Hansharo Beer Information

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Hansharo Beer : At a Glance

• Opened : April 1997
• Japanese name : 反射炉ビヤ
• Location : Izunokuni, Shizuoka
• First beer : –
• Head brewer : –
• Homepage : https://kuraya-narusawa.co.jp/brewing

Hansharo Beer : Background

Hansharo Beer (反射炉ビヤ) was established in April 1997 by Kuraya Narusawa, a company based in Izunokuni, Shizuoka Prefecture. Its history is closely tied to the development of the local tourism industry and the historic Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace, which stands opposite the brewery.

Kuraya Narusawa’s roots in the area go back well before the introduction of craft beer. The company operated a tea business and cultivated its own tea fields, beginning commercial tea production in 1954. It also had a background in sake brewing, using the area’s natural spring water, and ran facilities catering to visitors exploring the Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace. In October 1964, it opened a charcoal-grilled barbecue restaurant, expanding its hospitality business alongside its tea production and tourism activities.

The opportunity to enter the beer market came following a revision to Japan’s Liquor Tax Act in 1994. The change reduced the minimum annual production requirement for beer from 2,000 kilolitres to 60 kilolitres, allowing smaller producers to establish breweries. This legislative change helped trigger Japan’s first major craft beer boom, commonly known as the ji-bīru movement.

Kuraya Narusawa decided to take advantage of the new regulations and began producing Hansharo Beer in 1997. The aim was to offer visitors to the nearby historic site a locally produced beer while building on the company’s existing experience with alcoholic beverages and hospitality. The brewery opened alongside a refurbished restaurant, allowing customers to drink the beer close to where it was produced.

The name Hansharo Beer comes from the Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace, completed in 1857 under the direction of Egawa Tarozaemon Hidetatsu, a local administrator who recognised the need for modern weapons technology to strengthen Japan’s coastal defences. The furnace operated until 1864, casting cannons during the final years of the Tokugawa shogunate. Its construction reflected Japan’s efforts to adopt Western industrial techniques as pressure from foreign powers increased.

The brewery’s name also reflects the historical figure’s reputation for embracing new ideas. Kuraya Narusawa adopted this connection as a guiding principle, aiming to combine traditional brewing practices with innovation.

In July 2015, the Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace was recognised as part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution. Kuraya Narusawa subsequently reorganised and renovated its visitor facilities to accommodate the site’s increased prominence.

Hansharo Beer has continued to operate as part of Kuraya Narusawa’s wider business, which includes brewing, tea cultivation, tea sales and tourism. Its development illustrates how a traditional local business adapted to changes in Japan’s alcohol regulations to establish a craft brewery with a strong connection to its regional history.

Hansharo Beer : Beer Reviews

The following are some of the beers we’ve had:

• Hansharo Daiginjo Masako – a 5% speciality beer brewed with sake yeast.
• Hansharo Soun APA – a 5% American pale ale hopped with Saphir, Simcoe, Cascade (UK), Polaris, Hallertau Blanc, and dry-hopped with Hallertau Blanc.
• Hansharo Tarozaemon – a 5% English pale ale brewed with Maris Otter and Crystal malt and hopped with Bramling Cross.
• Hansharo Yoritomo – a 5% English style porter brewed using imported malts from the UK.

Hansharo Beer : Limited & Seasonal Reviews

The following are some of the limited and seasonal beers we’ve had:

• Hansharo Barrel Aged Saison – A 7% saison aged in wine barrels for three months during winter and came on sale in March 2018.
• Hansharo Belgian Pale Ale – A 5% Belgian pale ale brewed with their Tarozaemon pale ale and Belgian yeast rather than their usual strain.
• Hansharo Biere De Kidaru Soushi – An 8% bier de garde is first brewed and then the resultant batch is split into two different kinds of wood barrels – one being made from acacia wood, and the other having been used for storing wine.
• Hansharo Ganjyo IPL – A 5% India Pale Lager brewed using only German hops which include Polaris, Hallertau Blanc, and Hull Melon.
• Hansharo Hyoro Triple – A 6% Belgian tripel which uses three times the amount of malt as normal and that it’s fermented using Belgian yeast.
• Hansharo Indra – A 7.5% American IPA that was first released in November 2016.
• Hansharo Juicy Bullet – A 6% New England India Pale Lager that takes an IPA and brews it with lager yeast instead of ale yeast.
• Hansharo Kamugi – A 5% English pale ale brewed using locally roasted coffee beans from Ferret Coffee.
• Hansharo Kiirotsubaki –  A 5% English summer ale brewed using imported Boadicea hops from the UK.
• Hansharo Mikado – A 9.5% Russian imperial stout that is part of their winter lineup of beers. It contains Phoenix,  Admiral, and Bramling Cross hops.
• Hansharo Mousho Hazy IPA – A 7% NE-IPA primarily brewed using Cascade hops.
• Hansharo Nagomi Brown Porter – A 5% Brown Porter
• Hansharo Natsu Da! Yama Da! Blonde Ale – A 6% blonde ale brewed with Vic Secret hops produced in Australia and first released to brewers in 2011.
• Hansharo Nouhei Steam – A 5% California Common brewed using two relatively new hops from Germany with Polaris and Junga being paired up to bring the bittering and aroma respectively. It’s part of their spring seasonal lineup.
• Hansharo Ochaya-san’s Hōjicha Ale – A 5% speciality beer brewed using hojicha, a kind of green tea that has been roasted instead of steamed, that was grown on the premises of the Kuraya Narusawa complex.
• Hansharo Ryūjō Strong Bitter – A 6% ESB named after Hojyo Shinkumu, who built a mountain castle in the area centered around Ryusikuyama which became an important hub of domination of Izu over five generations
• Hansharo Sumeragi – A 10% Barleywine and is part of their winter seasonal lineup though it was first released in December 2016.
• Hansharo Tamayura Brut Bakushu IPA – A 6% Brut IPA brewed with wine yeast.
• Hansharo Temari Asobi IPA – A 7% Belgian IPA named after the small ball toys that kids play with in Japan traditionally made from old kimonos.
• Hansharo Wheat Lager Blanc – A 5% American wheat lager that was first released in 2017.
• Hansharo Yama Da! Koyo Da! Wheat Ale – A 5% American wheat ale and its name  roughly translates to “Look at the mountains! Look at the falling leaves!”

Hansharo Beer : Articles

The following are some of the articles we’ve done:

• Hansharo Beer Homura in Izunokuni, Shizuoka

Hansharo Beer : Details

• Address : 272-1 Naka, Izunokuni, Shizuoka 410-2113
• Phone : 055-949-1208
• Homepage : https://kuraya-narusawa.co.jp/brewing/about/
• Online store : https://hansharo-beer.stores.jp/
• Social Media : Facebook / Instagram

Brewery : Location