Tohoku Students Brew Up New Beer Label for Great Dane Brewing

Tohoku University students have designed a new beer label as part of a Tohoku University collaborative project with Great Dane Brewing - a recently opened brewery and restaurant in Sendai. The label will feature on an upcoming limited edition beer.

"Using watercolors to create a sophisticated but vibrant look, we have created a label featuring two panels, one that pays homage to the origins of Great Dane Brewing, and one that visualizes the things that make its new home famous," explained Francis Turner, an exchange student from the UK.

A rural retreat with hot springs in abundance, and located roughly 30 minutes from Sendai Station, Akiu was a favorite of Lord Date Masamune, the Daimyo who founded Sendai. The label pays tribute to this by incorporating Masamune's signature eyepatch and gold-crescent over the Great Dane logo.

To gain inspiration for the label, students visited Akiu and Great Dane Brewing back in June.

Students walked along the Natori River, where they came across the heart shape indent located close to the Rairaikyo Gorge, trying their luck at tossing coins into the heart. They also went to the Tenshukaku Nature Park, where they fed carps and soaked their feet in the array of ashiyus - Japanese foot baths - before sampling the plethora of local produce and crafts on offer at Akiu Village.

"I had visited Akiu before to try its world-famous hot springs, but on this occasion, I was able to experience some hidden gems that bolstered my image of Akiu as a tranquil and peaceful place, with lots of friendly locals," said Sarika Otsuka, a graduate student at the Graduate School of Life Sciences.

To cap off their visit, the four students headed to Great Dane Brewing where they got to see first-hand the brewing process. Rob and the staff gave them a taste of fresh malt, described the difference between a lager and ale, and demonstrated using the beer's natural carbonation to push unwanted air out of the beer (where things got a little wet).

"Watching the brewing process up close and seeing how they carefully select and blend ingredients to cultivate unique flavors was fascinating," said Avin Sharma, an undergraduate student at the School of Engineering. "What also stood out to me was the passion and dedication of Rob, and how he has strived to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere at the brewery."

After the tour, the students had the opportunity to talk with Rob over beer samples and a Wisconsin staple - fried cheese curds. Students tapped into Rob's extensive knowledge about the beer industry, asking why he chose Sendai for his latest venture.

"Madison is the capital of Wisconsin, while Sendai is the capital of the Tohoku Region. Both cities host major universities - Madison is home to the University of Wisconsin, and Sendai, Tohoku University. Given our strong ties to the local community in Madison, we felt we could establish a similar connection in Sendai," he explained.

The beer will make its debut at Mitsukoshi at the end of September and will be sold at Tohoku University's annual homecoming day.

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