Rough and Laugh Brewing

Rough & Laugh Brewing. It's near JR Fuji Station in Fuji City, and it's run by a guy named Toshiaki Otaka. His path is interesting: he first opened a craft beer specialty shop called "BEER JAM" and served beers from all over Japan, but then he wanted to brew his own, so he launched the brewery in 2023.

Exactly, and it's on the floor above BEER JAM. It's the first brewery in Fuji City's downtown area, and only the second in the city overall, so it's something of a pioneer. There is also a taproom called "BEER STANDARD" in the basement, a hidden-gem space where you can drink the beer right after it's brewed.

The lineup is actually quite solid. The flagship FUJI WEIZEN is a white beer with banana and clove aromas plus a touch of acidity, and it won gold at the ASIA BEER CHAMPIONSHIP 2023. FUJI PALE ALE also took bronze in the same competition. For a brewery that only just got started, that's an impressive record.

The core lineup has four beers: FUJI LAGER, FUJI WEIZEN, FUJI PALE ALE, and FUJI STOUT. Having "FUJI" in every name really shows local pride. The brewing water comes from groundwater formed by melted snow from Mount Fuji seeping underground.

The seasonal beers are also interesting. GROWING UP IPA is a solid 6.5% IPA, KIWI GOSE is a gose made with kiwi, and Strawberry Margarita is a fruit beer made with strawberries from Fuji City. They are putting local produce into their beer.

Red Fuji Alt has a strong malt presence and a firm bitterness, but finishes clean, so it's the kind of alt you can keep drinking all night. The name "Red Fuji" is cool too. Since this brewery was shaped by someone who spent years serving beers from all over Japan and decided, "This is how I'd brew it," every beer feels like it reflects the palate of a beer-bar owner.