Domyoji Beer

Domyoji Beer is in Fujiidera, and the location is amazing. The brewery is inside "MONZEN," a mixed-use facility built from a 96-year-old Japanese house renovated beside the approach to Domyoji Tenmangu Shrine.

The representative, Yoshihiro Morita, was born and raised in Domyoji, and he originally ran a liquor store and a convenience store. The trigger was the registration of the Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group as a World Heritage Site in 2019. To celebrate that, he planned a kofun-themed beer called "Miryou Beer," and that was the beginning.

Exactly. The colorful label modeled after a keyhole-shaped kofun is the trademark. And the "Miryou Beer" lineup is incredibly varied. There's the pale ale "Miryou Ale," the yuzu-scented "Miryou Saison," the coffee-flavored "Miryou Black," plus "Miryou IPA," "Miryou Kölsch," "Miryou White," and more.

They use four all-in-one 75-liter BREWHA tanks made in Canada, so it's ultra-small scale. That is precisely why they can brew new releases almost every month using seasonal ingredients. Fruit ales using South Kawachi produce keep coming out, like "Fig Ale," "Mikan Ale," and "Miryou Delaware."

The highlight is "Ten-san Ale Lemon." It's a seasonal limited release made with lemons harvested on the grounds of Domyoji Tenmangu Shrine, and it finishes light at 4% alcohol. The chief priest, Nanbojo, is also working together to create liveliness around the shrine approach. At New Year's, they also released an auspicious smoked-fragrance beer called "Umakuiku."

It sounds like it's still in the trial stage. The idea of using Domyoji powder, the ingredient used for sakura mochi, in beer really feels like they are pursuing a beer that can only be made in this place. The intensity of a liquor-store guy doing all this out of love for his hometown is incredible.