Uchu Brewing

Uchu Brewing is an insanely popular brewery where the moment a can is released, it sells out instantly, and its origin story is amazing too.

The founders, Masahiro Kusunose and Rumiko Suzuki, moved from Kochi to Hokuto City in 2009 and became known as "space farmers." They were farmers growing pesticide-free rice and vegetables on a hill with views of Yatsugatake, Mt. Fuji, and the Southern Alps.

In 2016, they encountered craft beer culture in Portland, USA, and were blown away by the hop aroma of IPA. After returning to Japan, they immediately started growing pesticide-free hops, and in 2018 they built their own brewery by DIY. Literally, a handmade brewery.

And their flagship, "Uchu IPA," is on another level. It's a DDH IPA at 7% ABV, bursting with aromas of pineapple, citrus, mango, and blueberry, and the official description calls it "5-dimensional fruit aromatic." It has the juiciness of tropical fruit, but the finish is clean.

They also have "Uchu MASTER," a heavier DDH DIPA, plus labels like "BIG BANG IPA," "THUNDER," and "STARSEED," so all the beer names have a cool space theme. Their recent release "ATOM PASSIONFRUIT" is a tropical smoothie sour with passion fruit and coconut cream, and they're pushing into a whole new direction.

The taproom in Kobuchisawa is next to Michi-no-Eki Kobuchisawa, and it's a modern building that looks like a space station. It's only open on weekends, though. In Tokyo, they also have a taproom in Toranomon Hills, so you can go there on weekdays.