Japan’s Spring Valley launches a seasonal cinnamon-flavoured beer inspired by the traditional Xmas cake

Kirin’s major craft-focused sub-brand, Spring Valley, has launched a winter-limited beer infused with a festive twist inspired by Germany’s traditional Christmas treat, stollen.

Tapping into Japan’s appetite for seasonal novelties the brew, called “Hanayagu Fuyu Kaori”, or “Brilliant Winter Fragrance,” incorporates cinnamon, a key ingredient in stollen, into the beverage.

The aromatic spice is added during the brewing process, producing a rich taste that balances sweetness and bitterness.

Japanese consumers are regularly exposed to seasonal offerings, with everything from burgers to sweets appearing in limited-time editions. This new release from Spring Valley extends this trend into the craft beer sector. According to the brewery taster, Natsuki Gojo, the beer’s cinnamon-forward aroma was instantly noticeable, calling the flavour “comforting and refreshing.”

Stollen is a dense, sweetish bread typically baked with almonds, nuts and dried fruit, and often dusted with powdered sugar. Gojo has tested how the beer paired with an actual slice of the German dessert, and claims that their shared spice note helps to bridge the gap between the stollen’s sweetness and the beer’s inherent bitterness. “They feel perfectly natural together,” she said.

To capitalise on the festive season and the synergy between stollen and beer, Spring Valley’s brewery pubs in Tokyo and Kyoto were serving an Afternoon Craft Beer event that featured an etagere stand of sweets paired with a glass of Hanayagu Fuyu Kaori and two other Spring Valley brews until the end of December.

Spring Valley Hanayagu Fuyu Kaori will also remain on shelves in Japanese supermarkets and convenience stores for a while longer. Although there is no end date for retail sales, the beer is designated as a winter-only product.