Fruity but also earthy beer

Creative Brew Wakana

Brand: Yebisu

Price: 300 yen

Place of purchase: Belx Supermarket

Rating:

Japan's major brewers produce a surprising variety of beers. I'm always on the lookout for distinctive label designs, as you never know what new permutation you'll find. This beer, Sapporo Yebisu Creative Brew Wakana, was released in autumn 2025. There is still some stock in the shops in early 2026. The beer's name, Wakana, means something like harmony and melody. The beer is brewed with three Japanese hop varieties - Shinshu Wase, Little Star, and Furano Magical. The brewing process adds the hops in three steps.

Sapporo Yebisu Creative Brew comes up with all kinds of novel combinations. This beer, Wakana, is intended to create harmony with three domestic hop varieties. It turns out it's a pretty flavourful beer. I'd say go for this if you are looking for fruity beers and can overlook "earthy". The beer, with hops added in three stages, is okay. What you get is a strongly fruity beer with some distinct flavours. However, it's also got a bit of vegetal, even sulphurous, undertone. If I'm being charitable, it's "herbal". I found this off-putting.