Japanese Beers
- Thread starter snooky
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What I've heard the beer seen in Japan is pretty bleak, mostly rice adjuncted lagers, basically Japanese BMC, like kirin...and American BMC as well....But the one standout that is somewhat interesting are the beers from Hitachino Nest brewed by Hitachino Nest, which uses Sake yeast, and rice in interesting ways.
Here's their website.
Here's their website.
Asahi ajiwai was probably my favorite Japanese beer. Kirin lager is popular and so is Asahi super dry. Now, that being said, I would suggest you try one of those at least once, then find an English style pub, or a western style sports bars to find more flavorful beers. There is a chain of pubs called "The Hub". You can also get Guinness in a surprising amount of places.
I'll have to keep an eye out for Hitachina. I had a feeling that almost everything there would be an adjunct lager, but I was holding out some hope for a Japanese microbrew. I'm gonna be looking for some Bilk to bring back. Sounds kinds interesting.
Look for Pig & Whistle's. There was one in Kyoto and one is Osaka, but I think the Osaka one closed. Loads of fun. British beers there, in case you get tired of the standard Japanese fare.
In Fukuoka, look for The Blue Note. These are jazz bars (I think there are a bunch of them). I met Earl Klugh at the one if Fukuoka.
In Fukuoka, look for The Blue Note. These are jazz bars (I think there are a bunch of them). I met Earl Klugh at the one if Fukuoka.
It is Hitachino Nest Ale, which is a brand of Kiuchi Brewing.
There are several good Japanese craft breweries, but you'll have to hunt around to find the beers on tap. I have only really traveled in the area around the Tokaido, with a couple of jaunts to Hiroshima and whatnot, so I am not familiar with what's available in any of the places you listed, but you might try poking around on Japan Beer Times and see if you can find something around where you'll be.
Would you be able to get out of Himeji to Osaka? The train ride is maybe an hour or so. You'd have access to some places there.
There are several good Japanese craft breweries, but you'll have to hunt around to find the beers on tap. I have only really traveled in the area around the Tokaido, with a couple of jaunts to Hiroshima and whatnot, so I am not familiar with what's available in any of the places you listed, but you might try poking around on Japan Beer Times and see if you can find something around where you'll be.
Would you be able to get out of Himeji to Osaka? The train ride is maybe an hour or so. You'd have access to some places there.
Well, I wasn't able to find anything too exciting. I stumbled across Himeji Beer which was a dark beer, but I still wasn't that impressed.
As far as home brewing goes though, I found some ingredients and I plan on making a Japanese style saison. I picked up some Okinawa sugar which is a very flavorful dark brown sugar and in one of the stores I was in, I spotted some roasted barley in a bag with no writing on it, so it will be a surprise. I think I'm going to try mashing with some rice and try a fermentation with a blend of saison and sake yeast. I'll probably use some Sorachi Ace hops to keep in line with the Japanese theme. Hopefully something good will come out of this.
As far as home brewing goes though, I found some ingredients and I plan on making a Japanese style saison. I picked up some Okinawa sugar which is a very flavorful dark brown sugar and in one of the stores I was in, I spotted some roasted barley in a bag with no writing on it, so it will be a surprise. I think I'm going to try mashing with some rice and try a fermentation with a blend of saison and sake yeast. I'll probably use some Sorachi Ace hops to keep in line with the Japanese theme. Hopefully something good will come out of this.
