Genki Forecast is a series that delivers information to help you look forward to tomorrow even more through Kirin Group’s products, services, and initiatives.
Featured in the first installment is Sano Sasaki from Kirin Brewery’s Marketing Department.
Ms. Sasaki, how’s your energy for tomorrow?
Drinks
Enjoy the fresh, seasonal taste of KIRIN ICHIBAN TORETATE HOP, available only for a limited time.
- Beer
- Kirin Brewery Company, Limited
Brewed with hops harvested this year in Tono, Iwate Prefecture.
Today, we’re introducing KIRIN ICHIBAN TORETATE HOP, delivered from Tono City, Iwate Prefecture.
Today’s Forecaster: Sakino Sasak
Kirin Brewery Marketing Department, Beer Category Strategy
Joined the company as a new graduate in 2024. After working on the Tanrei brand as a brand manager in the Marketing Department, she has been in charge of the KIRIN ICHIBAN brand from January 2025 to the present. Her hobbies include discovering delicious foods and traveling.
KIRIN ICHIBAN TORETATE HOP is a seasonal KIRIN ICHIBAN brew made with IBUKI hops harvested that year in Tono City, Iwate Prefecture. This brew has been popular with many of our customers since its launch in 2004.
The biggest appeal of this product is, without a doubt, the chance to enjoy a flavor unique to this year. Hops develop distinct characteristics depending on the year’s climate and growing conditions. That’s why, even though the brewing method remains the same, aromas and flavors are unique to each year, and you can look forward to discovering them.
We also recommend comparing TORETATE HOP with classic KIRIN ICHIBAN, which was revamped in October 2027. Although both belong to the KIRIN ICHIBAN brand, the classic KIRIN ICHIBAN highlights the rich malt flavor, while the Fresh Hop brew offers the vibrant aroma unique to freshly harvested hops.
Try comparing the classic KIRIN ICHIBAN and the limited-edition TORETATE HOP made with fresh hops from that year and discover the differences.
The secret to the aroma lies in freezing the hops immediately after harvest
The secret to the flavor lies in how the hops are used.
In most beers, harvested hops are dried and processed for easy storage before use. In contrast, for the TORETATE HOP brew, fresh hops are flash-frozen then crushed before being added by hand.
The process takes extra time and effort, but it allows us to preserve and deliver the aroma of freshly harvested hops as faithfully as possible. Unlike the herbal and woody notes typically associated with dried hops, frozen hops offer fresh grassy and fruity aromas. Their distinctive floral character creates a refreshing aroma that is difficult to achieve with dried hops.
KIRIN ICHIBAN TORETATE HOP, created using this method, was named the world’s No. 1（＊） beer in the International Lager category at the “World Beer Awards 2025.”
＊2024 production batch
As the evening sets in, it’s time to slow down and savor the flavors of the season
KIRIN ICHIBAN TORETATE HOP aims to deliver the joy of savoring the season’s flavors and relaxing time away from busy daily life.
Precisely because we live in such a convenient age, it seems we forget to experience the changing seasons and the bounty of nature. Tasting a beer made with hops just harvested this year will give you the experience where you will discover the season’s flavor only available right now, at this very moment.
For example, imagine lifting a glass after work one evening and wondering, “I wonder what this year’s hops smell like?” Let your mind wander to the lush hop fields stretching across Tono City in Iwate Prefecture and the producers working there. When you take a moment to imagine the story behind a glass of beer, it becomes a special moment—a little different from your usual drink.
We hope that discovering this year’s unique flavors will add joy to your daily life and revitalize you for tomorrow.
Credits
- Illustrator
- DOISENA
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