Restaurant BSB at Bifuka Shirakaba Brewery taps OTO, a buckwheat-based dark beer
Restaurant BSB, the brewpub attached to Bifuka Shirakaba Brewery in Hokkaido, has tapped OTO on No. 5. The beer is presented as a collaboration with the Otoineppu soba shop, with buckwheat and birch sap forming a dark, grounded profile.
Hop BroI’ve got a northern beer story for you today. At Restaurant BSB, attached to Bifuka Shirakaba Brewery, a new tap just went on: OTO.
MugiWhat! OTO already sounds cool, and now you’re telling me it’s a black beer with soba? That is way too much intrigue at once!
Hop BroHere’s the fun part: it’s an Otoineppu soba collab with Ekisoba Otoineppu, made with local buckwheat groats and birch sap in a dark beer.
MugiWhoa! But what even is birch sap? Are we just pouring the whole forest into a glass now?
Hop BroBasically, it’s sap collected from birch trees in spring, and it gives a soft lingering finish rather than sugary sweetness. No tree-chewing required.
MugiThat helps! But the article said they use the buckwheat with the dark hulls on. That sounds weirdly intense!
Hop BroThat’s what makes it interesting. It leans dark-beer in style, with roast notes plus nutty buckwheat aroma, almost like the famous black soba in beer form.
MugiWhat is that even like? Also, the article mentioned brewpub character. What does brewpub actually mean?
Hop BroIt means they brew the beer and serve it right there on site. And this place is extra good: Japan’s northernmost brewery in a 90-year-old brick warehouse.
MugiWait, the vibe is strong too? Drinking craft beer there with local jingisukan lamb sounds like a full travel plan by itself!
Hop BroExactly. It doesn’t sound flashy for the sake of it; it’s the kind of beer where you really enjoy the shape of the ingredients like buckwheat and birch sap. I’d want it with food.
MugiSame, I’m fully in. Give me a glass of OTO and let me sip those toasty soba notes and foresty finish because I want a pint right now!
Bifuka Shirakaba Brewery is located in Bifuka, Hokkaido, in a renovated 90-year-old brick warehouse. At the attached Restaurant BSB, guests can pair the brewery's craft beer with local jingisukan, and the venue also offers bottle sales and growler-style takeout. It is a brewpub that lets people enjoy both the beer in-house and bottles to go.
The new addition is "OTO" on tap No. 5. In the Instagram post, it is introduced as a black beer made in collaboration with the Otoineppu soba shop, using soba with the husk still on, evoking a local black soba specialty. Another description of the beer notes buckwheat grains from Otoineppu and white birch sap, giving it a soft yet distinctive finish with roasted buckwheat character.
Bifuka Shirakaba Brewery is already known for beers that make use of birch sap, so OTO fits naturally into its lineup while adding a buckwheat-driven twist. This is not a flashy beer; it is one that shows its local ingredients clearly. For drinkers who like to follow the character of a brew from aroma to finish, Restaurant BSB is the right place to catch it with food.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the venue’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroI’ve got a northern beer story for you today. At Restaurant BSB, attached to Bifuka Shirakaba Brewery, a new tap just went on: OTO.
MugiWhat! OTO already sounds cool, and now you’re telling me it’s a black beer with soba? That is way too much intrigue at once!
Hop BroHere’s the fun part: it’s an Otoineppu soba collab with Ekisoba Otoineppu, made with local buckwheat groats and birch sap in a dark beer.
MugiWhoa! But what even is birch sap? Are we just pouring the whole forest into a glass now?
Hop BroBasically, it’s sap collected from birch trees in spring, and it gives a soft lingering finish rather than sugary sweetness. No tree-chewing required.
MugiThat helps! But the article said they use the buckwheat with the dark hulls on. That sounds weirdly intense!
Hop BroThat’s what makes it interesting. It leans dark-beer in style, with roast notes plus nutty buckwheat aroma, almost like the famous black soba in beer form.
MugiWhat is that even like? Also, the article mentioned brewpub character. What does brewpub actually mean?
Hop BroIt means they brew the beer and serve it right there on site. And this place is extra good: Japan’s northernmost brewery in a 90-year-old brick warehouse.
MugiWait, the vibe is strong too? Drinking craft beer there with local jingisukan lamb sounds like a full travel plan by itself!
Hop BroExactly. It doesn’t sound flashy for the sake of it; it’s the kind of beer where you really enjoy the shape of the ingredients like buckwheat and birch sap. I’d want it with food.
MugiSame, I’m fully in. Give me a glass of OTO and let me sip those toasty soba notes and foresty finish because I want a pint right now!
