Mugi, did you know there's a brewery right in the middle of Kujukuri Beach, renovated from a former seafood processing plant? It's called Rusty Nest Brewery.
Mugi
What, a seafood processing plant!? That sounds like it would smell like fish... is that okay?
Hop Bro
They renovated an entire 500-tsubo former factory site. The beginning was when the representative, Kentaro from Sakura, looked at the coastline of Oamishirasato and became certain, 'I can recreate here that feeling I had drinking craft beer on a California beach.'
Mugi
California!? You mean West Coast vibes in Kujukuri?
Hop Bro
Exactly. And the head brewer, Tatsuya Ebina, aka Ebichan, is interesting too. He loved craft beer but had no brewing experience and couldn't find a job, then met Kentaro and clicked immediately. He trained for about a year at Choshi Beer before starting to brew.
Mugi
Wow! He jumped in from zero experience. So what kind of beer are they making?
Hop Bro
The flagship Rusty Nest IPA is an American IPA with 6.7% alcohol. It uses Amarillo and Mosaic hops, and bursts with grapefruit, peach, and ripe tropical fruit aromas. The tagline 'a West Coast wind that crossed the Pacific' isn't just for show.
Mugi
That would be amazing to drink by the sea...! Anything else?
Hop Bro
Session IPA is a lower-ABV version for summer. They also make a coffee beer in collaboration with the local The Rising Sun Coffee. Looking ahead, they plan to use wheat and hops grown in Oamishirasato, and they're working with local farmers.
Mugi
It's not just beer, right? There's BBQ and a dog run too, and the Spring Brew Fest in April sounds interesting!
Hop Bro
Exactly. Choshi Beer and Kujukuri Winery also exhibit, and there are even yoga sessions, too. The real strength of this brewery is that it designs the whole experience of sipping an IPA while feeling the sea breeze.