Ō Beer

Ō Beer is pretty unusual. Its founder, Jiro Kizuki, studied philosophy at Kyoto University, and even specialized in existential anthropology.

That’s the thing. During college, Kizuki made a habit of reading philosophy books with a beer in hand, and for him, “thinking and beer” became a set. After graduating, he worked his way through a securities firm and an IT company, then founded dialektike Co., Ltd. in 2022. “Dialektike” is the Greek word for dialectic, by the way.

The brewery is a renovated Kyoto machiya in Murasakino, and inside it has a small 100-liter brewing system and an eight-tap tasting room. The fermentation tanks are ones developed by Iwami Beer in Shimane. Being open only on weekends is another distinctive touch.

Even the beer names are philosophical. “Wild Thought” comes from Lévi-Strauss, and “The Sower” is from a painting by Van Gogh. “White is new Black” is a Belgian oatmeal stout. The malt comes from Germany, the UK, and Kyoto-grown barley, the hops from the Czech Republic, Germany, and New Zealand, and the brewing water is from Kyoto.

That’s exactly what Jiro Kizuki is aiming for. OBEER’s concept is to create opportunities for people to think for themselves through a lifestyle where beer is part of everyday life. It’s inspired by the free and diverse culture of Belgian beer.

They also make a saison called “A Greeting of Love,” brewed with berries and lavender at 6.0% ABV. They also appeared at the Regional Future Festa. What’s great is that their guiding principle never wavers: making beer that reflects Kyoto’s local crops and culture.