Kyoto Brewing

Kyoto Brewing is interesting from the very way it came to be. It all started when three people met in Aomori: Chris Heins, an American; Ben Falk, a Welshman; and Paul Speed, a Canadian.

Ben came to Aomori as an English teacher through the JET Program, and around 2005 the three met there. While drinking beer together, they came to think, "Let's brew the beer we want to drink ourselves." Chris later moved to Kyoto, worked at Ritsumeikan University, and began thinking he wanted to turn his hobby of brewing beer into his main career.

In 2015, they renovated a former lumber factory south of To-ji and opened the brewery there. Its biggest feature is the combination of Belgian yeast and American hops. At the time, there were almost no breweries in Japan using Belgian yeast as their main focus, so it immediately drew attention.

Exactly. Their classic "Ichigo Ichie" is a Belgian saison, with the spicy character of Belgian yeast layered with the fruity notes of New Zealand and American hops. It's dry and crisp, yet has depth. "Ichi-i Senshin" is a Belgian IPA, where citrusy hop character and the spiciness of Belgian yeast coexist in a beautifully balanced brew that is not too bitter.

There's "Irotoridori Passion Fruit Pils Edition," a lively beer with the tropical aroma of New Zealand hops paired with passion fruit juice, and "Share Oatmeal Stout Edition," which has the smooth mouthfeel of oats and aromas of caramel and chocolate. These are part of a new series called KBC 2.0, and since James, a brewer from a famous American brewery, joined in 2024, they've been pushing things even further.

In 2025, for their 10th anniversary, they held an event called "Naminamito," with participation from 20 breweries nationwide, which shows how highly respected they are in the industry. The taproom is open on weekends, with a standing counter on the first floor and table seating on the second. Drinking freshly made beer in that rugged former lumber-factory space is irresistible.