■Asia Beer Championship 2024 Silver Award in the Experimental Beer categoryWe won the silver award at the Asia Beer Championship 2024 (ABC2024) held in Singapore.
■Collaborating on beer brewing with rice farmers who protect the rich nature of Hokuto City, home of famous water Hokuto City in Yamanashi Prefecture is a home of famous water that has been selected as one of the "100 Famous Waters of Japan." Rice has been grown in this area since ancient times, using the abundant water. "Norin 48," which is only grown in a small part of Hokuto City, has an unforgettable "stickiness" and "sweetness" once you have tried it, and has received high praise, winning awards at international rice competitions. However, due to the low yield and lack of availability on the market, it is known as "phantom rice."
Plowing the fields, building waterways, and continuously growing rice also helps protect irreplaceable water sources. We listened to the aspirations of the farmers of Hokuto City, who are striving to preserve the rich natural environment by continuing and expanding rice cultivation, while also preserving beloved local varieties. We agreed with their efforts and are now selling a limited edition rice beer, "Far Yeast Morimori RICE ALE." It is currently exported not only domestically but also to China, Taiwan, and South Korea, where it has been well received as a "beer that evokes a sense of Japan."
■The first product of 2025 will be brewed using "Koshihikari" and "Yudai 21." "Brewed with Yamanashi" will once again brew and sell "Far Yeast Moritomori RICE ALE" this year. "Moritomori RICE ALE" is brewed seasonally every year in collaboration with farmers who work to raise awareness of the delicious rice of Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture, and to support the creation of opportunities for rice farmers.
Morito Mori, the first product of 2025, was brewed using a blend of Koshihikari and Yudai 21 rice, created by Mitsuho Uematsu, the founder of the project.
"Yudai 21," used for the first time in "Mori Tomori RICE ALE," is a variety developed by Utsunomiya University through breeding with an emphasis on heat tolerance. Due to global warming in recent years, higher temperatures during rice cultivation (especially during the ripening period) have become a problem, causing various problems, such as reduced yields due to heat damage and a deterioration in taste due to an imbalance in starch. Japan's main rice variety, Koshihikari, is particularly susceptible to heat damage, resulting in reduced yields and quality degradation.
Among these varieties, "Yudai 21" is characterized by its large grains and thorough ripening, making it less susceptible to high temperatures. This means that it retains its delicious flavor with little deterioration, and is attracting attention as a rice that is less susceptible to the effects of global warming. The widespread cultivation of "Yudai 21," which is resistant to heat damage, will lead to sustainable rice production, and ultimately to the conservation of nature in Hokuto City. We brewed the 2025 "Mori to Mori" with the hope of helping to achieve this.
Moritomori was named with the hope that it would be a rice that protects the northern forests. This year, we hope you will enjoy this rice ale, which uses approximately half Moritomori rice as its main ingredient.
■Far Yeast Moritomori RICE ALE combines a fruity ginjo aroma with a hoppy aroma and a dry flavor. Approximately half of the ingredients used in the product are Moritomori. Brewed with sake yeast and taking advantage of the umami flavor of rice from Hokuto City, this product is an attempt to create a crossover between sake and beer. The fruity, sweet ginjo aroma and hoppy aroma blend with the dry flavor, making this a rice beer perfect for everyday meals.
■Product Details Style: Free Style Sake-Yeast Beer (Rice Ale)
Alcohol content: 6.5%
IBU: 15
Ingredients: Malt (made in Germany), hops, rice (produced in Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture), sugar Hops: Citra, Amarillo
Item: Beer Storage method: Cool, dark place (refrigeration recommended)
