Hello from Japan

[Tokyo Brewnewb]

Hi all,

I'm a U.S. expat living for the long term here in Japan. I found this forum after getting online to research home brewing after getting fed up with what's available here: bland, expensive macro brew or tasty, incredibly expensive micro brew/import. Finally decided to give home brewing a try, and have 23L of IPA (working from extract for my first batch) lurking under a blanket in the next room. Of course, in full accordance with Japanese home-brewing law, I adjusted the sugar amount to bring it in at 1% ABV.

Many thanks for this great forum. I've spent several hours lurking here, especially on the massive apfelwein thread (definitely trying that next). Cheers!

 

[homebrewer_99]

Welcome to the wonderful world of fermentation!

There's another American brewer in Japan named Catfish...he pops in every once in a while.

 

[RichBrewer]

Welcome to HBT!
So how do you get supplies and equipment in Japan?

 

[runhard]

I've spent several hours lurking here, especially on the massive apfelwein thread (definitely trying that next). Cheers!

Edwort's apfelwein is a definite winner; I like to have a little of that hanging around if I have the available space as most guests really enjoy it.

 

[Tokyo Brewnewb]

Thanks for the well-wishes, everyone.

So how do you get supplies and equipment in Japan?

The basic stuff (starter kits, extracts, yeasts, etc.) can actually be bought at specialty department stores, which is where I bought mine. The more advanced stuff (grains and so on) can be bought online at HBS that ship nationwide (this is a pretty small nation.)

Edwort's apfelwein is a definite winner

I'm sure sold on it! I spent a long time reading that thread, and decided I'll probably do two batches, one original and one slightly tweaked for the wife, who likes things pretty sweet. Actually, my in-laws have been making umeshu (plum wine) for decades. They'll make vats of the stuff to different spec and then sit on it for years; I had some (OK, a lot) of their 10-year one time and thought I was in sweet, fiery heaven.

Anyway, thanks again for the greetings!

 

[BierMuncher]

1% ABV?

Now that's a session beer.

 

[Dycokac]

1% ABV?

Now that's a session beer.

yeah that's kind of a bummer, atleast you can brew though

 

[dpt222]

Konichiwa and welcome! Biiru o ni-hon onegai shimasu.

 

[Tokyo Brewnewb]

Biiru o ni-hon onegai shimasu.

Ha! You want two at once, do you?

お客さん、２本をいっぺんに注文するってちょっと困りますが・・・。
Not sure if you can read that, but big cheers on the Japanese welcome! Yoroshiku!

*edit*

Sorry, didn't mean to ignore the above two posts. Yeah, I actually had little choice but to start homebrewing. I am not entirely unfond of the hop (read: I loves me some beer!) but it's so friggin expensive here that a lot of people choose to instead drink happoshu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happoshu), a "beer-like beverage" that is frankly nasty and will put the hurt on you. After one night too many of getting burned on happoshu and reading on a different forum about some fellow expats taking the homebrew plunge, I decided to start doing it myself. As I said above, I'm going with extract for my first batch, but I would love to start getting into AG as time and expenses (and space!) allow. Anyway, thanks again for the welcome!

 

[dpt222]

お客さん、２本をいっぺんに注文するってちょっと困りますが・・・。
Not sure if you can read that, but big cheers on the Japanese welcome! Yoroshiku!

Wish I could read it...but regardless, Asia writing always looks pretty darn cool. You could have told me my mother mates with goats and I would have no idea I'm sure you didn't though. Good luck with your brewing!!

 

[duker]

If you are out and about looking for a tall boy (or walker as I prefer to call them), since bike, scooter or walking seem to be the main modes of transportations, check out Lawson's, you can purchase a tall boy Asahi (silver can) for about 135 yen, I always prefered the Kirin in the white an gold can, higher price, little heavier and more stout. Then there is always Chu-hi, there are many flavors available. I spent 15 weeks there off and on withihn the last 14 mo, so I feel your pain.

 

[namadai]

So is home brewing legal there now? If I'd have known that, they might have been able to convince me to stay there a bit longer