Kishiwada Beer

There’s a craft beer called "Kishiwada Beer," and its parent company is actually a metalworks factory.

It’s a company called Hokkai Tekko, and it holds more than 50% of the domestic market share for a pressure-vessel part called a "dish head." On top of that, this company also made the life-size Tetsujin 28-go statue in Kobe’s Shin-Nagata area and the BE KOBE monument.

They’d already supplied dish heads to major beer makers, and President Takahiko Hayashi realized, "With our technology, we can build brewing tanks too." That led them to decide to make not just the tanks, but also the contents themselves.

The trigger was interesting too: there was an in-house skills contest called the "S-1 Grand Prix," and that’s where the idea for beer production was born. With their 75th anniversary as a turning point, they launched the business with the wish to "revitalize Kishiwada with beer born in Kishiwada." They use brewing equipment they designed and built themselves.

Absolutely. "Tekkou" is a wheat ale with a refreshing citrus aroma from Cascade and Simcoe hops. "Kurogane" is a brown porter with the roasty aroma and richness of roasted malt. "Shirogane" is a light ale with a crisp, easy-drinking profile. They’re all neatly unified at 5% ABV.

At the JGBA (Japan Great Beer Awards) 2024, Kurogane won in the Brown Porter category. It’s amazing that a beer from a metalworks factory is being recognized at a national-level competition. They also have seasonal releases like "Suisei," made with green lemons from Kishiwada, and "Hakumai," made with sake lees. And part of the proceeds goes to the Kishiwada Mirai Kodomo Fund, which supports local children's education.