JAPAN FIRM LAUNCHES SALE OF CRAFT BEER USING WHEAT ‘KOJI’ MOLD

A brewery in the western Japan prefecture of Wakayama has launched the sale of what is believed to be the first-ever "craft beer" made with wheat "koji" mold.

Beer is usually made with malt, but Oryzae Brewing & ferment works has replaced it with the mold, following its representative Nobuyuki Kinoshita's desire to venture into creating new types of the drink, Kyodo news agency reported on July 19, 2020.

The brewery seems to be doing well, with Oryzae Pale Ale winning the bronze prize in the 2019 International Beer Cup competing against breweries from 24 countries and regions. It features fruity and mellow tastes.

Oryzae Pale Ale, which was put on sale in July last year, is made by first mixing self-made wheat koji, steamed wheat, and hot water, resulting in sweet sake. The liquid is then filtered and hops are added. After cooling and adding yeast, the beer is fermented for about a week, then matured for two or three more weeks.