Okinawa. The name alone sets imaginations adrift. Smooth, white beaches. Seas conducive to scuba, surf or merely swimming. Distinct southern island music. Hearty cuisine. Oh yeah, and the heat. That brings thirst. Thank goodness for Helios.

Take a stroll down bustling, historical Kokusai-dori (international street) on any steamy night, and you’re definitely going to need a drink. Drop into the Helios pub for a few pints and, if you’re hungry, for some decent food for pairing. The brewery itself is actually located farther north on Naha island in Nago and is better known for its production of awamori, rum, liquer and whiskey. Helios began brewing beer fulltime in 1998. Owner Matsuda Ryo was interested in making all kinds of alcohol and realized that, hey, Okinawa is hot, beer is good, and Orion is already here—let’s make our own. Matsuda traveled to Europe and America on a long tasting tour and eventually trained (kenshû) in Canada. Meanwhile, Helios general manager Tamaki Hideya traveled to Germany to study sausages and how they pair with beer. Explains Tamaki, “Okinawa uses lots of pork and I also wanted to study drinking culture. Germany was the place.” Tamaki recommends white sausage with goya, Okinawa’s famous bitter vegetable, but that could include pairing it with their Goya Beer.

Goya Beer? Are you kidding? No. It’s unusual, that’s for certain, but well balanced and highly drinkable. It’s basically a lager, but with goya added. Tamaki notes, “We put in a little less bitter hop and aroma hop so that it’s not too overwhelming.” The goya is almost imperceptible in the nose, much like pumpkin ales without a whiff of pumpkin. The body is light and refreshing, but with the finish you suddenly get a goya bitterness that swells and passes like a lazy wave. And yes, it tastes fantastic with the sausage.

Helio’s other flagship beers include their standard weizen, a pale ale with a subtly sweet aroma and slightly bitter finish, a live German lager, and a porter (“which goes well with spare ribs or Okinawan pork,” says Tamaki). Helios also makes seasonal beers, such as their red ale. At present, Helios is focusing on its Okinawan market, but aims to increasingly export refrigerated bottles to the rest of Japan, especially through its online shopping site. Once in a blue moon, Cheers in Yokohama serves a keg, making it about the only place you can get draught outside Okinawa.

If you are in the pub and are looking for more lively surroundings, venture upstairs to the Helios izakaya, where there is a full menu of, admittedly, heavily fried pub food, but also live Okinawan music. Tours to the Awamori brewery in Nago are a little trickier. In addition to making a reservation (you can do so online), you will need to secure transportation, meaning an expensive taxi ride or a rental car if you’ve got a driver who’s not drinking. Otherwise, slip into some local alcohol retailers in Naha and you can find some bottles to take back to your hotel or the beach. Bask in the sun with a bottle of bitterness—the good bitter.

www.helios-syuzo.co.jp

This article was published in Japan Beer Times # () and is among the limited content available online. Order your copy through our online shop or download the digital version from the iTunes store to access the full contents of this issue.