Hoppy Beverage

When people hear Hoppy Beverage, they usually think, 'Oh, the Hoppy one?' But this is also a long-established brewery that became the fifth in Japan to obtain a local beer license in 1995.

And it was founded in 1910. It started as Shusuisha, a company that originally made cider and ramune in Akasaka, and now the president is Minami Ishiwata, the third generation. She came from Nippon Flour Mills and took over the family business founded by her grandfather.

The flagship is Akasaka Beer Pilsen. It's a bottom-fermented lager made with German malt and Hallertau aroma hops, and it's known for its fine foam and fruity sweet aroma. At 6% alcohol, it has real drinking heft too.

There's also something called Akasaka Beer Rubinrot, and it's interesting. It uses Ayamurasaki sweet potato, and when you pour it into a glass, it shines ruby red. It has a gentle sweetness and a light mouthfeel, so it goes over well even with people who don't usually like beer.

Another one to watch is Chofu Beer. It's brewed with natural water from the Jindaiji water system, which originates in the Chichibu Mountains, from the groundwater of the land where the Chofu plant is located. It's a bottom-fermented beer with yeast, matured at low temperature, soft and fruity.

Exactly. They also appear at Chofu City's tourism festival, and they have a series named after local areas, like Jindaiji Beer and Nihonbashi Beer. I like that Hoppy Beverage makes beer while carrying the name and water of each place on its shoulders.