Brauhaus Onuma

Brauhaus Onuma, part of Onuma Beer, was founded in 1997 and is one of the long-established names among Hokkaido craft beers. Another plus is its convenient location, just a 3-minute walk from JR Onuma Koen Station.

And the way it all started was unique too. It began when Nanae Town reached out and said, “Why not make beer with our natural alkaline ion water?” It uses water that springs from underground at Yokotsudake, so this brewery exists because of that water.

The first two brews were Kölsch and Alt. It’s classy to begin with traditional German styles. Kölsch is crisp with a clean finish and a subtle sour note, while Alt has a well-balanced malt and hop character with a dry taste.

IPA and stout were added, making four core beers in total. The stout has a harmonious blend of roasted malt’s coffee-like bitterness and hop bitterness, and even beer journalists are fans. Since everything is bottled with the yeast still alive, the aroma is on a whole different level.

It also has solid accolades: a gold medal at the 2009 International Beer Competition, a gold medal at the 2012 Japan Asia Beer Cup, and a gold medal at the 2015 Asia Beer Cup. Three of the four core beers have won gold, which is an impressive batting average.

Exactly, you can see the brewing tanks from inside the shop. It’s a real luxury to stop by while sightseeing in Onuma Quasi-National Park, watch them make the beer, and enjoy it fresh on the spot. They do offer mail order too, but this is the kind of brewery you really want to drink at in person.