The beer "SORRY UMAMI IPA" made exclusively for export by Yo-Ho Brewing of "Yona Yona Ale" will be sold only once in Japan this fall.

This is pretty crazy. It is said that "Katsuobushi" is used as a raw material. When he exhibited at an event in the United States, he said, "It's the first time for me to have beer with fish!"

Before the release, I had a special tasting. What kind of taste does beer with dried bonito have?

◆ Check the specifications

First, let's check the "basic specifications" of this beer.

The beer style is positioned as Experimental White IPA. Alcohol content is a little high at 7%. Ingredients are malt, hops, coriander seeds, orange peel, and "bonito flakes".

◆ Try drinking

Anyway, I don't know if I don't try it.


"Does it taste like dried bonito?" Is the most worrisome place ... In conclusion, "No ". It's not fishy at all.

At first, I feel a clean bitterness in the juicy peach-like scent and floral scent. This pulls gently and leaves mellowness, and later, the umami gradually increases in depth and spreads throughout the mouth. The impression is that "the aftertaste is refreshing and easy to drink" is "more like an expert".

The "Japanese taste" recommended for pairing is, for example, fish dishes. It seems that thick boiled fish is recommended rather than raw sashimi. In addition, Yamagata's local dish "Dashi", persimmons and chestnuts are said to go well with it.

If you raise the temperature a little and drink it, it will show an interesting change. The scent swells and you can feel the "umami" more abundantly. However, when the scent rises, it seems that some people "feel the bonito flakes".

◆ Why bonito flakes

A beer that contains dried bonito but does not taste like dried bonito. Where did the dried bonito "disappear"?

According to the person in charge of development, it was not added to bring out the taste and aroma of "fish" in the first place. Utilizing the umami component of dried bonito, it promotes active fermentation and produces a richer "ester" (fragrance component). By combining this with various hops, he is pursuing "harmony of fragrance".




Another reason for choosing dried bonito is "thorough commitment to Japanese". He wanted to use materials that are unique to Japan in order to appeal "Japanese craft beer" to overseas markets. In addition, the word "UMAMI" was added to the product name.

◆ Domestic sales only once

Originally developed for overseas markets, there were no plans to sell it domestically. However, there are many requests from fans, and it seems that this time it will be sold only once in Japan.

It is on sale from October 1st at the official online shop "Yona Yona no Sato". Subsequently, it will be sold at Lawson and Poplar (excluding some stores) from October 18th. It is expected to be sold out by the end of the year.


If you miss this opportunity, you will probably never be able to drink "Katsuobushi beer" (in Japan). I want you to take your time and enjoy the temperature changes.