Beto Coco Brewing

The origin story of Beto Coco Brewing in Awara City is incredibly interesting. It's the brewery run by Minao Ito and Misaki Ito, and both of them are originally from Awara City.

They moved to the U.S. in 2012 and relocated to New York in 2014. Minao actually worked there as a drummer, even appearing in jam sessions.

They encountered craft beer at pubs and beer gardens in New York, and Misaki was inspired, thinking, "I want to drink this beer in Japan too! I want to make our own beer back in our hometown!" That was the spark. They returned to Japan in 2018 and trained for a year and a half at a brewery in Gotemba, Shizuoka.

After that, they spent another three and a half years searching for a location and selling beer at market stalls, and finally opened their own shop in June 2023. It was the first brewery to open in this area in about 20 years.

It's a 7-minute walk from Awara Onsen Station. You can see the brewing equipment over the counter, and outside there are parasols and hammocks, giving it a daytime beer-drinking vibe that feels very New York. They use American, New Zealand, and Japanese hops depending on the brew, and the brewing water comes from groundwater in Awara City. They also use local fruit and honey to brew new releases every month.

Recently, they've released a DDH Pale Ale called "Drop Sunset," known for its sweet-tart aroma with notes reminiscent of orange and berries. They also have a DDH IPA called "SUNDAY PACE." Even the naming sense feels like a brewery run by two people who made music in New York.