The art of beer… Nishinari style

"Their commitment to unconventional brewing inspires me," says the Japanese illustrator and designer Ryo Okamoto. "They constantly create new beer styles, allowing for lots of creative freedom and experimental designs." Okomoto san is one of the many artists commissioned by the Japanese brewery Derailleur Brew Works, a company that's doing things differently in the world of beer. And we do mean differently. Derailleur is unique not just in terms of the beers and flavours it comes up with but also in the role it plays in its local community and in how it values local artists and illustrators. So far, the company has concocted over 220 beers, and at its current pace, Derailleur releases four new beers a month, along with four refinements of existing brews. Each new edition creates an opportunity for an illustrator to create the label. Going into one of their five outlets in Osaka is like stepping into a gallery of contemporary Japanese art and design. "Each project comes with a unique theme, pushing me to explore new creative avenues. It's always challenging, immensely enjoyable, and helps me grow as an artist," adds Hisae Sasaki, a designer whose career Derailleur helped kickstart when they first commissioned her. Since then, she's gone global with client briefs and her Room brand. Nishinari Riot Ale is Derailleur's signature tipple, paying homage to the district's difficult past. Between the 1960s and 2008, suffering high unemployment and homelessness, the Nishinari ward was regularly the scene of alcohol-fuelled riots. Created by Okomoto-san, the label depicts a small, eclectic scattering of buildings sandwiched between Osaka's high-rise concrete office blocks.

The menu includes standards such as a Hazy IPA and a Pilsner, as well as more adventurous offerings like Mix Juiced IPA, Mari0net IDoL, and the award-winning fruit ale 396 #002. Or try Shinksekai New Romancer, another flagship of the company. "With its cyberpunk, Nishi-Nari slum vibe and Tsutenkaku Tower imagery, Shinksekai New Romancer embodies our terroir," says Derailleur founder Akinori Yamazaki. "It's a fruit beer inspired by Osaka's iconic mixed fruit juice. Another pride is DB-69, a hazy, sake-inspired beer brewed annually in collaboration with sake producers using sake yeast. Its artwork and unique flavour, inspired by unfiltered, rustic Doburoku sake – 69 reads as 'Roku' in Japanese – are standout."

In addition to creating label illustrations, Okomoto-san is a longtime friend of Yamazaki-san and takes on an art direction role with Derailleur. His futuristic, cyberpunk and anime stylings fit well with an organisation committed to its against-the-odd setting. "Drawing from Osaka's role in the film Black Rain, I incorporate elements of Ridley Scott's early chaotic Asian aesthetic, retro cyberpunk, or anime-inspired touches. The name Derailleur guides me toward non-conventional graphics in a positive sense," he explains. Growing from around 70 employees to 500 today, Derailleur Brew Works is helping change the fortunes of the Nishinari ward and its residents. From the start, it has employed the so-called unemployable – addicts as well as those with physical and mental disabilities. Hours and tasks are flexible, allowing employees to do what they're able to do. This social impact makes the collaboration all the more rewarding for the artists involved.

As well as its five outlets in Osaka, Derailleur operates three in Kyoto, one in Fukuoka, and one in Tokyo, with another location scheduled to open soon. Watch out for special imported editions of Derailleur Brew Works beers at Japanese Film Club screenings in London cinemas, which include bespoke artwork.

Big thanks to Will Stewart of MadeGood Films, who helped us source and translate the material for this story.