Shared Brewery

Shared Brewery is in Hachioji, and its concept is unique: it’s a brewery where you can make your own beer. It’s Japan’s first BOP (Brewing On Premise) specialty brewery.

That’s the key point. Under Japan’s Liquor Tax Act, homebrewing by individuals isn’t allowed. But the representative, Daisuke Kobayashi, obtained a license in the form of "experience brewing" and created a system for sharing brewing equipment.

He used to be a company employee, but when he was earning his MBA at Hosei University’s Graduate School of Business Administration, he researched brewery business models. While he was in New Zealand, he was impressed by the thriving homebrewing culture, and decided to start a business so he could bring that enjoyment to Japan.

The hands-on brewing experience takes a full 7 to 8 hours using a 50-liter tank. You choose the type of malt and hops yourself, then go through mashing, boiling, hop additions, and yeast pitching. When it’s finished, you end up with about 80 to 110 cans, and you can take them home with labels you designed yourself.

What’s more, the finished beer can also be connected to the in-store tap system and sold there. At the taproom, you can drink house-brewed beers like "Hop In Black," a black IPA, "Coast Dwellers," a Belgian coast IPA made with Norwegian kveik yeast, and "Hazy Tropics."

They also have a yuzu fruit IPA called "Yuzu POP IPA." They’re open only on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and it’s a 10-minute walk from Hirayamajoshikoen Station. It’s an open, glass-walled space where you can drink standing at the counter while looking at the brewing tanks.