Isana Brewing

Isana Brewing in Akishima is really unique. The representative, Yasuhiro Chida, originally worked as a mechanical engineer in semiconductors and aerospace.

He worked as an engineer for about 10 years, and in his 30s he became more interested in softer things. In his late 20s, discovering a weizen in Otaru, Hokkaido was the trigger; after visiting beer bars around London, he trained at VERTERE in Okutama and opened in Akishima in 2018.

Because Akishima has excellent deep groundwater pumped up from 70 meters underground. Chida fell in love with that water and chose the location because of it. And the name “Isana” comes from the fact that a 2-million-year-old whale skeleton was unearthed in Akishima, and from “isana,” the Japanese word for whale.

The beer is interesting too. Their flagship nitro beer dissolves pure nitrogen under high pressure instead of CO2, so when it is poured the beer turns completely white, and then a creamy, fluffy head appears. As time passes it returns to liquid, so you can enjoy a two-stage flavor experience.

“For Now Bitter” is a traditional British ordinary bitter with low carbonation, letting you savor the finish slowly. “White Whale” is a weizen at 6.5%. They also make “Ginjo Weizen,” which uses rice koji to create an aroma like sake. Being run by engineers, their experimental spirit is incredible.

They are even used as prizes at the local industrial festival, and they also make collaboration beers with nearby restaurants. They even collaborated with the film Yuru Camp△. It is a brewery that is firmly rooted in the community.