Takashima Beer

Takashima Beer. It was started by two men in their 50s whose combined age is over 100, saying, "In the era of 100-year lifespans, even after 50 we want to do what we want to do."

Takasaka originally handled sales for his own denim brand and is in charge of marketing. The other one, Nishimura, got deeply into craft beer while traveling to 36 countries for 10 years, and finally switched to the brewing side. It's interesting that two people with completely different backgrounds teamed up, isn't it?

In the Harie settlement of Shin-Asahi Town, Takashima City, and this place is really amazing. It's called the "spring-water village," and more than one ton of spring water flows out every second. The water was selected as one of the Heisei 100 Famous Waters, and they brew their beer with that water. The lodging facility Racine Home Harie is also attached.

Their flagship labels are also full of local pride. HARIE SHOZU IPA takes its name directly from Harie's spring water, and it's an IPA packed with hops. ADOGAWA BERRY ALE is a fruity ale that combines Ado berries, a Takashima specialty, with aroma hops, and it's a flavor you absolutely can't get anywhere else.

It's a type of berry also called boysenberry, and the Adogawa area of Takashima City is one of the leading production regions in Japan. The beer name ADOGAWA comes from that place name. Also, SHIRAHIGE WEISS is a weizen named after Shirahige Shrine floating on Lake Biwa, and it's a delightful beer with banana aroma from more than 50% wheat malt. There's also a porter called KAIZU BLACK.

There's also a taproom in Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, so even people who can't make it to Takashima can get there more easily. But the experience of drinking beer brewed with that water in the settlement where Harie's spring water flows is something you can only enjoy on site.