Brewery in Mie taps gluten-free, rice-based imitation beer
Yasuo Michiguchi, right, and Nobuo Nozaki from the brewery Rice Hack at the Kuwana city government office in Mie Prefecture on April 14 (Yutaka Suzuki)
KUWANA, Mie Prefecture—A brewery here has produced a gluten-free imitation beer brewed exclusively from rice and containing no major allergens or animal-derived ingredients.
Oryvia was developed by brewery Rice Hack, led by President Yasuo Michiguchi, 35, under the concept of a 'beer for all.'
Michiguchi spent nine years creating Oryvia.
Supported by Nobuo Nozaki, 48, a director at Rice Hack and president of Nagoya-based confectionery maker Nozaki Seika, Michiguchi refined his brewing skills through training at a winery and a beer brewery in Australia as well as a sake maker in Fukui Prefecture.
By March this year, Michiguchi had obtained all the needed licenses and permits for liquor sales, alcoholic drink production and related business activities.
Michiguchi's goal was to make an easy-to-drink beverage for any consumer.
With rice as its main ingredient, Oryvia avoids the harsh taste of malt and appeals to drinkers who do not like beer's bitterness.
Oryvia also eliminates gluten from barley and wheat as well as 28 specified allergenic food items or animal-derived materials from its ingredient list.
It is safe to drink for people with gluten sensitivity, allergies and a vegan preference, Michiguchi said.
He came up with the idea amid an overall decline in rice consumption in Japan, which now faces a shortage of the staple.
'The prolonged rice shortage this time has stemmed, at least in part, from farmers' unwillingness to grow the crop due to insufficient consumption in recent years,' he said. 'I wanted to address the issue by using rice as the material for our brew.'
Michiguchi is also looking to take advantage of defatted rice bran from the production process of rice oil--a local specialty in Kuwana--along with broken grains that cannot be sold in the market.
He thereby hopes to reduce food waste, too.
The name Oryvia was inspired by 'oryza,' Latin for 'rice,' and the English word 'beer.'
Five varieties in the Oryvia line are expected to be released this year. The first will be Miyabi, priced at 770 yen ($5.40) after tax, which is scheduled to be released by the end of May.
Miyabi boasts a classic hop-flavored taste, with a flavor so close to genuine beer that one would not notice it is made with rice, Rice Hack said.
The refreshing So bottle and Rin, characterized by a clear aroma, will hit the market around summer, the company said. The sake-like Nagomi and the rich-flavored Jun are expected in autumn and winter, respectively.
They all fall under the 'happoshu' imitation beer category under the liquor tax law.
Rice Hack's brewing facility in the Nagashimacho district of Kuwana has a weekly production capacity of 500 liters. The company is considering increasing output at some point.
'The market for gluten-free products is growing the world over, including increased demand for gluten-free beer,' Michiguchi said. 'Few brewers produce gluten-free beer in Japan now, which means the emerging market holds great potential for growth.'
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