Kyushu People, Things, and Places Island Beer Pairs Perfectly with Fish!
About 30 years ago, "local beer" breweries were established nationwide. Though many regional breweries eventually disappeared through market consolidation, "local beer" actually remains popular today as "craft beer." While diverse craft beers are brewed across the country, Nagasaki Prefecture was the only one without a craft beer brewery. In 2021, Nagasaki Prefecture's first craft beer was born on Iki Island, known as the "Shochu Island."
The Challenge of Craft Beer Brewing
ISLAND BREWERY is located in a corner of Katsumoto Port, a fishing harbor in northern Iki. It occupies a former sake brewery—a two-story wooden building over 100 years old. President Tomoyuki Harada is the fifth-generation head of "Harada Shuzo," which once produced shochu and sake. To take over the family business, he studied brewing at Tokyo University of Agriculture and returned home at age 26 after learning management as an employee at a restaurant.
His family business transitioned into liquor retail, and Mr. Harada became involved in producing Iki shochu through a cooperative established by six shochu breweries. He worked on products like "Nadeshiko" and "Tamahime," barley shochu brewed using Japan's first floral yeast, and eventually became president. Discussions about craft beer production arose within the company. However, compared to large corporations, sourcing overseas raw materials was costly, leading to higher production costs and consequently higher retail prices. Naturally, sales were difficult, and it wasn't profitable. He was reluctant to venture into craft beer production.
While Taizo Yokoyama of Shigeya Shuzo on the same island of Iki was restarting sake brewing, Harada's desire for "Iki beer too" grew stronger each day. Consequently, he stepped down from managing the shochu company and began preparations to start craft beer production. However, his father opposed it, saying, "Just don't get into beer." Knowing Harada's stubborn nature, his father tried to persuade others to stop him. "They tried to surround me," he says with a wry smile. "But I suppose my father, having witnessed the tragic decline of craft beer, didn't want his son to walk that thorny path."
Focusing on citric acid derived from white koji
Surrounded by beautiful seas, Iki Island is a treasure trove of fresh, delicious seafood. As a tourist destination, marine leisure activities are also thriving. Beer enjoyed on the summer beach is truly exceptional. And that beer is Iki Beer. Moreover, it must be a beer that pairs well with fish like sashimi. Given the island's geographical challenges, Mr. Harada conceived the concept: "Beer that pairs well with fish."
"To sustain this as a business, I realized we needed to expand sales channels beyond the island and become a craft beer that transcends the boundaries of Nagasaki Prefecture." At drinking gatherings, beer is the first choice for toasts. Sashimi graces the table. However, raw fish and lager-style beers actually clash in flavor pairing, leaving a lingering fishy taste in the mouth. So, he sourced beers from various regions known to pair well with fish. Through tasting and sampling, he discovered that the moderate acidity of citrus-based beers complements fish perfectly.
Citrus fruits contain citric acid, and white wine, often served with meals, is also rich in citric acid. This is why white wine is considered a good match for fish dishes. And actually, the white koji mold used in Iki's barley shochu also contains a high amount of citric acid. The character of ISLAND BREWERY's beer was thus defined: a beer with the fruity flavor derived from hops and the citrusy acidity derived from white koji. Incidentally, that white koji is provided by Shigeya Shuzo.
Seasonal Beer Made with Iki Ingredients
It's been over four years since Mr. Harada opened his craft brewery. While initial sales outside the island were limited due to COVID-19, his market reach has steadily expanded. A sushi restaurant that came to the island to source fish took a liking to his beer and now stocks it. His brew was selected for JR Kyushu's luxury train, the Seven Stars in Kyushu, and now graces the menus of high-end hotel restaurants.
Furthermore, since its founding, the brewery has focused on seasonal beers. The secondary ingredients used are products from Iki Island. These include strawberry beer, banana beer, and especially the "PEARL STOUT" made with Akoya pearl oysters—a beer virtually unparalleled worldwide. This "Pearl Stout" was inspired by an "Oyster Stout" Mr. Harada encountered during an overseas business trip.
Upon learning that Akoya pearl oyster meat was traditionally preserved as tsukudani, I obtained some from pearl producers in Iki Island to make dashi stock. The result was delicious. "The name 'Pearl Stout' had already come to me, so I commercialized it without hesitation. Though making the dashi was quite a labor," he laughs.
Seasonal beers now number over 30 varieties. Some liquor stores and restaurants look forward to these seasonal beers. They're not beers you finish with just one glass; they're beers you want to drink again and again. Furthermore, a caramel-flavored beer made using recycled castella is currently under consideration. "It's truly rewarding when something I've made brings joy to customers. Sharing that moment, creating smiles—it's wonderful." His father, who had initially opposed the venture, passed away during the opening preparations. While it remains a regret that his father never got to taste the beer he brewed, he continues crafting beer today—all to hear that "Cheers!" raised over fish dishes.
