Apart from the movement that originated in the United States, we would like to draw your attention to craft beer, which has been born out of the natural wine scene. Breweries are based in wine-producing regions, and are supported by vignerons (grape growers and winemakers) and sommeliers, joining the wine community.
Japanese natural wine importers who are familiar with the local situation are beginning to introduce it to the domestic market, which is why it is more likely to be found in restaurants and wine bars than in beer bars or beer specialty stores.
Some producers have transitioned from chefs and sommeliers to brewers, saying, "I want to make beer that can be enjoyed in restaurants, like wine." They are rooted in local areas and select safe, high-quality ingredients. Fermentation is done with wild yeast, bottling is done without filtering, secondary fermentation is done in the bottle, and barrel aging is done.
The brewing method, modeled on traditional European beer, is certainly compatible with natural wine. Winemakers are receiving barrels and lees from wineries, and even starting to brew beer themselves. This trend looks set to become even more interesting.
La Brasserie des Voirons (Savoy, France)
Focus on collaborations with wine producers
The company operates a restaurant in Geneva and a brewery on the slopes of Mount Voiron, close to the source of Evian water. Its owner, Christophe, is a skilled chef and sommelier who has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants in various European cities.
The beer is fermented slowly with minimal added sugar and aged on the lees in barrels belonging to a Savoie natural wine producer. With a beautiful acidity and a lingering citrus finish, it has a refreshing taste like the wind blowing through the Savoie valley.
Cyclic Beer Farm (Catalonia, Spain)
A Spanish urban brewery pursuing "acidity"
This winemaker is a symbol of the cross-culture of wine and beer. At their urban brewery near Barcelona, they brew sour ales and lambics, which have aromas and sourness derived from fermentation.
In 2019, they also began brewing wine using purchased grapes. The "Saison" is made by blending 100% organic Belgian barley with fermenting beer and three types of saison with different aging periods and sugar content, and then bottling it. It has a tangy taste with a fragrant, rich flavor.
Too Meet Too Tall (Tasmania, Australia)
Expressing terroir with local ingredients and "wild fermentation"
This microbrewery is located in Tasmania, Australia's southernmost wine-producing region. All of the ingredients are sourced from the island of Tasmania. Breweries that use locally sourced ingredients, from grains to hops, are rare even in the world.
The brewers themselves call this "wild fermentation" process, in which the lid of the container is opened after alcoholic fermentation, creating an environment in which the wort can absorb the various microorganisms that live in the brewery and surrounding area. As a result, a unique sourness and complex flavor is developed. At the time of bottling, unfermented wort is added and a secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle.
Brasserie de la Pigeonnaire (Loire, France)
Wine producers highly praise "Barley Petillant"
This brewery was founded in 2003 by two brothers who came into contact with the world of natural wine through their work importing Belgian beer. All ingredients are organic, and the yeast is cultivated in-house. Crafted without filtration or pasteurization, the beer has been praised by natural wine lovers and producers alike as a "barley petillant (slightly sparkling)." Their flagship beer, Loirette, is a light and refreshing drink made with 100% malt wort and a balanced blend of Alsace and British hops.
Alaric (France/Languedoc)
100% organic, soft water brewed for a delicate taste
"Ingredients are sourced from all over the world, but water is rooted in the earth." Established in 2016 by a former sommelier and wine wholesaler, Alaric makes use of France's unique soft water and brews beer that makes the most of the natural flavors of organic ingredients.
"Triple Gran Bio" is a strong ale with an alcohol content of 8.5% that is made using three types of barley: barley, wheat, and rye, and is modeled after Trappist beer. It has a rich, full-bodied flavor that will satisfy even the most discerning beer enthusiasts.
Zago Birra (Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy)
Pioneer of Italian craft beer
A beer importer in Northern Italy that has been in business for generations has been brewing beer since 1996. The hybrid beer is made using Italian ingredients and a recipe handed down since the Middle Ages in a Florentine monastery, brewed at historic breweries in Belgium and Germany. Hops, which influence the flavor of the beer, are grown in-house without pesticides and are used without freezing. The Original Eye, released after aging in a cantina in Friuli, is an extra-strong beer with an alcohol content of 11%.
