Great Dane Brewing

Do you know Great Dane Brewing? This veteran has been running five brewpubs in Wisconsin since 1994, and for its first overseas expansion it chose Akiu in Sendai.

The brewmaster, Rob Robreglio, is amazing. He was chosen as the U.S. Brewer of the Year in 2012, and he even sold his home in the United States and moved to Akiu to make the Japan expansion happen.

What's more, the Japanese representative is Shinji Muramoto, who used to run a Japanese restaurant in Madison and was nominated three times for the James Beard Award, often called the Oscars of the culinary world. It's a partnership between two pros, one from food and one from beer.

Their flagship is a lager called GREAT LAGER. They went straight for what Japanese drinkers really love: lager. They also have EVERYDAY IPA and SCOTCH ALE made with seven kinds of malt. Their Akiu-only After-Bath Pilsner uses local rice.

They also won gold at the Japan Great Beer Awards 2026, so their quality is well proven. And the facility is great too: handmade interior decor made from reclaimed materials, a garden terrace, and an attached restaurant that can seat up to 80 people.

They even released a ROSÉ IPA in collaboration with female brewers from Great Dane USA, a gorgeous beer made with Nelson Sauvin, Barbe Rouge, and hibiscus. They also brew collaboration beers with the local group "Teshigoto Akiu," which shows how closely they stay connected to the community.