Craft beer subscription service Otomoni opened orders for a new Tsundere-themed Hazy IPA on November 15, 2022. The beer has a sweetness level that changes on its temperature and was brewed as part of the 15th installment of the JAPANESE BEER ODYSSEY, which aims to share aspects of both traditional and modern Japanese culture through craft beer.

For better or worse, Japan’s otaku culture is now a major part of the country’s appeal to people around the world.

Japan’s video game and anime market is now legendary around the globe, and millions flock to the country each year to become more immersed in its popular culture. Just look at the annual Comiket event–over 700,000 visitors attend each year!

To celebrate the upcoming Comiket, a new beer has been brewed that pays homage to modern otaku culture. The Tsundere Hazy IPA is perfect for otaku who love a little challenge when it comes to their love life.

Brewed with NOMCRAFT Brewing in Wakayama Prefecture, the Tsundere Hazy IPA features two distinct flavors, each coming out more strongly depending on the beer’s temperature. 

When poured, the beer has a very tropical aroma, and when ice-cold, it’s more refreshing and less sweet. 

As the temperature of the beer rises, the smell becomes more fruity and strong, with the smell of hibiscus certain to make your mouth water. Whether you like bitter or sweet, this may be the perfect beer for you. 

Would you try this tsundere-themed beer? 

Taisho Pharmaceuticals has announced a new flavor of Vicks Medicated Drops available only in Japan! The Matcha flavor will be available starting October 1, 2022.

VICKS Medicated Drops are lozenges perfect to relieve sore throats, and in an attempt to make a product for everyone’s taste, 14 flavors have been developed so far–five fruit types, three refreshing types, and six sugarless types.

Matcha has become a more popular flavor among both young and old people in recent years, and this Japan-only flavor is sure to be a hit. The active ingredient, CPC, disinfects and sterilizes the mouth, so the next time you feel a cold coming on, try one of these lozenges out.

Aki Rosenthal, a popular member of the Hololive VTuber collective, has teamed up with Hansharo Beer in Izu to create a tasty new brew. Called ‘Good Job Again Today,’ this is the perfect beverage to enjoy after a long day. Sales will begin on August 25, 2022.

The beer is fermented with champagne yeast and colored by malt to resemble rosé wine. Aki Rosenthal, a well-known beer lover herself, was involved in the creation of the beer, and the talent hopes that it will make workers’ lives a little easier and more enjoyable. Even those who don’t typically like beer might like this slightly fruity taste, so be sure to give it a try if you can!

Aki Rosenthal

A girl who traveled from a different universe. She has hyper curiosity and manages to reach out to all sorts of things. Her trademark pigtails float due to some sort of supernatural power.

Character Design: Azumiu Akitake @akitake_a
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFTLzh12_nrtzqBPsTCqenA
Twitter: https://twitter.com/akirosenthal

Located in Uji, Kyoto, matcha shop Itohkyuemon was founded in the late Edo period. Three cozy locations have just launched a Hydrangea Parfait, perfect for spring.

Hydrangea Parfait

Hydrangea Coaster

The shop’s main location is headquartered in Uji, which is also home to Mimuroto Temple, known for its hydrangeas. The flowery location attracts thousands of tourists during the rainy season. 

The Hydrangea Parfait has been offered since 2013, now celebrating its 10th year. The popular seasonal treat features matcha hydrangea mashed sweet potatoes, hydrangea-colored jelly, leaf-shaped matcha cookies, and blueberries. Those ordering a parfait will also receive a hydrangea coaster as a gift, so why not enjoy the rainy season with something sweet to lift your spirits?

Hibiya Hayashiya Shinbei in Tokyo Midtown Hibiya is now offering a scrumptious Strawberry Matcha Parfait until April 24, 2022! If that’s not up your alley, four Kyo Hayashiya locations in Shinjuku, Omiya, Yokohama, and Ikebukuro will begin offering a Matcha and Berry Mascarpone Parfait from April 1 until May 8, 2022. 

Strawberry Matcha Parfait

The Strawberry Matcha Parfait is an eye-catching mix of green and pink, reminiscent of cherry blossoms and bright green grass. Green tea blends with rose jelly and lychee sorbet, offering a refreshing taste with a hint of bitterness. The sweet accent of crunchy chocolate feuillantine gives each bite a little kick.

Matcha and Berry Mascarpone Parfait

The Matcha and Berry Mascarpone Parfait mixes the deep, bitter taste of Uji matcha, the sweet and sour taste of berries, and the gentle sweetness of mascarpone cream. The berry sauce is blended with crunchy chocolate feuillantine, a layer of whipped cream, green tea jelly, green tea ice cream, and milk panna cotta. To finish, it’s garnished with refreshing raspberry sorbet, bittersweet matcha ice cream, and fresh strawberries.

McDonald’s Japan locations with ‘McCafe by Barista’ areas will begin selling special spring treats for a limited time starting April 6, 2022. Customers will be able to grab the ‘Strawberry Uji Matcha Frappe’ and the ‘Uji Matcha Mont Blanc Tart.’

McCafe by Barista invites guests to enjoy high-quality frappes and smoothies. The Uji Matcha Frappe was added to the regular product lineup in June 2021, and features a mellow matcha flavor. The Strawberry variant is coming back for the first time in three years. The Mont Blanc Tart is a new addition, and is a perfect treat to enjoy with this popular frappe! 

Strawberry Uji Matcha Frappe: ¥490

The Strawberry Matcha Frappe mixes together the full-bodied flavor of matcha together with sweet and sour strawberries. It includes both a strawberry paste made from whole strawberries and a strawberry whipped cream at the bottom. The drink is topped with more strawberry whipped cream and a sprinkling of matcha powder. The refreshing taste of the strawberry sauce coupled with the whipped cream serves to elevate the great flavor of the Uji Matcha even more.

Uji Matcha Mont Blanc Tart: ¥390

The Uji Matcha Mont Blanc Tart is made with Uji Matcha batter, Uji Matcha whipped cream, white bean paste, and green tea cream. The refined sweetness is complemented by the mellow aroma and slight bitterness of Uji Matcha.

How would you like to enjoy these treats beneath the cherry trees?

Sankt Gallen Taproom, a bar directly owned by the original Sankt Gallen microbrewery, has begun selling special menu items to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Honatsugi MYLORD until March 31, 2022. Since ancient times, black cats have been a symbol of prosperous business, and fittingly, the new menu features a black cat motif. 

The 40th-anniversary beer, Congratulations Nya~ England IPA, is a New England IPA-style beer, a style that originated in the New England region of the eastern United States. The orange-yellow liquid was inspired by the eyes of a black cat glowing in the dark. The adorable cat ear burger buns are baked at the city’s Good Aging Store. The black color is made by adding unsweetened black cocoa to the flour.

Fujisan Product, a company that specializes in making Mount Fuji-themed food and beverages, has released a gorgeous blue beer in partnership with distributor Millex Japan and Far Yeast Brewing, an award-winning craft brewery. The refreshing product is being sold mainly through department stores. 

After plenty of trial and error, the drink now resembles a snow-capped mountain when poured into the appropriate glass. The blue color comes from Spirulina and blueberry, and the beer contains natural water from Mount Fuji.

UNITED ARROWS has released its first craft beer in collaboration with Be Easy Brewing, located in Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture. The brew is available at the UNITED ARROWS BOTTLE SHOP, which sells select alcoholic beverages from both Japan and abroad. ‘Apple Pie Ala Mode’ went on sale starting January 2 at the UA BAR on the first floor of the UNITED ARROWS Harajuku flagship store, H BEAUTY AND YOUTH, and the California General Store. 

Be Easy Brewing offers a selection of unique and constantly changing beers using ingredients found in Aomori like apples, strawberries and Tsugaru rice. From IPAs to wheat ales, the company is always experimenting with different styles. This strange collaboration was born after UNITED ARROWS expressed a fascination with the high quality and incredible taste of Be Easy Brewing’s beers.

‘Apple Pie Ala Mode’ is a Berliner Weisse with a slightly sour taste combining apple juice, cinnamon, and vanilla. 

The Ginza Lion Building, built in 1934, has been officially recognized as a registered Tangible Cultural Property.

On April 8, 1934, a beer hall was opened on the first floor of the building. The interiors were lavish and incredible for the time, and were admired by citizenry and architects alike. During the war, many beer halls were destroyed by air raids or torn down for evacuation, but this location in Ginza survived and was seized in September 1945. It was then made into a beer hall exclusively for the Occupation Forces. In 1952, the site was made available to the public again.

Lion Beer Hall 7-chome / Present Day

Lion Beer Hall 7-chome / Original Construction Completed

Lion Beer Hall 7-chome / Present Day

Lion Beer Hall 7-chome / Original Construction Completed

Large Glass Mosaic Mural at the Bar

Lion Beer Hall 7-chome / Store Interior

Lighting with Grape Motif

Lighting with Beer Foam Motif

The red brick walls of the restaurant are meant to resemble the Earth bearing a rich harvest

A pillar made to look like barley

The banquet hall on the 6th floor of the building, Ginza Classic Hall, was once used as a conference room and is currently used as a party venue. The interior hasn’t changed much since its establishment, and guests enjoy the historical setting as they knock back a few brews. Ginza Lion Beer Hall celebrated its 87th anniversary on April 8, 2021.

The interior concept of the hall is ‘fertility and harvest,’ and the Lion was built with the intention of being the ‘best building in the world, and a representative beer hall in Japan that will last for generations to come.’

Craft sake brewery haccoba is teaming up with the experimental social advocacy group HERALBONY to release an artful new brew! The All-Yeast IPA -Yay!Yay! Hazy!!- will go on sale September 26, 2021, in limited quantities. A portion of all sales of the product will go to the artist who designed the bottle. Before launch, a special discussion panel was held at the HERALBONY GALLERY, located in Iwate Prefecture. 

This release marks the first collaboration between Iwate-based HERALBONY, a company aiming to make strides in the social welfare sphere, and haccoba, a unique craft sake brewer from Fukushima. 

HERALBONY GALLERY

Art Hand Towel

Scratch Works Yay!Yay! Fukushima. – Yukihito Okabe

HERALBONY continues to make a positive impact in the community, with many sympathizing with their vision and approach to making social change. Artist Yukihito Okabe’s original work Scratch Works Yay! Yay! Fukushima was made for this collaboration and was inspired by the sight, feeling, and taste of the materials that go into sake production. The way each vivid color overlaps with another to create new colors is similar to the process of fermentation, in which each microorganism weaves together with another to create something new. By combining art and alcohol, more people might be inspired to stop and ponder the issues currently facing the world. 

The All Yeast IPA -Yay! Yay! Hazy!!- is an India Pale Ale that brings a powerful hops flavor. It was inspired by the idea of blending the hoppiness of an IPA with the charm of sake, and the beverage was brewed with a unique blend of rice malt and steamed rice, leading to more sweetness, acidity, and umami. Beer lovers, don’t miss this!

Far Yeast Brewing Co., Ltd., a craft beer maker that shares original Japanese beer with the world  beer, will be opening their first directly managed overseas store in Taiwan. The Far Yeast Taiwan Craftbeer Gasteopub will be celebrating its grand opening in Taipei City, Taiwan on October 16 2021. 

The Far Yeast Taiwan Craftbeer Gastropub is the fourth directly managed store following the Tokyo-Gotanda, Shizuoka-Atami, and Fukuoka branches, as well as the first overseas location.

The Far Yeast Taiwan Craftbeer Gastropub” will have 15 taps, offering not only the core brands Kawa KAGUA and Far Yeast, but also their special Japanese craft beer that can’t be found anywhere else in Taiwan. You can enjoy the beer alongside a selection of modern Japanese-themed meals.

Far Yeast Lychee Haze 

To commemorate the opening, the company has brewed the Fruited Hazy IPA ‘Far Yeast Lychee Haze’ in collaboration with Taiwanese brewery UGLY HALF BEER, using Taiwanese lychee to flavor. The drink will be pre-released in Japan, available from  September 30 with preorders opening from 13:00 on September 21.

The combination of Nelson Sauvin hops with a grape-like aroma and the tropical scent of the citrus and coconut Sabro hops compliment the gentle and sweet flavor of lychee, enticing all craft beer enthusiasts to Taipei.

Far Yeast Taiwan Craftbeer Gastropub is expected to have an international customer base, as the gastropub is located in Taipei’s East District, an area with a high population of foreign nationals and business people. Now that overseas travel has become much harder, the new branch will allow customers to enjoy the varied tastes of Japanese craft beer and the richness of Japanese food.