[Gunma Prefecture] Joshu Tomioka Brewery “Connect through craft beer”

• Table of Contents
• Locally produced craft beer made with plenty of Tomioka ingredients
• Creating jobs with craft beer
• Making beer is a continuous struggle. Enjoy researching.
• “Connect” through beer
• basic information

Locally produced craft beer made with plenty of Tomioka ingredients

This store has been certified as a "Gunma Local Production for Local Consumption Promotion Store."

Therefore, there are unique beers made with seasonal ingredients, such as beers made with ginger or kiwi from Tomioka. With the idea of ​​using local ingredients and enlivening the local area, the store owner tries to use ingredients from areas close to Tomioka City without wasting anything.

For example, yuzu -Japanese lime- beer uses 50 kg of rind and fruit juice, and is designed to bring out the flavor of the ingredients. You may have a hard time deciding which beers to drink, but the store also sells bottled beers, so you can enjoy them at home.

Creating jobs with craft beer

The store owner, Atsushi Arai creating original beers using local ingredients has pharmacist qualification.

The trigger for Mr. Arai to open a brewery was the heavy rains in western Japan in July 2018. He saw on the news that a craft beer brewery attached to a facility for people with disabilities in Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture was damaged by a flood, and people with disabilities swam through the muddy waters to save their brewery.

Mr. Arai originally ran a nursing care business and a welfare facility for people with disabilities. He learned that craft beer making could lead to employment of people with disabilities, so he applied to become an apprentice at a brewery in Okayama. He then obtained a brewing license and started producing craft beer in Tomioka City in 2021.

``At the Nanko Ume -Japanese plum- farm used in this year's Ume beer, people with disabilities collect pruned branches. I would like to create a system that will create employment for people with disabilities. ” (Mr. Arai)

In the future, Mr. Arai hopes that farmers who produce wheat and other ingredients used in beer will employ people with disabilities. To that end, he is trying to expand his sales channels and distribute his beer. By enjoying beer, we can create a connection with society for people with disabilities.

Making beer is a continuous struggle. Enjoy researching.

Mr. Arai told making beer is a continuous process of hardship.

``Even though it's supposed to ferment, it often doesn't. Fermentation doesn't always happen the same way, so I'm worried and do trial and error.'' (Mr. Arai)

All of the beers here are Mr. Arai's originals. In order to create beer that is easy to drink, he values the balance of malt, hops, and yeast. The beers are brewed with the aim of being something that can only be made in Tomioka.

"I'm enjoying with various research by changing the amount and type of malt, hops, and yeast. I think that being a pharmacist allows me to take advantage of hop calculations and ingredients as well as hygiene aspects. I think there aren't many brewers who are also pharmacists. (lol)” (Mr. Arai)

Craft beers, created through careful calculations using the experience of pharmacists, can be enjoyed at restaurants in Tomioka City. Craft beers are said to taste best at 12 or 3 degrees Celsius. Isn't it perfect to enjoy with food? `` Wasaiya Genji '' serves them as an aperitif with course meals. You can also enjoy them at Hayami . When you visit those stores, be sure to give them a try.

“Connect” through beer

It seems that most of the people who visit the store now are tourists. Mr. Arai says he would like local people to enjoy craft beers as well.

Even if you don't know the terms "craft beer" or "brewery," once you try his beer, you'll realize how easy it is to drink and how appealing it is.

Through drinking beer, we connect with the community and lead to employment of people with disabilities. We want visitors to enjoy beer that adds color to their daily lives.

basic information

Address: 1426-1 Tomioka, Tomioka City, Gunma Prefecture

Business hours

Weekdays: 16:00-20:00 (19:00 from November to March)

Saturday: 11:00-21:00 (20:00 from November to March)

Sundays and public holidays: 11:00-18:00

Order stop is 30 minutes before closing

Regular holiday

Every Wednesday and Thursday

We will be open if the regular holiday falls on a public holiday. The next day will be a holiday.

There is a possibility of temporary closure or change of business hours due to events, preparations, etc.

Phone 0274-67-7266

HP: https://josyu-tomioka-brewery.com/

Instagram：josyu.tomioka.brewery