In the back of Loft in Kawaramachi, there is a pub called Karr. I was drawn in for two consecutive days to have craft beer. The bright, white-themed interior is managed by young staff, and the customers are mostly young as well. I sat at the edge of the counter and started with a beer called "Homecoming Trip" by Kyoto Brewing. Kyoto Brewing's beer has interesting names. Somehow, there was a Trucky in front of me (laughs). Let's not talk about this season's baseball. The beer had a refreshing taste with a hint of acidity. I paired it with the recommended specialty, the "President's Prosciutto." It is a domestic prosciutto with a mild saltiness and quite delicious. For the second drink, I tried the "Minoh Pale Ale" as part of the Kansai Series. There are many unique craft beer shops in Kyoto city, making pub hopping enjoyable. After a quick drink, I strolled towards the former Honno-ji Temple site on my way back to the hotel.

The owner of the restaurant loves saunas.

From Kawaramachi, turn into the street next to Loft and you'll find this place right away. The clean, cafe-like interior with a white color scheme makes it welcoming for women. As someone who prefers beer over wine or cocktails, I was delighted to discover this craft beer-focused bar. The master, who used to be a bartender, is great at picking out beers based on your preferences and mood. The recommended beer of the day was Brewdog's IPA, Jack Hammer. According to the master, if Super Dry has a hop level of 10, Jack Hammer would be around 200. It's quite bitter, but the aroma is amazing! I've never tasted anything like it before, it's delicious! IPA is even more drinkable, and the aroma is still fantastic. It's wild yet mysterious, like a wolf. It was surprisingly delicious. The recommended prosciutto was a domestic one with a mild saltiness and a nutty aroma. Aging gives it this rich aroma. The aroma is really nice. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal!

I'm sorry for another beer bar post... But this is a place I've been curious about before getting into craft beer. Every time I pass by on my way to the movie theater, I see the "Today's draft beer" board and it always catches my eye haha. Today the board wasn't out, but I decided to go in. It's a small place with a main counter and two tables by the window. There was a guy who looked like he really loves music. I sat at the counter and first looked through the drink menu. There are 7 types of draft beers available, and they have quite a variety of bottled beers too. You can choose from 1 pint, 3/4 pint, or 1/2 pint sizes for draft beers. I decided to go with the Saison from Kyoto Brewing called Ishinden (1/2 size, 800 yen). While enjoying that, I also checked out the food menu. They recommended the prosciutto, so I ordered that. Since they couldn't cut it neatly towards the end, they gave me a 100 yen discount, so it was 500 yen. The prosciutto was delicious. The staff chatted with me about various things. He likes sumo, so we watched the NHK broadcast together while sipping our beers. It was nice. I enjoy taking my time with alcohol, but beer tastes especially good when enjoyed like this. I ordered some extra chicken Karaage for 600 yen, and they gave me 5 big pieces! I'm so full haha. Shiga Kogen beer is really tasty. It seems like there are quite a few regular customers too. This place is a bit different from the trendy beer bars, but the taste is reliable. They seem to be open from early evening, so I'd like to include it in my movie-watching course haha.

2016/09 Revisited this place after watching "Kanpai! Nihonshu wo Aishita Sekai" at MOVIX and felt like having a drink. Noticed that the sign for "Today's Beer" was missing outside, turns out it broke. Well, no sign, no problem, let's just go in and check it out, right? Today's beer was Orahov's "Bossa Nova IPA". When I asked what makes it "Bossa Nova", I was told it's the kind of relaxed feeling you get as if you were chilling on a beach in Brazil. It had a refreshing grapefruit-like aroma and a slightly bitter taste from the hops, truly "Bossa Nova" (laughs). I decided to order a light snack, so I got the potato salad. It came in a white bowl and was quite generous in portion. It was made with less mayo, lots of onions, and had a refreshing taste. It was a bit crunchy though. They were playing Western music, and I noticed on the TV that they had a new menu item, "Shiny Mapo Tofu". I'll have to try that next time I come. Thanks for the meal. 2015/06 After watching a movie, I felt like having a drink and stumbled upon Kyoto Brewing "Ichi-go Ichi-e". The interior had a counter with 6 seats and a couple of tables facing the street. The white-themed decor created a cozy atmosphere, although the BGM seemed a bit loud at first, I got used to it after sitting down for 5 minutes. I ordered a pint of Ichi-go Ichi-e beer (1300 yen) and a mini plate of prosciutto (300 yen). I've been wanting to try Kyoto Brewing's beer for a while now, and finally got the chance here. The beer had a fine foam and a well-balanced taste. The prosciutto was made by the owner's classmate who decided to make ham his life's work, learning the craft overseas and now making prosciutto in Japan. The one I had that day was made from black pork from Kagoshima, and he's planning to make prosciutto from game meat like deer next (laughs). It's something you can only eat at this place in Kyoto. The prosciutto wasn't too salty, had a tender texture, and a pleasant sweetness from the meat. A great place for a casual drink and snack. The first floor is a tsukemen restaurant called "Tsuru-kame", so once you remember that, you won't get lost anymore (laughs).

I always have trouble finding a place to eat between lunch and dinner, from 3:00 to 4:30. So, it's really convenient to have a place like this. I just realized it's pronounced "kar" and not "Carl". When you go upstairs, the interior is simple with a white color scheme. I sat at a table near the window and looked at the menu. The breeze coming in through the window feels nice this time of year. We ordered beers that caught our eye. I had the Minoh Beer Pale Ale, my friend had the Stout, and another friend had a peach fruit beer instead of the cranberry beer. The Pale Ale is fruity but has a strong taste, it really stands out. It's a beer to savor rather than gulp down. There's a TV here and a few magazines, so it seems like a place you could come to alone. There are seats at the counter and at tables, and there are two TVs, so it's fine to sit anywhere.

I visited a daytime drinking spot that I was curious about. The shop opens at 3 pm, so I timed my visit accordingly. It's located just a short walk from Shinkyogoku, on the second floor of a ramen shop. The interior is all white, with a slightly stylish cafe vibe. It's wonderful to have a beer selection available for lunch. The back of the shop has counter seats, and table seats by the window. This time, I sat at the table seat closest to the window. Oh, I can enjoy my daytime drink while looking down on everyone - how fun! Since I already had plans for my next stop, I opted for the 1000 yen beer set. I'm a sucker for these little appetizer platters - they were all delicious. I was curious about the other menu items and beers, but unfortunately, I had to leave soon. However, having a beer while looking down on people was quite a unique experience. I really liked it. I'll make this place one of my go-to spots for daytime drinking in Kyoto. ========== I came back again. Today, I came alone on a whim. I was the first customer, so I decided to sit at the counter. The manager remembered me, which made me happy. I ordered the beer set right away. From the counter, I could see the TV - oh, they're showing sumo wrestling! It's an interesting balance to have sumo wrestling on in such a stylish place. The manager seems to like sumo wrestling, and he mentioned that he can watch it while preparing things. Regular customers know that sumo wrestling is shown here and come to watch it, sometimes staying to watch the whole match. This place might be recommended for sumo wrestling fans who enjoy drinking. Watching sumo wrestling while having a beer at the counter! Today, I also tried the fried chicken, and it was delicious. I dipped it in ponzu sauce, which apparently is made with vinegar from Minoh (the details are a bit vague, but it's definitely Minoh-produced vinegar). The taste suited my preferences perfectly. This place is just right for a drink - I'll definitely come back again.