THE FARMHOUSE highlights summer small plates and beer pairings

THE FARMHOUSE is a beer pub in Kanbayashi, Yamanouchi, Nagano, set among trees and dappled light. In its latest post, the shop introduced food available for three days, July 18, 19, and 20, along with recommended drinks from the Tamamura Honten lineup. It is the kind of place where travelers can stop in and compare how different beers change the same plate.

This week’s food

- Chilled steamed chicken with nozawana herb sauce
Juicy chicken breast is paired with nozawana, a lightly fermented Shinshu ingredient, plus the aromatic lift of shichimi-like five-spice seasoning.
- Summer ratatouille with round eggplant and white beans
Seasonal round eggplant is combined with summer vegetables, tomato acidity, and the soft texture of white beans. It can also be served warm on request.
- Black sesame pudding
A rich dessert made with plenty of black sesame paste, designed as a mellow finish to the meal.

Beers to try

For the chicken dish, the post points to Shiga Kogen Beer/from scratch and Kidaru Jukusei Yamabushi/red, both of which can carry the savory-fermented notes. For the ratatouille, the lighter Shiga Kogen Beer/HOUSE LAGER3.01 Yamanegashi is one option, while Yamabushi/Saison One Ichi and Kidaru Jukusei Yamabushi/B3 miyama bring yeast-driven aroma and acidity. The black sesame pudding is paired with Shiga Kogen Porter (real ale) from the hand pump.

The post also mentions sake, including NEW ENGI/Kinmonnishiki 7 draft and NEW ENGI Yamanegashi 5, but the main idea is broader than a single beer style: the kitchen and the bar are built to let guests move across the Tamamura Honten range and see how each drink shifts the same flavors.

Regular snacks include salted boiled kurakake beans and a “universal mix” of nuts, dried fruit, and cheese. With its wooded setting and unhurried pace, THE FARMHOUSE feels made for drinking one glass at a time and testing pairings as you go.