Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on November 2010

Based in Kawagoe, the so-called “Little Edo” of Saitama Prefecture, Coedo has done a better job than most microbrewers of actually getting its beers stocked in shops around Tokyo. So we were surprised to discover that there’s only one place where you can sample all five of its brews on tap: Goshiki, a compact bar-restaurant that opened on a Roppongi backstreet in May.

The name of the game here, apparently, is “beer cuisine,” and the understated decor is more redolent of a mid-range izakaya than a pub. The counter looks out over a well-equipped kitchen that rustles up European dishes both predictable (pizza, mussels in wine) and more esoteric (raclette, brown rice risotto). But make no mistake: the beer is the main draw. The bartender rhapsodizes about the different varieties on offer, and wields a spoon to ensure that we get a perfect head on each glass.

The ¥2,200 sampler set is a good jumping-off point for newbies. You may have encountered the canned versions of Coedo’s Ruri and Kyara—a crisp Pilsner and more caramelly Wiener lager—at your local booze shop, but both are considerably better in draft form (regular ¥800/large ¥1,000). Hefeweizen fans will probably dig the fruity Shiro, and we particularly enjoy the coffee-tinged bitterness of the Shikkoku (both ¥900/¥1,200). Beniaka, made with the addition of sweet potato, is an altogether weirder beast and might be something of an acquired taste (¥1,000/¥1,400); when we try it as a half-and-half with Shikkoku, though, it’s a corker (¥1,150).

If you’re going in a group of four or more, the course meals (from ¥3,000) are a good bet, especially if you throw in an extra ¥2,000 for two hours of all-you-can-drink Ruri, Kyara and Shikkoku. Order à la carte, as we did, and you might end up paying a fair bit more—but that’s a minor gripe.