CRAFT BEER MARKET Kichijoji Pennylane taps CRAFTROCK BREWING's Sansho Lager
A June 22 Instagram post from CRAFT BEER MARKET Kichijoji Pennylane announced CRAFTROCK BREWING's Sansho Lager. The lager won gold in the 2026 World Beer Cup's Herb & Spice Beer category and is presented as a food-friendly beer built around sansho aroma.
Hop BroBig tapping news today: Sansho Lager is landing at CRAFT BEER MARKET Kichijoji Penny Lane. It’s from CRAFTROCK BREWING, and all affiliated shops start pouring it the next day.
MugiWait, a sansho lager? What is that! Is this the kind of beer that makes my mouth feel like it picked a fight with mapo tofu?
Hop BroThat’s the wild part: it won World Beer Cup gold in the 2026 Herb & Spice Beer category. The goal is to lift the sansho aroma without losing the proper lager balance.
MugiOkay, but proper lager balance just sounded like you opened a secret brewer meeting in the middle of this conversation.
Hop BroFair point. It means clean crisp finish first, then the sansho aroma floats in after. It’s 5.0% ABV and 20 IBU, so it stays light with gentle bitterness.
MugiOhhh, so it’s basically made for meals! That sounds perfect with gyoza or curry instead of trying to body-slam the food.
Hop BroExactly, and this place leans into craft beer and gyoza. They do 30 rotating beers, at least 6 house-made gyoza, and even spiced curry, so pairing gets dangerously fun.
MugiHold on, 30 rotating beers and six-plus gyoza options? I’d get decision paralysis and call it a leisure activity.
Hop BroAnd the shop sits along Penny Lane in Kichijoji. Weekdays have lunch and dinner, weekends and holidays run straight through, and they do takeout and reservations too.
MugiSo the plan is obvious: gyoza with sansho lager. You get one lecture max, and I’m taking the role of enthusiastic drinking support.
Hop BroReasonable terms. I’ll keep it short for at least one pint... probably. Great with Japanese food means we can start with gyoza and then test it against curry too.
MugiYou said “probably,” which is not reassuring at all. Still, I want this now. Kichijoji, prepare my stomach!
The beer being tapped
CRAFT BEER MARKET Kichijoji Pennylane announced on Instagram that `CRAFTROCK BREWING`'s `Sansho Lager` would be tapped across the group's locations the following day. The post says the beer won gold in the `2026 World Beer Cup® Herb & Spice Beer` category.
Specs
- Style: `Lager with Sansho`
- ABV: 5.0%
- IBU: 20
According to the brewer's note, the beer keeps the balance of a lager while bringing out the aroma and flavor of Japanese sansho pepper. It is designed to work well with Japanese food and to serve as an easy-drinking food beer for a wide range of occasions.
A fitting stop in Kichijoji
The shop is a beer pub in Kichijoji Honmachi, Musashino City. Its lineup is built around craft beer and gyoza, with 30 rotating beers each day, more than six kinds of house-made gyoza, and spice curry on the menu. That makes it easy to pair the beer with food and compare different styles in one visit.
The store serves lunch and dinner on weekdays and stays open through the day on weekends and holidays. Takeout and reservations are available as well. For drinkers looking to try a sansho-driven lager alongside gyoza or curry, this location offers a straightforward setting.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the venue’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroBig tapping news today: Sansho Lager is landing at CRAFT BEER MARKET Kichijoji Penny Lane. It’s from CRAFTROCK BREWING, and all affiliated shops start pouring it the next day.
MugiWait, a sansho lager? What is that! Is this the kind of beer that makes my mouth feel like it picked a fight with mapo tofu?
Hop BroThat’s the wild part: it won World Beer Cup gold in the 2026 Herb & Spice Beer category. The goal is to lift the sansho aroma without losing the proper lager balance.
MugiOkay, but proper lager balance just sounded like you opened a secret brewer meeting in the middle of this conversation.
Hop BroFair point. It means clean crisp finish first, then the sansho aroma floats in after. It’s 5.0% ABV and 20 IBU, so it stays light with gentle bitterness.
MugiOhhh, so it’s basically made for meals! That sounds perfect with gyoza or curry instead of trying to body-slam the food.
Hop BroExactly, and this place leans into craft beer and gyoza. They do 30 rotating beers, at least 6 house-made gyoza, and even spiced curry, so pairing gets dangerously fun.
MugiHold on, 30 rotating beers and six-plus gyoza options? I’d get decision paralysis and call it a leisure activity.
Hop BroAnd the shop sits along Penny Lane in Kichijoji. Weekdays have lunch and dinner, weekends and holidays run straight through, and they do takeout and reservations too.
MugiSo the plan is obvious: gyoza with sansho lager. You get one lecture max, and I’m taking the role of enthusiastic drinking support.
Hop BroReasonable terms. I’ll keep it short for at least one pint... probably. Great with Japanese food means we can start with gyoza and then test it against curry too.
MugiYou said “probably,” which is not reassuring at all. Still, I want this now. Kichijoji, prepare my stomach!
