Canon Brewing

If you want to talk about the first brewery in the Shimokitazawa area, it has to be Canon Brewing. It's quietly tucked away in an alley in Daizawa's residential neighborhood, and the owner, Takumi Watanabe, spent over 12 years running the French bistro Bistro Eureka in Shimokitazawa.

Watanabe lived in London for a while, and he says he was influenced by the pub culture of grabbing a quick drink after work. The name "Canon" also comes from the French "le canon," which means "a quick drink." A friend from his London days started a brewery in Kawasaki, and that inspired him to do the same.

They have six regular beers: Pilsner, White, Amber Ale, Stout, Saison, and Earl Grey. Overall, they lean toward European classics, with bitterness and acidity kept in check. Since their concept is "beer that complements the food," the beers are designed to be completed by pairing them with dishes.

Right. It's a Belgian White made with coriander seed and orange peel, and it's a light 4% ABV. Another thing you can't miss here is the hops grown by staff member Asami Kobayashi in Hokuto City, Yamanashi. In autumn, they brew a limited beer with those fresh hops.

The fruit used in their fruit beers also comes from local farmers in Setagaya. And the food is just as interesting: their fish and chips uses sea bream. It's fried in a pâte filo batter made with cornstarch and wheat flour, and eaten with malt vinegar. They reinterpret London street food through French techniques.

There are seven counter seats, and the brewing tanks are right in front of you. Drinking the beer right where it's made is the true world of "le canon." They even have beef dishes simmered in their own homebrewed beer, and I think what's impressive here is that there's no real boundary between bistro and brewery.