Ushiku Chateau Brewery

Ushiku Chateau Brewery is a place you can't leave out when talking about the history of beer in Japan. It's located on the grounds of Chateau Kamiya, Japan's first full-scale wine brewery, built in 1903 by businessman Denbei Kamiya. It's a nationally designated Important Cultural Property, and in 2020 it was also recognized as a Japan Heritage site.

They started brewing in 1996 as Ibaraki Prefecture's first local beer, but the brewery was closed in 2018. Then in 2020, Kotaro Kawaguchi launched Ushiku Chateau Co., Ltd. as its representative, and beer sales resumed in October 2021.

Their beer style is strongly German-inspired, with three core classics: Munich Helles, German Pilsner, and Märzen. They use German malt and hops from Germany, the United States, and the Czech Republic, and the brewing water comes from local Ushiku. Their former Helles won "World's Best Helles" at the World Beer Awards 2016.

That was before the closure, but the DNA is definitely still there. Even after reopening, they've kept German-style brewing at the core and are also working on seasonal releases.

Exactly. It's an extension of Denbei Kamiya's Meiji-era vision of "making authentic Western-style alcohol in Japan." Being able to enjoy beer while looking at the red-brick buildings that are Important Cultural Properties is an experience no other brewery can offer.