26K Brewery

There’s a tiny brewery under the elevated tracks in Musashi-Sakai: 26K Brewery.

About the size of six tatami mats. It’s an ultra-microbrewery that can make only about 90 liters per batch. But that’s exactly why they can try three to four new recipes every month. In just two years since opening, they’ve created more than 50 recipes.

It comes from being located about 26 km from Tokyo Station. It’s inside the craft food mall “Ond,” and they even make a coffee ale in collaboration with Philosofia Coffee in the same mall.

A man named Hisao Miki. He started out as a photographer, then worked at an advertising agency, and later launched his own advertising production company. A meeting with a beer-loving friend who had returned from the UK sparked the idea, and after two years of preparation, he opened in 2018.

What’s interesting about Mr. Miki is that he noticed Musashino didn’t really have any standout local specialties, so he decided to make his own. His spice ale called Mr.SAKAI uses chilies grown in Musashi-Sakai, and they make a yuzu-honey lemon ale from Kichijoji as well. In summer, they also use fresh hops grown at four farms in the city for brewing.

Mr. Miki’s vision is to create a place where people can meet, and this three-tsubo brewery has become a community hub. Their staple Hatsu Hana L.P.A is a light pale ale that’s easy to drink, and they also make a white ale called Sura-chan.