[Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture/Dogo] Cheers with beer after taking a bath! Enjoy beer in a hot spring area

Historic Dogo Onsen and the specialty of beer after bathing

Dogo Onsen in Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture is known as Japan's oldest hot spring. Since its renovation in 1899, it has gone through many eras, and is a hot spring that is loved by everyone, including locals and tourists visiting Dogo.

Dogo Onsen Honkan was the first public bath in Japan to be designated as an important cultural property in 1994. Important cultural properties that you can bathe in are very interesting.

(Dogo Onsen Main Building.Currently under renovation, scheduled to reopen in summer 2024.)

After relaxing in a hot spring while feeling the history, wouldn't you want to drink some delicious beer?

At times like these, please try Dogo Beer.

``Dogo Beer'' was born as a local beer in Dogo Onsen and is popular as ``beer after taking a bath.'' You can see the name everywhere in Dogo.

Dogo Beer is produced by Minakuchi Sake Brewery, a sake brewery founded in 1899 in Dogo. This liquor store is one year older than Dogo Onsen.

Incorporating the sake brewing techniques that Mizuguchi Sake Brewery has cultivated over its 120-year history, it is produced in small quantities, and each batch is finished and shipped within about a week, making it a beer that can only be enjoyed in this location. .

Craft beer is popular all over Japan, but Dogo Beer's commitment is to create a ``local beer'' with an emphasis on refreshingness and smoothness, perfect for ``quenching your dry throat after taking a bath.'' If you drink it, the beer delivered directly from the brewery will refresh and soothe your thirst after taking a bath.

This is a 330ml bottle that can be purchased at stores. The logo is printed directly on the beer bottle, making it a really cute start.

After use, the bottles are collected, washed, and reused. A culture of returnable bottles had already been born in Japan during the Meiji period, when glass bottles became widely used. Currently, the use of bottles is decreasing due to the diversification of containers and changes in lifestyles, but the circulation system for returnable bottles is being reevaluated in the movement toward a sustainable society. Approximately 30% of Dogo Beer bottles can be collected and reused.

Original blown glass mugs are also made using Dogo beer bottles.

Dogo Beer's unique friends

There are several types of Dogo beer, and the four standard styles sold year-round are ``Kölsch, Alt, Stout, and Weizen.'' Let's take a closer look at the characteristics of each of these four. Find your favorite beer from our unique group of friends.

Also worth noting is that each beer has a common name associated with the novel ``Botchan'', which is set in Dogo. Natsume Soseki, the author of Botchan, is said to have loved Dogo Onsen and visited it almost every day.

Dogo Beer “Kölsch” (commonly known as Botchan Beer)

The first is Dogo beer "Kölsch". It is commonly known as "Botchan Beer".

Made with light-colored malt and only the most strained wort, it has a fruity aroma and is characterized by a crisp and refreshing taste.

This beer is named after the main character of the novel "Botchan", and among the four standard Dogo beers, it is especially recommended for the first drink after taking a bath.

Dogo Beer “Alto” ​​(commonly known as Madonna Beer)

The second is Dogo beer “Alto”. It is commonly known as "Madonna Beer".

Made with plenty of carefully selected high-quality malt and caramel malt, this beer has a deep reddish-brown color and a subtle sweetness and richness.

It is named after ``Madonna,'' who appears as the only heroine in the novel ``Botchan.'' It's a good idea to drink while imagining Madonna, who is described in the novel as a ``fair-skinned, high-cut, tall, beautiful woman.''

Dogo Beer “Stout” (commonly known as Soseki Beer)

The third is Dogo Beer "Stout". It is commonly known as "Soseki Beer".

It has a roasted aroma and firm bitterness, and is characterized by its deep color and rich, authentic flavor.

Stout's common name is named after Natsume Soseki, the author of the novel "Botchan." The depth of flavor and massive image that can be felt from beer is somehow superimposed on the portrait of Soseki sitting heavily on a chair with a beard.

Dogo Beer “Weizen” (commonly known as Nobosan Beer)

The fourth is Dogo beer "Weizen." It is commonly known as "Nobosan Beer".

Made with wheat malt, it has a low bitterness, a pleasant texture, and a fruity banana aroma. Perfect for those who like easy-drinking beer.

``Nobosan'' is the nickname of Masaoka Shiki, a haiku poet from Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture (then Iyokuni Onsen District), who Natsume Soseki looked up to as his mentor. Shiki Masaoka was an avid baseball player when baseball was introduced to Japan, and is said to be one of the people who popularized baseball in Japan. Weizen's pleasant and soft feel overlaps with Nobosan's soft demeanor.

Enjoy a toast after your bath with your favorite beer!

How do you like it? Have you found the beer you want to try? It's fun to choose unique beers to match your mood that day.

Here we have introduced the four standard types of Dogo Beer, but depending on the timing, you may be able to enjoy limited-time types. You can also enjoy comparing drinks in small glasses at Minakuchi Sake Brewery's directly managed store. You can also find your favorite beer here.

The article below introduces Mizuguchi Sake Brewery's directly managed stores where you can enjoy Dogo beer. *The photo above is the "drinking comparison set" at Dogo Beer Museum Annex.

・Dogo Beer Museum https://matcha-jp.com/jp/17929

・Dogo Beer Museum Annex https://matcha-jp.com/jp/18373

There are many places to purchase Dogo Beer in the Dogo Shopping District and other places in Ehime Prefecture, so it's a good idea to take some home with you as a souvenir.

Let's say "Cheers!" after taking a bath with your favorite Dogo beer!

*This article is information as of March 2024.