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.

After green tea and sweet potatoes, I wanted to focus on less common but still precious products of Niyodogawa-cho. I also wanted to balance out my selection of flagship beers with a beer that is refreshing and almost sessionable. This search (with experiments and tasting sessions, of course) led to a Belgian white style ale accented mainly with coriander seeds with balancing touches of Niyodogawa-cho sansho, yuzu, and ginger. The name “2410” comes from the play on words. I’ll leave it up to you to figure it out. Please enjoy this refreshing beer as it reminds you of our town.