The microbrewery behind the locally famous Kawachi No Ale isn’t located too far from central Osaka – a 15-minute train ride from Abenobashi, plus a 10-minute walk from Fujiidera Station – but feels a world away from the hectic city.
The tranquil surroundings provide an ideal environment for purveyor Kana Shibutani and her husband to craft their brews, which are flavoured with mikan orange peel sourced from a local farm. The peel they use isn’t from ripe fruits, but from still-green mikan picked to thin the trees early in the season so that the remaining fruit can grow larger. The pungent peel adds a noticeable kick to Shibutani’s beers, which are available in four signature varieties: Weizen, Pilsner, Pale Ale and Stout. Bottles can be purchased whenever the brewery is open, while draught beer is available only on the weekends. (Look out: the bar may close without notice if the brewers are busy.)
Note the cute dogs on the labels; these are a tribute to the bottle design used by Shozaburo Shibutani, the founder of Japan’s first beer brewery back in 1872 and an ancestor of Kana’s partner. Shibutani Brewing upholds the family legacy while working together with the local community in various ways, including through collaborative beers produced together with the likes of Fujiidera-based craft coke makers Fuji Cola and the Okadaen tea shop.