Uchu Brewery represents a new wave of Japanese craft brewing, one that marries tradition with passion, sustainability and perhaps the eccentricity of a Japanese game show.

The unassuming microbrewery is nestled near the foothills of the Japanese Southern Alps, with the iconic silhouette of Mount Fuji looming in the distance. Despite being a newcomer to the scene, having opened its doors in 2017, has rapidly gained a cult following for its exceptional hazy IPAs.

What sets Uchu apart isn’t just the quirky promotional campaigns done by its founders – who released music videos with them dancing as they announce new beer expressions – but its dedication to being one of the few breweries in the world that cultivate their own hops.

UBT (UchuBrewing) 'We are The Universe' Official MV

The story of Uchu Brewery begins with Uchu Farms, which had been operating since 2009. In 2016, Masahiro embarked on a fateful trip to the west coast of the USA, where he encountered in an American pub the unforgettable taste of a robust, hoppy IPA. Masahiro experienced an epiphany: the key to exceptional IPAs lay in the freshness and quality of the hops, ingredients he could cultivate right at home in Japan. Almost immediately, Uchu Farms embarked on its inaugural hop planting in 2016.

Following a brief apprenticeship at Outsider Brewing, where Masahiro honed his skills and deepened his understanding of the craft, he joined forces with Rumiko Suzuki. The pair had a shared passion for environmental activism, and in 2017 embarked on a mission to create a sustainable brewery that would leave no negative footprint on the planet.

At the heart of Uchu Brewery's philosophy is its focus on using hand-picked hops from its own pesticide-free hop fields. In fact, the brewery’s official motto is: “Fresh hops mean everything to brewing good beer.” These meticulously cultivated hops, bursting with flavour and aroma, form the foundation of Uchu's exceptional beers.

Masahiro also has a meticulous brewing process designed to keep ingredients as fresh as possible. He constantly monitors oxygen levels at every stage of production to ensure his beer does not have the opportunity to oxidise. Even when beer is tapped, he takes great care to reduce the distance the liquid travels to minimize exposure to air.

The beloved flagship Uchu IPA is a bold and aromatic hazy IPA. Beyond the core range, there’s also the hop-forward Mutant, brewed with generous amounts of hops and oats, to the playful and refreshing Uchuuji! Strawberry, a smoothie-style beer infused with strawberries and ice cream. The brewery has also gone on to experiment with barrel-aged in wine and sherry casks that promise a new dimension of complexity and depth. With each new brew, Uchu Brewery reaffirms its position as a rising star in the Japanese craft beer scene.

If you’re wondering what “Uchu” means, the Kanji of the brewery’s name is “宇宙” which basically means “The Universe”. The brewery explains that it sees a microcosm of the universe within the soil that products the crops, and in the planet’s circle of life. That sounds like some mind-blowing Zen Buddhist stuff, aye?

At this year's Brewlander Brewnanza festival, I had the pleasure of sampling one of Uchu’s newer expressions –the Mutant 2 DDH Mega Oat Cream DIPA. This beer is brewed with a combination of imported malt, locally sourced oats, and lactose, along with a medley of Citra, Cashmere, and Idaho 7 hops. Uchu’s rep describes this to me as a "hoppy, creamy, and juicy sensation". Let’s give this stuff a taste.

Uchu Mutant 2 DDH Mega Oat Cream DIPA (うちゅうブルーイング Mutant 2 DDH Mega Oat Cream DIPA), 8% ABV – Review 

Tasting Notes

Nose: A blend of richness and creaminess, bursting with tropical fruit notes of mango. Mosaic hops dominate, accompanied by hints of vanilla cream, sweet yuzu candy, and the zest of pomelo peel. A subtle undercurrent of freshly mowed grass.

Palate: The first sip delivers a dry, juicy, and creamy experience, all at once. A noticeable alcoholic warmth greets you, followed by the comforting creaminess of overnight oats soaked in milk. The texture is velvety, carrying sweet notes of yuzu cordial balanced by the dryness of pink peppercorns and a touch of pine resin – the pineyness and dryness grows. The sweetness and creaminess linger while the dry bite gradually grows, leading to a mid-palate crescendo of a robust hoppiness with a dry sappiness felt on the back of the throat.

Finish: Long, with a persistent, layered hoppy bitterness. Mango and grapefruit notes intertwine with the same piney character. As sweetness departs we continue to have lingering dryness and sharpness of yuzu kosho.

My Thoughts:

This is a nice classic oat cream DIPA that wears its hoppiness proudly and has an added Japanese karakuchi (dry sharpness) twist. It's also really juicy and I absolutely appreciate the definition of its hop aromas. The velvety texture, reminiscent of a NEIPA but not quite as thick, also adds a delightful dimension without making the palate overly heavy.

A solid beer with depth that IPA and DIPA enthusiasts will definitely appreciate.

My Rating: 7.5/10

@CharsiuCharlie