Hinosato Brewery

In Fukuoka's craft beer scene, there's a brewery that came from a place you might find hard to believe. Hinosato Brewery in Munakata City.

A single 3DK apartment in the Hinosato housing complex. They set up two brewing tanks in the dining-kitchen area, and the bathroom is used as storage. It's Japan's first "danchi brewery."

The person behind it is Kentaro Magome, who works for a company in the green infrastructure business. The other is Gen Ushijima, an employee of West Japan Gas. Neither of them is a professional brewer. Magome got the idea after seeing examples overseas where breweries served as hubs for local communities, and he started it to create a place where people could gather in a housing complex that was aging rapidly.

And the beer itself is amazing too. The brand name is 'Sato no BEER.' The flagship saison uses 100% Munakata-grown two-row barley. Using locally grown barley as the main ingredient is extremely rare nationwide.

"Amanatsu Belgian White" uses amanatsu oranges from Oshima, a remote island in Munakata, and won bronze at the International Beer Cup 2021. From a room in a housing complex to an international award? The salt used in the "Salt Lemon Gose" is "Shio-jii," a natural salt handmade by the last village head of former Oshima Village.

What's more, they grow hops together with residents on the housing complex's walls, regulars include elderly people coming back from gateball, and they even brewed "KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK ALE!" in collaboration with the pasta chain Pietro. This is truly a brewery where beer sits right at the center of the community.