Kyoto Brewing Company

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

Contact
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.

     Show


7.9
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Can. Deep golden orange, medium hazy. Very fine, thick head. Big fruit aroma, orange and grapefruit, tropical fruits, coconut and pineapple, papaya, white grape, touch of cat piss. Rich, biscuit malt as well. Malty and rich but not sweet, lots of hop bitterness, some resin, cat piss, over ripe tropical fruit. Drier and more bitter than a NE, but with just as much juiciness and hop punch. Nice malt character and body.

Tried on 07 Apr 2025 at 08:49


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

Easy to feel positive vibes on a beautiful sunny spring day…

KBC X Rahr Malts Positive Vibes IPA 6%

Great brassy gold color with dense off-white foam and a fairly juicy citrus aroma that has some spicy dank notes. The taste starts off with pithy citrus rind but the finish is sweeter orange julep yumminess.

Really tasty, crushable stuff.

Tried on 25 Mar 2025 at 01:22


7.3
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7

KBC x Minoh Koen Kyodai
Tart Peach Kolsch 5%

Nice golden color with fizzy off-white foam and a tart slightly peach aroma. The melight bodied beer is definitely tart and crushable but doesn’t really scream peach to me. Ok.

Tried on 23 Mar 2025 at 01:15


7.3
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7.5

Can from Isetan. Bright golden color, almost clear, with a medium head. Fruity nose, citrus, stone fruit, biscuits, spicy yeast, touch of honey. Spicy, estery, fruity flavor, with bready malt and biscuits, grapefruit zest, white pepper, and some herbs. Light, malty, bitter finish. Easy drinking.

Tried on 21 Mar 2025 at 07:57


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

Can. Quite dark brown, almost black, with a thick tan head. The star anise hits you in the nose quite forcefully, with chocolate, caramel, dark bread, and berry notes. The spice makes it seem more like a Belgian dark. Flavor is more dunkel, though a bit roasty in the direction of a schwarz. Spices are lighter than in the nose, though still there. Chocolate, bread, fruits. I like it, but it doesn't seem like a dunkel at all because for me, a dunkel can't taste like star anise. Also has a fruity, hoppy, spicy tang in the finish. Light to medium body and quaffable.

Tried on 18 Mar 2025 at 07:49

gave a cheers!

7.4
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Can. Deep golden orange, clear, with a tall, very fine head. Fruity, floral nose, rich biscuity malt, osmanthus flowers, light smokiness, bit of peach, bit of pepper. Bright, fruity flavor with lots more osmanthus, citrus and peach notes, biscuits, and a very bitter, long finish. Quite interesting. A nice juiciness comes in mid-palate, with sultanas. Bitterness is a bit too harsh, but otherwise interesting. I was waiting for someone to use osmanthus in a beer.

Tried on 16 Mar 2025 at 08:20


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

Can. Pours a pretty, deep amber orange with a tall, fine head. Nose is toasty caramel, toasted malts, nutty. Some fruity notes, orange. Rich malty flavor, toasted and nutty but not sweet. I get a woody, tannic note in the finish, which I suspect is the Hiba wood--don't know what that should taste like. It is slightly cedar-like. Finish is tannic and prickly, quite bitter. Very likeable amber lager.

Tried on 14 Mar 2025 at 08:30


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

Tap at Takumiya. Hazy, bright golden color with a fine head. Aroma of pineapple, lime, grapefruit and lemon. Nicely tart flavor, pineapple, lime, touch of salt and spice. Tropical fruit notes. Finish is slightly astringent. Fun.

Tried on 14 Mar 2025 at 00:26


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

Can, side by side with the old version. Tropical fruit and saison spices in the nose. Fuller body, rounded sweetness. Sweeter, rounder and more aromatic than the older version. This one was a clear improvement.

Tried on 14 Mar 2025 at 00:21


7
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7.5

Can. Hazy medium golden color. Grassy, lemony hop nose with light malt and spicy yeast. Light malt flavor, grassy hops, dry. Thinner in malt and body than the old version, and quite inferior in my mind (drinking them side by side).

Tried on 14 Mar 2025 at 00:20