Kawarayu Onsen Brewery

Kawarayu Onsen Brewery is a brewery on the shores of Lake Yamba Dam, and the story behind the names of its beers really gets to you.

Exactly. When the dam was built, the residents of Kawarayu Onsen had to leave their ancestral land and move to a new place. To keep that experience from fading away, they named their beers after the rocks submerged in the dam lake and the mountains around them. 'Garyu Iwa' is a white ale, and 'Shoryu Iwa' is a golden pale ale. Both are named after rocks that are now under the dam's waters.

Among the lager styles, there are 'Kinkazan' and 'Kinkazan', and these are named after the mountains surrounding the hot spring area. Kinkazan is a crisp golden lager with a clean finish, while Kinkazan is a dark amber lager with a deeper flavor. The operation is run by Innova Japan, which operates a beer hall in Yanaka, Tokyo, and its brewing technology is supported by August Beer.

What's even more interesting is that they also make a milk-infused beer called 'Latte Stout' in collaboration with local Toyota Dairy. They've also recently released a spring-limited ale called 'Humming,' which is said to feature a refreshing hop bitterness and aroma.

You can buy the bottled beer at Sasayu Cafe, and it looks like you can sample new releases at the 'Anything Market' held on the first Sunday of every month. Beer after a hot spring bath is basically the perfect setting.