Echigo Beer Company
Echigo Beer Company
AboutEchigo Beer Company
Echigo Beer opened its Niigata brewpub in February 1995, becoming the first Japanese microbrewery to launch after the country relaxed brewing-license rules. Its founder had worked as a stage actor in Europe and returned with the ambition to share the breadth of German beer culture from his home prefecture. A German picture-book artist he met abroad drew the smiling goat that appears on Echigo’s labels.
The brewery uses Niigata-grown Koshihikari rice in one of its signature lagers. Its wider range includes pilsner, red ale, stout, wheat beer and India pale ale.
Echigo Beer Koshihikari Rice Lager 500 mL
Japanese Beer
$8.99
Niigata-grown Koshihikari rice gives this lager a clean, delicate savoury quality and a notably smooth texture. Crisp and refreshing, it carries subtle sweetness through a light body before finishing dry and composed. Serve cold with sushi, sashimi, tempura, grilled fish or rice dishes.
Echigo Beer Flying IPA
Japanese Beer
$4.99
Refreshing citrus aroma meets a firm, direct line of hop bitterness in this American-style IPA. The profile remains light enough for the table, while grapefruit and mandarin-orange accents give the nose an energetic lift and the bitter finish stays purposeful. Serve cold with karaage, tempura, grilled pork, spicy noodles, citrus salads, mature cheddar or fried seafood.
Echigo Premium Red Ale 330 mL
Japanese Beer
$7.99
A clear red hue introduces a medium-bodied ale with a fine, measured bitterness. Citrus from the hops lifts the aroma, while deeper malt flavour and a rounded texture give the palate quiet weight. The finish remains smooth and refreshing, keeping richness and freshness in balance. Serve lightly chilled with roast pork, grilled sausages, glazed duck, aged cheddar, mushroom dishes or caramelized onion tart.