Beer Republic’s tiny logo.
Editor Note:Beer Republic has closed down. This review has been kept for posterity’s sake
Opened in April 2011, Beer Republic is situated in a nondescript area about 5 minutes north of Yokohama station. The bar serves only Japanese craft beers from their 14-tap system, which also includes two hand pumps. The beers are strictly curated by the owner, who constantly tinkers with the carbonation levels during pouring to ensure the drinks are always perfectly served. The bar is draught only – there are no bottled beers available. There’s no happy hour or special deals either; it’s strictly business here.
The location is quite small, with room at the counter for just 10 people and a small seating area for 8 people. There is also a tatami room at the back that fits 4 people, and is charged at ¥750 per person. The bar is open from 4pm on weekdays, and from midday at the weekends. There wasn’t any need to book around opening time but I’d recommend phoning ahead if you’re planning on going from 8pm onwards. The bar is also non-smoking so you have to go downstairs to escape for a quick smoke.
14 different choices on tap of Japanese Craft beer. Where to start?
The beers at this bar are changed daily, so the best place to find out what is on tap is by looking here and getting the beer list from the Beer Republic website. The owner takes great care in pouring the beers- first cooling the glass down, then pouring the beer while adjusting the carbonation levels, and then finally taking the glass and submerging it in some ice water to settle the beer. For those in need of a beer, this may seem like an unnecessarily lengthy process, but the end result was well worth it and it’s interesting to watch.
There are three different sizes of glass for regular strength beer: ¥850 for a regular (330ml) size glass, ¥1050 for a US pint (450ml) and ¥1250 for a UK pint (568ml) glass. There are also smaller sizes for the premium strength beers, where the regular is 150ml and the large is 300ml at the same price. Beer Republic is a little pricey compared to other craft beer places we’ve been to; but then again, other places do not show this dedication and care for their craft.
Mmmm, do I fancy pig’s guts, or some horse meat? Perhaps some raw chicken?
Beer Republic’s food menu is also worthy of a mention, with interesting dishes such as tataki chicken and horse sashimi amongst the standard fare of mixed nuts and dried fruits. Tataki chicken is fresh free-range chicken that has been lightly seared on the outside and served pink in the middle. I gave that a miss this time and went for the pickled gherkins instead; they balanced well with the bitterness of the IPAs I was drinking.
Beer Republic One Paragraph Review
Beer Republic is a place you can go to relax and enjoy those moments of peace and quiet with a nice cold craft beer. The atmosphere here is relaxed and slow-paced. Well worth a visit if you are near Yokohama station. While there is no table charge and tax is included, there is no wifi and only a small amount of English on the menu. However, the master of the bar will try to help your out if you struggle with the Japanese.
Beer Republic Details
Open: Weekdays: 16:00 to 24:00 with last orders at 23:30 Saturdays and holidays: 12:00 to 24:00 with last orders at 23:30
Phone: 045-444-0502
Homepage (in Japanese): http://beer-republic.jp/
How to Get to Beer Republic
The closest station to Beer Republic is Kanagawa on the Keikyu Main Line. It’s about a three minute walk. The bar can also be reached from the north exit of Yokohama station too.
[ezcol_1half]Directions from Keikyu Kanagawa [/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end]Directions from Yokohama Station [/ezcol_1half_end]
