South Horizon Brewing

Did you know there's a brewery with floor-to-ceiling glass windows on the hill above Kochi New Port? South Horizon Brewing.

It's an ocean-view brewery restaurant overlooking the Pacific. "South Horizon" means the southern horizon, and the scenery of Tosa Bay is right there in the name.

The brewer is Takuya Nakamura. He originally wanted to be a chef, but after falling in love with craft beer he changed direction and spent four years at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland studying brewing and distilling.

That seriousness really shows in the beer. The flagship, "All Aboard," is a West Coast IPA that puts hop bitterness and aroma front and center, while the malt stays dry and clear. Also, all the beer names being ship and sailing terms fits a port town perfectly.

"Nap on Deck" is an American pale ale brewed with Citra and Idaho 7 hops; "Fun guy Fungi" is a farmhouse ale made with shiitake dashi and white koji; and "Junos Pandemic" is a gose with Kochi-grown yuzu and salt. It's a daring lineup, isn't it?

Their California Common-style beer called "Pacifica Common" won bronze at the World Beer Cup 2024. They've also obtained ISO 22000 certification, and their future dream is to brew using only Kochi-grown ingredients. They're even working with nearby farmers to grow barley and hops.