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.
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7.5
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
First up is:
KBC Yonder North Spruce Tip IPA 7%
Orange gold with thick off-white foam and a big pine freshener type aroma. Medium to full bodied. The flavor is very floral, perfumey and piney. LOADS of Spruce but still clearly an IPA.
I could totally see this as a winter seasonal.
KBC Yonder North Spruce Tip IPA 7%
Orange gold with thick off-white foam and a big pine freshener type aroma. Medium to full bodied. The flavor is very floral, perfumey and piney. LOADS of Spruce but still clearly an IPA.
I could totally see this as a winter seasonal.
Tried
from Can
at
Kyoto Brewing Company
on 23 Dec 2025
at 05:18
7.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
I thought the enhanced series was only 3 beers then saw they’d released a fourth…
KBC Enhanced Project Orion
TSH West Coast IPA 8%
Matte Orange in color with thick foam that doesn’t leave lacing behind. It’s got a great juicy hop bouquet with citrus and some sharp fruity notes. Fairly full bodied and smooth. Really tasty hop forward beer with perhaps a hint of butterscotch as it warms.
This was a really great series for hop lovers.
KBC Enhanced Project Orion
TSH West Coast IPA 8%
Matte Orange in color with thick foam that doesn’t leave lacing behind. It’s got a great juicy hop bouquet with citrus and some sharp fruity notes. Fairly full bodied and smooth. Really tasty hop forward beer with perhaps a hint of butterscotch as it warms.
This was a really great series for hop lovers.
Tried
from Can
at
Kyoto Brewing Company
on 21 Dec 2025
at 15:09
7.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Can from Fujii Daimaru. Super hazy deep orange with a thick head. Big, juicy hop nose, pineapple, mango, grapefruit, plus a touch of wheat biscuits. Clean fruity flavor, lots of citrus and tropical. Body lighter than expected in a good way. Bright and crisp. nice.
Tried
on 20 Dec 2025
at 08:32
7.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7.5
Texture 7
Overall 7.5
I believe this is the second KBC x JRA (Japan Racing Association) collaboration. The JRA also does collaborations with WCB I believe.
KBC x JRA Hero of a Hundred Races
Cold IPA 6.5%
Matte honey gold with fizzy off-white foam and a pithy citrus rind aroma that seems like a sweeter version of grapefruit. Surprisingly full bodied with prickly carbonation and a slightly boozy finish. It feels like a bigger beer than 6.5% The flavor is bitter citrus and sweet tutti-frutti notes.
Solid beer.
KBC x JRA Hero of a Hundred Races
Cold IPA 6.5%
Matte honey gold with fizzy off-white foam and a pithy citrus rind aroma that seems like a sweeter version of grapefruit. Surprisingly full bodied with prickly carbonation and a slightly boozy finish. It feels like a bigger beer than 6.5% The flavor is bitter citrus and sweet tutti-frutti notes.
Solid beer.
Tried
from Can
at
Kyoto Brewing Company
on 15 Dec 2025
at 14:10
8.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
I didn’t get around to this yesterday…
KBC Enhanced Project: Sokarion
Juicy DIPA 8%
This is the latest and dare I say greatest release in this series. Great hop bouquet with prickly pear, coconut and tropical fruit punch with a woodsy bitter twist. Full bodied with a raspy carbonation.
Excellent.
KBC Enhanced Project: Sokarion
Juicy DIPA 8%
This is the latest and dare I say greatest release in this series. Great hop bouquet with prickly pear, coconut and tropical fruit punch with a woodsy bitter twist. Full bodied with a raspy carbonation.
Excellent.
Tried
from Can
at
Kyoto Brewing Company
on 10 Dec 2025
at 14:39
7.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7.5
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
KBC Enhanced Project: Haberion
Juicy IPA 6%
Great hazy gold with thick foam and a rich juicy hop bouquet. Medium bodied with raspy carbonation. The taste is juicy hoppiness with Soda bread malt notes.
Good stuff and nicely balanced.
Juicy IPA 6%
Great hazy gold with thick foam and a rich juicy hop bouquet. Medium bodied with raspy carbonation. The taste is juicy hoppiness with Soda bread malt notes.
Good stuff and nicely balanced.
Tried
from Can
at
Kyoto Brewing Company
on 09 Dec 2025
at 14:31
7.5/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7.5
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
First up is:
KBC Enhanced Project: Arion
DDH West Coast IPA 6.5%
Completely opaque gold with thick off-white foam has it looking like a hazy but the piney hop bouquet and bitter pithy grapefruit flavor has it feeling decidedly west coast. Good stuff.
KBC Enhanced Project: Arion
DDH West Coast IPA 6.5%
Completely opaque gold with thick off-white foam has it looking like a hazy but the piney hop bouquet and bitter pithy grapefruit flavor has it feeling decidedly west coast. Good stuff.
Tried
from Can
at
Kyoto Brewing Company
on 09 Dec 2025
at 14:29
7.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7.5
Texture 7
Overall 8
Apparently, this is a two beer set.
KBC 4x6=24H
Mexican Light Lager 5%
On draft. It was a people gold with wispy eggshell white foam and a crisp lightly herbal hop bouquet. Light Pilsner malt and a slightly bitter green herbal finish. This’d be great with a slice of lime.
KBC 4x6=24H
Mexican Light Lager 5%
On draft. It was a people gold with wispy eggshell white foam and a crisp lightly herbal hop bouquet. Light Pilsner malt and a slightly bitter green herbal finish. This’d be great with a slice of lime.
Tried
at
Kyoto Brewing Company
on 07 Dec 2025
at 04:25
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Can from Fujii Daimaru. Deep golden color, clear, with a medium high, thick head. Deep malt aroma with bright Saaz hops. Rich, bright, strong flavor. Bready, biscuity, hoppy. A bit boozy, for sure, but really well balanced by malt and hops. Some sweetness, rich, bitterness, Saaz herbal flavors. Probably the best in the style I have had.
Tried
on 05 Dec 2025
at 12:34
7/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7.5
Texture 7
Overall 6.5
KBC Kunka Flower Saison 5.5%
An amber color with fast dissipating light beige foam. It has a honeyed malt and flowery rich saison aroma. The taste starts off matching it before the flowers start to come through… rose water perfumey notes. Interesting stuff.
An amber color with fast dissipating light beige foam. It has a honeyed malt and flowery rich saison aroma. The taste starts off matching it before the flowers start to come through… rose water perfumey notes. Interesting stuff.
Tried
from Can
on 11 Nov 2025
at 15:11