If possible, I want to use all domestic fruits.

I have been saying that for years, time and time again. We used to make a standard mead called Antelope Sling, which always used pineapples from the Philippines. There were moments when I felt disgusted with myself for only looking at the one-dimensional factor of price.

So, since last year, we have been searching for pineapple farmers, and we were introduced to a wonderful farmer named Mr. Kudaka by Hey, a hamburger shop in Okinawa, and we went to meet him.

He was a sunny person, overflowing with smiles.
He was a wonderful person who taught us kindly and carefully about craftsmanship and what his pineapples are all about.

"Please let us work with your pineapples,"

I asked, and we were able to brew pineapple mead twice this season.
One is already brewed and resting in a wooden barrel.
The other is this Wakatu.


〈Okinawa→Yasu〉
Yusuke went to meet him, and here are his comments.

Mr. Kudaka is a shaven-headed, bearded man with a gentle way of speaking. He is a playful person who loves cheesecake and only drinks black coffee and water.

He used to be a massage therapist, but he had long been interested in agriculture and became a pineapple farmer after taking over the work his grandfather had been doing.

Aside from planting seedlings, he basically harvests, packs, and delivers within the prefecture all by himself.It takes two years for pineapple seedlings to bear fruit, and even if he plants nearly 10,000 seedlings at a time, harvesting 80% is considered a good result.

Last year, heavy rains caused root rot in fields with poor drainage.Other problems include wild boars eating the new shoots and crows pecking at the fruit.Fences to enclose the fields and netting to protect the fruit are essential.

After harvesting a truckload of pineapples, we went to a nearby cafeteria for lunch. The pineapple frozen dessert after the meal was superb.

He even gave us souvenirs for everyone at the brewery, saying he hadn't prepared anything else.He also showed us the fruit they eat at home themselves. He said he would send us bananas and shequasar as well.


〈Tasting Note〉
A clear, deep golden color. Behind a complex aroma with a hint of acetic acid lies a ripe flavor like heated pineapple. A firm acidity provides the structure, and a candy-like sweetness rises sharply on the finish. It’s good served well-chilled, but it’s also interesting at 12°C.

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Style: Melomel
ABV: 6%
Carbonation: Yes
Volume: 500ml
Ingredients: Domestic honey, Okinawa pineapple and shequasar
Sweetness (1-10 scale): 3 (Semi-Dry)
Recommended serving temperature: Well-chilled (4-8°C)

〈Mead making〉
Honey and pineapple are mixed, and yeast is added to ferment. Toward the end of fermentation, shequasar juice and peel are steeped to extract the aroma. After racking and fining, the mead is pasteurized. It is then carbonated and bottled.

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