[Aomori Prefecture] 5 craft beers from Aomori Prefecture! Enjoy beer from the northernmost region of Honshu!

In Aomori Prefecture, which has the largest apple production in Japan, cider is popular, and perhaps because there are many sakes that are famous nationwide, the popularity of craft beer was on the rise until recently.

However, in recent years, ambitious breweries have been popping up one after another, making it possible to enjoy unique craft beers.

Swastika/Wheat Drop (Mugi Drop: Oma Town)

The chief priest of Sotokuji Temple in Oma, located at the northern tip of the Shimokita Peninsula and famous for its tuna pole-and-line fishing, brewed the Bicode Link B.S brewery on the grounds using spring water, which is sacred water from Mt. Osore. It's brewed on site.

The chief priest started ``Temple Local Beer'' because the ``long-lived water'' that gushes out from the spring was delicious,'' and they also make commissioned brewing and wine, such as ``Osorezan Beer.''

Recommended classic beers from Manji and Mugishizuku

  • Pale Ale : The first ale made by the chief priest has a fruity sourness and a refreshing taste.
  • Pilsner : Strong aroma and flavor from Czech hops, with a refreshing bitterness
  • Lager : Fermented and aged in the bottle using yeast, dark in color, with a fruity aroma and mellow body.
  • Bitter : Bitterness from hops, but a refreshing aftertaste
  • Stout : An Irish-style dark beer with a strong, full-bodied flavor.
  • Apple : Apple aroma at first, moderate sweetness, and a refreshing aftertaste.

Ugo Beer Manji/Mugi Drop <Information>

  • Name: Ugo Beer Manji/Mugi Shizuku (Sutokuji Bicode Link B/S)
  • Address: 93 Okudo, Oma-cho, Shimokita-gun, Aomori Prefecture, 039-4602
  • Phone number: 0175-37-3342
  • Official URL: Ugo Beer Manji Mugizuku (Sutokuji Temple)

Google Map

Be Easy Brewing (Hirosaki City)

Founder Gareth Burns retired from the Air Force while serving at the US military's Misawa base and began brewing beer in Hirosaki, and many of the beers he brews are named in the Tsugaru dialect.

We also have a hop field and a vegetable garden that is served in the taproom, and we are also working on pesticide-free cultivation using malt lees as fertilizer.

The first floor of the building is a brewery, and the second floor is a tap room called ``Gareth's Hideout'' where you can enjoy fresh beer and beer sold by weight.

Be Easy Brewing's recommended standard beers

  • Debbie's Pale Ale : Named after Gareth's mother, it has a good balance of aroma, bitterness, and aftertaste.
  • Jokenai (never boring) IPA : Refreshing bitterness and aftertaste, gorgeous aroma that changes with time and temperature
  • Hegoma (busy working) IPA : Hazy with sharp bitterness, spicy rye, and a nice hop aroma.
  • Ray's Milk Stout : A dark beer that suits the Japanese palate, like iced coffee with milk.
  • Aomori Ale : This ale, which is limited to restaurants in Aomori, has a gentle mouthfeel and is easy to drink, and can be purchased at shops.

Be Easy Brewing＜Information＞

  • Name: Be Easy Brewing (Gareth's hideout)
  • Address: 2F, 5-7-9 Matsugae, Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture 036-8042
  • Phone number: 0172-78-1222
  • Official URL: Be Easy Brewing

Google Map

Aomori Brew Pub (Aomori City)

The first brewery to open in Aomori City in summer 2021 is an affiliate of Be Easy Brewing in Hirosaki.

You can watch the brewing process through the glass, and the beer made with local ingredients is named after the town of Aomori.

In addition to freshly brewed beer, you can also drink bottled and canned beer sold in the shop as ``kaku-uchi.''

Aomori Brew Pub’s recommended standard beers

  • Yasutaka American Pale Ale : A refreshing pale ale named after its location, Yasutaka, that is likely to become a standard.
  • First Batch English IPA : An easy-to-drink IPA with a high alcohol content of 7.5% but mild bitterness.
  • Marron Coffee Porter : Dark beer with nuances like black coffee.

Aomori Brew Pub＜Information＞

  • Name: Aomori Brew Pub
  • Address: 2F Gareth Building, 1-5-11 Yasukata, Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture 030-0803
  • Phone number: 0177-11-8254
  • Official URL: Aomori Brew Pub

Google Map

Hachinohe Beer (Hachinohe City)

This is a new microbrewery that was launched in 2021, and the founder, who was impressed by the authentic Weizen in Germany, was inspired by the American craft beer boom and started a brewery in his hometown of Nango, Hachinohe City.

Nango, where the brewery is located, is a mountain village village famous for one of Japan's leading jazz festivals, where beer is brewed in the midst of nature.

Recommended classic beer from Hachinohe Beer

  • Hazy IPA : An easy-drinking IPA with a strong aroma of tropical fruits made with 6 types of hops and low bitterness.
  • Golden Lite Ale : Made with rice from Aomori, it has a light texture and is easy to drink, with a fruity citrus aroma.
  • Weizen : You can enjoy the mellow acidity with little bitterness and the banana-like aroma typical of white beer.
  • Vanraure Golden Lite Ale : Collaboration with Hachinohe soccer team, strong bitterness but light taste

Hachinohe Beer＜Information＞

  • Name: Hachinohe Beer (Kaneku Brewing Co., Ltd.)
  • Address: 14-2 Nozawa Yashikizoe, Nango Oaza City, Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture 031-0111
  • Phone number: 0178-38-5474
  • Official URL: Hachinohe Beer (Kaneku Brewing)

Google Map

OIRASE BREWERY (Oirase Brewery: Towada City)

Since 1997, this brewery has been brewing four types of standard beers using the ``Oirase raw water'' that springs up near the Oirase mountain stream that flows out of Lake Towada.

There is a directly managed restaurant on the premises, where you can enjoy freshly brewed beer while enjoying stone oven dishes such as pizza or outdoor BBQ.

OIRASE BREWERY’s recommended standard beer

  • Pilsner : A golden-colored beer that is refreshing down the throat and enjoys the aroma and bitterness of hops and malt.
  • Dark lager : A dark beer with a sweet aroma and a refreshing aftertaste from roasted malt.
  • Amber Lager : An amber beer with a rich flavor and a well-balanced hop and malt aroma.
  • Weizen : A white beer with a fruity aroma of wheat malt and a light mouthfeel with little bitterness.

OIRASE BREWERY＜Information＞

  • Name: OIRASE BEER Brewery&Restaurant (Oirase Roman Park)
  • Address: 39-1 Okuseki Road, Towada City, Aomori Prefecture 034-0301
  • Phone number: 0176-27-1317
  • Official URL: OIRASE BREWERY

Google Map

summary

Although there are no large-scale beer events in Aomori, each brewery holds events.

It seems like there will be more new events in the future, so why not check it out and visit us?

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