It seems the honey-lemon drink became popular in Japan in 1986. Last year, I released "Hachiroku Lemon," a mead I created to interpret that honey-lemon flavor in an accessible way, using honey, lemons, and ginger.
I felt that if I had made this product back in 1986, I would have named it "Hachiroku" (86) because, well, it was '86! That just felt like what that era was all about.
Last year's version was sweet, 4% ABV, and carbonated. My theme was accessibility, and it turned out to be the most approachable flavor yet.

This time, I focused on making a "mead that can be enjoyed warm," so I increased the ABV slightly and skipped the carbonation🍋
Since higher alcohol content usually makes people add "Super" or "Ultra" to a name—a very 1980s trope—I followed that lead and called it Super 86 Lemon.


〈Uwajima, Kochi → Yasu ← Yasu〉

The ginger used this time is from our usual source in Kochi Prefecture. For the lemons, we used Michitani lemons from Miyamoto Farm in Uwajima—a citrus staple for us—along with green lemons from Lakes Farm in Yasu.

It’s a project where I can see the faces of every producer, and it gives me a warm feeling, as if everyone had stopped by the brewery.
The ginger and Michitani lemons were soaked in honey for several days to extract their fragrance before fermentation. I finished it off by adding a touch of the green lemon's fresh, zesty scent, while also incorporating its bitterness. It's a slightly more mature finish than last time.


〈Tasting Note〉
8% ABV. Honey sweetness runs alongside lemon bitterness. The aroma features crisp ginger, lemon peel, and white flowers. It’s lovely chilled in a wine glass with an appetizer, or warmed up for a slow, relaxing evening.


---

Style: Speciality
ABV: 8%
Carbonation: None (slight micro-effervescence)
Content: 500ml
Ingredients: Honey (from Myanmar), Ginger, Lemon
Sweetness (10-point scale): 6 (Sweet)
Serving Temperature: Well-chilled (4-8℃) or warmed (40-55℃)
Pairing: Shrimp salad, chicken steak, or warmed with cookies

〈Mead making〉
Ginger and lemons were roughly chopped and soaked in honey. They were removed from the honey before fermentation. Just before fermentation finished, blanched green lemon peels were steeped in the mead. After pasteurization, it was bottled. Due to the process, a tiny amount of carbonation remains.


〈Label〉
I got into a fun, warm mood and just had to draw it.
What if a dog became Superman? I want to share this mead with someone selfish and beloved... with a feeling of "thank you, always." I used green and deep orange with the holidays in mind.

0 commentson Brewer's Note: Super 86 Lemon