Nishijin Beer

Nishijin Beer started in 2017, but the story behind it is very different from most breweries. It is run by Heroes, a disability welfare organization under the social welfare corporation Kikuhokai, and they brew beer together with people with disabilities, including people with autism.

And get this: the brewery is a renovated Kyoto machiya over 140 years old. The attention to detail often seen in people with autism helps with temperature control and quality improvement, and they take part not only in label application and filling but also in the brewing process. Their theme is "Well Beering!" - a coined word combining the bliss of a great beer with well-being.

Their flagship beer, "Yuzu Muge," has a deeply meaningful name. It is a play on the Buddhist term "yuzu muge," meaning to be free from all constraints, and it carries the wish for a world where everyone can enjoy freely, with or without disabilities. It is an American IPA with 6% ABV.

They have other impressive beers too. "Ginran no Orize" is a Brut IPA made with rice koji sourced from the long-established sake brewery Sasaki Shuzo. "Kasumibana" is a tropical Hazy IPA inspired by Galaxy hops. They also make "Silk Weizen," brewed with Kyoto honey.

They also practice "noufuku renkei" - farm-welfare collaboration - where people with disabilities grow barley and hops in Gunma and Miyagi, and those ingredients are used to make beer. They also make "Everybody Kyo Ale" using hops grown by local residents, so the community and welfare are connected from ingredients all the way to the finished beer.

Outside the Friday taproom, you can drink it at more than 20 restaurants and bars in Kyoto City. Nishijin is a town where textile artisans gather, and the Nishijin spirit of "different artisans each bringing out their own strengths" is exactly the same as the attitude behind this beer-making.