Sessions Brewery

If you're talking about Hiroshima's craft beer scene, you can't leave out Sessions Brewery.

The founders, Ryuichi Takaoka and Katsuki Shine, were originally senior and junior colleagues at the same food service company. It all started in 2015, when they opened a beer hall in Ekini-shi, west of Hiroshima Station. They were popular as a fried chicken and beer shop, but after visiting Tokyo's craft beer scene, they were deeply impressed.

They thought, 'This culture still doesn't exist in Hiroshima, so let's make it ourselves.' In 2018, they started with just 3 million yen in initial investment, a 15-tsubo facility, and only five freezer storage units as the bare minimum setup. Each brew was 100 to 150 liters, and almost every step was done by hand.

That's what makes it amazing. And the highlight is the "OYSTER CITY" series. They use Hiroshima oyster meat and crushed shells in the beer. There are Pale Ale and Stout versions, and the oyster's mineral character adds a unique depth to the beer.

What's more, "Bruno SMaSH" won gold at the 2020 Japan Great Beer Awards, and they also have beers that make use of local ingredients, like "Hiroshima Lemon Ale" and "Tokaichi Ale." They also release seasonal specials like Strawberry Raspberry and Pink Moon.

Since moving to Tokaichi, they've added a beer hall, so you can drink freshly brewed beer right in front of the brewery. Because the two founders came from the food and beverage world, they also really understand how to pair beer with food, which is one of their strengths.