Craft Beer in Tokyo?

[mrbitterpants]

Any suggestions on where to find good craft beer in Tokyo? Good food to go with it is a plus but I'd settle for average food and outstanding beer. I've heard of La Cachette in Shinjuku and Craft Beer Market in Nishishinbachi. Are they any good?

Thanks!

[Robb S]

Craft Beer Market has decent food and good prices for beer - all pints are Y780 - but that means they can't carry some of the better, more expensive beers. I thought La Cachette (near Iidabashi station) was kind of mediocre.

Ushitora in Shimo-Kitazawa is worth checking out, as are Craftheads in Shibuya, Vivo and Beersaurus in Ikebukuro, Devil Craft in Kanda (excellent deep-dish pizza), and Dry Dock in Shimbashi.

http://www.bento.com/r-beer.html

[mrbitterpants]

Awesome! Thanks! Follow up question, are places like these typically non-smoking?

[Robb S]

I think most of the ones I listed are non-smoking, but there certainly are beer bars that allow smoking.

[edozanmai]

Don't forget Popeye in Ryogoku.

[Ninisix]

Does someone know where I can drink some 'kurofune beer' ? I have had 2 years ago, and can't find it anymore.. it is like a Belgian beer, strong and made with coffee beans, very flavorful 

[Silverjay]

That is a Baird brew. They have it on tap at the various taprooms and sometimes on sale in bottles at depachika. It's a porter.

[mrbitterpants]

Can't wait to head over. Any suggestions on particular beers to try? Of the few good Japanese beers I can get in Canada, I'm quite partial to Hitachino's creations. Prefer IPAs in general.

[penthouse pup]

You might want to order "Drinking in Japan" by Chris Bunting (Tuttle, 2011.) He has a long chapter on serious beer bars as well as recommended Sochu, Sake, Whisky and Wine bars--very entertaining with lots of information.

[Silverjay]

I've never been into the Hitachino beers and they seem more popular in North America than Japan. There is some stuff coming out of Nagano Brewery and Swan Lake in Niigata that is pretty good. Baird makes some good stuff. There's new breweries popping up it seems all the time... IPA's aren't really Japan's strength as the craft brewing culture seems more angled toward German styles, i.e. weizen bock, wheats, etc.... Popeye in Ryogoku is supposed to be THE place. I usually spend some time in Ushitora myself.

[Ninisix]

Silverjay, do you remember exactly where you did have it on tap ? I want to go...

[Silverjay]

The Baird Taproom in Naka-Me. They have one in Harajuku as well.

[Ninisix]

Do you know what ? I couldn't wait, and I am drinking right now a Red Rose Amber Ale at the Beard Beer Bar of Harajuku. Great beer, great ambiance, great wood counter !! Thank you !! I will certainly come back again.