Yachiho Brewing Company

Have you heard of Yachiho Brewing? It's a brewery at an elevation of nearly 1,700 meters, and it might just be brewing beer at the highest altitude in Japan.

It's inside Yatsugatake-Chushin Highlands Quasi-National Park. And what's even more interesting is that the representative, Nobuaki Takaoka, works full-time in wine promotion in Saitama. He's a 'dual-career brewer' who spends weekdays in Saitama and comes to Nagano on weekends to brew beer.

And it's not just Takaoka-san alone - there's a team of seven, including head brewer Natori, and everyone has another main job. Their driving force is simply that they love brewing. They founded the company in 2021 and started brewing in 2022.

The brewing water is completely different. It's sourced from springs in the Northern Yatsugatake Mountains, and it's some of the softest water in Japan. There are no off-flavors, so the character of the ingredients comes through very clearly. When the Pale Ale is cold, it has a refreshing citrus aroma, and as the temperature rises, it shifts into a scent like Earl Grey tea.

Their IPA is a punchy, bitter type made with grapefruit-like citrus hops. The Pilsner has a tropical feel with notes like muscat grapes and orange, giving an impression similar to white wine. They also make Black Ale and Fresh Hop Ale. And apparently, the Fresh Hop Ale is currently 30% off online.

Yes. They've turned fallow mountain land into fields and revived hop cultivation in the region, which used to be thriving here about 50 years ago. They grow them with reduced or no pesticides, taking advantage of the altitude's temperature swings and dry climate. They also use aluminum cans to help reduce CO2 emissions, so it's a brewery with a strong environmental awareness.