Aomori Brew Pub

There’s a brewpub a 5-minute walk from Aomori Station run by a former U.S. Air Force explosive ordnance disposal specialist.

Gareth Burns. Born in Fort Collins, Colorado in 1984 and raised in Philadelphia. He was assigned to Misawa Air Base at 20 as an Air Force EOD specialist, and that’s where he fell completely in love with Japanese culture.

After retiring, he moved to Hirosaki, taught conversational English, played Tsugaru shamisen, and even worked as a reporter for a local TV program visiting all 40 municipalities in Aomori Prefecture. Then in 2016 he launched Be Easy Brewing in Hirosaki, and in 2020 he opened Aomori Brew Pub in Aomori City.

The flagship Aomori Ale is also excellent. It’s an American wheat style brewed with Citra hops, pilsner malt, wheat malt, and WHC Labs’ Pineapple Passion yeast. The citrus and tropical fruit aromas are light and bright, and it’s 5% ABV.

It won a silver medal in the Japan category at the World Beer Awards 2025, a gold medal at the Asia Beer Championship 2025, and scored 93 points at Germany’s Finest Beer Selection 2024. It’s racking up results in international competitions.

Inside, there are tables made with Tsugaru lacquerware, kogin embroidery lights, and lamp shades woven from akebi vines, so you can drink beer surrounded by Aomori’s traditional crafts. It’s also the first self-serve tap system in Tohoku, where you pour exactly how much you want and the system automatically calculates the amount. There are always eight beers on tap, and many use local ingredients like Aomori apples, cassis, peaches, and local honey.