Today, a place a bit out of Tokyo and not open so often. So far, so inconvenient (for me anyway). However, Beach Muffin could be my dream come true in a few ways. I had been meaning to go here for a while but hadn't quite managed it. Beach Muffin is the tap room for Yorocco beer, and I have enjoyed the beers I have had from them, but it also serves vegetarian friendly food. The offer of veggie tacos and Yorocco beer during a long bank holiday weekend was too much to resist for me, so I finally made it there.
Firstly, I should point out that even if Beach Muffin is open, it doesn't necessarily mean that the tap room will be. The cafe is open daily (except for Mondays and Tuesdays) but the tap room is only open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for limited times (although outside of these times they do have one tap available). These are also only the summer opening times, so if you are going at another time of year, best check their website. The building itself is lovely, the inside looking like an old Japanese house spread over a couple of levels with lots of nooks and crannies with chairs, tables and sofas in. It's difficult to accurately estimate the capacity, but I reckon there are seats for around 30 at a variety of table sizes. They don't take reservations, so if you are heading there from a long way away, it might be worth turning up earlier rather than later. The decor is homely and comfortable, the furniture is recycled from a variety of sources by the looks of it. There is plenty of greenery spread around and I can't emphasize enough how nice it felt.
Onto the beer. On Fridays and weekends they have all five taps going. They are also quickly replaced as they run out. Consequently, as we were there for a few hours, we got to sample six of their beers even though they have only five taps. All beers are ¥800 (now ¥900 as of July 2020), and are served in a Belgian style tulip glass in servings of around 350-400ml (I estimate, possibly badly). There were a variety of styles on offer (a smoked fruit beer, saison, Pale, couple of IPAs) but nothing dark when we visited. However, I believe they sometimes have their porter on, and I have had a stout by them in the past, so they do make these kind of beers if that's your thing. Along with this they serve a selection of snacks and you can always order from the cafe menu if you need something more substantial.
I really liked this place, although I may have just been lucky to visit on the perfect day for me (vegetarian Mexican food!). I suspect though that it's always a nice place to drink. I like Yorocco beers and you don't often get the chance to try them outside of Zushi. It only takes about an hour from Tokyo to get to Zushi and then it's around a 15 minute walk. There's no cover charge and it really is a pleasant place to drink. I will be interested to see what they do when it isn't summer as I am sure that less people go to Zushi when it's not beach season. When I find out, I'll update on here. Hopefully I'll be able to make it down there again before the summer is finished, and if you need to break up the journey back to Tokyo, you could always stop off in Yokohama!
Japanese breweries on tap when I visited:
Yorocco
Opening Hours:
Summer 2014 (will try to update this as we go, but if not, check the Yorocco website)
Friday, 17.00 - 22:00
Saturday, 12:00 - 22:00
Sunday, 12:00 - 19:00
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 12:00 - 18:00 (one tap only)
Closed Monday and Tuesday
Autumn 2014 (hours cut back a bit)
Friday, 17:00-22:00
Saturday, 17:00-22:00
Sunday, 12:00-18:00
Location/map
桜山 8-3-22, Zushi, Kanagawa
Thursday, 24 July 2014
Wednesday, 23 July 2014
Miyata Beer
Today, Miyata Beer, a fairly new brewpub based in Oshiage. It's good to see that we are getting new breweries and brewpubs rather than just new pubs as there were so many new places opening that I was worrying that we were going to run out of beer.
Miyata Beer seems to be very much a one-man operation. On the night we visited the brewer was manning the bar. To be honest, it's a small place, so there probably wouldn't be much room for anyone else. The premises is a medium sized room, but most of this is divided off into the brewing area. The bar area that takes up the rest of the space is L-shaped and has seating for around ten and a little standing room for a few more. It seems that it is very much a locals place. Many of the customers seemed to know the brewer, so I guess this shows that places in this vein can prosper. I know if there was somewhere like this near where I lived I would pop in for a drink pretty regularly. They don't serve food, apart from a snack selection (nuts and pretzels etc., ¥500). So this is focused on beer I guess.
They had five taps, but on the evening we went they only had three in operation. As I always say, I think this is sensible. Better to keep the beer fresh and expand when the demand arises. The three beers they had on were Pale, Golden and IPA. Judging by the previous beers they have had on, it seems that they are concentrating mainly on these kind of styles at the moment. Was nice though to see that they have done some dry-hopped pale ales before. The beers are served in two sizes, M and L (I guess the usual 300ml and US pint approximately, or at least as well as I could judge). Prices for the M ranged from ¥600-¥700 and the L, ¥800-¥900. All the beers had the date they were brewed by the taps, so if you are a freshness sucker, you'll know which one to go for.
So, another brewpub in Tokyo. Definitely a good trend. It is still very much early days for Miyata Beer, but I was pleased to be able to visit them and give them my support. Along with Campion, just over the river in Asakusa, the East of Tokyo is becoming a bit of a beer destination. I'm sure that as time passes and they tweak their recipes this place will become more popular. Although it seemed to be already doing fine enough with its locals when we went. At the moment they are only open at the weekend, but maybe as demand increases these hours will also be extended.
Japanese breweries on tap when I visited:
Miyata
Opening Hours:
Friday, 17.00 - around 23:00
Saturday, Sunday and holidays 15:00 - around 23:00
Closed Monday-Thursday
Location/map
横川 3-9-7, Sumida-ku, Tokyo
Directions:
From Oshiage station, leave via exit B2 and turn right. Take the sixth right turn (the fourth set of traffic lights) and Miyata is on the right hand side just after the first side street.
Telephone:
03-3626-2239
Links:
Website
Ratebeer listing
Twitter
Miyata Beer seems to be very much a one-man operation. On the night we visited the brewer was manning the bar. To be honest, it's a small place, so there probably wouldn't be much room for anyone else. The premises is a medium sized room, but most of this is divided off into the brewing area. The bar area that takes up the rest of the space is L-shaped and has seating for around ten and a little standing room for a few more. It seems that it is very much a locals place. Many of the customers seemed to know the brewer, so I guess this shows that places in this vein can prosper. I know if there was somewhere like this near where I lived I would pop in for a drink pretty regularly. They don't serve food, apart from a snack selection (nuts and pretzels etc., ¥500). So this is focused on beer I guess.
They had five taps, but on the evening we went they only had three in operation. As I always say, I think this is sensible. Better to keep the beer fresh and expand when the demand arises. The three beers they had on were Pale, Golden and IPA. Judging by the previous beers they have had on, it seems that they are concentrating mainly on these kind of styles at the moment. Was nice though to see that they have done some dry-hopped pale ales before. The beers are served in two sizes, M and L (I guess the usual 300ml and US pint approximately, or at least as well as I could judge). Prices for the M ranged from ¥600-¥700 and the L, ¥800-¥900. All the beers had the date they were brewed by the taps, so if you are a freshness sucker, you'll know which one to go for.
So, another brewpub in Tokyo. Definitely a good trend. It is still very much early days for Miyata Beer, but I was pleased to be able to visit them and give them my support. Along with Campion, just over the river in Asakusa, the East of Tokyo is becoming a bit of a beer destination. I'm sure that as time passes and they tweak their recipes this place will become more popular. Although it seemed to be already doing fine enough with its locals when we went. At the moment they are only open at the weekend, but maybe as demand increases these hours will also be extended.
Japanese breweries on tap when I visited:
Miyata
Opening Hours:
Friday, 17.00 - around 23:00
Saturday, Sunday and holidays 15:00 - around 23:00
Closed Monday-Thursday
Location/map
横川 3-9-7, Sumida-ku, Tokyo
Directions:
From Oshiage station, leave via exit B2 and turn right. Take the sixth right turn (the fourth set of traffic lights) and Miyata is on the right hand side just after the first side street.
Telephone:
03-3626-2239
Links:
Website
Ratebeer listing
Tuesday, 22 July 2014
Nomono
Another station beer shop. Once again, inside the barriers, this time at Akihabara. I will keep this reasonably brief as there's not a great deal to say! Thanks to Phil for the tip. Check out his blog Kansai Beer Lovers. Seems like there is also one of these at Ueno, but I haven't been there yet, and I guess it is pretty much the same.
Nomono is reminiscent of a smaller Le Collier, smaller in the size of the shop and also in its selection. However, it's still worth popping in if you are passing through Akihabara station. I guess one advantage of it being inside the ticket barriers is that if you are only going through the station on the Yamanote, it doesn't cost you anything to get off and have a look. This is helpful as I don't often find myself going to Akihabara.
There were around 60 bottles and cans of Japanese craft beer from around 15-20 breweries, some not worth mentioning below, but there was plenty of good stuff there to be of interest. Prices ranged from ¥300 to around ¥500, so as you would expect. In addition to the usual suspects, I noticed some seasonals from Baeren, Fujizakura and Sankt Gallen which might give you a reason to pop in if you don't like drinking the same thing more than once.
Japanese breweries bottles/cans available when I visited:
Baeren
Tazawako
Fukushima
Zumona
Fujizakura
Yo-Ho
Iwatekura
Oh La Ho
Hitachino Nest
Sankt Gallen
Opening Hours:
Daily, 11.00 - 21:00
Directions
Nice and easy. It's inside the barriers at Akihabara station, right by the central gate. That's all you need to know. So, no map this time. Also, not much point putting the address, but if you want to see roughly where it is, here's a link to the location.
Links:
Website
Facebook
Ratebeer listing
Nomono is reminiscent of a smaller Le Collier, smaller in the size of the shop and also in its selection. However, it's still worth popping in if you are passing through Akihabara station. I guess one advantage of it being inside the ticket barriers is that if you are only going through the station on the Yamanote, it doesn't cost you anything to get off and have a look. This is helpful as I don't often find myself going to Akihabara.
There were around 60 bottles and cans of Japanese craft beer from around 15-20 breweries, some not worth mentioning below, but there was plenty of good stuff there to be of interest. Prices ranged from ¥300 to around ¥500, so as you would expect. In addition to the usual suspects, I noticed some seasonals from Baeren, Fujizakura and Sankt Gallen which might give you a reason to pop in if you don't like drinking the same thing more than once.
Japanese breweries bottles/cans available when I visited:
Baeren
Tazawako
Fukushima
Zumona
Fujizakura
Yo-Ho
Iwatekura
Oh La Ho
Hitachino Nest
Sankt Gallen
Opening Hours:
Daily, 11.00 - 21:00
Directions
Nice and easy. It's inside the barriers at Akihabara station, right by the central gate. That's all you need to know. So, no map this time. Also, not much point putting the address, but if you want to see roughly where it is, here's a link to the location.
Links:
Website
Ratebeer listing
Monday, 21 July 2014
Biere Cave Jan Bar (Now closed)
THIS BAR HAS NOW CLOSED
045-228-8943
Links:
Website
Ratebeer listing
Saturday, 5 July 2014
The Cat & Cask Tavern
Firstly, apologies again for the terrible photo. Once again, I did it in a bit of a hurry on the way out. Today, another English themed pub, although once again, like Campion, the theme is only part of the whole, rather than being the reason for the place's existence. It's a bit out of the way, deep in a residential area in Kanamecho, but in reality, it's still only one stop from Ikebukuro and is certainly worth the trip to get there.
The interior, once again like Campion, gave me a longing for British pubs (the good ones I mean). The interiors of many Craft beer bars in both Japan and also in the UK are a bit slick sometimes. This is a real pub, in that it feels comfy and welcoming. Have a look at the pictures on their website and you could easily believe it is in England. There's a small bar area with seats for four where it seems the regulars congregate. In addition to this, there is seating for around 10 at a selection of tables. But it's not as tiny as I am making it sound. Sure, the room isn't very big, but there's plenty of space for it not to feel cramped. The place is run by an Englishman and his Japanese wife, so if you can't speak Japanese, you'll have no problem communicating here.
On to the beers. They have four taps and two handpumps, although when I visited they only had three of the kegs on. This makes sense though, as it is a small place and it's better to keep the beer turning over rather than having stuff stay on tap for a long time. All the taps were Japanese craft beer and well chosen ones at that, with none of the usual filler that you get in places with more taps. Beers are served in four sizes, UK half, glass (300ml), US pint and UK pint, so you can drink exactly as much as you want. The prices are the same for all beers and are ¥600, ¥650, ¥950 and ¥1100 respectively. Their taplist is posted on their facebook page and their blog, so you can have a look. In addition to the beer, they have a small food menu with some great stuff on it (quite a few snacks and also some bigger stuff including a pie, and a pizza). I definitely want the cheddar and pickle next time I am back there.
I have to say I really liked this place. It has the two most important qualities a pub should have, nice beer and a good atmosphere. It might not have the most taps, but I have been thinking recently that I really should stop jumping around drinking different beers in the smallest measures available in order to try as many different beers as possible and sometimes just concentrate on repeatedly enjoying a beer I like. This is exactly the kind of place I would kill for near my house. I will definitely be going back here. I would highly recommend you go too!
Japanese breweries on tap when I visited:
Iwatekura
Ise Kadoya
Kisoji
Minoh
Shiga Kogen
Opening Hours:
Monday, 18.00 - 23:30
Wednesday - Friday, 18.00 - 23:30
Saturday, 17:00-23:30
Sunday and public holidays, 18:00 - 23:00
Closed Tuesday, and the first and third Sundays of the month
Location/map
要町 1-32-10, Toshima, Tokyo, 155-0031
Directions:
The Cat & Cask is in a residential area, so best follow the map below, but here goes anyway. From Kanamecho station leave via exit 1 and cross the side street that merges into the main road. Immediately cross the next side street, carry on and take the 4th right turn. Continue down this road and take the 5th right. The Cat & Cask is on the right hand side shortly after you turn the corner. Counting side streets is tough though as some of them are very small and easy to miss. Please check the map!
Telephone:
03-3530-6180
Links:
Website
Facebook
Ratebeer listing
Blog
The interior, once again like Campion, gave me a longing for British pubs (the good ones I mean). The interiors of many Craft beer bars in both Japan and also in the UK are a bit slick sometimes. This is a real pub, in that it feels comfy and welcoming. Have a look at the pictures on their website and you could easily believe it is in England. There's a small bar area with seats for four where it seems the regulars congregate. In addition to this, there is seating for around 10 at a selection of tables. But it's not as tiny as I am making it sound. Sure, the room isn't very big, but there's plenty of space for it not to feel cramped. The place is run by an Englishman and his Japanese wife, so if you can't speak Japanese, you'll have no problem communicating here.
On to the beers. They have four taps and two handpumps, although when I visited they only had three of the kegs on. This makes sense though, as it is a small place and it's better to keep the beer turning over rather than having stuff stay on tap for a long time. All the taps were Japanese craft beer and well chosen ones at that, with none of the usual filler that you get in places with more taps. Beers are served in four sizes, UK half, glass (300ml), US pint and UK pint, so you can drink exactly as much as you want. The prices are the same for all beers and are ¥600, ¥650, ¥950 and ¥1100 respectively. Their taplist is posted on their facebook page and their blog, so you can have a look. In addition to the beer, they have a small food menu with some great stuff on it (quite a few snacks and also some bigger stuff including a pie, and a pizza). I definitely want the cheddar and pickle next time I am back there.
I have to say I really liked this place. It has the two most important qualities a pub should have, nice beer and a good atmosphere. It might not have the most taps, but I have been thinking recently that I really should stop jumping around drinking different beers in the smallest measures available in order to try as many different beers as possible and sometimes just concentrate on repeatedly enjoying a beer I like. This is exactly the kind of place I would kill for near my house. I will definitely be going back here. I would highly recommend you go too!
Japanese breweries on tap when I visited:
Iwatekura
Ise Kadoya
Kisoji
Minoh
Shiga Kogen
Opening Hours:
Monday, 18.00 - 23:30
Wednesday - Friday, 18.00 - 23:30
Saturday, 17:00-23:30
Sunday and public holidays, 18:00 - 23:00
Closed Tuesday, and the first and third Sundays of the month
Location/map
要町 1-32-10, Toshima, Tokyo, 155-0031
Directions:
The Cat & Cask is in a residential area, so best follow the map below, but here goes anyway. From Kanamecho station leave via exit 1 and cross the side street that merges into the main road. Immediately cross the next side street, carry on and take the 4th right turn. Continue down this road and take the 5th right. The Cat & Cask is on the right hand side shortly after you turn the corner. Counting side streets is tough though as some of them are very small and easy to miss. Please check the map!
Telephone:
03-3530-6180
Links:
Website
Ratebeer listing
Blog
Tuesday, 1 July 2014
Ushi Tora 1 (now moved)
[This place has now moved. Please click here for the listing of the new location. The standing bar, Ushi Tora 2 is still in the original location though.]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)