Novel Craft in Tokyo highlights chilled oden and eight taps
Novel Craft, a beer pub in Minamikarasuyama, Setagaya, posted a 5 p.m. opening notice featuring a seven-item chilled oden set and an eight-beer tap list, including Celladoor / Trueborn and the brewery’s own Echo pilsner.
Hop BroToday's topic is Novel Craft at 5 PM. A seven-item chilled oden plate plus eight taps is honestly an unfairly strong summer pub move.
MugiWait, seven kinds of chilled oden? What is that! Oden is supposed to be a winter player, and now it's showing up at a summer festival?
Hop BroThat's the fun part. It's built on flying fish dashi, then layered with bonito, kelp, and dried sardine stock, and served nicely chilled, so it feels like a real dish, not just a bar snack.
MugiOhhh! But the article said Trueborn tapped yesterday and that sounds like a spell. What does that even mean?
Hop BroIt just means it was freshly put on tap. And Celladoor / Trueborn is a Wild Ale at 6.9% ABV with pink pepper, jasmine, and mushrooms, so it's a pretty bold one.
MugiWhat even is that? Jasmine and mushrooms in a beer? That's less a pint and more a forest tea party.
Hop BroA Wild Ale is the kind of beer that can build tartness with depth. It's not just sour, it has layered aroma and a long finish, which is why it could work surprisingly well with rich dashi.
MugiOkay, that makes sense... but for a first glass, I kind of want the easy pairing before I enter the mushroom-jasmine dimension.
Hop BroThen go with Echo the pilsner from Novel Craft Brewing. It's light and crisp, great with the chilled oden, and the rest of the list is stacked too: Belwoods' Come What May Dry-Hopped, Georgetown's Lucille IPA, Cave D'occi x Novel Craft's Reflection, plus Delay, Downtempo, and BPM 80.
MugiAnd it's on the second floor in Minami-Karasuyama, so I can already picture that casual pub atmosphere. Echo first, then Trueborn when I'm ready for the forest tea party.
Hop BroThat is exactly the route. This is a 5 PM sprint situation: cool down with chilled oden, then work through those eight taps, and suddenly you're fully committed to going.
MugiSold. Echo for the opener, Trueborn for the plot twist, chilled oden for the finish. I'm thirsty just talking about it now.
Novel Craft, a beer pub in Minamikarasuyama, Setagaya, highlighted a summer-friendly dish alongside its 5 p.m. opening notice. The bar is serving chilled oden in a seven-item assortment, built around dashi made from a generous fish stock gift from DJ Tanji, then blended with bonito, kombu, and dried sardines. It is described as a carefully prepared, fully chilled take on a classic Japanese bar snack.
The post also points to a clear beer recommendation. The standout is Celladoor / Trueborn, a Wild Ale at 6.9% ABV that the bar describes as using pink pepper, jasmine, and even mushrooms. Rather than leaning on a single gimmick, the beer is presented as a layered, acidic ale with depth, making it an interesting match for the savory, brothy profile of the oden.
The tap list mixes guest beers and Novel Craft’s own releases:
- Celladoor / Trueborn
- Belwoods / Come What May Dry-Hopped
- Georgetown / Lucille IPA
- Cave D'occi × Novel Craft / Reflection
- Novel Craft Brewing / Delay
- Novel Craft Brewing / Downtempo
- Novel Craft Brewing / BPM 80
- Novel Craft Brewing / Echo
Among the house beers, the post singles out Echo, Novel Craft Brewing’s pilsner, as a partner for the chilled oden. That pairing makes sense: a crisp pilsner against a chilled, dashi-forward dish is a straightforward way to keep the first pint light without losing flavor. With its second-floor location in southern Tokyo and a beer-focused, unpretentious atmosphere, Novel Craft continues to frame its food and beer together rather than as separate attractions.
The result is a concise snapshot of the bar’s current direction: guest beers with character, house beers with identity, and a seasonal dish that is built to sit naturally beside both.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the venue’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroToday's topic is Novel Craft at 5 PM. A seven-item chilled oden plate plus eight taps is honestly an unfairly strong summer pub move.
MugiWait, seven kinds of chilled oden? What is that! Oden is supposed to be a winter player, and now it's showing up at a summer festival?
Hop BroThat's the fun part. It's built on flying fish dashi, then layered with bonito, kelp, and dried sardine stock, and served nicely chilled, so it feels like a real dish, not just a bar snack.
MugiOhhh! But the article said Trueborn tapped yesterday and that sounds like a spell. What does that even mean?
Hop BroIt just means it was freshly put on tap. And Celladoor / Trueborn is a Wild Ale at 6.9% ABV with pink pepper, jasmine, and mushrooms, so it's a pretty bold one.
MugiWhat even is that? Jasmine and mushrooms in a beer? That's less a pint and more a forest tea party.
Hop BroA Wild Ale is the kind of beer that can build tartness with depth. It's not just sour, it has layered aroma and a long finish, which is why it could work surprisingly well with rich dashi.
MugiOkay, that makes sense... but for a first glass, I kind of want the easy pairing before I enter the mushroom-jasmine dimension.
Hop BroThen go with Echo the pilsner from Novel Craft Brewing. It's light and crisp, great with the chilled oden, and the rest of the list is stacked too: Belwoods' Come What May Dry-Hopped, Georgetown's Lucille IPA, Cave D'occi x Novel Craft's Reflection, plus Delay, Downtempo, and BPM 80.
MugiAnd it's on the second floor in Minami-Karasuyama, so I can already picture that casual pub atmosphere. Echo first, then Trueborn when I'm ready for the forest tea party.
Hop BroThat is exactly the route. This is a 5 PM sprint situation: cool down with chilled oden, then work through those eight taps, and suddenly you're fully committed to going.
MugiSold. Echo for the opener, Trueborn for the plot twist, chilled oden for the finish. I'm thirsty just talking about it now.
