What is Umehana Beer — 俊's Bar

Have a Drink, Some Local Food, and Something to Read

Omori’s Umehana Beer

Craft Beer made from Plum Flowers

Umehana Beer is a beer made from using yeast found on the plum flowers of the town of Omori in Shimane Prefecture. We also add flavors from ingredients that are found locally here in Omori and in the general Sanin region of Japan.

Wild yeast can be a bit of a wild card as it can be a little unexpected to what it might create as it ferments. The Umehana Yeast makes a good amount of alcohol as well as malic acid which is similar to the flavor of sour fruits. This yeast was originally used once to make sake, however with its sourish flavor profile not too many people seemed to enjoy drinking it.

Just coming from San Francisco where there was a huge craft beer culture, I felt that this yeast was not being used to its full potential. While Japanese sake tries to achieve clean flavor, craft beer is all about trying out new and interesting flavor experiences. I thought that this yeast would be a perfect match for the craft beer “culture”

I was lucky enough to find a microbrewery in the area that was happy to use the plum flower yeast to make my idea into a beer!

But no matter what I makes sure that everything has meaning, that this beer I made was special because it was made in this area. I make sure to use local ingredients I find in the local area to flavor the beers that I produce. Some of the flavorings are ingredients that I grew, harvested or processed.

DSC01262 copy.jpg

Even with local ingredients from the countrysides of Shimane, making beers with exciting and fun flavors is totally possible. A little imagination takes you a long way.

I hope lots of people get interested in our life here in Omori and join us sometime with a cold beer!