Caghiya Brewery : At a Glance
- Opened : 2017
- Japanese name : 鍵屋醸造所 (Kagiya Jōzōsho)
- Location : Kawasaki, Kanagawa
- First beer : –
- Head brewer : Manabu Sato
- Homepage : https://www.keycorporation.co.jp/
Table of Contents
Caghiya Brewery : Background
Caghiya Brewery, styled as CAGHIYA Brewery, is one of those small Japanese breweries where the story behind the beer is almost as interesting as what ends up in the glass. Based in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Caghiya Brewery has its roots in a rather unlikely place for a Japanese brewery: the British pub.
The brewery’s founder, Manabu Sato, spent around nine years living in the UK. During that time, he became interested not just in British beer, but in the pub culture that surrounds it. The pub was as much about meeting people, having a chat and spending time together as it was about drinking. It was an idea that stuck with him after returning to Japan, and eventually became part of the inspiration for starting his own brewery.
The brewery was established in the late 2010s, with the brewery tracing its beginnings to 2018. Sato did not come from a traditional brewing background, so the early days were very much a case of learning by doing. He taught himself about brewing using English-language information and the wealth of brewing knowledge coming out of the United States. They were also lucky as they inherited equipment and recipes from the former Kazekami Brewery Manufacturing operation, giving the fledgling brewery a starting point.
The original brewery in Minami-Kase was tiny by commercial brewing standards, producing batches of around 120 litres. That small scale is part of what makes them very interesting considering the original requirements for a brewing license in Japan. This was never about pumping out enormous quantities of beer and getting it onto supermarket shelves. It was about making beer locally and getting it into the hands of people nearby.
Even the name has a story. Their name comes from kagi, meaning “key”, reflecting the idea of beer being a key that opens the door to conversation and connections between people. It is a slightly old-fashioned idea in an age when breweries increasingly seem to need Instagram accounts, elaborate branding and beers with names that require a small archaeological dig to understand.
The brewery’s beers have generally followed the same philosophy: approachable, balanced and designed to be enjoyed rather than dissected. There is room for experimentation, but drinkability remains important. They area less interested in making beer that demands attention and more interested in making beer that gives you a reason to order another one.
Today, they brew at the facility around Musashi-Nakahara and has continued developing its presence around Kawasaki and Tokyo. The brewery remains closely tied to its local community, while that original British influence can still be seen in the importance placed on pubs, taprooms and the social side of drinking beer.
Caghiya Brewery : Beer Reviews
The following are some of the beers we’ve had:
- Caghiya Brewery : Roundup – rather than writing up individual reviews for these beers, we’ve come up with a page of beers that we’ve had on some visits.
Caghiya Brewery : Articles
The following are some of the articles we’ve done:
- Caghiya Jiyugaoka (Jiyagaoka / Tokyo) – it opened in September 2024 in Trainchi Jiyugaoka, a short walk from Jiyugaoka Station. The shop was originally called CAGHIYA PIZZA & TAP.
- Caghiya Pizza and Tap (Musashi-Kosugi / Kanagawa) – Caghiya Pizza and Tap Musashi-Kosugi, to give it its full name, is the first in the area with the second being up in Jiyugaoka.
- Caghiya Taproom (Musashi-Nakahara / Kanagawa) – the site of the brewery which has the equipment from Kazekami Brewery and also an attached taproom where you can observe brewers hard at work.
Caghiya Brewery : Details
- Address : 〒211-0053 Kanagawa, Kawasaki, Nakahara Ward, Kamikodanaka, 6 Chome−27−11 小泉ビル
- Phone : 0442-23-8061
- Homepage : https://www.keycorporation.co.jp/
- Online store : https://caghiyabrewery.shop-pro.jp/
- Social Media : Facebook / Instagram
