In Tokyo there are only three places which make their own beer on premises, and while TY Harbour is a glossy dock-side pub and restaurant and Harvestmoon is a family friendly restaurant in the Tokyo Disney Resort, Craft Beer Moonlight is a down-to-earth bar frequented by locals with beers made on an almost homebrew scale.

Inside Craft Beer Moonlight

In fact the homebrew comparison isn’t that far off, because the beer I had tasted very much like kit-made homebrew, having a slightly sweet LME-like tinge to it. While that means it ain’t the best beer in the world to me, a lot of Japanese craft beers, particularly pilsners, have a sweetness to them and the locals seem to like the beers.

Pale Lager

Moonlight has 10 taps, featuring a selection of their regular beers and specials. Most of the time not all 10 taps will be used though – specials in particular can run out fairly quickly, and whether they are replaced depends on something else being ready and the staff having time to change over the keg. Last time I was there, the day started with five specials, three of which ran out and were replaced with two others.

Regulars are Porter, Stout, Strong Ale, Bitter, Pilsner, Lager, and Pale Lager and cost 300 yen each. Specials are more expensive, in the 500-800 range, but can also be more flavoursome – some specials I’ve seen are Cherry Beer, Ginger Beer (the alcoholic kind, not the soft drink), Christmas Ale, Old Ale, and Weizen. Moonlight serves beers direct from the kegs they are fermented in.

Porter

The bar also sells some homebrewing equipment, yeast, hops, grain, and malt at cheaper prices than Tokyu Hands – it’s not on display and range is limited (it’s a subset of what’s available online here) so contact the bar in advance first if you are making a trip for something special.

As well as beer, there’s food available – and it’s pretty good for the price. You don’t expect much for 100-300 yen, but these 300yen dim-sum and gyoza were lovely:

I'd go back for these alone!

Food really was a surprise – I wish other places would take note that bar food can be cheap and tasty. The only problem is that the menu currently is Japanese only, though I’m told an English menu is being prepared.

The Craft Beer Moonlight website is here - it’s updated daily with the current beers, and though it’s Japanese only and beers can change throughout the day, it’s good that they make that effort. Phone number is 044-930-1018. It’s open from 11:30am to 10pm every day except Tuesdays (or the next day if Tuesday is a national holiday). Craft Beer Moonlight is a non-smoking bar.

Only a few small signs reveal there's a bar inside

Google maps link for Moonlight is here. The closest station is Mukogaokayuen – 21 minutes from Shinjuku on the Odakyu line. Come out the north exit and walk up the street in front of you to the right (running along the left of the bus area). Keep walking until you get to a four way crossing with traffic lights and turn left there. Immediately you’ll pass a Kains supermarket. Keep walking a good few blocks and you’ll find Craft Beer Moonlight on your left.

My opinion? This is definitely an interesting little place – I enjoyed the food, and it was superb to see local Japanese choosing craft beer rather than generic Asahi/Kirin, both to drink in the bar, and take away in PET bottles. The bar is also sticking its neck out and selling homebrew supplies – the only other place selling homebrew supplies in Japan is the high street chain Tokyu Hands. For those reasons, I think the bar is worth supporting. Hopefully beer will improve over time – the place is so new that you can still see the “For Rent” signs on Google Maps! – but it’s a unique place, and what do you expect for 300yen, eh?