Any Japanese supermarket or convenience store has a dizzying array of beer options. However, a closer look at the labels will reveal that most of these beers are in fact “happoshu” (発泡酒 ) a low malt beer variant that could be compared to warm dishwater. Why would this sort of product have more shelf space […]
While I am plenty busy with my impending move back to America, the world of craft beer waits for no man. Coming soon is the second annual Tokyo Beer Week. There are going to be a ton of craft beer related events all over the capital between April 13th and 20th. Even before the official […]
Every year the entire nation of Japan leaps for joy at the coming of the cherry blossom season. Cherry trees bloom for about two weeks in early spring and are a national obsession. News shows and travel companies offer trackers and updates so you can plan your hanami parties. The ideas behind hanami, which means […]
Tokyo has many great beer bars, but one that keeps drawing me back is DevilCraft. DevilCraft is the brainchild of three American beer lovers, John Chambers, Jason Koehler and Mike Grant. They opened the first location in Kanda in 2011, and followed it up with a roomier one in Hamamatsucho a couple of years later. […]
Last year Americans bought more craft beer than they did Budweiser. In the 1970s there were only forty-four breweries in the United States, but now there are over three thousand. The market for “macro” lager is on the decline and the companies that make it are looking at craft beer as a way to turn […]
As the slate grey skies and chilly temperatures of mid December threaten to overwhelm, good food, warm drinks, and bright lights are there to keep us going. Christmas has arrived, and with it comes the German Christmas Markets. The shopping and eating pleasures of the traditional German Kristkindlmarkt have arrived in Japan. Christmas markets have […]
What comes after a few well earned pints at the local beer garden or izakaya? Around these parts Karaoke is the king of the after party. The basics of karaoke in Asia are a little different from what a western audience may expect. Rather than sing to an entire bar, in a Japanese karaoke box […]
Yesterday Yo-Ho Brewing and Lawson launched their new special collaboration beer, a saison called 僕ビール君ビール (boku biiru kimi biiru) which is translated on the can as For You and Me Beer. It is available nationwide, and more importantly, it has an adorable frog on the can and it tastes great. Yo-Ho has long been one […]
The difficulties of finding good craft beer in Japan is a topic I have often returned to on this blog. While the limits of the Japanese distribution system are a problem, there are ways to get your hands on the good stuff. It may take some extra money and a little dedication, but good craft […]
Happy October! Or should I say Happy Oktober? While Japan needs little excuse to have an Oktoberfest in May or June, the number of festivals only increases as Fall approaches. This year has seen the popularity of Oktoberfests grow even more, with communities around Japan experiencing a surfeit of sausages, blue and white flags, and […]
