The award winning Japanese craft beer brand make the claim ‘Nest is Best’, and who would disagree with them? Hitachino might feel like a new kid on the block, but they’ve been years in the making, scooping up international awards within a few years of their first brew hitting the shelves in 1996.A case of beginners luck? Not quite.

The story of Hitachino Nest began in 1823 when the Kiuchi family began brewing Japan’s iconic spirit, sake. For decades the country’s beer landscape was restricted to the styles produced by four large breweries, all governed by strict state licensing laws. Then in 1994 the laws were relaxed, making way for a new generation of smaller breweries ready to shake up Japanese beer.

Using over 150 years of brewing wisdom, Hitachino Nest took global influences on board, but stayed rooted in Japanese drinking culture. They grow their own hops, and operate brewing labs, taprooms, and restaurants from Tokyo to San Francisco. The initial lineup of three bottles has been joined by an array of innovative, world-beating brews now sought out by fans halfway across the world.