When people think of craft beer, there are usually a few words or concepts that first come to mind: independent, small, local, creative…. We’d add “collaborative”. Collaboration beers have become such a widespread endeavor in the industry that it almost seems as if they are a key piece to craft beer identity. At the very least, they confirm the sense of community that many craft brewers share.

But what happens when industrial breweries collaborate? We haven’t had to contemplate it much until now. Kirin and Sapporo recently announced a collaborative project over a common thread: the Sorachi Ace hop (whose history we wrote about extensively in JBT#38). To celebrate the 35th anniversary of the hop’s creation, both companies will work together for the first time to promote beers made with the hop. From Sapporo we have its Innovative Brewery SORACHI 1984 and from Kirin we have Sorachi Ace. This is actually a product of Brooklyn Brewery (USA). Its brands are managed in Japan by Brooklyn Brewery Japan, a joint partnership between Kirin and Brooklyn Brewery.

From 9/5 to 9/16, both Bier Keller Tokyo (Sapporo owned) and Beer to Go by Spring Valley Brewery (Kirin owned) will offer their respective beers as well as special pairing platters. Of course, the beers themselves will be available elsewhere at hundreds of retail spots throughout Japan. If you can get your hands on both, why not see if you can taste the common thread in this distinctive and unusual hop?

Okay, we acknowledge this is not a ‘collaboration beer’, as is a common practice with craft breweries, but it is highly unusual to see industrial breweries collaborate. It seems the craft beer spirit is rubbing off a little on them, too.

Kirin press release: https://www.kirin.co.jp/company/news/2019/0827_06.html
Sapporo press release: https://www.sapporobeer.jp/news_release/0000011375/