Have a Beer by the Lake

Hello, fellow Ibarakians!
Golden Week is fast approaching, do you have any plans for the long weekend? If not, how about enjoying a cold beer by Senba Lake in Mito?
My favorite bar in Japan has just opened a brewery right by the lake, and it’s definitely worth checking out. With great food, excellent beer, and a lively atmosphere, it’s the perfect spot to relax.
Today, I’ll be introducing this new brewery, Senba Brewery & Grill.

Senba Brewery & Grill

Senba Brewery & Grill is located by Senba Lake in Mito City. The brewery is part of a new shopping area currently being developed along the lake. This new complex will feature a sauna, a kimono shop, a Niko and… store, and, of course, Senba Brewery. As of the writing of this post, Senba Brewery held its grand opening just yesterday. As for the other shops, I’m not sure when they will open.
The Ibaraki Eats Duo was lucky enough to be invited to Senba Brewery’s pre-opening event. We were honored to attend and visited the brewery last Tuesday evening. From the outside, the brewery looked fantastic—everything was brand new, and the area had an up-and-coming feel. We walked up to the entrance and headed inside.

Inside

When we walked inside, we were greeted by friendly staff, good music, and a spacious dining area. The owner of the brewery and the Drunken Duck, Jamie, welcomed us with a smile and showed us to our table.
As for seating, the brewery offers counter seating, booths, and standard tables, with plenty of room for guests—I’d estimate it can accommodate more than 30 people comfortably. To the right is the bar area, which is long, wide, and brand new. Several customers were already enjoying themselves there, chatting with the staff and sipping on their beers.
The brewery itself is located in a back room on the right side of the building. My wife and I were lucky enough to get a tour, and it looks incredible. I’m really looking forward to trying more of the beers that Senba Brewery will produce.
Once we were seated, we took a look at the menu.

The Menu

My wife was given the Japanese menu, while I received the English one. I expected nothing less from the owner of the Drunken Duck, who clearly makes an effort to cater to both Japanese and English speakers.
The menu is divided into a food section, a drinks section, and a beer tasting set on the back. As for the food, the brewery offers burgers, smash burgers, and a few pulled pork dishes—so if you’re a fan of meat and beer, this is definitely the place for you. They also feature local Ibaraki specialties, such as anglerfish karaage and a Hitachi beef dish.
Everything on the menu looked fantastic, and my wife and I were excited to try a variety of dishes. But first, it was beer o’clock!

Senba Brewery Beer Tasting Set

The first thing I ordered was the beer tasting set. To place an order, you have to scan the QR code at your table and order from your smartphone. Since I was at the brewery for the beer, I decided to try everything available during the pre-opening.
There were four different beers available at the time, though I believe there are now more options since the brewery officially opened yesterday, and there are still more beers yet to come. Possibly as early as next month.
The first beer was the Juicy IPA, a Senba Brewery original, but made at Twin Peaks Mountain Brewing in Tsukuba. It had the highest alcohol content of the four. From the first sip, it didn’t disappoint, just as I’ve come to expect from Twin Peaks. The IPA had a fruity, tropical flavor that was smooth to drink, while still retaining the characteristic bitterness of the style.
The second beer was the Senba Pale Ale, a collaboration between Hitachi Beer Brewery in Hitachi and Senba Brewery. It had a well-balanced hop profile, making it an easy and enjoyable drink. It paired especially well with fries.
The third beer was Twin Peaks’ Dr. Pilsner. It had a subtle floral aroma and went down very smoothly, making it a refreshing and easy beer to sit back and enjoy.
The final beer was Hitachi Beer Brewery’s Sakura Hitachi Ale. This one really surprised me, it tasted remarkably like cherry blossoms. I’ve had sakura-flavored tea, snacks, and even other beers before, but this one captured the flavor particularly well.
I enjoyed all the beers in the set and ended up ordering a medium-sized Sakura Ale and a Senba Pale Ale to go with my food. I’m looking forward to trying the rest of the beers that are now available on the full menu.
Next, let's get into the food menu.

Ultimate Loaded Fries

My wife and I decided to start with something from the snack menu, and we went with the Ultimate Loaded Fries. The dish came topped with pulled pork, cheese sauce, and a generous portion of fries. As I mentioned earlier, the Senba Pale Ale paired perfectly with them. The combination of tender, flavorful pulled pork and crispy fries, followed by a sip of the pale ale, made for an excellent start to our meal at Senba Brewery.
The pulled pork was definitely the star of the dish. It was rich, juicy, and well-seasoned. The cheese sauce was a nice addition, though I did find myself wishing it had a slightly stronger cheese flavor. Still, it complemented the dish well overall.
Senba Brewery also has a pulled pork platter on the menu, which I’m now really interested in trying. My wife, Mrs. Ibaraki Eats, was a big fan of the fries too. Unfortunately, she couldn’t enjoy them with a beer since she was driving that night, but I’ve already promised her that next time, I’ll be the designated driver.

Crispy Fried Monkfish

Senba Brewery also features a local food section on their menu that highlights specialties from Ibaraki. One of those dishes is their crispy fried monkfish. Monkfish—also known as anglerfish, or ankou in Japanese—is a well-known specialty of northern Ibaraki. It’s a deep-sea fish commonly found around Oarai and is often used in hot pot dishes during the winter.
I’ve had ankou before, and to be honest, I’ve never really been a fan. But when our dish arrived, it looked absolutely incredible, perfectly golden and crispy, served alongside a lemon tartar sauce.
After taking a bite, it completely changed my perspective on the fish. This dish proved that monkfish can be delicious. Senba Brewery really knows how to prepare it, transforming it into a crispy, deep-fried treat that’s both flavorful and satisfying.
I’m still not sure if I’ll ever become a fan of ankou nabe, but I can confidently say that I’m now a big fan of the brewery's crispy fried monkfish.

SBG Smash Cheeseburger

Knowing that this brewery is owned by the same owner of the Drunken Duck, there was no way I wasn’t going to order a burger. The Drunken Duck’s burgers are fantastic. In fact, I’ve written about them before on my old Ibaraki Eats blog. This time, my wife and I went with the SBG Smash Cheeseburger and added avocado slices for an extra fee.
I was excited to try it, so I was the first to sink my teeth into the burger and it didn’t disappoint. The buns were excellent, holding everything together right until the end (with the burger bag catching whatever didn’t). The avocado slices did slide around a bit, but the structure of the bun helped keep most of them in place.
The patty had that classic smashed style while still retaining some of the juiciness you’d expect from a thicker burger. It wasn’t overly crispy like some smash burgers, but it still had that signature shape and texture. The melted cheese completely enveloped the patty, with thin slices of onion layered into it, adding a nice extra depth of flavor.
Overall, it was a fantastic burger and paired perfectly with the Twin Peaks Dr. Pilsner. Mrs. Ibaraki Eats, also loved it, especially the patty. She described it as very meaty, and agreed that the melted cheese was a highlight.
I’m already looking forward to trying the brewery’s pulled pork burger next.

Crème Brulee Cheesecake

Mrs. Ibaraki Eats insisted that we try the cheesecake. The Drunken Duck does cheesecake extremely well, so her expectations were understandably high. She’s also a big fan of crème brulee, so when she saw that the brewery offered a crème brulee cheesecake, she ordered it on her phone right away.
When the cheesecake arrived, it looked absolutely marvelous. My wife was the first to dig in, and her face lit up as soon as her fork cracked through the top layer. It had that same crisp, caramelized shell you’d expect from a crème brulee. The surface broke apart with a satisfying crack before her fork slid into the rich, creamy cheesecake beneath.
She took her first bite and immediately nodded in approval. Then it was my turn, and I completely agreed with her assesment. The combination of the hard, caramelized top and the smooth, creamy cheesecake, made for a fantastic dessert. This is one treat that I think anyone visiting the brewery should try. The addition of whipped cream was a nice touch, adding even more richness to an already indulgent treat.
The cheesecake was excellent, but my wife wasn’t quite finished with dessert yet.

Natto Caramel Sundae

My wife looked at me and the rest of our friends at the table and said, “Let’s try the Natto Caramel Sundae.” A few of them had expressions that clearly said, “I'm not so sure about this.” Not me, I backed her idea 100%, even though I was already extremely full.
When the sundae arrived, it looked surprisingly enticing. A waffle cone held a scoop of vanilla ice cream, topped with whipped cream and sprinkled with nuts. The natto sat at the bottom, while caramel sauce was drizzled generously over the entire dessert.
I took a spoonful with some ice cream and waffle cone first, and it was delicious on its own. As for the natto, it’s honestly hard to explain. Somehow, the sticky texture and distinct flavor worked with the sweetness of the caramel. You still get that unmistakable natto taste, but it’s mellowed and complemented by the caramel’s richness. It was an excellent (albeit unusual) dessert that came together much better than expected.

After our group finished our beers and food, it was time to head home. We thanked the staff and the owner for the fantastic food and drinks. They even gave us a tour of the brewery area, where we got to see the impressive tanks that will soon be busy brewing beer. It was a great experience, and I’m already looking forward to visiting Senba Brewery again.

So, if you are a beer and food lover and are looking for a great place to have both, why not give Senba Brewery a chance? Who knows? You might see us there, enjoying a new beer tasting set and trying the pulled pork platter.
Enjoy!

For more information on Senba Brewery, visit their Instagram page:
https://www.instagram.com/senba.brewery/