New Craft Beer 'Sora to Shiba Seasonal #19 Tropical! Passion! Ale!' Debuts May 26 to Commemorate Interleague Games

Starting Tuesday, May 26, 2026, 'Sora to Shiba by Yona Yona Ale,' a craft beer brewing restaurant located inside Es Con Field HOKKAIDO in Kitahiroshima City, Hokkaido, will offer a new limited-time product: 'Sora to Shiba Seasonal #19 Tropical! Passion! Ale!' (hereinafter 'Tropical! Passion! Ale!'). This product is a collaboration beer developed for the 'Nippon Life Interleague' (hereinafter 'Interleague Games'), which begins in late May, in partnership with 'Yokohama Bay Brewing,' a brewery based in Yokohama, home to the Yokohama DeNA BayStars. To commemorate the launch, free tasting events will be held on May 29 (Fri), June 9 (Tue), and June 12 (Fri).

The 'Sora to Shiba Seasonal' series features a variety of limited-time beer styles to showcase the diverse world of craft beer. The 19th installment is an 'American Wheat Ale,' characterized by its vibrant aroma reminiscent of tropical fruits like pineapple and mango, and a smooth mouthfeel derived from wheat. The interleague games, which generate significant excitement in professional baseball, represent an annual 'festival' that draws many baseball fans from across the country to Es Con Field HOKKAIDO. To further elevate the excitement of this special period, this is the first time a craft beer themed around the interleague games has been developed.

In keeping with the 'interleague' theme, this craft beer was developed through a recipe collaboration with another brewery. The partner, 'Yokohama Bay Brewing,' operates in Yokohama, the home of the Yokohama DeNA BayStars, who will play at Es Con Field HOKKAIDO this year. The company inherits brewing techniques from the Czech Republic, a renowned beer region, and possesses world-class expertise, having won gold medals at the 'World Beer Cup.' They are also considered leaders in 'baseball and craft beer,' manufacturing the original team beer for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars and the official cheering beer for the Czech national team for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

The product development combined the respective strengths of both companies: the expertise of 'Sora to Shiba by Yona Yona Ale' in extracting rich hop aromas, and the extensive experience of 'Yokohama Bay Brewing' in brewing wheat-based beers. The resulting 'American Wheat Ale' features hoppy notes of tropical fruits like pineapple and mango, paired with a silky, soft mouthfeel from the wheat. It is balanced with a juicy bitterness and moderate acidity, making it an easy-drinking beer to enjoy cup after cup.