I’ve now visited the new location. Here’s what’s different from the old place (the write up for which is still below). The new place is bigger! The ground floor of the building is the brewery and a standing bar taproom. The second floor has the brewery restaurant where you can eat as well as drink their beers. On the second floor the beers are only served in one size, which was probably something like 300ml. There are twelve taps but one of them is Asahi which I will ignore. Prices for the others ranged from ¥550-¥800, so a little more expensive that the old place, but not surprising given that quite a few years have passed. There were a couple of small counters for maybe 10 and tables for about 30. It was a nice place to drink and have some food. My point below about the old place being near World Beer Market (Now Beer Ma) still stands as now both of these places have moved to the west side of the station and are about a five minute walk from one another.
Today, a post on a new brewpub that has recently opened very near World Beer Market/Tokyo Liquor Land/Sake no Taniguchi (choose your favourite name for that place). It seemed to appear a little out of nowhere, which probably says more about how up to speed with the beer scene I am at the moment than anything else. I was able to make the trip up there on a Friday afternoon. Yes, this is another place with some daytime opening!
-Nice looking place with a decent amount of seating. Nice view of the brewery from the bar. The brewer was tinkering with something as I sat at the bar enjoying her creations. Seating for about 20 and a counter for about eight.
– Decent pricing. All beers are ¥500 (¥540 including tax) and are served in 300ml pours. Was delighted to see that they use different glass shapes depending on the beer style. A nice touch.
– Capability for ten taps, but only five were on, four of their own beers and something called Asahi Super Dry. Guess this is a rare beer from somewhere in Japan that I have never heard of. Their own beers when I visited were a Weizen, English Pale Ale, Mild Ale (! Now there’s a style you don’t often see much of in Japan!) and a Belgian influenced Blonde. I was a bit pressed for time so only could have the Mild and the Pale Ale. Both were pretty damn nice and drinkability was high. Seems they cover a few bases with the styles though as I heard there was an Imperial Stout on the week before I visited.
Like I said, not really sure where they came from, but I am very happy they have appeared. The beers were surprisingly good, particularly for such a new brewery. I think we have had some pretty good new brewpubs opening recently. Kita Senju is a place I find myself now and again and I think their proximity to World Beer Market will work out well for both places. There is now twice the reason to head to the East side of Kita Senju station. I am looking forward to going back and seeing what they have got on next time.
Japanese breweries on tap when I visited:
Sakazuki
Opening Hours:
Wednesday-Friday, 16:00-22:30
Saturday, 13:00-22:30
Sunday, 13:00-21:30
Location/map:
千住 1-20-11, Adachi-ku, Tokyo
Telephone:
03-5284-9432
Links:
Facebook
While this will not work for you, this is quite close to the best bowl of ramen with beef in Tokyo (& some people assert is the best to be had anywhere), Matador.
I have had some success shopping for AVs at the BookOff in Kita-Senju as well. But do not ask me for the titles of some of them. In two instances, it was a jaw-dropping false title designated to entice somebody to buy it. {But it was cheap, so I do not consider it a gouge.}
You should suggest this pub to people staying at hostels in Asakusa, which is only ¥200 away on a Tobu train.
The head brewer here (Kanayama-san) is female. She spent a number of years brewing at Asahi, so that tap line is perhaps a nod to her history.
The brewery was crowdfunded! https://www.makuake.com/project/sakadukibrewing/
Thanks for the comment Starbird. I hadn't realised my mistake in this post. I was told that the brewer was female but wasn't aware when I originally visited. Will update it now. And yeah, the Asahi thing was my idea of a hilarious joke… sorry!