After visiting Mentaiko Park, we stopped by the nearby Kirin Beer Kobe Factory. Since the two attractions aren't far apart, we decided to add the beer factory to this trip. It was my first time there, and I was curious and excited to learn how beer is actually made.
We had reserved a factory tour in advance. Once we arrived, we followed the guide and learned about the beer-making process step by step, from the ingredients to brewing. Although we usually just drink beer, this gave us a chance to learn about how it's made. It turns out there's so much that goes into making a glass of beer!
Of course, the part we were looking forward to most was the tasting at the end! For just JPY 500, you can have three glasses of beer and try different flavors, which was pretty nice. However, I was the designated driver this time, so of course I couldn't drink alcohol and chose soft drinks instead. To my surprise, I could also have three glasses of soft drinks, which was really thoughtful.
The only disappointing part was that we visited on a weekend, when the factory wasn't operating, so we couldn't see the large machines running or the beer being produced in person. Without the excitement of seeing the actual production process, it felt like something was missing. It also made me look forward to coming back on a weekday to see what the factory looks like when it's actually operating.
This unexpected beer factory tour added an interesting experience to what was originally just a quick stop along the way. With the tour, learning, and tasting, it was a pretty full itinerary!
If you like beer, consider stopping by when you visit Kobe, and remember to make a reservation in advance! Next time, I'd also like to come back on a weekday to see the production floor that I missed this time!
