A Fresno brewery is celebrating international friendship with the release of a Japanese-inspired rice lager, created in partnership with South Horizon Brewing of Kochi, Japan.

South of Shaw Beer Company will debut the collaborative brew on Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m. in its taproom at 1755 Broadway St.

The event will feature fusion-style pizza, a sushi truck, and community guests including local and state leaders, business figures, and members of the Sister Cities program.

The partnership stems from Fresno’s decades-old Sister Cities relationship with Kochi, the largest of Fresno’s seven sister cities. Doug Dart, owner and partner of South of Shaw, said the idea was to swap top-selling beers rather than duplicate recipes.

“We like the idea from counter-culture,” Dart said. “Why don’t you try to make my No. 1 beer in America over there in Kochi, and we will make your No. 1 from Kochi here in America?”

While these collaborations are fun, Dart said they can also be challenging due to each country’s unique regulations and limited access to certain grains or ingredients — factors that, in his view, add to the excitement.

The Collaboration Yields a Winner

The result of the collaboration is a Japanese rice lager with Northern Brewer, Cascade, Chinook and Simcoe hops, producing bright fruit notes, low bitterness and a clean, slightly fuller finish. While the beer is already on tap, it won’t be available for sale until the celebration begins.

“This is one that almost everybody would like,” Dart said, describing it as a light-bodied beer with subtle citrus and berry notes.

Dart emphasized the broader goal behind the collaboration: Strengthening community ties through cultural exchange. “The beer is always the featured thing, but really what we’re doing is bringing communities together,” he said.

Dart said Kochi has been a sister city of Fresno for over 40 years, a relationship symbolized by a gift of the Japanese Garden main gate at Woodward Park.

Dart hopes the collaboration helps a new generation rediscover the spirit of international connection.

“We figure if you’re drinking a beer, you’re probably talking more anyway,” he said.

The limited-edition lager will remain on tap until it runs out.

Learn more about the event here.

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