Heal Soul

There's a brewery called "Heal Soul" along Route 43 in Nishinomiya, and all of its beer names are sea-themed. HOP SHARK, SEA CLOUDS, RED SHARK...

The head brewer, Masahiro Yamamoto, has a pretty interesting background too. He originally worked in sales for a beverage manufacturer and had zero brewing experience. From there he trained at a brewery in Osaka and learned the craft from the ground up, starting with yeast fermentation management.

The representative, Mr. Sano, said, "What makes beer interesting is how drastically the flavor changes depending on the blend," and apparently he started the business because he was drawn to that potential. And their flagship, HOP SHARK, is an IPA with a juicy finish that really hits with pineapple and citrus.

KUROINO, a black ale, has a roasted, chocolate-like character, and Yellow Submarine is a hazy IPA with a juicy profile made by blending two kinds of hops. RED SHARK, an amber ale, is unexpectedly spicy and hoppy despite its appearance.

It opened in November 2023, with the brewery on the first floor and a tap bar on the second. It's rooted in a love for the local area and a desire to contribute to Nishinomiya's commercial development, and the prices are set fairly reasonably.