Japan is not a new home to boozy fairs, as many world class beer and sake events take place now and then. Recently, there was a beer competition namely the International Beer Cup 2017 that took place in the port city of Yokohama at one of the best looking halls in the region, the Osanbashi, during September 14 - 17. If you missed it, no need to worry as there are specific stores that have some unique beers on display, all the time!
Craft Beer
Japan has many common popular beer brands such as Asahi, Sapporo and so on. However, various local breweries come up with their own varieties called as 'craft beers' that are brewed using independently thought-out and experimental techniques. These come in flavors too, sometimes caffeinated, for example, the famous American root beer. When it comes to choices, nobody beats Japan as it has literally several craft beers, some of them seasonal with ingredients sourced from plant roots, leaves, beans and other natural things. Take 'Sakura Beer', for example, which appears all over Japan during the spring, especially 'hanami (sakura viewing)' events where everybody wants to sip on this Japanese craft beer. Sankt Gallen is an upcoming mini-beer maker present in Kanagawa that is actually behind the release of the cherry blossom beer, if you would like to check it out. You can find their other varieties such as the Mint Chocolate that not only satisfies your dessert cravings, but also makes you tipsy.
Craft Beer
Japan has many common popular beer brands such as Asahi, Sapporo and so on. However, various local breweries come up with their own varieties called as 'craft beers' that are brewed using independently thought-out and experimental techniques. These come in flavors too, sometimes caffeinated, for example, the famous American root beer. When it comes to choices, nobody beats Japan as it has literally several craft beers, some of them seasonal with ingredients sourced from plant roots, leaves, beans and other natural things. Take 'Sakura Beer', for example, which appears all over Japan during the spring, especially 'hanami (sakura viewing)' events where everybody wants to sip on this Japanese craft beer. Sankt Gallen is an upcoming mini-beer maker present in Kanagawa that is actually behind the release of the cherry blossom beer, if you would like to check it out. You can find their other varieties such as the Mint Chocolate that not only satisfies your dessert cravings, but also makes you tipsy.
The Beer Stores
If you are wondering where to try quirky Japanese beers, you might have to look for specific plazas or beer shops. There are some places in and around Tokyo, such as KURAND & SHUGAR where you can try a lot of different craft beers all together. They both get their liquor serviced by Liquor Innovation Co.Ltd (http://liquor-innovation.co.jp/), which is a great company that always comes up with unique sake, cocktails and beers. They have drinks that complement all seasons. Do visit them and get amused by their wide range of beers, some of them you would not even imagine existing. The company is also partnering with several other restaurants in Japan for bringing you unique drinking experiences through innovation.
Varieties
You can expect some amazing craft beers that incorporate different plant and fruit flavors into the beer such as the delightful and autumn reminiscing Persimmon Beer, tender and ever-sweet Apple Beer, creamy and delicious Pumpkin Beer, unusual and top-notch Chestnut Beer, and who could forget the Matcha (Japanese Green Tea) Beer, that just makes you realise the real taste of Japan. These are all well-brewed and well-balanced, and will attract many enthusiasts who are already present in Japan. Apart from these, you can actually try around a hundred more varieties of not only beers, but also wines, sake, liqueurs and so on. One such item is the plum wine which is prepared using rich plum varieties such as Nanko that you can enjoy while devouring delicious Japanese food and giving a cheer for the onset of the cold season. According to SHUGAR, the ingredients are of very high quality and are processed using Hollywood inspired techniques such as the 'cold press'.
Website (KURAND SAKE MARKET): http://kurand.jp/en/
Access - Taito-ku Branch, Tokyo
Website (SHUGAR MARKET): http://shugar.jp/
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