The craft beer industry was built on innovation, risk taking and camaraderie between brewers as they tried to compete with major beer companies that dominated the market. The close bond between small brewers led to sharing of ideas, recipes and even ingredients. Over the past 10 years, craft brewers have realized that collaborating on special-release beers is not only something fun to do, but also a way to create new, exciting beers that the public loves.

A collaboration, or collab, beer entails two brewers creating a new recipe and brewing it at one of their breweries. Many collab beers are wild experiments that allow partners to share brewing techniques and ingredient ideas with one another. For the consumer, collab beers are not just adventurous, they allow people to drink a beer made by some of their favorite breweries and brewers.

These collab beers have become so popular that you can find a new release nearly every week. Craft breweries have realized the immense selling power of joining brands. One could even say that the collaboration beer has become so trendy that it is at times overdone. With so many collab beers being released every month, the special-ness of these releases has lost some appeal.

But there are still collaborations that produce amazing beers. One recent release is the product of three breweries from different parts of the globe: Japanese brewery Coedo, San Diego-based Stone Brewing and Garage Project from New Zealand. Their product is a delicious Belgian-style saison called Tsuyu.

The beer is named after the “plum rains” that typically fall during the ume (Japanese plum) harvest season. Brewed at Coedo just outside Tokyo, the beer is infused with American Jarrylo hops, New Zealand Motueka hops, and ume and shiso (red perilla) leaves. It is then aged in just-emptied New Zealand chardonnay barrels.

The resulting Tsuyu Saison is a mix of subtle fruit notes, oak and soft, breadlike grain flavors. It is light in color with a pinkish hue from the ume. A burst of carbonation as it is poured carries fragrant aromas of pears, apricots and nectarines. Take time to appreciate these scents — they carry through into the flavor, accentuated by delicate chardonnay notes of light oak and peaches.

Although it is high in alcohol at 9 percent alcohol by volume, this beer is very light on the palate and dry.

Tsuyu Saison is an exquisite example of how brewers can combine ideas and techniques to brew a completely new beer to perfection. Although it isn’t an inexpensive purchase (about $28 for a 21.3-ounce bottle), it is worth the splurge. Find it in specialty craft beer shops.

Tim Golden, a certified cicerone and co-owner of Village Bottle Shop & Tasting Room, shares his obsession with all things craft beer monthly. See his blog, “Beer in Hawaii,” at beerinhawaii.com.