Green tea is not a common ingredient for beer. And my opinion on the few green tea beers I had tasted was not good because I found that they all had problems with balance. Green tea is bitter, and so is beer, but their attributes don’t lend well toward a hybridized product. But Niyodogawa-cho produces excellent green tea, and I was determined to honor our green tea products. So I set out on a mission to create a green tea beer that expresses Niyodogawa-cho’s green tea characters, is balanced with the flavors of the beer, and of course, taste good. I carried out dozens of experiments and taste tests. I varied the yeast, the hops, the malt, and the quantity of ingredients, and switched in and out other ingredients aiming for the right balance. Finally, I came up with a recipe that I was proud of. I found that Niyodogawa-cho’s honey (produced by Japanese honey bees) was the ingredient I needed to balance out the flavors. The result is a beer we call “439”, which is one of the main roads through Niyodogawa-cho. As you drive this road you’ll see the many green tea farms in the hills of our town. I hope you enjoy this tasty beer that expresses Niyodogawa-cho’s nature.