serving it, check it out immediately. Brewing expertise from Izu and agricultural resources from Yugawara - this is the kind of thing you want to experience in a glass!
MugiDeal! The moment we find it, let’s secure two bottles - I’m fully in "I want to drink this" mode too, hop bro!
