Kyoto Brewing Company

Commercial Brewery in Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan 🇯🇵
Associated Venue: Kyoto Brewing Company

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南区西九条高畠町25-1, Kyoto, Japan
Description
A wise friend once told us to “brew the beers you want to drink.” We took that advice to heart. While there are many great beers brewed in Japan, we still felt that there was something missing--no one brewery that fully satisfied all of our beer desires. We started KBC to fill that desire, believing that there were many others out there who felt the same way and would rally behind our products.
For our inspiration, we looked to the two brewing traditions that excited us the most: American and Belgium.

American craft beer has done more to change the face of the brewing world in the last 30 years than anything else out there. New hops, new styles, new hybrid beers, new extremes of high (and low) ABVs and IBUs. This is what we aspire for; never being afraid to try something new just because it hasn’t been done before or someone tells you that it can’t be.

Belgium is much more steeped in history and tradition, but is just as willing to continue doing what works for them, not what others tell them they should do. Effects from different yeast, both selected and wild; different taste sensations from the sweet, to the dry, the light, the heavy, the bitter and the sour, Belgian beer has been hugely varied and complex in both its methods of production and results.

While beers from both of these traditions are interesting on their own, we feel that combining our favourite aspects from both produce a more unique and rewarding product.
Our house yeast is a Belgian strain. The majority of the hops we use are American. Combining both in interesting and unique ways makes for inspired beers, flavourful products, and a really fun brewing experience. This is our starting point. Where our journey will take us and what beers we will make in the future, we do not yet know.

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7.2/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 6
On tap at KBC’s taproom launch, Aki no Kimagure pours a nice reddish color with a filmy beige head. The nose is malty pepper caramel with light hoppiness. The taste is a green piney bitterness with biscuity cookie notes. A fine beer that is somewhat English IPA like.
Tried from Draft on 12 Oct 2015 at 08:11

7.4/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 6.5
Tap at the Brewery’s Taproom Grand opening. This take on a blonde made with half US/half belgian yeast and some kyoto grown hops is a pretty light gold. The nose is lemony earthy hops. Spritzy carbonation on a light body. The taste has some spicy belgian character, lemon and possibly wheat with earthy undertones and a green hop bite in the finish.
Tried from Draft on 12 Oct 2015 at 08:09

7/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7
Tap at the brewery. Pale gold, hazy, medium head that went quickly to lace. Wheaty nose, medium Belgian yeast, light minty hop. the body is a bit rustic from the yeast, wheaty, hops don’t really cut it for a wet hop ale, although this was the first season for the bines and that really does explain it. A good beer, though it really needs more hop nose and flavor to work. Still, they saved it.
Tried from Draft on 11 Oct 2015 at 08:25

7.6/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
Golden amber color. Frothy white head. Huge Belgian yeast in the nose with good, but not too aggressive hoppy character. Lovely rendition of a Belgian IPA. The mouth is very well balanced with big yeasty finish and decent fruity character. This is a schooling on new world Belgian IPA, a style I don’t particularly care for.
Tried on 04 Oct 2015 at 02:50

7/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7
Tap at Komachi. Deep orange-brown, cloudy, with a fine head. Nose of earthy and grapefruit hops, chocolate, caramel. Hoppy amber ale. Nice caramel and chocolate malt profile, not too sweet, great earthy and citrus hops. Full body and rich malts. big flavor. It’s more a hoppy amber than a pale, and not my favorite style, but very well done, like a red IPA, if that is really a style. Could use a bit more hop flavor.
Tried from Draft on 02 Oct 2015 at 20:11

7.3/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 8
Tap at Mikkeller. Hazy straw with a nice big soapy white head. Muscat, corriander, grapefruit pith, cracker and light funk on the nose. Taste is sweet with some bitterness and spice. Very nice carbonation. Slightly creamy mouthfeel with a crisp, and muscat-like finish. Very nice.
Tried from Draft on 26 Sep 2015 at 11:03

7.5/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 8
Tap at Komachi. Cloudy gold, fine low head. Grainy, malty nose, fruity, white grapes, crackers, wheat-like. Lightly spicy yeast flavor, solid malt, beady, crackers, grapes. Nice stuff.
Tried from Draft on 12 Sep 2015 at 23:18

7.6/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 6.5
Kyo no Manatsu 5.7% is the new 京都醸造株式会社 Kyoto Brewing Company & Chuckanut collaboration. It pours a light cloudy gold with a filmy white head. The aroma is belgian spice, light brett funk and hints of pilsner maltiness. Light bodied with a crisp dry finish. I see the crackery maltiness as coming from Chuckanut while that yeast funkiness is clearly Kyoto Brewing’s style. I’d say it’s most likely a saison or belgian blond ale in terms of style. Whatever it is, it’s quite drinkable with cloves and yeast spiciness,light maltiness and maybe even some nuttiness in the finish. Good stuff.
Tried on 12 Sep 2015 at 07:07

8.1/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 9 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
On tap at Gion Matsuri. A light cloudy gold with a fruity then dank resinous hop bouquet. Very well balanced spicy hoppy flavor with a soft medium body. Great.
Tried from Draft on 15 Jul 2015 at 10:01

7.9/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
On tap at Gion Matsuri. Slightly lighter than the Natsu no Kimagure. A lightly spicy nose with a peppery character to it. The taste is a bit sweet, menthos (?) and classic belgian spiciness. Right up my alley. A classic light saison, really good stuff.
Tried from Draft on 15 Jul 2015 at 09:58