R Brewery Self

Address
Shiga, 7104-1 Yamanoue, Ryuo Town, Gamo District
Area
Shiga Ryuo Town, Gamo District

What kind of brewery is R Brewery Self?

hop excitedHop Bro

R Brewery Self is a very rare experiential brewery in Japan where you can actually brew your own beer.

mugi surprisedMugi

What? You can make it yourself?!

hop proudHop Bro

That's right. Representative Kenta Yoshimoto has an impressive background. He originally graduated from Nippon Sport Science University as a gymnast, then worked for a travel agency and guided tours for over 150 days a year, and after that spent six years at a pharmaceutical company.

mugi confusedMugi

Gymnast -> travel -> pharmaceuticals ... that has nothing to do with beer, does it?

hop excitedHop Bro

Here's the twist: in 2016, he went to Germany through his wife's connection and became deeply absorbed in brewing there. He obtained the Geselle craft qualification in 2018, completed the Doemens Master School in Munich in 2020, and became the only Japanese holder of the HWK Braumeister national qualification.

mugi surprisedMugi

What?! The only Japanese person? Why would someone with a German national qualification be in Ryuo Town, Shiga?

hop happyHop Bro

His wife is from Ryuo Town. He arrived in 2022 as a regional revitalization volunteer and said he wanted to energize the town with beer. It opened in February 2024 on the grounds of Gamono no Yu, a natural hot spring. Being able to brew and drink beer right next to a hot spring is the best, isn't it?

mugi excitedMugi

Beer you make yourself after a hot spring bath... that's the best! What kind of beer can you make?

hop normalHop Bro

In the experience, you can choose the type of malt and the hop blend, and make about 15 liters of original beer, or 30 medium bottles' worth. Separately, the brewmaster also produces regular beers himself, keeping around six varieties at all times, such as Helles, Schwarz, Belgian Wit, Session IPA, Marzenbock, and IPA.

mugi thinkingMugi

Ah, since it's brewed with German expertise, it has Helles and Schwarz styles. Makes sense.

hop proudHop Bro

There was also a one-liter bottle of dark beer called Jubileum Schwarz, released as a crowdfunding exclusive. And the spent grain from brewing is supplied as feed to local Omi beef farmers, so they're doing regional recycling properly too.

mugi movedMugi

I see! A brewery experience run in the countryside by someone with a German national qualification really shows how much passion there is for spreading the joy of beer. I want to go and make my own beer!

Signature beers: HellesSchwarzJubileum SchwarzSession IPA