315BEER

315BEER in Mizusawa, Oshu City, is read as "Saiko Beer." The name comes from brewer Shun Iwabuchi's birthday, March 15, with "315" also read as "saiko" meaning "the best."

Iwabuchi used to work for a company, but he had always wanted to start his own business. Then one day he learned about the existence of microbreweries and was shocked: "I thought beer was something you bought, but I can make it myself."

Exactly. He trained at breweries both inside and outside the prefecture, obtained his brewing license in April 2020, and personally renovated an empty shop near Mizusawa Station as a DIY project. He runs everything, from production to sales, almost entirely by himself. You can even see the fermentation tanks through the glass from inside the shop.

And the shop's biggest feature is its "by weight" sales style. You can have as much as you want filled into a growler for 160 to 180 yen per 100 ml. It's open only Friday and Saturday afternoons.

He's created more than 30 recipes across five styles, but the regular "FRESH&DIRTY" hazy IPA is especially good. It has a gentle citrus aroma and restrained bitterness, making it easy to drink even for beer beginners.

"Gold Breathe" is a golden ale made with IBUKI hops from Iwate, and "After Hours" is a hazy IPA brewed with Motueka hops from New Zealand. Iwabuchi's style is to bring out different flavors through hop varieties and combinations.