HopGear Brewing makes a Kogyoku apple gose for Abenomi
HopGear Brewing in Honjo, Saitama said on Instagram that it brewed a private-label apple gose for Abenomi, an apple grower in Tendo, Yamagata. The beer uses Kogyoku apples turned into 100% juice, with roughly half of the final blend made from that juice.
Hop BroI want to talk about Kogyoku Apple Gose brewed by HopGear Brewing in Honjo, Saitama.
MugiWhat! An apple gose? That's apple stealing the spotlight from the beer!
Hop BroAnd it is for Abe no Mi, an apple grower in Tendo, Yamagata, brewed as a PB release rather than HopGear's own label.
MugiWait, what's PB? Is that some secret beer code?
Hop BroIt means private brand. HopGear handles the brewing, but the product belongs to Abe no Mi.
MugiNo way! They turn Tendo-grown Kogyoku apples into 100% juice and use about half the batch as juice? The apples are not messing around!
Hop BroThat's the exciting part. Tart Kogyoku meeting gose acidity and salinity could make the flavor feel really sharp and vivid.
MugiHold on, what even is gose? It sounds like either a spell or an extreme yoga pose!
Hop BroGose is a German sour-leaning style with a gentle saltiness and bright acidity, so it can lift fruit aroma really well.
MugiWow, then with that snappy apple tang, this becomes an adult apple drink with suspiciously easy drinkability, right?
Hop BroExactly. HopGear Brewing is strong with fruit, and this feels more like a farmer-brewery collaboration glass than a standard house release.
MugiI'm done for. My mouth puckered just imagining it. I want one now, and you're giving the tasting notes at first sip!
What the beer is
HopGear Brewing announced on Instagram that it made an apple gose for Abenomi, a private-label project from an apple farm in Tendo, Yamagata. The post makes clear that this is not a HopGear house beer, but Abenomi's original PB item. It also says the brewery used Kogyoku apples from Tendo, made them into 100% juice, and built the recipe so that about half of the final liquid comes from that juice.
About HopGear Brewing
Based in Honjo, Saitama, HopGear Brewing describes its mission as bringing beer from Honjo to the world. The brewery started brewing after obtaining its beer license in March 2021, and its lineup includes kölsch, saison, and IPA, alongside fruit-forward releases. One example is HOPGEAR BEER×Amasarin, a strawberry beer made with local fruit from Honjo.
Why this release stands out
This project is notable because it puts the producer-led PB concept at the center. Kogyoku apples are known for their firm acidity, which should work well in a gose, a style that often highlights tartness and structure. With a juice-heavy recipe, the key question is how the apple aroma and acidity will show up in the finished beer. Rather than a simple addition to HopGear's own catalog, this looks like a collaboration built around the grower's identity and the brewery's brewing know-how.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroI want to talk about Kogyoku Apple Gose brewed by HopGear Brewing in Honjo, Saitama.
MugiWhat! An apple gose? That's apple stealing the spotlight from the beer!
Hop BroAnd it is for Abe no Mi, an apple grower in Tendo, Yamagata, brewed as a PB release rather than HopGear's own label.
MugiWait, what's PB? Is that some secret beer code?
Hop BroIt means private brand. HopGear handles the brewing, but the product belongs to Abe no Mi.
MugiNo way! They turn Tendo-grown Kogyoku apples into 100% juice and use about half the batch as juice? The apples are not messing around!
Hop BroThat's the exciting part. Tart Kogyoku meeting gose acidity and salinity could make the flavor feel really sharp and vivid.
MugiHold on, what even is gose? It sounds like either a spell or an extreme yoga pose!
Hop BroGose is a German sour-leaning style with a gentle saltiness and bright acidity, so it can lift fruit aroma really well.
MugiWow, then with that snappy apple tang, this becomes an adult apple drink with suspiciously easy drinkability, right?
Hop BroExactly. HopGear Brewing is strong with fruit, and this feels more like a farmer-brewery collaboration glass than a standard house release.
MugiI'm done for. My mouth puckered just imagining it. I want one now, and you're giving the tasting notes at first sip!
