"IWAI CILANTRO ALE" is a craft beer made for Asian cuisine! Enjoy it on draft.

We want to make a craft beer that pairs perfectly with Asian cuisine! We started with the idea of making a beer that pairs perfectly with spicy Thai food and herb-rich Vietnamese food...»Continue Reading

■ I want to make a craft beer that pairs perfectly with Asian cuisine!

The development of IWAI CILANTRO ALE began with the desire to create a beer that would go perfectly with spicy Thai cuisine and herb-rich Vietnamese cuisine. We started by searching for ingredients used in Asian cuisine that would also go well with beer brewing. The ingredients we arrived at were "jasmine rice" and "three types of spices and herbs."

Jasmine rice is a type of Thai rice grown in the highlands of Thailand, known for its sweet and fragrant aroma. Using jasmine rice, which goes well with dishes like green curry, adds a rice-derived aroma similar to the ginjo aroma of sake, giving the beer a sweet, dry flavor.

■Add character to the aroma! We use three spices and herbs associated with Asian cuisine.

❶Cilantro
Cilantro (coriander) is an essential herb in Thai cuisine. It has a vivid, grassy aroma and has many enthusiastic fans known as "cilantroists." Dried coriander leaves are used in the brewing process.

❷By McCrew
Bai Makru, the leaves of the kaffir lime citrus fruit, has a strong, refreshing citrus scent and is a fragrant herb used in a variety of Southeast Asian dishes, including tom yum goong.

❸Cloves
Cloves, which are often used in drinks such as sangria and chai, are a unique spice with a sweet, rich aroma similar to vanilla, a spicy kick, and a slight bitterness.

Using these three herbs and spices in the brewing process, we crafted a beer character that pairs perfectly with Asian cuisine. The spicy, citrusy flavors of coriander and bay leaves are complemented by the sweet aftertaste of cloves and the slightly sweet aroma and sharpness of jasmine rice, resulting in a crisp, smooth beer!

■Enjoy a new beer experience by pairing it with Asian cuisine!

Iwai Cilantro Ale is available as draft beer at four Asian restaurants in Tokyo and Yokohama. It pairs well with classic dishes like green curry and gapao rice, as well as dishes made with plenty of spices and coriander, like herb- and vegetable-packed banh xeo (Vietnamese okonomiyaki) and Thai-style roast chicken "gai yang."

【A restaurant where you can enjoy IWAI CILANTRO ALE】
・GINGER GRASS(SHINJUKU) http://gingergrass.jp
・DADAI(SHIBUYA) http://dadai.jp
・Madam Mỹ (GINZA) http://madammy.jp
・BETELNUT(YOKOHAMA) http://betelnut.jp