Usami Brewery

Usami Brewery is based on the oldest mandarin orange farm in the Ito area, one that has continued for more than 100 years. The representative, Yasutaka Kato, runs that orchard, and in 1998 he built the brewery on the orchard grounds.

What's more, they invited a female brewer from Hungary named Beata, a brewmaster with a doctorate, to provide technical guidance. The recipes she established number 300 in total. Even the brewing equipment was imported directly from Hungary.

And their biggest distinguishing feature is that they use deep seawater from the Izu coast for the brewing water. It's rich in minerals, so it gives the beer depth and a smooth character. "Usami Golden Ale" won silver at the International Beer Cup 2015 and has also placed many times at the Japan Great Beer Awards.

The one I want to recommend is "Curry Lover Ale." It's not curry-flavored beer; it was developed as a beer that makes curry taste even better. Its caramel and honey-like sweetness is designed to create a contrast with the spiciness of curry, and it debuted at the Kanda Curry Grand Prix in 2015.

And another one to watch is "Izu LEMON BEER." In collaboration with JA Fuji Izu, they blend three varieties of Izu-grown lemons: Lisbon, Eureka, and Villafranca. It won gold at the Japan Great Beer Awards.

Because the owner runs a mandarin orchard, coordination with local citrus farmers and the JA is smooth. They say production volume will double starting next season. They even had unusual creations like "Mikan de White," a collaboration with the University of Tokyo Mandarin Orange Club, and it really feels like a farmer's imagination is flowing into the beer.