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TOKYO | Hitachino Brewing Lab Kanda is one of the best places in Tokyo to try beer from Japan’s Ibaraki’s Kiuchi Brewery. Kiuchi have been brewing sake in their home city of Hitachi since 1823, but are better known these days for their Hitachino Nest beers, which they started brewing in 1994.
It’s a beautiful space, housed in the restored Manseibashi station building. Arches, concrete, brick, brass, and dark wood make for a venue that stays true to the building’s heritage. It opens up onto a small outdoor area overlooking Akihabara across the Kanda River.
There’s 10 beer taps, featuring the core range Hitachino beers plus a few venue-only beers that are brewed on site. The Espresso Stout, a 7.0% ABV Imperial Stout brewed with roasted coffee beans is a particular favourite, and there’s often seasonal varieties on offer in bottles along with the normal variant on tap. The DAi DAi, a 6.2% IPA brewed with fukuremikan orange is also well worth trying. Unfortunately you can’t get tasting paddles here
The food here is well worth trying too. Japanese born chef Noriyuki Sugie, who has worked in Michelin starred restaurants around the world, and these days has his own restaurant in San Francisco, has developed an Internationally inspired menu. Expect things like beef cheek and pork stew, pork schnitzel and squid jerky.
There’s a take away bottle shop next door but licensing laws mean you can’t enjoy the beers you purchase at the bottle shop in the bar.
As well as beer and food, there’s also brewing and tasting classes run throughout the week. You can even brew your own beer.
Hitachino Brewing Lab
1-25-4 Kanda Sudachō
Tokyo 101-0041
Japan
Telephone: 03 3254 3434
E-mail: n/a
Website
Open
Mon – Sat: 1:00pm to 11:00pm
Sun: 11:00am to 9:00pm