Abashiri Beer

Abashiri Beer is the brewery that really broke into the national scene with its 'Drift Ice Draft.' That Okhotsk blue look is striking, isn't it?

It was founded in 1998, and Tokyo University of Agriculture's Okhotsk Campus is deeply involved. In fact, this campus was the first at a Japanese university to obtain a beer test-brewing license after the 1994 revision of the Liquor Tax Act.

Exactly, it's industry-academia collaboration. 'Drift Ice Draft' was co-developed by Professor Toshio Nagashima at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Mr. Jo, the factory manager at Abashiri Beer. They cut back on the malt and used wheat to give it body, improved the foam with nagaimo, and ultimately achieved that blue color with a spirulina pigment derived from seaweed.

It launched during the drift-ice season in February 2008 and sold 200,000 bottles in its first year. For craft beer, that's a huge number. Since then, they've also rolled out series that make use of Abashiri's nature and local specialties, like 'Shiretoko Draft' and 'Cherry Drops.'

Yes, they're local cherries. They also have a black beer called 'Kangoku no Kuro,' and they use the traditional German decoction method and a three-kettle brewing system. Their spring-limited 'Sakura Draft' has a pale cherry-blossom color and is made for hanami, and they actively release new beers like IPAs too.

Abashiri Golden Ale uses barley malt grown in Abashiri, and the idea of using drift ice from the Sea of Okhotsk in the brewing water is something only a place like this could come up with. I think it's a rare example of university research and local resources coming together.