Susukino Jibeer

Wouldn't you be surprised to hear there's a brewery right in the middle of Susukino's entertainment district?

Yep, Susukino Jibeer. Founded in 1999, it's in the basement of the building across from 'Susukino Zero-banchi.' Before founding it, the plant manager, Tomo Morisawa, visited 20 microbrewery companies across Japan to study them, then started brewing under the guidance of a German brewmaster.

They mainly brew German-style lagers: Pilsner, Märzen, and, most interestingly, 'Yubari Coal Beer.' It's Schwarzbier, a black beer, but it's modeled on Yubari's coal-mining history and is a rich, bitter lager blended from several roasted malts.

They're particular about the ingredients too, using German malt differently for each beer style. For hops, in addition to German and Czech hops, they also use Hokkaido hops from Kamifurano. The yeast comes from Germany's Weihenstephan Brewery.

What's more, they use two kinds of brewing water: negatively ionized water and Kumaishi deep sea water, choosing between them as needed. Because they brew with mineral-rich water, the result is a gentle flavor you never get tired of drinking. At the 2000 International Beer Competition, their Pilsner won bronze and their Märzen won silver.

But it's brewery-only, with no attached pub, so the style is to drink it at the retailers that carry it. Their concept is 'beer you never get tired of, easy to drink,' so you can go for as many glasses as you like.