WEEK 218---Tokyo 2023--Takadanobaba-Mejiro-Ikebukuro

 

This is the continuation of my last Nov trip to Tokyo--in fact this is the last one about Tokyo bars--with another article about Zhusi & Kamakura in due course:-

去年11月的東京行酒吧最後一篇--这之后会有一篇是关于逗子市和镰倉的。

Takadanobaba

Takadanobaba Beer Shokudo

This is the JR station i would pass by everytime when in Tokyo on way to Mejiro( 1 station further up)--sandwiched between Shinjuku & Ikebukuro, Takadanobaba is not a station i thought of stepping out and have a look since there is no obvious tourist attractions except maybe for 1 of the best(if not the best) Tonkatsu Narikura located here some years ago where people would come in droves( including many tourists) to line up for a meal (that shop has since closed down and move to another area of Tokyo).

This is basically a place known for it's many Universities both for locals & overseas students--the reason why finally decided to come here is obvious--saw fellow beer geek posted about this place--went to the bar's social media page to have a look and thought perhaps i should come have a beer or two here--of course it helps that they list out what's on tap for the day.

It's rather easy to find--out from JR station--keep left and walk across street to a "business alley" with a big signage as shown in the photo above--walk straight down the alley and this bar/restaurant is on the left hand side. As i have already had early dinner so the first thought when inside is to pick a seat at the bar area--but was quickly stopped by the bar tender explaining the bar seats were already booked--was asked to sit at table area and given time limit of no more than 2 hours--so if planning to visit this place--best to book in advance regardless if just for beer or dine and drink.

It's a cosy place despite the early "hiccup" with 10 taps--mostly Japanese breweries choices with some in trend ones--had the GreenCheek + Uchu collaboration hazy brew here--as well Amakusa on tap and can--yes there is a small fridge with cans and bottles selection--including occasional Cantillon. A place I would like to revisit come next trip to Tokyo--this time for both beer & food.

高田馬場

Takadanobaba Beer Shokudo

高田馬場站位于JR山手线两大闹区新宿和池袋中间，除了几年前因为一家被誉为全東京首屈一指的炸猪排店成藏（已搬去阿佐谷）引来人群，并不是游客会涌现的区，这里有很多大学（早稻田大学就在附近），语言学校和预备学校，是東京出名的大学生/留学生集聚地，过去在東京经常搭车经过这里时并没有想过要下站走走看看，这次因为发现有这么一家酒吧所以总算来了。

酒吧位置不难找，从车站出口往左过马路看到一条商店街直走不远就是，从店名有食堂字眼可看出这是家餐酒吧，可惜到之前刚吃了一顿饱就没能在这里用餐，从一坐下服务生递上毛巾（而且事先问要冷还是热的）然后再捧上一小盘美味小吃可看出这里不只是单纯让人来喝酒的地方。

进入餐酒吧时因为看到吧台有空位，而且也不打算用餐，很自然的就直接坐到吧台位置，结果被服务生礼貌的要求坐到其他位置去，因为吧台位置已经有人预约，而且给坐的位置被告知最多只能逗留大约2个小时。

餐酒吧有10个啤酒泵版本选酒，有日本人气酿坊和进口欧美啤酒选择，也有一个两门式冰柜，日本在地酿坊作品之外细看的话也收着两款不是普通版本的Cantillon酸啤，整体来说当天选酒质量相当不错，会是下次去東京可以再访的一家。

Mejiro

Tanakaya

For those who know--this is a station almost every beer geek in town would come to--for the obvious reason that there is a bottle shop here within a few steps walking distance away left of the JR station--this is not a purely beer only bottle shop--in fact they have more hard liquor than beer--but what this shop has in store is good enough for beer geeks to want to come check it out especially if you are in need of some Lambic-- you can easily find bottles from Cantillon-3Fonteinen-Tilquin-Boon and many more everytime you walk in. Of course there are many more other beer styles--US & Europe--as well Japanese breweries choices to be picked.

In fact this would always be my first stop in the earlier years of coming to Tokyo--just to see what's available for take out--it kind of help to plan what to drink at other places and what to buy from here either to drink at hotel or just bring back home.

目白

Tanakaya

高田馬場上去一站就是目白，再上去就是池袋站。目白也不是一般游客会到的区，不过对懂的啤迷来说这里是不少海外啤迷必定到访的站，为的就是出站左转走几步就到的地下一层瓶子店 “田中屋”。其实这里并不是啤酒专卖店，因为店里占更多的是其他烈酒类（比如日本威士忌还有日本清酒等等），啤酒只是店里业务一部份，但只是这样也已经足以在啤迷心目中占有重要位置，选酒质量特别是长期都能找到多家不同酿坊比利时天然发酵酸啤（Lambic ）包括不定期出现的Cantillon常态或特定款是其中一个主要诱因，当然店里还有其他欧美酿坊以及日本在地不同酿坊作品选择。

这里只提供外带不能在店内开喝，对想知道有什么可以买的啤迷来说是个理想的观察站，实际上个人早期到東京时，每次都会在第一天就先来看看这里有什么瓶子/罐子选择然后再决定之后几天在東京去不同酒吧时要喝什么或不喝什么，还有就是需不需要买点什么在酒店或坐公园河边时野餐式喝一点，最後当然是要买些什么作品带回吉隆坡。这次虽然旅程很后期时才去看看，不过还是不能不买的带了几瓶比利时天然发酵酸啤回来.

Inkhom Brewing

Located on the right side of Mejiro Station with a bit of walking but also fairly easy to find since it's straight down the main road--came here to meet my Tokyo beer buddy who is an American living here and into brewing his own beer--so it make sense to come to this up and coming Japanese brewery's small taproom--you can see the breweing facilities from the taproom-- it's basically a standing bar with 10 taps--basically all but 1 are their own beers which also make sense--it's mostly IPA or easier drinking styles--had a few--no pleasant surprises but also very importantly no shocker.

Inkhom Brewing 

这是一家新晋日本在地酿坊品饮室，从目白站右转走路大约10分钟左右可到，会过来看看是因为有玩自酿的住東京美国啤迷朋友约在这里，品饮室是站立式小酒吧，因为是开放式空间马路边上就能看见全貌感觉还不错，10个啤酒泵上选酒基本都是自家作品，以类果汁印度淡啤和一些易喝性高作品为主，当天喝到几款啤酒来说水平不过不失，没有惊喜然后最重要的是也没有惊吓。

Ikebukuro

Cycad Brewing

Came here with my buddy after the Mejiro visit--so timing wise it was a little late and we already had a few beers earlier--so this was a fairly shorter visit than say if coming fresh from dinner--This is an up and coming Japanese brewery with their own taproom--the space here is bigger than the earlier taproom we went to--also can see brewing facilities from the bar area--ordered easy drinking styles of beer so did not get to sample some of their other styles--would probably come back for a more "proper" visit if someone suggests to meet here next time im in town.

池袋

Cycad Brewing 

位于西池袋的另一家日本在地酿坊品饮室，跟美国啤迷朋友试过目白那家後直接过来，酒吧明显的比较宽敞也有座位，这里也是有10款啤酒泵作品选择，以当天喝到易喝型作品来说水平相当不错，不过因为时间关系没能试其他类型作品是个小小遗憾，只能留待下次去東京时再探。