Pintology Craft Beer & Whisky : The Bottom Line
I think it’s safe to say that I’ve enjoyed my visits to Pintology so much so that whenever I’m in the area, I always pop in for a beer or two. Every time I’ve found something I want to drink on tap, and with a warm and friendly atmosphere, I feel welcome and relaxed. With a wide and varied taplist, there’s always a beer to drink, though with prices being on the pricier side, the beers are served perfectly. If anything, perhaps the only complaing about Pintology is that there are sometimes dogs here – I want to know when the dogs are here so I can spend more time, and thus money, here.
Pintology Craft Beer & Whisky : Background
Pintology, or to give it its full name of Pintology Craft Beer & Whisky, is a craft beer and whisky bar in Sasazuka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, and is less than a five minute walk from Sasazuka Station on the Keio Line. Pintology opened in the summer of 2022, run by the couple Kyle and Yuki Broyles. The idea was shaped by the founders’ own travels and experiences in the craft beverage world, and their goal was to bring that kind of taste and community feeling to Sasazuka.
The bar bills itself as a “Bar & Arts Community,” reflecting Kyle’s interest in blending the bar with creative and artistic pursuits. It hosts things like the monthly BAD HEAD analog-synth/DJ/vinyl night, and Drink & Draw sessions, tying back to his own arts and music background.
Pintology Craft Beer & Whisky : Atmosphere & Interior
As you approach the bar, you’re walking through a residential area, so you may miss it. But take a deeper look and you’ll notice the tanuki sipping on a beer on the front window. Though there is an outside area, unfortunately due to local restrictions, you aren’t really able to drink outside – a shame as the front area lends itself perfectly to a few tables and chairs in the sunny or cooler weather.
Inside, you’re greeted by a long bar, with seats for six people, and some tables dotted around the inside. The bar seats are often the first to go, with customers of all backgrounds coming along for a beer or two. I’ve been sat here with Germans, some locals with a dog, and some people talking about rabbits and video games. The atmosphere is welcoming and kind, and no matter if you’re new, or have been coming here for a while, everyone is welcomed into the conversation.
Finally, the whole place is non-smoking and has no table charge either.
Pintology Craft Beer & Whisky : Beer & Tap Information
Pintology has twelve taps of craft beer though they aren’t always on. On the numerous times I’ve been to Pintology, there has been a wide variety of beers on tap, with the majority of them coming from Japanese craft beer breweries. However, they do have imports from time to time.
The beers come in two sizes : half pints (240 ml) from ¥900, and US pints (480ml) from ¥1,400. I haven’t seen any beer flights on my visits here, though I’m usually too busy picking a different beer each time to worry about a beer flight. The prices are on the higher end for craft beer in Japan, though the prices do include tax, so there’s not really a surprise at the end of drinking. As the prices are on the higher end, you can expect beers with minimal head on them.
There is also a beer fridge with cans to takeaway, though I haven’t bought any cans to drink-in store so I am unsure about a corkage fee.
Pintology Craft Beer & Whisky : Food & Menu Information
I’ve not seen any food available outside of some beer snacks though I’ve been told that you can bring some of your own food in – just make sure you tidy up after yourself. They occasionally do food pop-ups here, so it’s worth checking out the Instagram posts, the menus are in English and the owners are bilingual so you’ll have no problem ordering, or talking, here.
Pintology Craft Beer & Whisky : Bar Details
- Open : Wednesday to Monday 15:00 – 23:00 (L.O 22:30)
- Closed : Tuesdays though on occasion other days.
- Happy Hour : None
- Phone : –
- Homepage (in Japanese) : –
- Social Media : Instagram
