Mangosteen New Colony : Background Mangosteen New Colony is a 5.5% saison rom Mangosteen Brewing Lab, based in Hokuto, Yamanashi. It's part of their canned and draught lineup, and is also available throughout the year. According to the sales blurb, this version of Mangosteen New Colony was made using their favorite Saison yeast. When they usually make beer with this yeast, Mangosteen Brewing Lab tend to use a higher fermentation temperature to bring out the pleasant ester aroma, but this time they deliberately set the fermentation temperature lower to cultivate the ester aroma modestly.

Omishima Brewery : The Bottom Line There are no other craft beer breweries on the island, so it's not like you really have a choice if you want some craft beer. Though Omishima Brewery doesn't let you drink on site if you're cycling, it's still a lovely, little place to pick up some beers to takeaway back to the hotel. If you are staying in Omishima, then definitely get on down, though the narrow style of beers on tap might not be to the excitement of those looking for something new and hip.

Mangosteen Arise the Golden Hour : Background Mangosteen Arise the Golden Hour is a 6% Belgian IPA from Mangosteen Brewing Lab, based in Hokuto, Yamanashi. It's part of their colloborative lineup, with this beer having been brewed with Kakegawa Farm Brewing. At the time of writing, it's available in both cans and on draught, though for how long is unknown.

Background Utsui Brewery is a brewery located in the Utsui district of Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture and opened in June 2023. The brewery came about because there were no craft beer breweries and the area alongside the aim of providing employment support to people with disabilities in 2019, so the brewery was started with the aim of increasing the income of employees, creating a sense of fulfillment, and revitalizing the area.

Mangosteen Nakid Hiking : Background Mangosteen Nakid Hiking is a 6% farmhouse ale from Mangosteen Brewing Lab, based in Hokuto, Yamanashi. It's part of their canned and draught lineup, though its availability is unknown at the time of writing. The hopping for this beer changes on a batch by batch process, with this edition using HBC 586 and Nelson Sauvin, so the can you may have in front of you could be different.

Craft Beer Scissors and Kitchen Asakusa : The Bottom Line Craft Beer Scissors and Kitchen Asakusa might be a bit pricey for some of our readers, but with the 15 beers on tap, there's plenty to choose from, with some cheaper beers as well on offer. Moreover, there's a decent selection of beers, so you're not just limited to hazy IPAs - thankfully.

Beer Again Lefty Mikity : Background Beer Again Lefty Mikity is a 6.5% West Coast IPA from Beer Again Brewing, based in Gotemba, Shizuoka. It's part of their bottled and draught lineup, though its availability is unknown at the time of writing. The beer is brewed using a combination of Amarillo, Cascade, Columbus and Mosaic hops.

Mangosteen Suede Berry : Background Mangosteen Suede Berry is an 8% fruited dark saison from Mangosteen Brewing Labo, based in Hokuto, Yamanashi. It's part of their canned and draught lineup, though its availability is unknown at the time of writing. This beer is brewed using locally grown organic blackberries and is a collaborative effort with Gasbon, who have been helping out Mangosteen Brewing Labo with can labelling.

Our Brewing Lupulin Rex : Background Our Brewing Lupulin Rex is an 8.5% double IPA from Our Brewing based in Fukui, in Fukui prefecture. It's part of their canned and draught lineup. It's part of their dinosaur lineup of beers, along with Our Brewing Dino Kid. This beer is brewed with a combination of hops in the form of Cryo Citra, Cryo Idaho 7, Cryo Krush, Dynaboost Sabro and Motueka.

West Coast Vienna Lager : Background West Coast Vienna Lager is a 5% Vienna lager from West Coast Brewing, based in Mochimune, Shizuoka. It's part of their canned and draught lineup, though like so many other beers from West Coast Brewing, its availability is spotty to say the least. It's part of their "logo" series whereby "various recipes based on the ideas of brewers, especially on the theme of classic beer styles" are produced.

Background Forest Brewing is a brewery located in Kawasaki Town, Miyagi Prefecture. It is located upstream of Kamafusa Dam, the water reservoir of Sendai City, where meltwater from the Zao mountain range flows. Unlike many other breweries in Japan from the early days, instead of the manufacturing of nihonshu, they have their history in the printing business in Sendai for over 35 years, manufacture firewood for wood stoves, and import and sell Italian forestry winches.

West Coast Dark Crispi Boi : Background West Coast Dark Crispi Boi is a 5% Czech amber lager from West Coast Brewing, based in Mochimune, Shizuoka. It's part of their canned and draught line-up, with it being released at irregular times throughout the year. It's brewed using imported Czech Slatek hops, as well as using floor malted Bohemian malts, and finally a traditional decoction mash is used to make this beer.

TMH. Takao Mountain House : The Bottom Line Coming to Takao, I knew that I would be paying more for the beers at TMH. Takao Mountain House, but I didn't realise it would be this much. I guess you've got to get the beers up here, and with such poor road access, it makes sense. However, the atmosphere and views more than makes up for it - just don't come on a day when the mercury hits 35c.

Open Air New Worlds : Background Open Air New Worlds is a 7% cold IPA from Open Air Brewing based in Kobe, Hyogo. It's part of their canned and draught lineup, though its availability is unknown at the time of writing. Open Air New Worlds is brewed using Citra, Eukanot, and Idaho 7 hops, and utilised the in-house blend of yeast alongside some koji rice as an adjunct.

West Coast Urban Fever : Background West Coast Urban Fever is a 5.5% American pale ale from West Coast Brewing, based in Mochimune, Shizuoka. It's part of their canned and draught lineup, though its availability is unknown at the time of writing. It's brewed using Motueka hops as well as two types of Nelson Savuin : Nelson Sauvin PM 19 and something Nelson Sauvin Bliss Process.

Brewpubs are slowly becoming more common in Japan, though space is a limiting factor for many. They are places where everything is made on-site, and you can see the process in action. Brewpubs also have a more relaxed atmosphere than your regular bar it seems, with the brewpubs having a stronger community aspect. While overseas, they may have kitchens attached to them, it's often the case in Japan that the food aspect is often thought of later.

Vertere Benitoa : Background Vertere Benitoa is a 6% Belgian blonde from Vertere based in Oku-tama, Tokyo. It's part of their canned and draught lineup, with its availability at the time of writing being sporadic to say the least. It's brewed with Nelson Sauvin hops and uses Belgian yeast. This beer has seen a few variations over the years, but the base recipe has stayed the same, with just the hops being changed around.

Nomcraft Juicy Snooze : Background Nomcraft Juicy Snooze is a 7% hazy IPA from Nomcraft Brewing based in Aridagawa, Wakayama. It's part of their canned and draught lineup, though its availability is unknown at the time of writing. It was created in collaboration with Shishi Tokyo, a restaurant in Yoyogi, that serves Taiwanese night market cuisine and Asian craft beer. The beer is brewed using a combination of Galaxy, Cryo Mosaic, Mosaic, Simcoe, and Cryo Simcoe hops.

Buso Brewery : The Bottom Line With Machida having very few, if any, breweries in the area, Buso Brewery has found itself in a niche market - and one that it will no doubt focus on. While the bar itself is a cosy little place - both inside and out - the beers are just ok. They need some decent quality control to improve them; however, if you find yourself in the area, you could do a lot worse.

Vertere Nox : Background Vertere Nox is a 7.5% Sour IPA from Vertere based in Oku-tama, Tokyo. It's part of their canned and draught lineup, though its availability is unknown at the time of writing. The beer is brewed with a combination of Citra Lupomax, Citra, and Idaho7 hops, and also uses lactose during the making of it. To make Vertere Nox a sour IPA, Vertere used Lactobacillus, making this a kettle sour style of IPA.

Craft Bank Yuzu Cold IPA : Background Craft Bank Yuzu Cold IPA is a 5.5% cold IPA from Craft Bank Brewing based in Kyoto, Japan. It's part of their regular lineup and is available in both cans and on draught. As the name suggests, Craft Bank Yuzu Cold IPA is brewed using locally sourced yuzus, a kind of Japanese citrus, from Mizuo, Kyoto, which is deemed to be the birthplace of yuzu cultivation.

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Welcome to the first in this new series of hashigozakes in Japan. What's a "hashigozake"? Well it roughly translates to bar-hopping, or a bar crawl. This isn't going to replace our Patreon : Drinking Guide to Cities in Japan - but more it will extend it to cover areas that don't quite have enough places to warrant a full on guide.

Flora Piper : Background Flora Piper is a 4.5% saison from Flora Fermentation, based in Higashiomi City, Shiga. It's part of their canned and draught lineup, though its availability is unknown at the time of writing. Flora Piper is made with locally sourced hassaku oranges, a Japanese citrus hybrid between pomelo and mandarin, and two types of pepper : black and pink.