〈Brewer's Note〉Join us

This mead holds a very special place in my heart, as the recipe was created together with the fans who always support ANTELOPE. From many attractive ideas, the majority vote chose a sweet mead made with figs and pepper.

We just barely managed to get the figs while they were in season, and for the pepper, we had high-quality Kampot pepper from Cambodia shipped directly from the source. I’d love for you to "joinus" in pairing this with some prosciutto or blue cheese.🕊

〈Lovers→Factory〉

The Kojien dictionary defines a fan as someone who favors a specific field, organization, or individual in areas like sports, theater, movies, or music. It warms my heart to think that there are people in Japan who favor us, but I have also had many days wondering what I would do if there weren’t any.

With those feelings tucked away in the back of my mind, I was hesitant to hold a fan event. But since we’ve managed to keep running for three years now thanks to your daily support, I told myself that if we were going to do it, this year was the time.

When we opened up applications, we were met with many applicants from all over the country.

More than happy, I felt warmed. It was as if a fire had been lit deep inside my heart. The day I spent with the fans who ignited that spark was irreplaceable, and that made me all the more excited to create this recipe with you all.

Figs and black pepper. Sweet. 10% ABV, carbonated.

This is a bottle where we’ve put everything we have into it. I hope you’ll find the figs delicious, the black pepper delicious, and the mead delicious.

〈Tasting Note〉

Deep gold. From this clear liquid comes the autumn-like aroma of figs, followed by the crispness and a hint of smoke from the world-class Kampot pepper nurtured in the soil of Cambodia. The nuance, which is more than just sweetness, evokes late autumn even further.
Pleasant carbonation with a sweetness reminiscent of Japanese wagashi. A finish with an "anko" (sweet bean paste) vibe. Complex.

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Style: Speciality

ABV: 10%

Carbonation: Yes

Volume: 500ml

Ingredients: Honey, figs, black pepper (Kampot pepper)

Sweetness (1-10 scale): 7 (Sweet)

Serving temperature: Chilled (4-8℃)

〈Mead making〉

We held the event right around the time the fig season was ending. I thought it would be impossible to get them, but we found Ishikawa Farm in Aichi Prefecture, who were still producing figs for processing.

"We can't ship processing figs, so you'll have to come pick them up yourselves."

Of course we did. The figs we brought back had an incredible sugar content and a robust aroma. I even brought back a large leaf after learning that fig leaves also have a nice scent—it smelled incredibly sweet right from the stem.
I want to try using those next year, too.🌿

For the black pepper, we used Kampot pepper from Raysfarm. It’s a top-tier black pepper that captivated Raysfarm’s representative, Reina, the very first time she tasted it—so much so that it made her want to work with pepper in Cambodia.

It’s great on things like rice with raw egg, and the way the fragrance blooms is incredible, no matter what you use it for. It carries a strong pepper character and a scent reminiscent of the rich, sweet notes of Madeira wine. We steeped this in the mead in two separate stages.

My goal was to bring out the nuances of the pepper while minimizing the spice as much as possible. How did it turn out? I hope it’s well-made.

〈Label Design〉

This was designed by Nari-chan, who has been with us for four years now.

"About the design"
It’s a bit different from our previous work. I considered drawing people, but...
I started to feel that the meaning born during the drawing process was somehow being forced onto the viewer.
Furthermore, I felt that ANTELOPE’s journey and the people we’ve met are hard to express in a fixed form... This is a change of heart, different from my usual approach.
I collected ideas for something abstract that would stay in your heart, but perhaps not in your head.
While thinking it over, I interpreted "joinus" as positive emotions that anyone is free to feel, and that I wanted the design to have a warmth that makes people feel that this is a welcoming place.
A drink that only ANTELOPE could make, valuing the idea that "every person has their own color."
This mead, born from the fans' ideas, is something we all shaped together.
The individual colors we each hold. As those colors blend together, something singular is created...
I am once again feeling the preciousness of things born from free and creative ideas.
I scattered many colors, starting with the red of the figs, green, and the black of the black pepper, along with pink, yellow, purple, and blue.
The fact that we could have a fan meeting and actually turn it into a drink... it’s truly amazing.
I want everyone to laugh and drink this together. I hope it brings a smile to those picking up an ANTELOPE drink for the first time. I hope this design becomes a starting point for that and serves as something that supports your heart.