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Beer Labo Jokun : The Bottom Line
In spite of being the spiritual home of craft beer, Yuzawa doesn’t offer much up. Change that with Beer Labo Jokun and make it a definite stop. Either in the summer or the winter, you won’t go wrong here. I was genuinely surprised with the quality of the beers here. However, when you’ve got experience at Anglo-Japanese Brewing Company, then that’s a strong point to start from. The beers are well made, the service is fantastic, the menus are in English. What else do you need? A taxi home? Well you’re paying for that.
Beer Labo Jokun : Background
Yuzawa, in the heart of Niigata, is considered by many to be the birthplace of craft beer in Japan. Except, when you go to the city, there really isn’t much there. Even though Echigo-Yuzawa, a major stop on the Joetsu Shinkansen, is a major hub for winter sports, the city only has two craft beer breweries in the area. And neither of those have bars in the city. Of course, you can pick up some of their cans to takeaway, but after a long day of winter sports, don’t you just want to sit down and sink a couple of cold pints?
Well Jokun Brewing Lab must have noticed our strife, and opened a taproom in the vicinity of the station in December 2023. Jokun Brewing Lab, located in Tokamachi, began operations in August 2020. Since then, their beers have slowly become available across Kanto. With the need for a taproom, and also with Tokamachi being off the beaten track, they found this location, about a five minute walk from Echigo-Yuzawa station.
Beer Labo Jokun : Atmosphere & Interior
A word of warning – if you go in winter, be prepared to spend a fair amount of time getting here. On the day I went, it was the heaviest snow in the area for almost 5 years. As such, snow and slush covered the roads, with barely any footpath. Not idea for walking back after a few drinks. Yet, you’re greeted by some of the warmest greetings as you come in. Iwata-san had just opened up shop and was very vocal. Moreover, the bar was super toasty and pleasant to sit in – though dangerous when you’ve had a couple of beers and a shinkansen in less than an hour.
Inside, there is space for around 16 people. There are eight seats at the counter, and space for another eight people at the back of the bar. The whole place is non-smoking and has no table charge. There is also some free WiFi, with the codes around the bar.
Beer Labo Jokun : Beer & Tap Information
There are five taps of craft beer on here. Moreover, all of the taps are for Jokun Brewing Lab. The beers come in two sizes with 220 ml from ¥600, and 420ml from ¥1,000. That’s just on the cusp for average prices which surprised me. There’s no happy hour, nor any beer flights. However, there is a small fridge at the front of the store for bottled beer takeaways. If you don’t mind plastic bottles, you can get fresh beer to take away.
Beer Labo Jokun : Food & Menu Information
Unfortunately, due to time constraints, I did not order any food. However, all of the menus are in English and include tax. Vegetarians may struggle to find some food here, but there are some small snacks on the menu.
Beer Labo Jokun : Bar Details
- Open : Thursday to Saturday 17:00 – 20:00 Sundays and Holidays 15:00 – 20:00 (L.O Food 19:00 Drinks 19:30)
- Closed : Monday to Wednesday
- Happy Hour : –
- Phone : 080-6110-8372
- Homepage (in Japanese) : https://www.jokun-brewing.work/
- Social Media : Instagram
Beer Labo Jokun : Location
