Twin Peaks Mountain Brewing

Twin Peaks Mountain Brewing has an owner with a really fascinating background. He’s a German named Karsten Voigtmann, and he’s a former pharmaceutical researcher with a doctorate in biochemistry.

He came to Japan in 1994 and worked on new drug development at a pharmaceutical company, but after a major project he had worked on for years finally became a product, he felt like he had no next project to direct his passion toward. Then he was drawn to the craft beer he had encountered in the U.S., and at age 54 he changed careers.

What’s more, his training was serious. He first learned hands-on at Wolffbrau in Okinawa, then mastered brewing techniques at the Doemens Academy in Munich, Germany, one of the field’s most prestigious schools. The name "Twin Peaks" comes from the twin peaks of Mount Tsukuba, Nantai and Nyotai.

Their core lineup follows the German Beer Purity Law closely. Pilsner is the standard, with no additives at all, and even though it’s unfiltered, they pursue clarity. Their amber ale "Doctor’s Winter Warmth" won a bronze medal at the Japan Great Beer Awards 2024.

They always have 8 to 10 beers on tap, including collaborations with other breweries in Tsukuba like "Tsukuba Steam." Every month they hold a "Stammtisch" gathering, which in German means "regulars’ table," and it has become a community for local beer lovers.