Hakutsuru Sake Brewing Commercializes New Ideas (Seeds) Born in the Laboratory! First in the Series is a Craft Gin Made with Kobe-Associated Coffee

Hakutsuru Sake Brewing Co., Ltd. will launch "Lab. SeeD GIN_01," a craft gin manufactured at its distillery within the head office premises, in a limited quantity of 200 bottles from April 21, 2026 (Tuesday) at the Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum and its official online shop.

The Lab. SeeD series is a new brand that gives shape to "small seeds" such as ideas and recipes born in Hakutsuru Sake Brewing's laboratory (Lab.) that have not yet become products. For the first installment in the series, we aimed to express the scenery of Kobe, a city where exoticism and modernity coexist, through aroma and taste. As a key ingredient, we adopted coffee, one of the Western cultures deeply rooted in the lives of Kobe citizens since the opening of Kobe Port. We carefully considered the selection of varieties, the blending ratio of beans, and the roasting degree to bring out the rich coffee aroma that spreads pleasantly within the gin. By combining a total of six ingredients, we achieved a gentle sweetness reminiscent of Western confectionery and a calm, smooth liquor quality.

By savoring it slowly, you can enjoy the sensation of walking through modern Kobe, with the aroma of coffee shops and Western confectionery stores drifting by.

"Lab. SeeD GIN_01" and coffee beans

About the Lab. SeeD (Lab. Seed) Series

The Lab. SeeD series is a new brand that gives shape to "small seeds" such as ideas and recipes born in Hakutsuru Sake Brewing's laboratory (Lab.) that have not yet become products. With "Lab. SeeD GIN," our theme is to express the scenery of Kobe, the roots of Hakutsuru Sake Brewing, through the aroma of gin, developing ambitious and playful craft gins that combine regionality, experimentation, and creativity.

We are committed to delivering interesting products with a playful spirit, made possible by experimental recipes, in addition to the sincere craftsmanship cultivated through sake brewing. With its small, easy-to-handle size, you can enjoy it casually.

◆ Product Information

Product Name: Lab. SeeD GIN_01 Category: Spirits Volume: 200ml Suggested Retail Price: 1,650 yen (tax included) Botanicals Used: Coffee beans, Juniper berry, Vanilla essence, Cocoa powder, Cinnamon, Fermented coffee beans (*) Alcohol Content: 45% Flavor: Aromatic coffee and sweet cinnamon, sweetness like Western confectionery, calm taste, pleasant lingering cocoa and coffee. Release Date: April 21, 2026 (Tuesday) Sales Quantity: 200 bottles Distillery: "Kobe Mikage Distillery" within the head office premises

Sales Locations: Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum (4-5-5 Sumiyoshi Minamimachi, Higashinada-ku, Kobe City, TEL: 078-822-8907) Hakutsuru Official Online Shop *To be launched on April 21 (Tuesday) (https://www.e-hakutsuru.com/products/19444 TEL: 0120-126-892)

(*) Fermented coffee beans: These are rare coffee beans fermented with a bacterium called tempeh bacteria and then roasted. They exhibit a more aromatic fragrance and a mellower taste than unfermented ones. In this gin, they were used to enhance the coffee aroma.

Developer's Comment <Isao Ohto, Laboratory>

Through the development of "KOBE HERBAL GIN Hakufu" (released December 2024), Hakutsuru's first gin, we have expressed the "wind of Kobe" (Kobe-like flavor). However, we also felt that there were still many charms of Kobe that we wanted everyone to experience. Gin manufacturing offers a high degree of freedom and allows for various production methods. This challenge began with the desire to communicate its appeal in various forms. For the first installment, we expressed the exotic and modern cityscape of Kobe through gin. After much trial and error, we were able to achieve a satisfactory taste.

About "Kobe Mikage Distillery"

This is a distillery located within the brewery of Hakutsuru Sake Brewing's head office. It acquired a spirits manufacturing license in 2021. In December 2024, it released craft gins "KOBE HERBAL GIN Hakufu #01" and "KOBE HERBAL GIN Hakufu #02."

Distillery equipment and manufacturing staff