Taproom Pherment : The Bottom Line
Taproom Pherment had some good beers on tap and the atmosphere was also warm and welcoming – definitely happy to go back here again when I am in the area – and that’s perhaps the only issue with this bar; I’m seldom this far east of Shinjuku station when I am in the area. The whole place is non-smoking and has no table charge either.
Taproom Pherment : Background
Taproom Pherment opened in May 2023 and is a bar that is shared with Vector Beer in what was their old Vector Beer Factory location that closed down during Covid. While some of their brewery remains, there is also a small brewing area for Taproom Pherment to use. It’s an interesting setup and while Vector Beer still make beer next door, Pherment takes its name from the idea of “Phantom” brewery – one that does not have a fixed location – and “ferment” which is the process of making beer using yeast.
At the time of writing, Taproom Pherment appeared to be a one-man operation with the bar man on the day also being the main brewer, cellar man, and also bar staff, as well as chef. The bar man was very apologetic about the latter part as well as he profusely apologised for the length of time it was going to take to change a keg (three minutes) and also the delay in ordering food.
Taproom Pherment : Atmosphere & Interior
Though Vector Beer Factory had long gone by this point, there were some remnants of its past being with the decor not having been changed by a significant amount. Inside, there is space for around 20 people, with a couple of wall tables seating some smaller groups, and around 10 counter seats dotted around the bar and against some wall counters. The whole place is non-smoking and has no table charge either.
The atmosphere was also very jovial with the barman being very pleasant and also being rather chatty in English to the groups of foreigners that came into the bar. There was some light background music also playing but the best part for me was to see the open brewery where you can see what is happening in there. The barman was kind enough to talk about the fermentation units (SS Brewtech 1 barrel brewing if anyone is interested) and we ended up also talking about Inkhorn Brewing as well during our brief chat.
Taproom Pherment : Beer & Tap Information
On the day I went to Taproom Pherment, there were five taps of beer on, with all of them being dedicated to craft beer. There were mostly beers from Taproom Pherment on the menu, with a couple of guest beers on from other breweries. The beers came in two sizes : half (270 ml) from ¥900 and full (480 ml) from ¥1,400 yen. There wasn’t an option for any beer flights or takeaway beer, nor was there a happy hour option. All the prices do include tax.
The beers from Taproom Pherment were really well made, with the West Coast IPA being a spot on beer for the style. More about the beers in a Taproom Pherment beer roundup coming later.
Taproom Pherment : Food & Menu Information
Again, not being hungry meant I missed out on the best food at Taproom Pherment which are the freshly made burgers – I do love a good burger. However, on the day, the barman mentioned that with only him working, that burgers would take some time to make. A good excuse to come back another time I guess. There were a few non-burger options on the menu, with some chilli cheese fries that packed a good, delicious spicy punch. The menus had some basic English on them, enough to order and understand what the food is.
Taproom Pherment : Bar Details
- Open : Monday to Thursday 17:00 – 22:00 (L.O 21:30) Friday 17:00 – 23:00 Saturday 11:30 – 23:00 (L.O 22:30) Sunday 11:30 – 22:00 (L.O 21:30)
- Closed : Tuesdays
- Happy Hour : –
- Phone : –
- Homepage (in Japanese) : https://pherment.stores.jp/
- Social Media : Instagram
