Limited Edition: Craft Beer 'Rinki Ohen ~Barrel Aged Wheat Wine~' Aged in Whisky Barrels to be Released on April 2, 2026.

HIROSHIMA NEIGHBORLY BREWING (HNB), a craft beer brewery located in Hondori, Hiroshima City (1-5-10 Otemachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima City), will release 'Rinki Ohen ~Wheat Wine~', a barrel-aged beer matured in barrels from SAKURAO BREWERY & DISTILLERY (SAKURAO) (1-12-1 Sakurao, Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture) on Thursday, April 2, 2026. This product is also part of the 'HIROSHIMA BARREL RELAY PROJECT', the first collaborative project among Hiroshima's craft alcohol manufacturers, which started in 2022. It is a craft beer made using the 'barrel aging' method, where beer is matured in wooden barrels.
This project is an initiative where five craft alcohol manufacturers in Hiroshima Prefecture collaborate across different genres of alcohol, inheriting whisky and wine barrels in a relay format to create new products that leverage their unique characteristics. Please pay attention to the efforts of Hiroshima's alcohol manufacturers.

<1> 'Rinki Ohen ~Wheat Wine~' Overview

The style of this beer is Wheat Wine (Alcohol content: 8%).
It is a barrel-aged wheat wine created by blending two barrels: one that previously held SAKURAO's Sakurao Single Malt Whisky, then red wine from VINOBLE VINEYARD, a winery in Miyoshi City, Hiroshima Prefecture, and another that aged peat whisky. HNB's wheat wine was then aged in each of these two barrels for approximately 19 months before blending.
The series name "Rinki Ohen" (隣期桜変) was chosen by HNB to signify the beer's transformation as it matures in SAKURAO's barrels over time.

The original wheat wine's soft wheat acidity and wine barrel-derived acidity become mellow through long-term aging. This is layered with fruity accents, the smoky aroma from the peat whisky barrel, and the aroma of the barrel itself, resulting in an HNB original craft beer with a profound flavor. [Alcohol content] 8%

*What is Barrel-Aged Beer?
Beer aged in barrels (wooden barrels). Not many breweries in Japan undertake this.
Barrels come in various types, such as whisky barrels, sherry barrels, wine barrels, and bourbon barrels.
The unique aroma from these barrels transfers to the beer, creating distinctive flavors.
There are no fixed rules for the type of beer to be aged, ranging from high-alcohol beers to fruit beers. The type and condition of the barrel, aging period, and the brewery and beer type all contribute to a wide variety of flavors, which is one of its charms.

<2> 'HIROSHIMA BARREL RELAY PROJECT' Overview

The 'HIROSHIMA BARREL RELAY PROJECT' is a project launched in 2022 with the aim of revitalizing Hiroshima through Hiroshima-born alcohol.
It is a project where five craft alcohol manufacturers in the prefecture collaborate across different genres of alcohol, inheriting whisky and wine barrels in a relay format to create new products matured in each barrel. By creating new Hiroshima-born alcoholic beverages, the project aims to revitalize Hiroshima's alcohol industry.

[Participating Manufacturers] SAKURAO BREWERY & DISTILLERY (Hatsukaichi City)・Kamoizumi Shuzo (Higashihiroshima City)・Fujii Shuzo (Takehara City)・Vinoble Vineyard (Miyoshi City)・HIROSHIMA NEIGHBORLY BREWING (Hiroshima City)
instagram: hiroshima_barrel

<HNB's Barrel-Aged Products to Date>
◎1st Release: "Rinki Ohen ~Imperial Stout~"

A barrel-aged beer aged for approximately 10 months in barrels that previously held SAKURAO's 3-year-aged Sakurao Single Malt Whisky. An Imperial Stout with a rich and profound flavor, combining moderate bitterness, the aroma of roasted malt, a sweet vanilla-like scent, and the aroma of whisky barrels intertwined with flavors derived from the original spirit. Alcohol content 8% *Released in August 2022 and sold out.

◎2nd Release: 'Rinki Ohen ~Belgian IPA~'

A barrel-aged Belgian IPA aged for approximately 15 months in barrels that previously held SAKURAO's 'Single Malt Japanese Whisky Sakurao'. The original Belgian IPA, through long-term aging, transformed into a rich and profound flavor with increased brown sugar sweetness and hop bitterness, resulting in a refined sweetness and creamy aroma, intertwined with vanilla and abundant smoky notes from the barrel. [Alcohol content] 8%
*Released in May 2024 and sold out.

*Other barrels are also being relayed among the participating manufacturers.

<3> Project Participating Manufacturers

●'HIROSHIMA NEIGHBORLY BREWING (HNB)' (K.K. Canadel)

A brewery located in Hondori, Hiroshima, right next to Peace Memorial Park, boasting the largest facilities in Hiroshima City.

Because of this location, we want to create craft beer rooted in the community.

We want our beer to be a place where smiles bloom and spread in a circle when people drink it.

Brewing Peace, Blooming Smiles.

Indeed, beer tastes best when there is peace.

With this in mind, we brew using as many Hiroshima-prefecture ingredients as possible.

There is also an attached brewpub & izakaya "Craftbeer to Sumibi Harebare",

It's a place where you can truly drink and enjoy beer right inside the brewery!

1-5-10 Otemachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima City TEL.082-236-9313

WEB：https://hnb.beer Online Shop：https://hiroshima.beer/

facebook： https://www.facebook.com/hiroshimaNB

instagram：@hnb_beer X：https://twitter.com/hnb_beer

●'SAKURAO BREWERY & DISTILLERY' (Sakurao Brewery and Distillery Co., Ltd.)

SAKURAO BREWERY & DISTILLERY, founded in 1918 in Sakurao, Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture, facing the World Heritage site Miyajima. Although whisky production was temporarily suspended, SAKURAO DISTILLERY was established in 2017 to challenge new possibilities in whisky and spirits making. They continue to challenge for the next 100 years, valuing the techniques and traditions cultivated over a long period.