Kyoto Brewing Company
Commercial Brewery
in
Kyoto,
Kyoto,
Japan 🇯🇵
Associated Venue: Kyoto Brewing Company
Contact
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.
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.
8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
On tap at cbm jimbocho terrace. Neon straw color with a nice pillowy white head that lasts. Superb lacing. Lots of esters on the nose and very welcoming. Nose is young berry, some banana and passion fruit with nice yeast character. Taste is similar but the malts really step up. Bread, biscuit flavors and grain (wheat?). Nice finish. Lighter than snow monkey but a little sweeter. Good stuff! --- Beer merged from original tick of Ichigo Ichie (一期一会) on 01 Jul 2015 at 14:12 - Score: 7
Tried
from Draft
on 30 Jun 2015
at 19:22
8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Tap at Komachi. Pastel yellow, cloudy, low fine head. Lemony nose, wheaty, grapefruit, spicy yeast but dry and clean. Richer malt in the flavor, bread, a bit of biscuit, rather wheaty. Orange and grapefruit. Maltier and a bit sweeter than their first saison, more esters. A touch of pineapple as well. Bitter, dry finish. Great beer.
Tried
from Draft
on 29 Jun 2015
at 20:46
8.3/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
On tap at CBM Koenji. Hazy lemony straw color with a beautiful soapy off-white head. Nose is all grapefruit, iyokan and orange with some yeast detectable as well. Lively carbonation which is almost saison-like with a medium to medium-light body. Highly drinkable for 7% ABV. Starts off leaning toward the American side at first but as it warms up the Belgian character rears its head. This is wonderfully complex IPA. Nice dry finish that has hints of bitterness and fruit. My 2nd favorite from these guys after Himitsu. Keep ’em coming! --- Beer merged from original tick of Nishikaigan no Omoi on 21 Jun 2015 at 18:48 - Score: 8
Tried
from Draft
on 21 Jun 2015
at 06:03
7.3/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8
On tap at CBM Koenji. Slightly hazy golden straw with a big soapy head. Yeast, lemon, orange and fennel on the nose with some peach noticeable as well. Carbonation is average with a nice velvety mouthfeel. Sweet and fruit-forward with a dry and lightly tart finish. The citrus really stands out on the palate as well as the yeast. Nice enough. --- Beer merged from original tick of Kinpatsu no Futago on 21 Jun 2015 at 18:48 - Score: 7
Tried
from Draft
on 21 Jun 2015
at 05:59
8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Tap at Komachi. Cloudy, deep gold, almost pastel, with a fine, low head. Nose of lemon, grapefruit, spicy yeast, a bit of biscuit. Rich malt flavor, biscuity Maris Otter comes through, great juicy citrus flavor from the hops, grapefruit zest. Crisp but full. Very bitter--a bit too bitter, but overall excellent.
Tried
from Draft
on 17 Jun 2015
at 19:08
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7
On tap at Tadg’s as Thoughts of the West This new Belgian Pale Ale from my local brewery pours a cloudy gold with a soft white head. A fruity aroma giving me citrus & juicy peach notes complemented by a mild musty funk. The taste is very belgian: wheat, spice, a dry funky character. Very interesting and easy to drink. It’s a refreshing beer for summer that hides that 7% well.
Tried
from Draft
on 17 Jun 2015
at 08:44
7.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
On tap at CBM Koenji. Hazy gold with a nice soapy head that lingers. Nose has pepper, saison yeast and big punch of fruit: mango, passion fruit and peach. Full body with lively carbonation. Taste is more of the same, but not as complex as the nose. The fruit really takes over. The finish is dry and fruity with a slight peppery finish. Enjoyable. --- Beer merged from original tick of Yukizaru heno Sanji on 09 Jun 2015 at 08:57 - Score: 7
Tried
from Draft
on 08 Jun 2015
at 07:40
7.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
hazy milky white yellow color. Peppermint mouth, dry. Not perfectly a saison but nice stuff.
Tried
on 06 Jun 2015
at 02:35
6.9/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
hazy medium golden color. Funky estry nose with Belgian yeast very noticable. The mouth is dry but lacks hoppiness that I was expecting. Beer is very characterized by the yeast, but nicely made blonde ale.
Tried
on 06 Jun 2015
at 02:30
6.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 7
cherries and apricots on the nose. Simple nice balance, with long bitter finish. A shadow of what it once was apparently.
Tried
on 06 Jun 2015
at 02:28