Home brewing in Japan

[CB_in_Tokyo]

Can't really recommend it but it does exist and makes keg sized batches. I'm pretty sure their output would qualify as nano but I could be wrong.
http://r.tabeni.co/zigzag

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How the heck is that legal? From my understanding, to get a license, you need to brew (and pay tax on) a minimum of 60,000 liters a year. Is there a special exemption for brewpubs that I never heard about? That would be awesome!

 

[tektonjp]

6000 liters if you have the hoppou-shu license. And you pay tax on what you brew, not on your capacity.
And, it looks like ZigZag you mentioned is in Hyogo. I thought there was a place named that in Kyoto, but I can't place it now.

 

[CB_in_Tokyo]

But if you have the Happoshu license then you are limited to under 67% malt for the fermentables. I guess Belgians could be good. I should start experimenting with making Happoshu.

If you brewed less than the requirement, then wouldn't you lose your license? Or is it that the barrier is getting the license and once you have it then they are rarely, if ever, revoked?

 

[tektonjp]

I don't think you're limited to 67%. You just need to "add" a non-regular ingredient. If you look at a bottle of Hoegaaden, you'll see it labeled as "happoushu", probably because of spice.
Yes, they expect you to eventually brew at that volume, but I also understand they imagine people to rise to that level over several years. Just hearsay, though.

 

[Fencdar]

You guys! I went to my nearest Shimachu Homes yesterday and found these awesome glass bottles... After looking even closer, they are nearly perfect for homebrewing, so I have to share it with y'all's.


They're 5L (1 gallon + headspace!), perfectly sized for experimentation.


The rubbery lid claims to be bacteria-resistant, which is probably a plus, as long as it doesn't kill yeast. It also has a 22mm hole just begging for an airlock.


The mouth is plenty wide enough to reach in and clean as necessary, too.


They had several sizes. I remember seeing 3L and I think 7L, too.

 

[CB_in_Tokyo]

Looks perfect for experimentation! I think they are commonly used to make umeshu.

 

[BlackFalls]

I've used them for making yeast cultures. If you cut out the plastic bars in the hole used for pouring you can fit a 5 1／2 bung in there.

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[tektonjp]

Good for mead. If you ferment anything in them, keep them in the dark since they're clear!

 

[OppamaBrendan]

Those are umeshu jars and you will see a lot more on sale from spring to early summer. May and June are when you will have rock sugar and jars paired together at every store. Make some umeshu if you can it is easy and good! I think the jars go up to 8 liters too, so 3 for a 5 gallon batch would be nice.
Mine are all filled with umeshu or umeboshi. The umeboshi improve with age, a couple years apparently.

 

[tektonjp]

All right, lads and lasses. Cornies on sale on Yahoo. Get 'em while they're hot! Look at the bottom of this guy's list. Starting at 5,000!!!
http://openuser.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/user/teru_zo310

 

[mpearce]

Looks good on the Cornys I don't need any now but good to see they are still around.


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[BlackFalls]

Minoh Beer in Osaka sells old cornies too if that's possible for anyone.

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[OppamaBrendan]

A new source of spray ethanol. My coworker picked up a big 1 L spray bottle of ethanol from Gyoumu Supa 業務スーパー in Yokosuka for 460 yen. This is kind of a costco-like supermarket for businesses, but you dont need a card or membership to shop there. I believe this is the cheapest I have seen alcohol spray in Japan yet. The bottle only lists ethanol, distilled water, and sodium lactate as its ingredients so it should be fine for use in your brewery. Probably could be found at other restaurant-supply supermarkets around the country, keep an eye out for it in a cylindrical bottle with blue text on a cloudy plastic background.
Cheers!
B

 

[Blue-Frog]

A new source of spray ethanol. My coworker picked up a big 1 L spray bottle of ethanol from Gyoumu Supa 業務スーパー in Yokosuka for 460 yen. This is kind of a costco-like supermarket for businesses, but you dont need a card or membership to shop there. I believe this is the cheapest I have seen alcohol spray in Japan yet. The bottle only lists ethanol, distilled water, and sodium lactate as its ingredients so it should be fine for use in your brewery. Probably could be found at other restaurant-supply supermarkets around the country, keep an eye out for it in a cylindrical bottle with blue text on a cloudy plastic background.
Cheers!
B

Thanks for the heads up.
What % ethanol is it?
That is a good price if it is more than 70% EtOH.

sodium lactate... hummm (?)
Any idea as to function here?

BF

 

[Guzzibrew]

Ethanol- ah,

Just the thing to turn my IPA into a barley wine

But seriously. I would love a picture. Just so I know what I'm looking for. Saves me reading the katakana out loud and attracting weird looks.

GB

 

[Guzzibrew]

Thanks for the heads up.
What % ethanol is it?
That is a good price if it is more than 70% EtOH.

sodium lactate... hummm (?)
Any idea as to function here?

BF

From Wikipedia:
Sodium lactate is the sodium salt of lactic acid that has a mild saline taste. It is produced by fermentation of a sugar source, such as corn or beets, and then, by neutralizing the resulting lactic acid[3] to create a compound having the formula NaC3H5O3

Usage:

As a food additive, sodium lactate has the E number E325 and is naturally a liquid product, but also is available in powder form. It acts as a preservative, acidity regulator, and bulking agent.[4]

 

[mpearce]

Here is what a few of us use:

http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B003G14PJW/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Blue-Frog]

I wouldn't think it functions here as a "bulking agent", but it might be one of the first two.

It's curious (to me at least!) that both of the products mentioned here include something besides plain ethanol.... sodium lactate in one and epigallocatechin in the other.

The blurb for the more expensive 77 seems to imply a longer effectiveness for the applied product... (over what is not exactly clear, but) if its really true, that would be a plus.

 

[tektonjp]

How are you using this? Sanitizing bottles? Fermentor? Seems like an expensive solution compared to other options.

 

[mpearce]

I use it in place of alcohol. I don't soak anything in it. But I do spray it on my hands or brew parts. For example on a ball lock valve or quick disconnects for kegs. I use Starsan in bottles and kegs.


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[mpearce]

My friend that showed it to me would also spray it in the air to knock out any airborne stuff. For example after the wort is chilled and he is transferring. He brews awesome beers so not going to argue with him if it works.


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[tektonjp]

Sprays it in the air? guffaw

 

[Blue-Frog]

I am looking for some dextrin malt (eg. CaraPils) having 1.5 deg. L.

Does anyone know where I might pick some up ?

BF

 

[ShizuokaBrad]

Last time I checked Sakeland had 20kg bags for sale on their website.

 

[Blue-Frog]

The good news is I was able to find it - but 20 kg is more than I really need.

I found the Sakeland website in agressive disarray- but I won't go into that.

How did you know it was 20 Kg and not 25? (the only thing I could find didn't specify)

I saw a shopping cart that told me 100 g would cost about 8000￥...
(This form was clearly designed for sales in 100 g lots & not lots of 20 or 25kg)

Do you know if they (or anyone else here) sell smaller quantities of this malt (carapils)?

bf

 

[CB_in_Tokyo]

Maybe a group Buy is in order. I would love to get 3 or 4KG of whole Carapils. If enough of us want some then we could split a 20Kg.

 

[tektonjp]

If you get it from Ohnishi, you'll pay about half of Sakeland's price!

 

[Blue-Frog]

Whole sounds good to me.
Just to avoid confusion... my preferance is for Weyermann.

and a good deal!

 

[CB_in_Tokyo]

How do we get it from Ohnishi?

 

[Blue-Frog]

I enquired last year...
I believe its about the same procedure as for Asahi...
e-mail them your request-get quote-pay-receive
Min is 25 Kg

Tektonjp - ?