Japan's Craft Brew Industry

The fact that the self-proclaimed King of Beers, Budweiser, lost market share last year can be directly attributed to the rise in popularity of craft beers in the US.  Indeed, craft beers have been gaining momentum over the last decade as consumers look for more flavorful beer on a more local level.

While it's not fair to say that this phenomenon is global, I can say that it certainly seems to have planted its roots in Japan.  Admittedly, the amount of craft beer in Japan is way behind the US, however, the quality is quite competitive.  Case in point, at last month's 2010 World Beer Cup held in Boulder, Co. Baird's Brewing Company from Numazu, Japan tied for the most gold's with 3:

• Numazu Lager – American-Style Amber
• Country Girl Kabocha Ale – Specialty Beer 
• Saison Sayuri – Belgian- and French-Style Ale

That is no small feat considering the competition included 642 brewers from 44 countries and 47 states offering 3,330 entries for 90 beer categories.  My wife and I were lucky enough to visit Numazu back in March for my birthday with the sole purpose of satisfying our craving for delicious craft brews. You can imagine from the 3 gold medals, we weren't disappointed!

This experience did something a little unexpected.  It helped to plug us into a neat little pipeline of brewers beginning to pop up all over Japan and growing in strength and ingenuity.  For years, craft brewing in Japan was discouraged due to some archaic laws banning home brewing.  However, these laws were relaxed over the last decade, and beer entrepreneurs have begun taken hold.

Our experience at Baird's in Numazu led us to another strong brewer in Ise, Japan (Ise Kadoya), where we visited last month on a day trip.  We met the owner himself, who has traveled extensively in the US over the past few years to learn from masters of the craft beer art there - Dogfish and Stone to name a few.  Because of our efforts in searching for a decent IPA, he rewarded us with a bottle of his own IPA from his personal stash.  It was delicious both for the flavor that included 10 varieties of hops and for the fond memories of meeting the brewer!

The more we dig in, the more we begin to find that there are several craft breweries making headway in Japan.  There's even a new publishing started by some of the brewers encouraging the industry's growth and communication.  It even included a listing of all the craft breweries and their locations currently in Japan.  These craft beers haven't quite found their way to the mainstream market, or the grocer's shelves, but isn't that what craft beers are supposed to be about?  It's about the unique flavor from each individual brewer or region.  I only wish we had more time to search out some of the other brewers!  For now, though, I will relish the memories of Baird and Ise Kadoya.  Who knows?  Maybe with Baird's success in the World Cup of Beers last month, it may soon be available in America!!

McDonald's Big America Campaign

The McDonald's machine (or should I say 'Mack-do' as it is commonly called here in Japan) keeps rolling out the gems to increase their presence and popularity in Japan.  My wife and I sensed a subtle but impending doom for the Japanese when McDonald's finally thought the timing was right to unveil its quarter-pounder to the Japanese market last summer.  Prior to that, it was just thought to be too much burger for the petite Japanese culture.  Apparently not.

Alas, it was met with resounding popularity in Japan.  And why not?  Let's be honest, despite the health concerns, the stuff tastes good.  The only problem is that, while the Japanese might have some idea of why America has an alarming obesity rate, I don't think they are taking seriously the potential long-term dangers that can result from America's fast-food machine.  So, naturally Mack-do has decided to capitalize on the popularity of the quarter-pounder.

Starting back in January, McDonalds began running ads for their 'Texas' burger as part of their new 'Big America' campaign.  Doesn't anyone here in Japan see the writing on the wall?!?!  The irony is hilarious.  One could argue that the ad actually suggests fast food can lead to an increased belt line.  I'm sure its not what they meant, but I can't help but smirk when I see the 'Big America' billboards.

In all, McDonalds has unveiled 4 types of 'Big America' burgers, all variations on that ol' classic, the quarter-pounder.  The Texas burger, California burger, New York burger, and Hawaii burger will attempt to provide different tastes from well-known regions in America.  As you can see from the picture, the Texas burger was so popular, it will be coming back.

A great marketing ploy to be sure, but in the end, I wonder what the effect will be on 'Little Japan'.

More details on each variation of the burger in the 'Big America' campaign can be found here.

Suntory Highball in A Can

Over the last few years, it has become quite trendy and more common to see mixed drinks in a 12 oz. can or bottle.  The huge selection today is certainly a far cry from the days of simpler choice between Seagram's or Bartles and James.  Nowadays, there are companies like Smirnoff who have taken pre-mixed vodka cocktails to a whole new level, or Mike's Hard lemonade who have the market on lemonade cocktails of all flavors virtually cornered.

The selection is quite large and growing.  Naturally, it will only be a matter of time - if it has not already happened - before the market is flooded with options, especially from the big breweries or drink manufacturers.

Personally, I normally don't go for these types of drinks as they are not really to my liking, but I just couldn't stop the childish voices in my head telling me how legendary this drink would be when I was in the store the other day...

That's right.  Suntory got into the game with it's whiskey and soda in a can offering.  I'm not sure exactly what it was that pulled me in like a tractor beam.  Perhaps it was the Suntory-Bill Murray connection, or maybe it was the mere mention of the word 'highball', or perhaps it was just the fact that it came in a can...???  I don't know, but I do know that I probably will never buy it again.

It was ok, but it reminded me that I just don't like sweet drinks.  If you're a fan of a whiskey highball, or any other sweet cocktail for that matter, then I can see how you might become a fan.  They're convenient and get the job done.  I just hope we never see the day when bartenders start serving these traditional cocktails out of a can.

Kirin's Autumn Brew

Don't let Tanuki fool ya. He'll get excited about anything, especially if it's in the form of alcohol.

Personally, I thought that there didn't seem to be anything seasonal about this autumn brew from Kirin. In the end, it tasted just like the regular Kirin beer. Call me a sucker. I guess I got caught up in the cool fall temps, beautiful fall colors, and seasonal advertising on the store shelves.


Any good autumn beers where your at? I'm looking forward to being able to try some of the Christmas brews back in the States when we're back for a visit!

Yebisu Premium

For the most part, the variety of Japanese beer leaves little to be desired. Most grocery stores offer a selection of Asahi, Sapporo, and Kirin (i.e. Bud, Coors, and Miller), and beyond the basic varieties within each label there isn't much diversity. But recently, I've discovered a brand that has risen above the rest...
Yebisu Premium Beer.


Yebisu offers a selection of four beers. The most popular, which is also served on tap in some restaurants, is the gold can, 'All Malt Beer'. It's pretty good, but not really all that different from either of the big 3 mentioned above. 'The Hop' is supposed to offer a hoppier flavor from choice hops, but to be honest, I don't think it's much different from the 'All Malt'. The dark can, obviously the dark option, is Yebisu's black beer and is actually really good.

But the winner goes to the Yebisu in the red can. It's new to the shelves, and quickly became my favorite. It's a pretty flavorful pilsner with a bit of a hoppier taste.

The downside with Yebisu is that the price is a little steeper than the already high prices for Japanese beer. However, it's a good break from the ordinary every once in a while, and worth the few extra Yen.

Black Impact

It would be fun to market products like this...Imagine the advertising possibilities!

Black seems to be a favorite for labels. I can understand it for the coffee and gum shown above, and mixed with words like silky, well that's just gold!

I'm a bit puzzled with the 'Black Impact' ad campaign for Seven Star cigarettes here, though. I don't know if it works as well for a product that literally leaves a black impact.

Every time I see this ad, which is on just about every other vending machine here, I'm reminded of a quote from 'Swingers':

"When I lived in New York they made it sound like they were giving sitcoms out to stand-ups at the airport here, you know? I've been here six months, all I've got to show for it is black lung." (Mike - Jon Favreau)

The Halls of Medicine

During my recent bout with a summer cold, I reached for the Halls of medicine for temporary relief. Of course, in America Halls are marketed as cough and cold medicine. Not so in Japan. Here, they are marketed as candy, which had a few of my co-workers questioning why I was eating so much candy if I felt sick.

I then took the time to read the Japanese katakana characters on the package. Sure enough, above the HALLS it says, 'Menthol Candy.' Although, to be fair, the package also says, 'Throat and nose refresher!' which is typically why we reach for the Halls of medicine when we have a scratchy throat or stuffy nose.

Another fun fact. The Halls are also marketed based on their menthol level (note the number in the bottom right hand corner). The regular Halls (blue) has a menthol level of 2, while the strong, or Hyper-mint (red), goes up to a whopping level 5!

Eating Habits

I often wonder what eating habits I'll take back with me when it's time to leave Japan. Everything from etiquette to serving size to the utensils is fairly different, and took some getting used to. Now, however, I find myself eating a lot of the Western style food we eat at home as if I were out at a restaurant or in the work cafeteria.

Noodles are by far the best. I suppose my wife would hope this habit doesn't stay with me, but anytime I'm told that slurping is polite, well, I think it's only natural to oblige. All through childhood we were told not to slurp, but here in Japan it's considered a sign of how tasty your noodles are the louder you slurp. Noodles are not easy to eat with chopsticks, so using your mouth as a vacuum, so-to-speak, really expedites the process and allows for any faults I may have with my chopstick technique to go unnoticed.

Picking up your bowl to bring it close to you is very convenient. A lot of Japanese dishes are served in small bowls - rice is an obvious, albeit boring, example. Needless to say, it's quite advantageous, especially if you have a long track record of stained shirts! I think part of it stems in the way you sit at the table. Men typically sit cross-legged on the floor so it helps to grab your food and bring it to you rather than straining out of that awful position. This is one habit that I've increasingly noticed myself doing while eating at home. Hey, it's just really easy to bring that plate of salad to your face and shovel it in...really I do have decent table manners...

Finally, not touching your food. The best example I can give of this is eating out at Mos Burger. Look at the wrappers the burgers are served in - and this is how they're served basically everywhere. They are really conducive for eating out of the wrapper and not touching your burger. The only downside is that you end up with your face planted in the wrapper.

Mojito with a Twist of Phlegm

Over the weekend we decided to try the new British Pub near Nagoya station, OXO. British-style pubs are fairly popular in Nagoya, and tend to draw a lot of ex-pats, which can be a nice injection of western culture once in a while.

OXO is in a really great location right downtown near Nagoya station and Midland Square (Central Japan's tallest building). The atmosphere was great and any pub that serves a proper British pint is ok in my book. OXO uses a cash on delivery system of service. This card is placed at each table to explain:


Without cash on delivery, I would never have had the privilege of seeing the interesting technique adopted by the bartender responsible for our mojitos. I watched as he diligently prepared the glasses, taking special care with our drink regardless of the people waiting behind me (a trait I find common with most bartenders in Japan). Everything happened so fast, but here was his routine:

1. Wipe the glasses down
2. Carefully select the mint and place into glass
3. Crush mint
4. Add carefully measured Bacardi Rum
5. Place a healthy scoop of crushed ice in each glass
Here's where it gets hairy...
6. Take out the long stirring spoon and mix the ice, mint, and rum in each glass
7. Lick the spoon and set aside. ('Okay that was weird, but carry on...')
8. Add sugar, slice of lime, and kiwi juice
9. Take out the long stirring spoon - the same long stirring spoon - and stir the ingredients in each glass
10. Lick the spoon and set aside

I hesitated telling my wife, but in the end, I just couldn't resist. Clearly, this bartender took his job of making our drinks seriously. My guess is, he was taught to taste his creation to ensure it was properly mixed - like a good chef checking his or her soup. He was probably taught to do tricks like these to re-create some traits of western culture. Unfortunately, he was unaware of the now infamous unwritten rule about double dipping in our society.

Well, the mojitos were delicious, and we had a good laugh. Besides, the bartender made up for it later. As we were walking out, I noticed him call back a patron who had taken his Guinness prematurely. He called him back so that he could top off his proper pint after the initial pour settled.

Sake in a Box

Thanks to a suggestion from my friend and co-worker living upstairs, Special Agent ADub, I decided to do a little research about why the heck our glass of sake was served in a box on a recent night out.

Not surprisingly, drinking sake has its own rituals for making, serving, and consuming. In this case, I'm going to focus on the fun stuff - serving and consuming (Although, I stumbled upon this website describing how sake is made, which is really quite interesting).

The box that our sake was served in is called a masu. In the restaurant, our sake serving consisted of an overflowing glass inside the masu. It turns out that the glass is not standard for serving. The main thing is that the sake has to be served overflowing either from or into the masu. If, as was our case, the box contains a glass brimming with sake, that is best sipped without hands until the glass can safely be picked up and used without fear of spilling. Once the glass is empty, the overflow can be drunk from the box.

Our plastic masu was more for show. Traditionally, the masu is made of wood in order to complement the wooden cask, which traditional sake is brewed in. A true masu will hold the standard measurement of 1 fl oz. Filling to the brim and over is a customary sign of prosperity.

As the traditional sake-serving cup and a symbol of prosperity, the masu still has a place in modern times and is still used for the purpose of ceremony or to show generosity. Lot's of Japanese restaurants, however, will serve it in an overflowing glass inside of the masu in order to highlight the tradition and enhance the drinking experience regardless of whether you are celebrating a special occasion or not.

Whew, all that research has made me thirsty. Off to fill my masu!

KAC's CAFE Beer & Kiyono Arms

This bar is quickly becoming my favorite in our area, KAC's Cafe Beer & Kiyono Arms. It is about 1 block west of Issha Station, or a 5 minute walk from our house. The combination of American novelty items in the window plus the name of the place were enough to draw us in. Once inside, however, you'll find an amazing array of US Marine paraphernalia from World War II - model hand guns, model rifles, Marine fatigues, old bullet shells, US Marine shot glasses. Literally anything USMC-related, you name it, chances are Kiyono-san has it. There's also a small bar serving Budweiser on tap. In all honesty, there is literally, no space in this bar, and the amount of marine paraphernalia is overwhelming, but that that adds to the experience. Apparently, the owner runs the bar by night, while maintaining a website for collecting and selling USMC novelty items. It is a site to behold. Here is the website if you have that sudden urge for say, I don't know, a gold-plated US Marine toilet paper dispenser (Yes, they exist, no kidding; there's even one in the bar's bathroom).

http://www2.odn.ne.jp/k_arms/index.html

My visits there have included some great conversations with the owner, the bartender, and some salary men getting their Budweiser fix after work. I love history, especially World War II, so many of my conversations inevitably stumbled into this subject given the setting. The owner, Japanese of course, obviously loves the subject as well. When I told him that my grandfather fought in the Pacific, he immediately brought out some fatigues to show me what he might have worn.

There's no doubt of the brutalities of war. I don't necessarily like the history of World War II because I'm a war buff. I like it because it was an incredible time when political and cultural philosophies clashed - the entire world was engaged, and as a result, millions of ordinary people lived incredible, heroic tales of survival. Everywhere life as it was typically known was suddenly turned upside down. It's these stories that I enjoy.

Kiyono-san is an extension of these stories. Decades have past since the war ended, yet he is obsessed with US Marine paraphernalia from the era. He doesn't look at the war with hostility. Instead, like Hiroshima's memorial, he likes to use it as a reminder of what to avoid.

Head Chef

With my better half leaving today for a return visit stateside, I thought this post seemed fitting. She has pulled off a lot of great meals during our time here in Japan, which is no small task given the language barrier and the new or unusual fruits and veggies we've encountered in our CSA box.

Since she'll be in the States for the next few weeks, however, kitchen duty falls on my plate (pun intended). I enjoy cooking, but it is never easy. She left me with some tips and a list, which will help, but it won't be the same. Part of it is watching her cook. It is an art. From timing, to planning, to presentation, she's got a knack, and you can tell that she loves it.

I recently finished the book, Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell. A great book dealing with life on the cusp of poverty. In it Orwell explains this 'art' of cooking better than I ever could. Here is Orwell's perspective of the head chef while working as a plongeur to earn end's meat at the Hotel X in Paris:

"Undoubtedly the most workmanlike class, and the least servile, are the cooks. They do not earn quite so much as waiters, but their prestige is higher and their employment steadier. The cook does not look upon himself as a servant, but as a skilled workman; he is generally called 'un ouvrier,' which a waiter never is. He knows his power-knows that he alone makes or mars a restaurant, and that if he is five minutes late everything is out of gear. And he takes a genuine artistic pride in his work, which demands very great skill. It is not the cooking that is so difficult, but the doing everything to time. Between breakfast and luncheon the head cook at the Hotel X would receive orders for several hundred dishes, all to be served at different times; he cooked few of them himself, but he gave instructions about all of them and inspected them before they were sent up. His memory was wonderful. The vouchers were pinned on a board, but the head cook seldom looked at them; everything was stored in his mind, and exactly to the minute, as each dish fell due, he would call out, 'Faites marcher une colette de veau' (or whatever it was) unfailingly. He was an insufferable bully, but he was also an artist."

Thanks for the tips darlin, but it won't be the same. Safe travels!!

The Recession's Over...

Well maybe not over in the sense of traditional economic measures (unemployment, GDP, etc). But certainly finding a new international store carrying Hitachino Nest beer is a sign of good things to come right? It's like the Obama says, "Crisis is a great time for opportunity." In this case, after being dealt a serious blow with the tragic loss of Hitachino Nest beer a few weeks ago due to our favorite international store closing, I was devastated. However, that loss led us to find a new international store this weekend that is actually closer to home, and which offers a bigger selection of beverages.

Oh yeah, and the new location has a fine selection of giant over-sized jugs-o-whiskey. I figure it can double as a great buffer for the recession as well as an economic alternative until I can afford to be a Hitachino beer snob again.

The Threshold of Hell

Okay maybe we're not quite on the threshold of hell yet - which I think is somewhere around 355 Kelvin (190F) - but I'd say we'd have to be close - say 322 Kelvin (120F) - after witnessing another brutal casualty of this horrendous economy today.

Despite the crazy world, I like to think I'm an eternal optimist. Heck, I still think Joey "Blue Skies" Harrington could have been the Lions savior. So, naturally, I had been trying to maintain a positive outlook despite the seemingly relentless onslaught of bad news lately. You know: the crumbling economy, Keynesian economics, GM in Washington on its knees, global weather catastrophes, terrorists, Iceland going bankrupt, Joaquin Phoenix, the Detroit Lions...the usual hellish threshold type things. Alas, my spirit took a major blow today as I felt one of the brutal realities of a recession - doing without my favorite beer.

One of our favorite things to do on the weekends is take the subway to downtown Nagoya, especially for the International Store there, Yamaya. It is one of the few places that I've been able to find something other than Kirin, Sapporo, or Asahi beer (a.k.a. Budweiser, Labatts, or Miller). At the risk of sounding like a beer snob, I became quite accustomed to the wide variety of IPA's, Stouts, and Ales back in America. Sadly, one of the biggest adjustments for me in Japan is doing without that variety. That is until I found Hitachino Nest beer at Yamaya!

Needless to say, walking through the aisles today something didn't feel right. As the pieces of the puzzle began to unfold...the boxes on the floor...the empty shelves...



and finally, the eerily half-stocked beer selection...



...it dawned on me that survival in Japan might have just taken a turn for the worst. The international store was going under and taking with it my favorite option for beer. The economy has really done it this time! Another brutal blow. And with that, this eternal optimist had to face the realization that I would have to deal without...



No more Hitachino Nest Beer..."Oh the Humanity."

The Boss

It's no secret vending machines are everywhere in Japan. You can find them on almost every street, and usually find just about any kind of drink in them. We've seen a lot of various types during our time here - ice cream, beer, even batteries - but the most common is clearly a hot or cold beverage (coffee, tea, soft drink, etc).

One of the more popular vending machine leaders, with an ironically fitting name, is Boss coffee.
So popular, in fact, that Tommy Lee Jones is the random, American, "Do they even know what they are endorsing," celebrity endorsement here. Do you think it was Tommy Lee that finally convinced this guy that he needed to save up enough Boss coffee can tops to send away for the sleek, stylish, 90's era, Bomber jacket complete with the Boss logo on the back?

I suppose the more important question is whether or not this guy actually bought the jacket, that my theory of sending away for this jacket paid for in Boss can tops is actually true, or that this guy might actually be so cool as to pull off the Boss bomber jacket, whilst smoking, and whilst riding his bike nonetheless. I think he might actually just be that cool! Honey, add it to my wish list.