Written by James
THIS is a comparatively new brewery and classy bar very near Yushima station and about ten minutes from Ueno. The format of THIS is a bit uncommon. There’s a standing solely counter on the primary flooring (see photograph). The counter could be very trendy and the entire place is spotless. A minimum of six individuals might comfortably drink right here however, because it’s standing solely, you possibly can match fairly just a few extra individuals in. The brewing tanks will be seen behind the counter which positively provides to the ambiance. Even if this appears to be a one man operation, there’s a second flooring. It’s additionally very swish and trendy. I counted at the very least sufficient tables for 14 individuals.
There are six faucets. Once I went three have been their very own beers and three have been visitor beers. This appears to be commonplace right here. I actually like the truth that there are at all times visitor beers too, though I’ve to say that THIS brew superb beers! The three beers brewed by THIS have been a Double IPA (I cherished it), a Juicy IPA and a Saison with Rosemary and Lime. If I attempted to explain the beer right here in a single phrase it might be, “clear”. They’re completely balanced and the brewer is certainly proficient.
Brewing licenses in Japan can both be restricted to “Happoshu” or embody “Beer”. There’s a definition for what constitutes beer and what’s thought-about Happoshu. Happoshu was initially invented to avoid wasting tax as a result of beer has greater tax than every other alcohol in Japan. It appears loopy {that a} litre of Shochu is taxed lower than a litre of beer however that’s simply the way in which it’s right here. The overwhelming majority of craft beer breweries (together with THIS) solely have a Happoshu license. Mainly, there are many methods to make something you brew go the Happoshu definition so it’s simpler and cheaper to not hassle with the beer license.
Beer costs for their very own beers vary from ¥1,200 to ¥1,350 for a big and from ¥800 to ¥900 for a daily. The glasses aren’t pint formed however are tasting glasses, so it was troublesome to guess the amount. I felt the big was in all probability rather less than a pint (perhaps 400ml) however I could possibly be mistaken. I actually favored the form of the glasses and I felt that the costs have been cheaper than common for Tokyo lately. The visitor beers have been a little bit costlier. A big ranged from ¥1,350 to ¥1,500 and a daily value between ¥900 to ¥1,000. There’s a take-out choice for all of the draught beers too. There’s additionally a fridge with cans which you could drink in or take out. There’s a cost (often ¥200) to drink cans on website.
Being a one man bar, meals was very restricted. Mainly simply crisps, olives and different snacks. The one exception was a extremely good panini made utilizing pizza dough from a neighborhood store.
THIS is an uncommon place. It have to be very troublesome for one individual to run a bar with two flooring. By some means it appears to work although and the pleasant proprietor even manages to make time to talk to the shoppers on the counter. THIS is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays however has daytime opening, from 1 p.m. at weekends and three p.m. on weekdays. I extremely advocate you pop into THIS for a beer if you end up within the Ueno space. I’ll positively return the following likelihood I get.
Japanese breweries on faucet once I visited:
THIS
Kakegawa Farm
Shiga Kogen
Hobo
Opening Hours:
Wednesday-Friday, 15:00-21:00
Saturday, 13:00-21:00
Sunday, 13:00-20:00
Closed Monday & Tuesday
Location/map:
上野 1-3-7, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Phone:
None
