Hanaten Brewery Shukujitsu Bakushu

Do you know Hanaten in Osaka? It’s the station where the JR Gakkentoshi Line and the Osaka Higashi Line intersect, and there’s a brewery inside the Hanaten Sakaemachi Shopping Street: Hanaten Brewery Shukujitsu Bakushu.

It opened on April 29, 2023, which was Showa Day, a public holiday. So the idea is probably “bringing a special, holiday-like beer into everyday life.” The owner used to work for a video-related company, but after falling in love with beer, he traveled around the country visiting breweries.

Then he trained at Kibidotege Brewery in Okayama, learned the craft, and eventually went independent back in Hanaten, his hometown. Kibidotege Brewery is something of a pioneer among small-scale breweries, so the training he got there must have been huge.

Here’s the interesting lineup. Their flagship, “Katen Ale,” is a cloudy beer made with three kinds of herbs, and it has a bright, fragrant aroma that really bursts out. Then there’s “Lychee Ale,” which has a sweet lychee flavor just as the name suggests, and “Lemongrass Ale,” which is crisp and refreshing. They really lean hard into fruit and herb-driven beers, which makes them distinctive.

Exactly. It’s a great sense of style to turn the place name into a beer name. And it’s a standing bar style, so you can see the tanks from the counter. Since it’s under the shopping arcade, you can go there without getting wet even on a rainy day.

Exactly. They’re brewing beer in a corner of the shopping street while also putting on events and trying to bring in younger generations. Since the owner came from the video field, maybe he’s especially good at creating atmosphere. It’s a small brewery, but one with a very lively feel.