Aozora Brewery

Aozora Brewery is a microbrewery in the middle of Hakata, and its origins are interesting. Owner Hiroharu Mori originally ran a hostel, and after being drawn to the beer and community atmosphere at a nearby brewery called Asunaro Brewery, they decided to start making beer themselves.

The brewing lead, Yusuke Watanabe, was originally such a beer lover that he aspired to become a brewer and trained for it. He says, "I'm happy that customers can drink beer made from my own recipes," so he really values the joy of being a maker.

It's on the second floor of a building near Reisen Park in Tenya-machi, Hakata Ward, right between the office district and the tourist area. The interior has a Scandinavian feel, with a white-and-wood palette, Louis Poulsen lighting, and blue tile accents. You can see three fermentation tanks from the counter. It's a space that feels almost like a cafe.

There are four standard TENYA series beers. TENYA PALE ALE has a bright, rich aroma, and TENYA IPA is a glass with a strong bitterness. TENYA SESSION IPA is easy to drink at 4.5% ABV and has a golden color, while TENYA WHEAT ALE has a mellow mouthfeel. This SESSION IPA won gold in the keg category at IBC 2022.

And it didn't stop there: at IBC 2023 they won gold, silver, and bronze; at IBC 2024 they won gold and silver; and at IBC 2025 they also took home one gold and three silvers. They also win awards every year at the JGBA. It's really amazing that they have achieved so much at a small-scale brewery with a maximum batch size of just 500 liters.

They also release limited beers often, and a session IPA called Misty Tuesday is a glass characterized by bright aromas of citrus and pineapple. Under the concept of "bringing more craft beer culture to Fukuoka," they're also working with other breweries to energize Fukuoka's beer scene together.