Grau Craft beer bar refreshes 6 taps, featuring Kiln Ash and three collaboration brews
Grau Craft beer bar in Fujimino, Saitama updated its tap list in a May 23 post. The lineup includes six beers, among them collaboration brews like CAMADO × Grau's Kiln Ash and CRANC × Grau's 99.9 ver.2, creating a selection that pairs well with mapo tofu and karaage.
Hop BroGrau Craft beer bar in Saitama's Fujimino updated its 6 taps on May 23. And with three collaboration beers in the mix, it's a pretty aggressive lineup.
MugiWhoa, three collabs? And it sounds like a place made for tasting side by side, which is kind of exciting!
Hop BroThe star is CAMADO × Grau's Kiln Ash, a West Coast IPA. The hop bitterness and aroma stand out sharply, with a very defined profile.
MugiWest Coast IPA? That suddenly sounds like we're talking about a coastline! What do you mean by the hop profile being defined?
Hop BroBasically, citrus and pine notes come forward, and the finish is sharp. By contrast, CRANC × Grau's 99.9 ver.2 is a Double IPA, so it's denser and more forceful.
MugiWow, even the name sounds strong! And NAMACHAん × Grau's Re:NAMAGrauzy is a Hazy IPA, right? I'm really curious about that cloudy style!
Hop BroExactly. Hazy IPAs are softer on the palate and more juicy, and when you add something like HOPKOTAN's AKIRA no Kyujitsu, a Bohemian-Style Pilsner, the flow shifts into something much lighter and brisker.
MugiWait, pilsner can make that much of a difference? And NARA's FUNCTION is an American-Belgo-Style Ale? That's basically a spell!
Hop BroIt sounds like a spell, but the contents are interesting. It combines the character of Belgian yeast with American hop expression, and then finishes with Kanpai! × Grau's Naimasaka Blueberry Sour, landing on acidity and fruitiness.
MugiSo there really is a flow across the six beers! And with mapo tofu and karaage on the menu, this is the kind of place you want to experience as a whole!
Hop BroExactly, and there are even more taps waiting in the wings, so the rotation itself is part of the fun. This is the kind of place where you go in planning on just one drink, and before you know it you're ordering the next one.
MugiI can't do this anymore, I definitely want to go! Let's check out the current taps in Fujimino and drink through them one by one together!
The current state of the 6 taps
At Grau Craft beer bar in Naima, Fujimino City, Saitama Prefecture, the on-tap lineup was posted on May 23. The selection consists of CAMADO × Grau : Kiln Ash (West Coast IPA), CRANC × Grau : 99.9 ver.2 (Double IPA), NAMACHAん × Grau : Re:NAMAGrauzy (Hazy IPA), HOPKOTAN : AKIRAの休日 (Bohemian-Style Pilsner), NARA : FUNCTION (American-Belgo-Style Ale), and Kanpai! × Grau : Naimasaka Blueberry Sour (Fruits Sour). The presence of three collaboration beers makes the lineup especially eye-catching.
A tasting lineup with clear connections
The key point this time is that the flavors are clearly separated across styles, ranging from a West Coast IPA and Double IPA with sharply defined hop character, to a cloudy Hazy IPA, a light and lively Bohemian-Style Pilsner, a hybrid Belgo-style ale, and a fruit-forward blueberry sour. Because each beer has a distinct personality, sampling them in small amounts makes the shop's intent easier to see. Grau Craft beer bar is known as a place that offers a six-tap lineup centered on domestic breweries and supports three-beer tasting sets, so this kind of composition is a natural fit.
The food and the atmosphere
On this day, the bar prepared mapo tofu to match the chilly weather, and also offered karaage and hitasimame as limited items. Located a short walk from Fujimino Station in a residential area, the interior is compact and centered around the counter. In the calm atmosphere, it is the kind of place where you can nibble on food while trying the taps one by one. The contrast of a lively street in front and a quiet side lane in back is also part of what makes this bar distinctive.
Another rotation is already previewed
Below the tap list, Onidensetsu : Kinoni Pale Ale ADHA-1631 Single Ver. (Pale Ale), NARA : KIP (Hoppy Pilsner), and NAMACHAん × D and D : NANA Brown Ale (Brown Ale) are listed as the next candidates. The post also notes that D and D nearby will be holding a 7th anniversary event on May 24, making this an interesting stop for a weekend bar crawl as well. Grau Craft beer bar is a place worth dropping into when you want to check what is on tap and enjoy a quiet drink locally.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the venue’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroGrau Craft beer bar in Saitama's Fujimino updated its 6 taps on May 23. And with three collaboration beers in the mix, it's a pretty aggressive lineup.
MugiWhoa, three collabs? And it sounds like a place made for tasting side by side, which is kind of exciting!
Hop BroThe star is CAMADO × Grau's Kiln Ash, a West Coast IPA. The hop bitterness and aroma stand out sharply, with a very defined profile.
MugiWest Coast IPA? That suddenly sounds like we're talking about a coastline! What do you mean by the hop profile being defined?
Hop BroBasically, citrus and pine notes come forward, and the finish is sharp. By contrast, CRANC × Grau's 99.9 ver.2 is a Double IPA, so it's denser and more forceful.
MugiWow, even the name sounds strong! And NAMACHAん × Grau's Re:NAMAGrauzy is a Hazy IPA, right? I'm really curious about that cloudy style!
Hop BroExactly. Hazy IPAs are softer on the palate and more juicy, and when you add something like HOPKOTAN's AKIRA no Kyujitsu, a Bohemian-Style Pilsner, the flow shifts into something much lighter and brisker.
MugiWait, pilsner can make that much of a difference? And NARA's FUNCTION is an American-Belgo-Style Ale? That's basically a spell!
Hop BroIt sounds like a spell, but the contents are interesting. It combines the character of Belgian yeast with American hop expression, and then finishes with Kanpai! × Grau's Naimasaka Blueberry Sour, landing on acidity and fruitiness.
MugiSo there really is a flow across the six beers! And with mapo tofu and karaage on the menu, this is the kind of place you want to experience as a whole!
Hop BroExactly, and there are even more taps waiting in the wings, so the rotation itself is part of the fun. This is the kind of place where you go in planning on just one drink, and before you know it you're ordering the next one.
MugiI can't do this anymore, I definitely want to go! Let's check out the current taps in Fujimino and drink through them one by one together!
