Honeycomb Hopworks

Honeycomb Hopworks is Japan's first brewery dedicated to honey beer. Every beer here contains honey.

That's the interesting part: the sugars in honey are converted into alcohol during fermentation, so it doesn't end up cloyingly sweet. But the aroma and flavor of the honey still come through clearly. Brewer Yuto Kinoshita used to work at an advertising agency, then got hooked on beer after working part-time at a craft beer shop in Ningyocho. He trained for seven years at T.Y. Harbor Brewery and went independent at 30.

It all started when he discovered the appeal of honey beer at T.Y. Harbor. He decided, "There are almost no chances to drink honey beer in Japan, so I'll create that place myself." So in 2020, he opened this brewery in a residential neighborhood in Ochiai.

What's fun is that they change the honey source for each label. "Honeycomb Bullet" uses lychee honey, while "Boom2" is made with Myanmar honey and paired with tropical hops. "White Wasp" combines orange blossom honey with citrusy hops and a light fizz. "Black Bumblebee" blends roasted malt with coffee honey, making it irresistible for stout lovers too.

The shop is in a 68-year-old building and is a tiny 12.7-tsubo nanobrewery. It has a U-shaped counter with nine seats, and the brewing equipment is visible through the glass at the back. The atmosphere blends beautifully into the residential neighborhood.