Still stuck in California I have been thinking about what I will do when I get home. On my list is a night out at Shared Brewery. It's a micro brewer close to my house my wife and I recently discovered.
They make some of the best micro brews I have had in Japan. It could be because, if I remember correctly, the "Master" was trained in the US and his equipment all comes from the States. That would mean his beers are closer to my palette than say a European brewer.
One of the brews that I found incredible was his Coffee Brut Pale Ale. It had just enough hints of coffee & hops, but neither was overwhelming making an incredibly smooth, delicious brew.
One of my favorite things to do at Japanese breweries is to get the sample set. Usually 4-5 beers, about 1/4 pints. Often times they offer pairing with say chocolate, nuts, cheese, etc. While Shared doesn't have the pairing, they do have the sampling.
I don't recall what beers these were, but pretty sure one was an ale, saison and Belgian white. The other one may have been a berry flavored. Regardless, they were all delicious and I can't wait to go back and enjoy some!
Here is Shared Brewery's website.
https://www.sharedbrewery.com/
They are located about 30 minutes outside of Shinjuku on the Keio line. If you want to make a day out of it you can go climb Mt. Takao another 15 minutes west, then swing back for an evening beer or two on your way back to Shinjuku.
Cheers!