Microbrew In Japan

There's a good article about microbrew in Japan in The NY Times today:

BEER aficionados who move to Asia discover quickly that they need to scale back their expectations. Major cities offer a fair selection of British and Belgian ales and German Pilseners, but outside of the occasional brewpub, such as Brewerkz in Singapore, there is little in the way of fresh, flavorful beers. And once you head outside of those major cities, your choices often become limited to a Heineken, a Tiger or the local Pilsener.

But there's hope brewing in Japan. Thirteen years after it legalized microbreweries, the country has produced craft brewers who can hold their own with the best that the United States and Europe have to offer. Their pale ales are as refreshingly hoppy as Sierra Nevada, from the United States; their whites are as fruity and fresh as Hoegaarden from Belgium; and their barley wines, in their tendency to mellow and mature over the years into a syrupy, portlike digestif, match up with Thomas Hardy's Ale from England.

Click here to read the rest.

Comments

[Edward]

Craaaft beeeer...... I'll be expecting a few (...too many) of these when I'm there in November (pm 22nd to am 27th) - preferably a 'cheap and cheerful' establishment if such a thing exists in the Tokyo craft beer world (trendy is an unecessary premium for me - although atmosphere does count). There's a bit of momentum in the Australian craft beer market now too (it's about time), so I'm not completely starved of decent beer.

[MC]

Edward, this article suggests that it's picking up and it is, but not many places carry craft beers. We could check out one of the recommendations from the article. This place is in Shimo Kitazawa on the Odakyu line (where I now reside further out in Kurihira):

Ushi-Tora can be considered the younger, stylish brother of Popeye. It has about 20 beers on tap and a selection of freshly made bar food. It's on the second story and can be difficult to find, but local shops will gladly point you in the right direction (Sankyu Building 2F, 2-9-3 Kitazawa, Setagaya-ku; 81-3-3485-9090).

[Edward]

wakuwaku shite-iru!

[MC]

Serendipity strikes! I was meeting a new friend in Shimokitazawa tonight and he brought me to Ushi-tora.

So now that I know what it’s like (and exactly where it's at), I have a plan. First we’ll have dinner at a lively fusion izakaya that I know then we’ll go to Ushi-tora for beers. They don't have that many food selections, but they do have some interesting menu items that we can snack on while sampling their tasty craft beers.

[Captain]

I haven't been to Popeye in a few years. I don't have a particular reason but I was a bit put off by the fact that all the drafts they had weren't served very cold. I don't know if that has been rectified or not.

Note: Yona Yona, a very good beer from Nagano, is available in cans at Natural Lawson.

[MC]

Yeah, I've had Yona Yona before and agree that it is a nice beer.

I haven't been to Popeye's but maybe we'll check it out when my friend from Australia is visiting next month.

[Edward]

Some beer varieties, especially British ales (and maybe ales in general), are supposed to be drunk a little warmer than lagers, i.e. maybe ~10 centigrade versus ~4 for lagers (i.e. fridge temperature) which might have been the reason some were a little warmer, though I'm well aware how crappy lager tastes when it's warm. Traditionally ales were served cellar cold, and I suppose in the time of ales that was as cold as they could get them, but the styles suited the temperature and even today I enjoy an ale more after 15 minutes out of the fridge - they can be bland when too cold. I reckon I'm about one step away from becoming a beer otaku - what do you think? Right now though I like to think of myself as merely an enthusiastic and informed consumer. I suppose going back to Japan is always like a beer homecoming for me, as it was in the company of Mr McCoy in Japan that I first started a regular habit of it - and I've never looked back!