Spicy seasoning “Kanzuri” becomes craft beer! Offered at restaurants in Nakamachi, Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture

A craft beer made with Kanzuri, a pungent spicy seasoning that is a specialty of Myoko City, Niigata Prefecture, is now available. What does it taste like?

This is “KAZETORA,” a craft beer made with kanzuri. It was developed by Smoke & Beer Orion, a restaurant located in Nakamachi 4-chome, Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture.

Owner
Aroma of red pepper and yuzu, a little saltiness. The aroma and taste of kanzuri comes out well, making it a beer that goes well with a variety of dishes. It’s not too spicy, so even those who don’t like spicy food can enjoy it.

The owner has had experience making craft beer at breweries in and out of the county and serving it in his restaurant. This is the first time he has used local products.

Owner
I came to Joetsu and encountered kanzuri, and I had the idea for five years. Both kanzuri and beer go well with a variety of dishes, so I thought it would be delicious to combine the two.

Brewing was done last December at “Tsumari Beer” in Tokamachi City. More than 10 prototypes were made, including heating the kanzuri and different maturation periods. As a result, 3 kg of “nama-kanzuri” was added per 500 liters, which has a stronger aroma and flavor than normal kanzuri, and the aroma is just right.

Fazetora has been available at Smoke & Beer Orion since February of this year; a 480-milliliter serving costs 1,390 yen and a 260-milliliter serving costs 790 yen (tax included).

The bottle type will also be available from Tuesday, April 1. The bottle design was created by the brewer Tsumari Beer. The red and white color scheme is based on the image of the snow-covered peppers, the raw material for kanzuri, and is a Japanese design. It is available at Orion for 1,300 yen (tax included) for a 330ml bottle, as well as at Niigata Sake and Rice Maidoya, a sake store in Joetsu City, and Juniya, a sake store in Myoko City. *Open price for sake stores.

Owener
I hope this will be an opportunity for both kanzuri and craft beer to spread. This is the first beer using kanzuri, and I hope that many people in the region will drink it. I hope that many people in the region will drink this first beer made with kanzuri and use it as a souvenir to take back home.

The restaurant is also planning a second kanzuri beer, which will have a refreshing taste for summer.