Brewing Lab

Have you heard of "Brewing Lab" in Shibutami, Morioka? It’s actually a brewing base that Helios Brewery from Okinawa set up in Iwate.

Helios Brewery is a comprehensive beverage maker that originally produced awamori and craft beer, and in 2020 it took over the Sawauchi Brewery of Gingakogen Beer to make a full-scale expansion into Iwate. In Shibutami, it has set up this Brewing Lab on the grounds of AEON Super Center.

Exactly. And the standout beer brewed here is "Michinoku Six Blessings Beer." It was co-developed with AEON Tohoku, and the can design inspired by festivals from the six Tohoku prefectures is great too.

What’s interesting is the brewing method. They use high-quality local water and ale yeast fermented at relatively warm temperatures, then finish it with cold maturation like a lager. The result is a beer with a bright aroma and a light, easy-drinking finish.

Exactly. If you think of it as a beer born from the meeting of brewing techniques cultivated in Okinawa and Iwate’s water, it’s a true hybrid beer from south and north.