Kyoto Nude Brewery

Do you know about Keihoku in Kyoto? Even though it's still within Kyoto City, 93% of the area is forest. It's an incredible hidden place. That's where Kyoto Nude Brewery is.

Its concept is "BE NUDE... as you are, completely." It means shedding everyday life and enjoying beer exactly as yourself.

Head brewer Hiroyuki Jojo spent seven years training at Kyoto Brewing. He originally used to be a regular at the pub run by the parent company, Kakezan.

When Takumi Shiraishi, the head of Kakezan, launched their own brewery, he invited him to join. They also brew as a three-person team with Mr. Okawa, who spent 10 years working at a sake brewery before honing his skills at Baird Brewing, and Mr. Takagi, a graduate of Tokyo University of Agriculture.

Their defining feature is that they make low-alcohol session beers under 5% ABV their flagship. "Hinata Bokko," a light lager, comes in at 4.5%, designed so you can keep drinking many glasses and still stay relaxed.

What's more, they directly channel the blessings of Keihoku's forests into their beer. They brew a lager with kuromoji sourced from local foresters, plus "SUZUKA" made with sansho and "UWANOSORA" made with buckwheat kernels. After brewing, the spent grain is turned into fertilizer for the fields on the property, so they practice a circular brewing model.