Shiga Kogen Beer

The lovely couple in front of Tamamura Honten, makers of Shiga Kogen Beer.

What, these display bottles aren't full???

I made it to Nagano and back. I had a great time, hanging out with the soon to be wife, our two older friends from Tahara, and three Italian high school students. Yes I know, that last one is random and I assure you, it is true.

Shiga Kogen IPA and Miyama Blond. The Blond was good, but not my style of brew, but the IPA was spot on.

When I found out that we were headed to Nakano City, I was super exited becuase we were within driving distance from where Shiga Kogen Beer is made, Tamamura Honten. (Of course this is not TAmura Honten, which I spelled mistakenly in several earlier posts. You would think that if you ask someone if they have heard of Tamura Honten, that they would be able to discern that you really meant TaMAmura Honten. That was not the case. I would hope if someone asked me in English to give them directions to the "Town Ha" I could use some deductive reasoning and point them the right way. OK. Rant over.)

We did find the spot and it was in a beautiful little town with a river flowing out of the mountains that cuts it right in two. I would have loved to have spent all day just walking around the town sightseeing, but we had places to go and onsens to soak in. Priorities.


We didn't get a behind the scenes tour, but we did get to talk to a girl working there for quite a while and taste some of the Miyama Blond (7%) on tap from the shop. I bought a case of several different kinds, and of course my friend from Tahara had to buy a $100 bottle of sake. Only the best. I was able to pick up a bottle of their Saison 1: Yama Bushi. It's not my favorite style, but it was the only one left and the impulse shopper in DH took over and I was unable to control myself. I will be taking it back to the states.



By fay the best beer was their IPA. Really really good. Lovely aroma and taste and bitterness stood up well too. I could have drank it all day, and actually wished I had skipped on buying the porter and pale ale and bought more IPA. The collab. brew with Nogne, Not So Mild Ale was good, but I wouldn't say it was better than the IPA.

The "Canadian Fridge"

We had a great time, and even the snow was still on in full force. In fact, the last night we were there we got about six inches more! Of course, we made use of the "Canadian Fridge" as we say in KY and kept the beers outside in the snow. Of course, I didn't account for so much snow and accumulation so quickly, because when I went in search of some of the bottles (and cans of Super Dry for the others) they were buried. It took some digging, but I am 98% sure that we found all of the bottles. I wouldn't be surprised that if when the snow melts another bottle appears!

The "Canadian Fridge" after about six inches of snow...had to dig to find the bottles!

All in all, the beer was good, it comes from a beautiful place, and you should drink it. I don't like the fact that they don't have a brewpub, because I would have loved to have saddled up to the bar and had the IPA from the tap. I know you can find this beer in Tokyo, and if you do, buy the IPA. Also, it was only 360 yen a bottle, and for what it is, you can't beat that price!!!!