Baird Brewery Garden Shuzenji Releases Shizuoka Summer Mikan Ale
On May 15, Baird Brewery Garden Shuzenji released "Shizuoka Summer Mikan Ale," made with summer mikan grown in Shizuoka Prefecture. It is an aromatic, refreshing fruit beer that combines citrusy hops and wheat.
Hop BroToday it's Baird Brewery Garden Shuzenji's Shizuoka Summer Mikan Ale. It was released on May 15, and the seasonal vibe is just perfect.
MugiWait, a mikan beer!? With summer mikan as the star, is it sweet like juice?
Hop BroThat's the interesting part: it's not just cloyingly sweet, and the IBU 15 is fairly low. Rather than emphasizing bitterness, it's designed to let the fruit's bright acidity really show through.
MugiWhat's IBU anyway! Since it's a bitterness measure, does a lower number mean it's easier to drink?
Hop BroExactly, it's basically a yardstick for bitterness. And this one pairs citrusy hops with wheat, spreading the aroma out softly.
MugiWow! And the article says floor-malted Maris Otter, which suddenly makes it sound seriously pro!
Hop BroThat's right, the malt base is carefully built too. They use domestic wheat, domestic rock sugar, fresh hops, and house yeast, and it really works because the brewing and maturation stages both include summer mikan.
MugiWhat, they add the fruit twice!? That's like the aroma and structure getting thicker - it feels like true craftsmanship!
Hop BroAnd the stage is Baird Brewery Garden Shuzenji, the brewing base in Ohira, Izu City, Shizuoka Prefecture. Getting to drink it in the 20-tap tasting room by the Kano River is amazing too.
MugiWow, that has to taste incredible on site! Shuzenji's character in a single glass - now I already want to go right away!
Hop BroBrewing local fruit in the place where it grows and tasting it right there is exactly the kind of beer Baird makes. Today, it really makes me want to raise a glass to the freshly brewed beer on site.
MugiYeah, just imagining the sweet-tartness of summer mikan makes my throat tighten! We have to go drink it together!
The "Shizuoka Summer Mikan Ale," released on May 15 by Baird Brewery Garden Shuzenji, is a fruit beer centered on summer mikan from Shizuoka Prefecture. With an alcohol content of 5.0% and a modest bitterness of IBU 15, it is designed to put the fruit's bright acidity and citrus character front and center.
This beer is part of Baird's "Blessings of the Earth - Fruit Beer Series." The malt bill uses floor-malted Maris Otter and Pilsner, along with wheat, and includes unmalted domestic wheat, domestic rock sugar, fresh hops, and house yeast, plus summer mikan peel and juice. The fruit is added both during the brew and during maturation, giving the beer depth not only in aroma but also in the contours of its flavor.
Baird Brewery Garden Shuzenji is the company's brewing base in Ohira, Izu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, and its tasting room opened in June 2014. Set in a lush natural location on the banks of the Kano River, it is a place that has long valued the connection between brewing and organic agriculture. The third-floor tasting room has 20 taps, along with a beer deck and viewing walkway.
The idea of brewing local fruit at a brewery in that same region, and enjoying the finished beer on site, is exactly the kind of seasonal release that feels quintessentially Baird. How do summer mikan's sweet-tart flavors get supported by hops and wheat? For drinkers, it is a beer that lets them experience the character of Shuzenji in a single glass.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroToday it's Baird Brewery Garden Shuzenji's Shizuoka Summer Mikan Ale. It was released on May 15, and the seasonal vibe is just perfect.
MugiWait, a mikan beer!? With summer mikan as the star, is it sweet like juice?
Hop BroThat's the interesting part: it's not just cloyingly sweet, and the IBU 15 is fairly low. Rather than emphasizing bitterness, it's designed to let the fruit's bright acidity really show through.
MugiWhat's IBU anyway! Since it's a bitterness measure, does a lower number mean it's easier to drink?
Hop BroExactly, it's basically a yardstick for bitterness. And this one pairs citrusy hops with wheat, spreading the aroma out softly.
MugiWow! And the article says floor-malted Maris Otter, which suddenly makes it sound seriously pro!
Hop BroThat's right, the malt base is carefully built too. They use domestic wheat, domestic rock sugar, fresh hops, and house yeast, and it really works because the brewing and maturation stages both include summer mikan.
MugiWhat, they add the fruit twice!? That's like the aroma and structure getting thicker - it feels like true craftsmanship!
Hop BroAnd the stage is Baird Brewery Garden Shuzenji, the brewing base in Ohira, Izu City, Shizuoka Prefecture. Getting to drink it in the 20-tap tasting room by the Kano River is amazing too.
MugiWow, that has to taste incredible on site! Shuzenji's character in a single glass - now I already want to go right away!
Hop BroBrewing local fruit in the place where it grows and tasting it right there is exactly the kind of beer Baird makes. Today, it really makes me want to raise a glass to the freshly brewed beer on site.
MugiYeah, just imagining the sweet-tartness of summer mikan makes my throat tighten! We have to go drink it together!
