Neko Beer

In Fukuoka's Nagao area in Minami Ward, there's a brewery called "Neko Beer"—and true to its name, it's all cats, all the way, completely leaning into the theme.

The walls are decorated with cat illustrations by local artists, and it's a standing-bar setup with 12 taps lined up. And the beer names are all wild, too.

The flagship, "NEKO Unit-01," is a Session IPA brewed with three hops: Citra, Motueka, and Magnum. Fresh hops are generously added to the pilsner malt wort, giving it a juicy, vibrant aroma. At 4.5% ABV, it's light enough that you can keep going glass after glass.

"Ancestor Cat" is a fruit saison with grapes and cassis, plus red shiso as a hidden accent. It's not cloyingly sweet, yet still fruity, and the shiso gives the color and flavor a perfect lift. "NEKO Invasion" is a DDH hazy pale ale, dry-hopped with four hops: Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe, and Motueka.

They also have "Otumiru~," a DDH oats cream hazy IPA that doubles the usual amount of oat flakes and adds lactose to maximize the milky character. Coconut-like aromas layer with lemon and peach notes. The brewer even said it was "regardless of profitability."

There's also an imperial stout at 10% ABV called "Patisserie Nyankoro," and a beer titled "I Am a Hazy. My Name Is Still Nyai." The brewery has completely fused cat love with beer love. They've also been doing tap takeovers outside Fukuoka, steadily growing their fan base.