Nomendo Brew Stand

Do you know there’s a brewery in Koshigaya opened by a former dentist? It’s called Nomendo Brew Stand.

It’s run by Akihiko Sano. He’s from Niigata, and he decided to take on the challenge in Koshigaya, the city where he went through a turning point in his life. After training at Tochigi Micro Brewery and Vector Brewing, he got his brewing license in January 2024.

It’s a standing-bar style place just a 3-minute walk from Koshigaya Station’s east exit, and it has 16 taps. In addition to their own beer, they also have a strong selection of guest beers.

The focus is on IPAs, with the theme of making edgy beers you can only drink here. They’ve done bold releases like 'Preliminary Period,' a collaboration with Kazo Beer, and 'Heijitsu Lemon,' an IPA made with shikuwasa from Aguni Island.

The shop name 'Nomendo' (meaning 'drinking person') is interesting too. I heard it also means a sharp-edged place in the Tochigi dialect. It’s meant to reflect the desire to highlight the individuality of the beer, and it also plays on Sano’s surname.

At their second-anniversary festival, they held an event with limited-edition beers and invited Kazo Beer and other guest breweries. Sano’s hobby is running, and he even names some beers after running.