permanent

permanent is a brewery in Fujino, Sapporo. The founder, Ryota Kimura, comes from a design background and designs the labels himself. Inspired by a brewer's words, 'Brewing beer is an endless adventure,' he obtained his brewing license in December 2024 and got started.

The logo's 'pa' letters are shaped like infinity (∞). And the brewery itself is in a great location. They renovated a former confectionery shop building in Fujino, an area with clean water in the headwaters of the Toyohira River. There are lots of orchards around, so it's a spot where they can use local fruit as adjunct ingredients.

The beer lineup is distinctive too, and there's not a single IPA. Everything is Belgian style. On top of that, all of them are bottle-conditioned, and each brew is an ultra-limited run of just 150 to 300 bottles. 'RUBATO' is a Belgian tripel at 9% ABV, made with rhubarb from Arai Farm in Shimomaoi, South Sapporo. It's bottled after six months of tank aging.

Yes. The gentle acidity of the rhubarb sets the rhythm, and apparently it has a light, easy-drinking feel that doesn't seem like 9% ABV. They also make story-driven beers like the peated saison 'EMBER,' which uses peat malt and dried tomatoes from Namporo Town, and 'Every Day Is a Good Day,' brewed with sunflower seeds as a wedding gift for a friend. Each bottle has its own story.

They also brew the official beer for the local music festival 'MTG.' It's a brut Belgian built around Nelson Sauvin hops, and even at 8.5% ABV it's dry and crisp like champagne. They made it with the image of sharing a bottle with strangers at the festival.

Exactly. Every label includes notes on how to enjoy it as the temperature changes. It's on the driving route to Jozankei Onsen and Niseko, so it's nice that you can stop by along the way. It's the kind of brewery that makes you wonder, every time, what beer becomes when it's brewed with a designer's sensibility.