Beer Café Gambrinus
An oasis of fine brews awaits in Kokubunji

Photos Courtesy of Beer Café Gambrinus

Most bars in Japan tend to limit their draft beer selection to a single choice, and that lone nama is invariably produced by one of the “big four” domestic breweries. Luckily, connoisseurs have an increasing number of dedicated beer bars to choose from. While many of these pubs focus on Belgian or British brands, a precious few dedicate their taps to domestic microbrews. Perhaps the newest, opened in December, is Gambrinus in western Tokyo.

The pub gets its odd name from the legendary king of Flanders, who is said to have invented hopped malt beverages—and is therefore the patron saint of beer. King Gambrinus would be proud of his namesake in Tokyo, a small five-table-plus-counter bar that is an altar to beer, with bottle decorations and a mural with “Cheers” written in multiple languages on the wall.

We arrived early on a Friday evening and had a seat at the counter, ensuring us a good spot from which to pick the bartender’s brains about Japanese microbrews. He explained that the internet has allowed microbrew fans to share information, increasing the number of young people who really know their beer. His point was illustrated by the fact that a few more small groups of people in their mid- to late-20s streamed in during our first couple of glasses.

Looking over the beer list, the only name we recognized was Hoegaarden (¥700), but we decided to start with a couple of glasses of Gargerly Stout (¥750). This dark beer crafted in Niigata came served in special glasses imported direct from the brewery: V-shaped tumblers resting in a separate base of heavy glass that remains on the table as you sip. At first glance, it looked a bit like one well-known Irish brew. However, the first sip revealed the full-bodied flavor of a stout, but without the bitter edge that puts many people off Guinness.

The bar counter also has a shiny, dozen-tapped apparatus called the Metropolis (no relation), from which the bartender first pours a small glass to test freshness and proper carbonation. Then an immaculate glass is filled to overflowing, leveled with a knife, dipped in cold water to remove the sticky beer from the outside surface, and quickly dried.

The draft beers are priced between ¥650 and ¥1,200. Since we wanted to try as many as possible on our first visit, we decided to shift to the sample glasses, which are a uniform ¥200. Each is just large enough to give a sense of the flavor, body and aftertaste.

Washing down these fine beers along with some mixed nuts (¥380) and a few pizzas (¥800 each), we finally sat back to appreciate the blues and ’60s rock emanating from the sound system. Life is good in Kokubunji.

6F Dai 46 Tokyo Bldg, 3-16-5 Minamimachi, Kokubunji-shi. Tel: 042-325-0484. Open Mon-Sat 5pm-1am, closed Sun. Nearest stn: Kokubunji (Chuo line), south exit. www.gambrinus.jp

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