Asunaro Brewery

In Chiyo, Hakata Ward, there’s a brewpub run by a brewer with an incredibly interesting background. Asunaro Brewery.

It’s a tiny brewpub, just a 2-minute walk from Chiyo Kenchoguchi Station, with four counter seats and two tables, but the owner, Shingo Murai, is amazing. Born in 1985 and from Nakatsu City, Oita Prefecture, he used to be a cabin crew member for Emirates Airlines. While living in Dubai, he traveled to more than 100 countries.

He studied in Germany during high school, and as he traveled around the world, he became deeply immersed in beer culture. He applied to apprentice at more than 50 breweries in Germany, and in the end, he spent six months receiving direct training from a brewmaster at an organic brewery in the Bavarian countryside.

All of the beers are from the "Chiyo" series, named after the brewery's location, Chiyo. "Chiyo Ale" is a mildly carbonated, easy-to-drink pale ale; "Chiyo IPA" is floral and fruity, with citrusy aroma hops; and "Chiyo Kuro" is a stout. They also make "Chiyo Saison." The flavor changes slightly with each brew, which is part of the charm of handmade beer.

Murai deliberately chose Chiyo instead of busy districts like Tenjin or Hakata Station. He says he wants it to be "a neighborhood brewery" and "a place for community interaction like a community center," and in fact, prefectural office staff and staff from Kyushu University Hospital have become regulars.

What’s interesting is that on some days, 70% of the customers are foreigners. His international perspective from being a former cabin crew member probably naturally shapes the atmosphere there. They also make limited-edition beers using Yame tea, which feels like Fukuoka ingredients being crafted through the lens of someone who knows the world.