Matsumoto Gakuto Brewing

Do you know Hotel Buena Vista in Matsumoto? In the basement, there’s a place that turned a former disco space into a brewery. It’s Matsumoto Gakuto Brewing.

Originally, Alpico Holdings called for new business ideas through an internal open call in 2020, and this project was born from that. The project leader, Mr. Nakajima, said he had 'drunk a lifetime’s worth of beer in these two years,' and he really learned from scratch and turned it into a business.

Exactly. And for brewing guidance, they have a brewer named Julian from AUGUST BEER. The first brew they made in May 2024 was a NEIPA, and it started with 72 kilograms of malt added to the tank in five separate batches.

Matsumoto City promotes its identity through the three Gakuto concepts: 'Gakuto' as in mountain city, music city, and learning city. Inspired by that, their three main beers are Gakuto LAGER, Gakuto IPA, and Gakuto WEIZEN. Gakuto IPA has a great balance of grapefruit-like citrus aroma and firm bitterness, while Gakuto WEIZEN is notable for its fruity banana-like aroma.

And it’s not just a gimmick. It’s getting results, too. At JGBA 2025, Gakuto CHOCOLATE STOUT won silver and Gakuto IPA won bronze. Then in 2026, Gakuto IPA moved up to silver, and Gakuto GOLDEN ALE won bronze as well. They’ve been steadily raising their level.

It’s a seasonal dark beer that uses plenty of cacao nibs and cocoa powder, with a bitter chocolate kind of flavor. They also introduced a new lineup called Gakuto GOLDEN ALE, and they’ve started appearing at beer events outside the prefecture as well. They’re beginning to push out beyond Matsumoto.