Love Asahi Beer? Then Suita city in Osaka should be at the top of your travel list. This is where Asahi’s predecessor (Osaka Brewery, Ltd) built its very first brewery in 1891, which still exists today as the Asahi Breweries Suita Plant.
Beer lover or not, the factory is easily one of the most fascinating attractions in Osaka prefecture, with free tours of the vast facility to walk you through the process of making one of the world’s most popular beers. Now, the plant just got a whole lot more exciting with the opening of the Asahi Beer Museum.
With a facade that incorporates the redbrick wall of the original brewery, the Asahi Beer Museum provides comprehensive exhibits dedicated to its namesake beer as well as the beverage giant’s history. Facilities include a cinema where you can watch videos about the past, present and future of Asahi Breweries, as well as the Super Dry Go Ride. This immersive exhibit (also available at Asahi’s Ibaraki Brewery) is designed to give you the POV of a Super Dry beer can as it moves through each piece of machinery in the factory before it is packaged and shipped out. This bit will probably make you thirsty for a pint, so it’s good that the museum also features a lounge with a bar.
This isn’t just any beer bar, mind you. Playfully called the ‘Fla-bar’, this quirky space offers you the chance to pour your own draft beer from the tap and decorate it with foam art. You can even adjust the ABV and add fruity flavours to the beer according to what kind of refreshment you’re in the mood for.
There's a lot of ground to cover here, so you might consider joining a museum tour (approximately 70 minutes) which includes two beer tastings. Note that while museum tours are free, availability is limited. At the time of writing, there are no more slots in May. Reservations for tours in June will open online on May 20.
Check out the brewery’s website for more details.
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