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Kirin Harekaze

Kirin Brewery
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🌍 Japan · Pale Lager · One of 103 Pale Lagers in hopIQ

Kirin Harekaze, labelled Kirin Beer Harekaze (晴れ風), launched on 2 April 2024 as Kirin's first new beer brand in 17 years. It is an all-malt lager hopped with the rare Japanese variety IBUKI, added late so the aroma stays gentle, while mashing and fermentation are tuned to hold back acidity. The 2026 overhaul brought in a second, cooling hop. It pours a clear gold. Soft grain sweetness leads, joined by a mild citrus note from the hops and a smooth, rounded palate, before a clean and firm finish.

ABV
5%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Citrus hop bitterness
SRM
pale gold4

AWARDS

Gold · 2024
International Beer Challenge
Lager
Bronze · 2026
Japan Great Beer Awards
Gold — International Beer Challenge (Lager)
Bronze — Japan Great Beer Awards
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Where this beer sits· Four axes, the same for every beer in hopIQ.
Body
Lean body.
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
Dry finish.
drysweet
Bitterness
Soft bitterness.
mildbitter
Texture
Crisp mouthfeel.
crispcreamy

A sharp texture drives the beer — a clean, direct pour with room for the palate to fill in.

Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Pale Lager.
Hop character
citrusy
noble hop
Malt character
malty
Fermentation & yeast
clean

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Kirin Harekaze

Appearance

Pours a clear, luminous pale gold with bright transparency. A white head forms and settles to a thin collar with moderate lacing that clings gently to the glass. Carbonation is visible and steady, befitting a well-attenuated lager.

pale goldcrystal clearfine carbonation

Aroma

The nose leads with soft grain sweetness and a gentle malt character. The rare Japanese IBUKI hop adds a restrained citrus note—present but never assertive, allowing the clean malt foundation to remain in focus. There is no yeasty or adjunct character; the profile stays delicate and approachable.

soft grainmild citrusnoble-hop restraint

Taste

Entry presents a light, rounded malt sweetness that does not cloy. The mid-palate develops with a subtle citrus thread and smooth texture, the result of careful mashing and fermentation tuning that holds back acidity. Bitterness is low and integrated, finishing clean without harshness.

rounded malt sweetnesssmooth palateclean bitterness

Finish

The finish is clean and firm, with a dry, crisp closing note. Aftertaste remains light and brief, allowing no lingering astringency or fatigue.

clean, crisp finishdry aftertaste
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
76
Taste
78
Appearance
80
Finish
78
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Kirin Harekaze

Serve at 4–7°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve well-chilled at 4–6°C. Carbonation and crispness are the main event — cold preserves both.

Stein
Recommended for this style

The sturdy German stein maintains temperature and keeps carbonation intact. Built for long, convivial drinking.

Store cold and drink fresh. Lagers are at their crispest within 3–4 months.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Kirin Harekaze

About Pale Lager

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Pale Lager?

Euro Pale Lagers are clean, refreshing lagers with 4–5.5% ABV and IBU 10–25. Soft malt sweetness, light hop bitterness and high carbonation make them supremely drinkable.

Finding a similar Pale Lager

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same clean, malty, smooth character as Kirin Harekaze will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Pale Lagers in hopIQ

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