Yamanoma Brewery

Yamanoma Brewery is right by Nagano Station, and the owner, Mr. Koyama, has a pretty interesting background.

He’s from Nagano Prefecture. He was stationed in the U.S. for work, and that’s where he became completely hooked on the colorful world of craft beer. After returning to Japan, he trained at Nuttari Brewery in Niigata, and in 2021 he opened his own brewery back in his hometown of Nagano.

They have one called "Jii-ji no Magokoro IPA," which is finished clean with a wild barley aroma and firm bitterness. "Mt.haven Rice Weizen" uses rice, and it has a citrus accent, so it’s fruity but still crisp on the finish.

The charm of this place is that every beer has a story behind it. They also make "Nisenro Rye Pale Ale," which stands out for its spicy rye aroma, and they collaborate a lot with local farmers. They even have "Saison Under the Sun," made with organically grown beets and cinnamon basil from Miyazaki Farm in Matsushiro.

They’ve released "Peach Wheat Ale" many times, using Kawanakajima white peaches, and their coffee ale made with Aura coffee beans is also popular. They incorporate ingredients from Shinshu with the seasons.

It has a Japanese-Western style centered around wood, and the seating is arranged so you can see the brewery from your table. His wife serves as the hostess and offers dishes made with Shinshu ingredients, like organic vegetable bagna cauda, and she even introduces the names of the producers behind the ingredients.