Echigo Koshihikari Rice Lager

Last Updated 2/1/2021

Echigo was the first microbrewery from Japan. Their koshihikari rice lager is their flagship product and a beer every drinker should know.

Echigo is the ultimate rice beer. And it’s also more affordably priced than every other Japanese craft brew.

This post will discuss where you can get Echigo beer, including sponsored delivery options. You’ll also get tasting notes, the technical details, food pairing recommendations, and service suggestions.

Where to Buy Koshihikari Echigo Beer

Japanese micro-brews are not always easy to find in the US. Echigo Koshihikari has become an exception in many major cities, and online delivery is often an option as well.

Japanese restaurants and izakayas are good places to look for Echigo. This beer has a lower price-point than many of its competitors and that savings are passed on to the customer.

Another good source for Echigo rice beer is from Asian grocers. Japanese retailers are especially worth checking. Large alcohol retailers like Total Wine, BevMo!, Binny’s, and even Costco may also carry Echigo beers.

Of all the craft Japanese beers on the market, Echigo rice lager is the most widely distributed, along with Hitachino White Ale.

If you want some Echigo beer today, check out the affiliate retailers below.

Is Echigo Beer Gluten Free?

Although Echigo Koshihikari is made with rice, it also contains malted barley and wheat. Therefore it is not gluten-free.

Food Pairing and Service

Echigo Koshihikari is an izakaya and sushi bar standout. Oily fish like salmon and mackerel are a particularly good match. Yakitori and chicken karaage are also delicious with Echigo beer.

Echigo is mellow and won’t clash with anything. But it also has a mild savory malt character that pairs nicely with most any cuisine that’s not too heavy, and even then it will remain refreshing. 

Finally, like any good beer, a glass of some sort will give you a significantly improved tasting experience. Echigo Koshihikari is made in a German pilsner style (despite using rice and wheat). So if you have one, a pilsner glass is the best choice.

Echigo Koshihikari Rice Beer for Beverage Buyers

This Echigo beer is a big step up in quality from the big-name Japanese lagers, but it also doesn’t come with the heavy price of its craft brew competitors.

A 500 ml bottle usually wholesales for around $4 ($0.25/oz.). Charging $11 or $12 for it on-premise (in a restaurant) will produce a high cost (33-36%), but more importantly, more profit ($7-$8) than cheaper beers. Cost figures that high will scare some buyers and accountants. But it’s important to remember that profit is what drives a program and pays the owners and staff.

In Seattle, I ran a beverage program where we charged $14 per 500 ml bottle. And we would buy at least a case per week for meet demand.

Cans of 330 ml Echigo Koshihikari are an even better performer in terms of cost.

In terms of profit, it compares very well against Sapporo, Asahi, and Kirin. You may not sell as many of them though, so it’s important to have a lower-price option for customers to order next.

It’s really a slam dunk for beverage directors and consumers of Japanese beer.

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The Echigo Beer Brewery

Brewery: Echigo Beer  (エチゴビール)  

Location: Niigata, Niigata  EST: 1994

Official Site  

The Echigo Beer company was created by the excellent Uehara sake brewery (Echigo Tsurukame 越後鶴亀) shortly after Japan loosened its strict macro-centric beer brewing regulations.

More recently, Echigo (越後) was bought out by Bourbon (ブルボン), an industrial confectionery producer. Echigo brews a range of beers from Germanic Pilsner to American-style IPAs. They’re all worth checking out when you find them.