Far Yeast Brewing (headquartered in Kosuge Village, Yamanashi Prefecture; Shiro Yamada, President; hereinafter referred to as “the Company”), as part of its “Brewed with Yamanashi” initiative to create beer that makes the most of the local Yamanashi climate, will begin selling “Far Yeast MoritomoriRICE ALE“, a beer made with rice from Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture
Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture, is home to famous water, selected as one of the “100 best waters in Japan. Rice has long been grown here using the abundant water.The “Norin 48” rice, whichis grown only in a part of Hokuto City, hasan unforgettable “stickiness” and “sweetness” once tasted, and is so highly regarded that it has even won awards at international rice competitions. It is called “phantom rice” because of its low yield and lack of availability in the market.
The continuous cultivation of rice fields and waterways is also a way to protect the irreplaceable water resources. Having heard the thoughts of Hokuto City farmers who are struggling to preserve the rich nature by continuing and expanding rice cultivation, as well as to carry on the locally loved rice variety, and having endorsed their efforts, we are now selling a limited edition beer made with rice, Far Yeast Moritomori RICE ALE. The beer is now exported not only to Japan but also to China, Taiwan, and South Korea, where it has been well received as a “beer with a touch of Japan”.
Brewed with Yamanashi” will brew and sell “Far Yeast Moritomori RICE ALE” again this year. Moritomori RICE ALE” is brewed seasonally every year in collaboration with farmers in Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture, to raise awareness of the delicious rice produced there and to support the creation of opportunities for rice farmers.
The first “Moritomori” in 2025 was brewed using a blend of “Koshihikari” and “Yudai 21” rice produced by Satoshi Uematsu of “Mitsuho mitsuho,” who is also the founder of the project.
Yudai 21, used for the first time in “Mori Tomori RICE ALE,” was developed by Utsunomiya University as a variety with high temperature tolerance. The recent warming of the climate has caused a problem of high temperatures during the rice growing season (especially during the ripening period), resulting in various problems such as reduced yields due to high-temperature disorders and poor eating quality due to starch imbalance. Koshihikari, Japan’s main rice variety, is particularly susceptible to the effects of high temperatures, resulting in lower yields and quality problems.
Yudai 21″ is characterized by its large grain size and strong maturation, making it less susceptible to the effects of high temperatures, and it is attracting attention as a rice that is less susceptible to the effects of global warming. The spread of the cultivation of “Yudai 21,” which is resistant to high temperature damage, will lead to the sustainable production of rice, which in turn will lead to the protection of nature in Hokuto City. We brewed “Moritomori” in 2025 with the hope of contributing to this effort.
Moritomori” is named after the rice that “protects” Hokuto City. We hope you will enjoy this year’s rice ale, which uses about half of the “Moritomori” rice as ingredients, and in which rice plays a leading role.
The fruity ginjo aroma and hop aromaharmonize with the dry flavor.
“Far Yeast Moritomori Rice Ale” is made with Moritomori rice as half of its ingredients. It is a product that challenges the crossover between sake and beer, brewed with sake yeast, taking advantage of the flavor of Hokuto City rice. The fruity, sweet ginjo aroma and hop aroma harmonize with the dry flavor, making this rice beer suitable for daily dining.
Winner of the silver award in the Experimental Beer category at Asia Beer Champinship 2024
This beer won a silver award at the Asia Beer Championship 2024 (ABC2024) held in Singapore.
ABV: 6.5%
Vol: 350ml
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