Suntory Kyoto Brewery

In short

A Suntory beer brewery in Nagaokakyo City, Kyoto Prefecture. It opened in 1969 as the second production base for Suntory beer, following Suntory Musashino Brewery in Tokyo. "The Premium Malt's," which uses only carefully selected malt, hops, and natural water, is brewed here. Tours require a reservation via the official website.

• ​Glass-walled mash house​​: Through the glass, you can see the room where the mashing process that makes the wort takes place
• ​Packaging production line​​: After watching a video, you tour the actual production line, where the beer is filled into containers such as cans, bottles, and kegs
• ​Tasting in the guest room​​: After the tour, you can sample beers such as "The Premium Malt's" and enjoy experiences such as Kami-awa art. Soft drinks are provided for those under 20

History and Highlights

​Suntory Kyoto Brewery​ is a Suntory beer brewery located in Choshi, Nagaokakyo City, Kyoto Prefecture. It stands in the historically rich land of Nagaoka-kyo, blessed with high-quality natural water. Following Suntory's first brewery, Suntory Musashino Brewery (opened in 1963 in Tokyo), it opened in 1969 as the second production base for Suntory beer. The site covers an area of approximately 100,000 square meters.

The "The Premium Malt's" brewed here uses only carefully selected malt, hops, and natural water. The brewing process starts with ingredient selection, followed by mashing, fermentation, lagering (maturation), filtration, and packaging. In the mashing process, crushed malt is added to heated natural water, where the action of enzymes breaks down the starch in the malt into sugars. Hops are then added and boiled to produce wort with the characteristic aroma and bitterness of hops. After fermentation, the young beer matures in tanks adjusted to low temperatures, gradually mellowing its flavor and aroma.

Viewing and Experience Highlights

• ​Glass-Walled Mash House​​: One of the highlights of the brewery tour is the glass-walled mash house. Through the glass, visitors can observe the room where the mashing process that creates the wort takes place.
• ​Packaging Production Line​​: In the packaging process, after watching a video, visitors tour the actual production line. Under strict oxygen control, the filtered beer is filled into containers such as cans, bottles, and kegs.
• ​Tasting in the Guest Room​​: After the tour, visitors can sample beers such as "The Premium Malt's" in the guest room. Experiences unique to the brewery, such as "Kami-awa" (creamy foam) art and "Kami-awa" self-serve, can also be enjoyed. Soft drinks are provided for those under 20 years of age.

Travel Tips

Tours require a reservation via the official website. Because parking spaces are limited, visitors should use public transportation. A free shuttle bus runs to the brewery from bus stop No. 1 at the West Exit bus terminal of JR Nagaokakyo Station. It is about a 10-minute walk from Hankyu Nishiyama-Tennozan Station. Visitors under 20 years of age cannot enter alone. In addition, as this is a food production facility, outside food and drinks should not be brought in. Approximately 460 meters to the east of the brewery is the Nakayama Shuichi Memorial Museum, about 560 meters to the northeast is the Igenoyama Kofun Burial Mound, and about 1.1 kilometers to the northeast is Shoryuji Castle Park, all of which can be visited together.