Kirin Plaza Osaka

Kirin Plaza Osaka sits on a river about a block away from the celebrated Don Quixote ferris wheel (actually more like a ferris oval), surrounded by massive throngs of people out shopping and stuffing themselves with takoyaki. The Plaza is basically a venue for Kirin to flex its brewing muscles in front of many, many people. And what muscles they are! You won't find any of Kirin's rice lagers, happoshu, or boring all-malt one-offs you typically find in an average conbini, but instead four fresh, excellently brewed (if somewhat safe and unexciting) beers: a sweet, crisp Pilsener, a fruity-floral and equally crisp Weiss, a mild and malty pale ale, and a smooth, roasty stout. Each beer is served in appropriate glassware, and to my surprise, at appropriate temperatures. You can order a tasting set and get about three ounces of each one for 570 yen.

The Plaza consists of several floors, and includes a casual cafe-bar on the first floor with mash tuns and kettles and whatnot on display, and above that an art gallery and some sort of restaurant. Overall, the Plaza succeeds in creating a more classy image of Kirin, and of beer in general. It's a nice place, and while it's probably the least exciting of all the beer bars I visited in Osaka, I still recommend it highly.

This is a great little place on Nampa-bashi in the heart of one of the many red light districts in Osaka. Dispite being a part of the Kirin Beer golaith, this establishment sells only the beer brewed on site. On the first floor there is light food and generally four beers available. Stout, pilsner, crystal weiss and pale ale. During seasons with favorable weather this establishment has out door seating. There is also the brewery and the art gallery on the first floor.

On the second floor seminars regarding beer are held three or so times a month.

On the third floor is a restaraunt which I have not been to.

The stout was amazing and the pale ale solid. My comrade informed me that the pilsner was amazing and the weiss a let down.