Teshigoto Brewery

Do you know Saijo in Higashihiroshima? It's a town famous for its sake brewery street, and there's a craft beer brewery there called Teshigoto Brewery.

What makes this place interesting is that none of the members came from the beer industry. Four business owners in Higashihiroshima City teamed up because they wanted to create a local specialty that would stand alongside sake.

They learned brewing techniques at a brewery outside the prefecture, and with help from the National Research Institute of Brewing in Higashihiroshima, they obtained a license to produce happoshu. What's more, the brewery was built by renovating part of a local butcher shop, Yamaichi Meat Shop, at a cost of about 20 million yen.

Their three staple beers really capture the spirit of Saijo. First is "Lemon Ale," a pale-ale-style beer made with Hiroshima-grown lemons, where hop aroma and lemon freshness come together. It's their most popular beer.

"Koi Rice Ale" uses Hiroshima-grown rice called "Koi no Yokan" and goes down smoothly. And "Sake Lees Ale" is this brewery's true signature. It uses sake lees from Saijo's sake breweries, giving it a unique aroma and sweetness from the lees, and at 6% alcohol, it's a little stronger too.

Even the package design is inspired by the brewery wall pattern called "namako-kabe," so it's full of pride in this sake town. It's also available as a local tax-deduction gift item, so it's easy to order.