Beer notes: Sour Fuji and Dontoyare

April 7, 2025

I tried two new beers recently: Sour Fuji and Dontoyare IPA.

Sour Fuji

• Style: Hard Cider
• ABV: 5.5%

Green Neighbors Hard Cider of Iwate Prefecture offers three flagship flavors: Dry, Sour, and Light. I tried a special version of their Sour variety called Sour Fuji, made exclusively with Fuji apples from Iwate.

They aren’t kidding—this was extremely sour! It felt like a strong lemon drink, and a little too strong for my taste. I would certainly like to try their Dry or Light options next.

Dontoyare IPA

• Style: Hazy IPA or English IPA
• ABV: 5.5%

Dontoyare IPA (ドントヤレ IPA) from Hino Brewing in Saga Prefecture is described as having a light body balanced by a pleasant bitterness, with minimal sweetness and a smooth finish. I’m a little confused that their Instagram post calls it a Hazy IPA while their website calls it an English IPA. Maybe the terms aren’t mutually exclusive?

I thought this was just fine, though probably not something I’d go out of my way to have again. Would be interested in trying other selections from the brewery.