Kyoto Brewing Company

in Kyoto-shi, Kyoto, Japan 🇯🇵
Associated Venue: Kyoto Brewing Company

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南区西九条高畠町25-1, Kyoto-shi, 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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7.3
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

Can from Fujii Daimaru. Hazy pale yellow. Big grapefruit in the nose, resin, weed, mango. Dry and dank-ass flavor, unripe tropical fruit and resins. Dry and dank, not all that fruity or juicy. Decent but a big much.

Tried on 27 Aug 2025 at 13:19


7.5
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

Can from Isetan. Deep golden color. Low head. Big, fresh hop nose, dank, spicy, floral, with tropical fruits and also some noble notes. Spicy, herbal hop flavor, resiny, fresh, topical fruit. Quite herbacious and also bitter.

Tried on 27 Aug 2025 at 13:17


6.5
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

Can. Bright medium to deep red with a pink head. Big cherry nose, some lime, light vanilla and lactic acid. Very dry flavor, crackery malt, cherry, a touch of lime. Rather underwhelming flavor after the big cherry nose. Somewhat disappointing.

Tried on 27 Aug 2025 at 13:15


7.1
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7

KBC Osakini Helles

Lovely gold with big soft foam which vanished quickly. Nice sweet malty aroma withnotes of dusty soft wheat. Medium to full bodied with a soft mouthfeel. This was really good and if I’d drunk it sooner after taking it out of my fridge it probably would’ve been amazing.

Tried from Can on 25 Aug 2025 at 15:47


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7.6
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7.5

KBC x Miyama 162 Golden Harmony
Saison 5%

Medium bodied, deep gold brew with light beige foam. The aroma has a Belgian rich fruitiness with light peppery notes and some florality. The taste is similar, very nice brew.

Tried from Can on 01 Aug 2025 at 14:30


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8.3
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8.5 | Flavor - 8.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

KBC Nanja
West Coast Dank IPA 7%

Matte yellow with fizzy off-white foam and a juicy citrus and light woodsy pine aroma. The taste adds grapefruit zest, prickly pear and it finishes on dank pine. Light bodied and ultra crisp.

Really tasty stuff.

Tried from Can at Kyoto Brewing Company on 29 Jul 2025 at 15:00


7.8
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Can from Fujii Daimaru. Great Mosaic nose: pineapple, guava, orange, dank grasses, passion fruit. Bright and juicy. Hazy pastel yellow with a low head. Dank, fruity, spicy flavor, clean, bready malt. The hops shine. Lots of semi-ripe pineapple, plus grapefruit, passion fruit. Nice crisp body. Not heavy or pasty.

Tried on 29 Jul 2025 at 09:02


7.3
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7

Can from Fujii Daimaru. Bright citrus hops on the nose, orange, herbs, white grapes. Spice. Light, crackery malt. Medium gold with light hazy and a low head. Bright citrus and white grape hop flavor. I get the Sapfir. Clean, light malt. Crisp bitterness. Quite like an Italian Pilsner.

Tried on 28 Jul 2025 at 06:53


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7.6
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

KBC x Isetan Enishi Saison 5%

An Isetan exclusive it’s a deep golden yellow with white foam and a rich stone fruit and spice aroma. It smells midway between a singel and a saison to be honest. Medium bodied with a dry finish. The taste starts off spicy and ends with rich stone fruit. Nice stuff.

Tried from Draft at Kyoto Brewing Company on 26 Jul 2025 at 10:34


7.6
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Can from Seijo Ishii. Very big citrus hop nose, with piny resins, some tropical fruit, lightly dank, honey malt, and a touch of caramel. Old school solid. Deep orange to amber with a medium, thick head. Bready, biscuity malt, grapefruit, orange, light pineapple, touch of caramel. Slightly resinous. Quite bitter in the finish. Good stuff. Nice throwback to a style I love.

Tried on 13 Jul 2025 at 08:27