yoshiie

Recipes 

Great thread! I heard about this thread from a facebook post on freezing yeast. I've been homebrewing in Japan, (Kashiwa in Chiba prefecture) for a few years now. Another great place for cheap supplies is Yahoo Auctions- that's where I was able to source my mashtun (cooler), a glass carboy, pumps, even some corney kegs and just started kegging with a chest-freezer/ 2tap set up last week.

@mpearce you live in Noda, which is practically in my back yard! we should meet up at a bar in Kashiwa sometime and talk shop!

mpearce

Recipes 

Wow, awesome! Would love to hook up with you for a chat and a beer. Let me know when you would have some time and we can arrange something. Feel free to email me at mpearce@me.com

WhoZiT

Recipes 

The enthusiasm in this thread is awesome.

I hear that Corneys are used by both McDonald's and Coca-Cola. Know anyone? Although a little pricey, this site sells a tool to open Sankey-S kegs:

http://www5.ocn.ne.jp/~wyi/tarudume_folder/tarudume.html

Heads, and permanent-jockey box style servers can be had for relatively cheaply on Yahoo Auctions.

There are food-grade water bottles available for free at Advanced Brewing. They are used Munton's extract containers, 21 liters each. Easily cleaned out with a water bath, followed by baking soda or Oxiclean. 550 yen shipping for 3 per package. I use them for Apfelwein, secondaries, and occasionally primaries. I have 6, with 6 more on the way.

Bottles are also available in small size, although they are harder to come by. Not sure if they are 333 or 350 ml. If you know someone at a liquor shop or bar that will give you the case/bottles for the deposit fee, it's a good deal. IMO, the Asahi bottles seem to be the strongest.

Kegging- Japanese line will work for barbed foreign connections. With a little heat (boil) and elbow grease (push like hell), they go right on. Personally, I don't own any corneys, but have done this for picnic taps, etc.

I recently found out from some friends that Asahi sells malted barley and wheat! The selection is slim, but the prices are great!

Kampai!

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"Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things." --George Carlin

OppamaBrendan

Recipes 

Nice! This thread is really starting to pick up members in Japan! I will have to check out Yahoo Auctions I was wondering where I should start looking for corny kegs when I get to kegging.

WhoZiT

Recipes 

Just started a Japan Group. Please join!

With shipping as dirt cheap as it is here, being country-wide isn't really an issue!

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"Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things." --George Carlin

WhoZiT

Recipes 

__________________
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"Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things." --George Carlin

WhoZiT

Recipes 

there are actually a lot more of us out there than you'd think.

Let's keep our common goal alive...good beer.

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"Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things." --George Carlin

OppamaBrendan

Recipes 

Thanks for making the group! I didn't realize there was that feature and had created a "club" as well. Maybe if enough people join the group we will have a reason for the club :-) I want to have multiple threads for Japan so it doesn't just turn to randomness, but dont really know the best way to keep them together so to speak. Will the group do that? Maybe post a new thread to specifically announce the group, that should help people connect.

BTW I should make it to Kanda tomorrow night for a pint at Devilcraft. Taking my girlfriend to a concert and we will be crashing at a hotel nearby. If anyone wants to come drink with us I should be easy to spot - a white guy with dreads. Concert starts at 7:30 so might only make it to the bar shortly before 11.

yoshiie

Recipes 

You have my full attention...

A bit of google-fu brought me to their web page, but with no prices... have you contacted them before WhoZit? I'm almost out of base malt and their jouzouyou malt (which I imagine is a normal US style 2row) and might be interested in a bag if the price is right.

http://www.asahibeermalt.co.jp/product/malt-hop/

OppamBrendan, I work (most days) around a 15min walk from Devilcraft, and I think I may have seen you there before? unfortunately tomorrow I have to work across town and have a late night date with a double IPA that needs brewing!

mpearce, great! I'll send you an email tomorrow

surume

Recipes 

I assume they will only sell to other businesses (will have to check)
Technically we should also be able to start a company to buy from them, order in bulk, and "resell" to ourselves for zero profit (only expenses).
It is a shame since they have malt extracts and a fair selection of malts.

However, I do think that buying from advanced brewing and the like is better, because although bypassing domestic grain/homebrew suppliers will be cheaper for us, it doesn't help the japanese homebrewing community as a whole. Sakeland has great deals on bulk orders of grain, and since we have a good number of homebrewers in the kanto region, buying bulk together and splitting it up is IMO the best way.