〈Brewer's Note〉Join Us day.3

We’ve decided to make Join Us again this year.
We make it every year, but since we used it for our fan event, this is an extension of that—Day 3. I thought it might be cool, like an arena show.

This is a mead very close to my heart, as the recipe was created together with the fans who always support ANTELOPE. After voting on various attractive recipe ideas, the winner was a sweet mead using figs and black pepper.

Last year we used late-season figs, but this year we used them at their peak. Because of the typhoons, Ishikawa Farm worked desperately to pick them just before they fell. They are nothing short of a blessed harvest.

As with last year, we had the fragrant Kampot pepper from Cambodia shipped directly from the source. I want to "Join Us" with some prosciutto or blue cheese 🕊
By the way, we added more types of pepper this year, including pink and white peppercorns, to add a layer of complexity compared to the last batch.

To ensure the complexity doesn't become overwhelming, this year we boiled only the fruit of the figs without using the leaves.

〈Lovers→Factory〉

The Kojien dictionary defines a fan as someone who favors a specific field, group, or individual in sports, theater, film, music, etc. While it warms my heart to think that there are people in Japan who favor us, there have been many days where I wondered what we would do if there weren't any.

That feeling was tucked away in the back of my mind, which is why I hesitated to hold a fan event. But because we’ve been able to keep running for these three years thanks to your daily support, I felt that if we were going to do it, it had to be this year.

When we opened the lid, we found many applicants from all over the country.

It’s more than just happiness—it’s warmth. It felt like a flame being lit deep within my heart. The day I spent with the fans who sparked that feeling was irreplaceable, and creating a recipe with all of you made me all the more excited.

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

This is a bottle where we gave everything we have. I hope you think, "Figs are delicious, black pepper is delicious, and mead is delicious." That would make me so happy.

〈Tasting Note〉

Deep gold. The transparent liquid carries an autumnal fig aroma, the freshness of top-tier Kampot pepper grown in the Cambodian soil, and a touch of smoke—this year, we've also extracted a spicy flavor. Nuances beyond mere sweetness remind us even more of late autumn.
It has pleasant carbonation and a sweetness reminiscent of Japanese confections, yet this year it captures the true essence of the fig.

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Style: Speciality

ABV: 10%

Carbonation: Yes

Content: 500ml

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

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

Serving temperature: Chilled (4-8℃)

〈Mead making〉

Like last year, we used the "bochet" style of boiling the honey. During the boiling process, we soaked the figs and pepper together to draw out their flavors and trap a hint of cooked aroma in the liquid.

The finish is spicier than last year, making the pepper notes easier to perceive.
In the final stage of fermentation, we soaked more figs in the batch to add even more complexity.

After pasteurization, we carbonated and bottled it.

〈Label Design〉

We used the same design as last year, but the label band is for "Day 2" to distinguish it from the previous one.

"On the design"
It feels a little different than before. I thought about drawing a person, but...
The meaning that emerged while I was drawing started to feel like it was being forced upon the viewer.
Additionally, it felt like the journey Antelope has taken and the encounters we've had are hard to represent in a shape. This is a different change of heart than usual.
I gathered ideas that were as abstract as possible—something that stays in the heart but doesn't necessarily stay in the head.
As I thought about it, I interpreted "Join Us" as a positive feeling that anyone can experience, and a desire for a warmth that lets people know this is a welcoming place.
It's an alcohol that can only be made by Antelope, because we value the idea that everyone is different. This mead, born from an idea by our fans, feels like something we have all shaped together.
Each of our individual colors. These colors fuse to create something new...
I’ve once again felt the preciousness of things born from free-thinking ideas.
I scattered many colors: the red and green of the figs, the black of the black pepper, plus pink, yellow, purple, and blue.
The fact that we held a fan meeting and then actually made a drink from it... it's truly amazing.
I want everyone to smile 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 serves as a starting point and a comfort to your heart.