Umenishiki Yamakawa

In Ehime's Shikokuchuo City, there's a sake brewery founded in the fifth year of Meiji (1872) that's also making beer. It's called Umenishiki Yamakawa.

Right after the 1994 revision of the Liquor Tax Act opened the door to small-scale beer brewing, they obtained a brewing license and started brewing "Umenishiki Beer" in 1995. It was Ehime Prefecture's first craft beer.

They brought the craftsmanship they'd honed in sake brewing straight into beer. The master brewer, Fukubei Yamane, was selected as a "Contemporary Master Craftsman," and that brewing spirit is reflected in the beer's quality too. While taking German brewing techniques as their model, they combine them with the delicacy of Japanese sake brewing to create a unique style.

The regular lineup has five varieties. The all-malt "Pilsner" uses plenty of fine-aroma hops; "Bock" is 7% ABV and has a toasty roasted-malt aroma; "Weizen" is creamy and made with Ehime-grown barley; "Aromatic Ale" is 8.5% ABV and gives off an overwhelmingly powerful aroma; and "Blanche" is finished with Iyokan peel from Ehime and coriander. They are a strong contender, winning awards almost every year in major beer contests across Japan.

They also do some fun collaborations, like a beer called "Maru the Hop" with the popular cat character from "The Sad Fat Cat-chan."

It's a white beer with the protagonist cat "Maru" on the label, and it combines Ehime-grown wheat and naked barley with Iyokan peel. Using local ingredients so generously is exactly what you'd expect from a brewery that's been rooted in this land for more than 150 years.