Yamaguchi brewery launches pumpkin-flavored craft beer made from local Kurimasaru

Isokane Jyozo, a Yamaguchi-based craft brewery, released Harvest Gold, a pumpkin-infused beer that highlights the locally grown Kurimasaru kabocha from Ajisu. After moving to its own facility in June 2026, the company experimented with pumpkin paste to achieve a gentle, rounded taste distinct from traditional simmered pumpkin dishes. President Hiroki Isokane noted the challenge of marrying the pumpkin’s character with the beer’s bitterness.

The product is available in 350-ml cans for 800 yen at the Michi no Eki Kirara Ajisu rest stop and through the brewery’s e-shop. Shigeaki Matsusaki of the Ajisu kabocha producers' association welcomed the innovation, hoping it will raise awareness of the declining pumpkin growers in the area.