Myoko Kogen Beer Garden Tatra Hall

Myoko Kogen Beer Garden Tatra Hall. Its roots are in the Czech Republic. It was launched in 1997 with direct technical guidance from the head brewer of U Fleků in Prague, founded in 1499, one of the world's oldest active breweries.

Exactly. That's why the beer styles are authentically Central European. The flagship Pilsner is a Bohemian pilsner made with Saaz hops from Saaz, Czech Republic, with IBU 20.3 and a hallmark of fine foam and rich malt sweetness. It's completely different from mass-market pilsners.

The Weizen is a South German-style beer with aromas of banana and stone fruit, and an IBU of just 3. The Dark Lager is a Schwarzbier blended from four kinds of malt, with roasted aromas and a smooth body. These three beers won awards simultaneously at the 2016 International Beer Cup.

What's more, they received awards for six consecutive years at the International Beer Cup from 2016 through 2021. It's one of the world's five major beer competitions, so this record is the real deal. The water comes from springs filtered over many years through the soil of the forest, fed by heavy snowfall from Mt. Myoko, and that soft water creates those fine bubbles.

The Haneuma IPA is an American IPA made with Citra hops and has 6% alcohol. It's citrusy and crisp. The Pale Ale sometimes uses fresh hops grown in Myoko, so that's completely local. For something unusual, there's also the Baked Tomato Spicy Ale, a spiced ale made with roasted tomato, coriander, and basil.

'Tatra' is named after the Tatra Mountains spanning Slovakia and the Czech Republic. It's a 400-seat European mountain-lodge-style beer hall. You can see the brewing equipment through the glass walls, and it's a generous setup: all-you-can-eat for 90 minutes for 2,800 yen plus all-you-can-drink beer for an additional 1,500 yen. Nestled in a birch forest, it's busy in winter with skiers coming back and in summer with hikers returning from the highlands.