Japanese beer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Japanese beer had its start during the Edo Period when the Dutch opened beer halls for the sailors who worked on the trade route between Japan and the Dutch Empire. Japanese-style commercial brewing has been exported to much of southeast Asia and factories are spread throughout the world.
Beer is the most popular alcoholic drink in Japan, accounting for nearly two thirds of the 9 billion liters of alcohol consumed in 2006.[1] It was introduced in the early Meiji period from Germany. Major makers are Asahi, Kirin, and Sapporo while small local breweries supply distinct tasting beers. Lager beers are most common but beers made with lower grain contents called "Happoushu" (発泡酒, low malt beer, literally foaming alcoholic drink) have captured a large part of the market as tax is lower on these products. Drinking beer while eating salted boiled beans, edamame, is known as a favorite summer pastime for adults.
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[edit] Beer classification
Due to the Japanese taxation system, the varieties of brewed malt beverages in Japan are categorized into two groupings: beer and happoshu. The distinction is made based on the amount of malt used relative to grain adjuncts, with the term happoshu ascribed to low-malt brews. Japanese regulations forbid the use of the word beer or Bīru (ビール ) in katakana to describe brews containing less than 67% malt (thus allowing up to 33% adjuncts including rice, corn, sorghum, potato, starch, and sugar). [1]
Many restaurants and drinking establishments only serve the officially recognized beers. Many imported beers in Japan are labeled happoshu if the malt content is too low.
Since 2004, Japanese breweries have produced even lower taxed, non-malt brews made from soybeans and other ingredients which do not fit the classifications for beer or happoshu. Dubbed the third beer or third-category beers or Happousei (発泡性, literally type of Happou; this is what is usually written on the can, either this or "Liqueur" (リキュール) Incidentally, liqueur also refers to what we would commonly think of as a liqueur as well as the Chuhai drink) by the Japanese media (dai-san no biru)[1], they are officially classified as "Other miscellaneous alcohol" or "Liqueur".
[edit] Methods of distribution
In Japan, beer can be sold in vending machines. Some vending machines have motion activated advertising that displays on small TV screens embedded into them. They play beer commercials and jingles that are seen on TV and heard on the radio.
Japan has liberal laws in regards with the selling and consumption of alcohol. Beer can be purchased at a wide variety of outlets, including supermarkets, convenience stores and kiosks at train stations and can be consumed virtually anywhere but Japan has very strict laws against operating a motor vehicle or riding a bicycle after or during the consumption of alcohol.
[edit] Seasonal beers
Many breweries in Japan offer seasonal beers, which are produced only during one of the four seasons. In autumn, for instance, "autumn beers" are brewed with a higher alcohol content, typically 6% as opposed to the common 5% of Asahi Super Dry. For example, Kirin's Akiaji beer. The beer cans are typically decorated with pictures of autumn leaves, and the beers are advertised as being suitable for drinking with nabemono (one-pot cooking). Similarly in "winter" beers such as fuyumonogatari (translated as "The Winter's Tale" on the can) appear.
[edit] Japanese beers abroad
In the UK, in the late 1990s, beer branded as being Kirin Lager Beer from the Japanese brewery Kirin was put on sale. However, the beer was in fact entirely produced in the UK, and the alcohol content of 4% was different from the original Japanese level of 5%.
In the US, three of the four major Japanese brands are available. These include Sapporo Draft, Kirin Ichiban (Number One, as opposed to the normal Lager which is not available), and Asahi Super Dry. Sapporo and Asahi are produced in Canada, under the supervision of the parent companies, while Kirin is produced at an Anheuser-Busch facility in Los Angeles. Suntory Malts beer is not available. Orion Beer is also available, imported from Okinawa Prefecture. Availability of brands depends on an individual state's liquor laws, resulting in some beers being available in some places and others not. For example, in Oklahoma, Asahi Super Dry, Sapporo, and Orion are available, whereas in Texas, Kirin Ichiban is prevalent.
[edit] Contemporary Japanese beers
- Asahi
- Asahi Super Dry
- Asahi Black
- Asahi Hon-nama (happoshu)
- Kirin
- Kirin Lager Beer
- Kirin Ichiban Shibori
- Kirin Fukkoku Lager (A series of historical beers corresponding to recipes used during the reigns of the Taisho and Meiji Emperors)
- Kirin Tanrei (happoshu)
- Sapporo
- Sapporo Black Label
- Yebisu
- Yebisu Black
- Yebisu - The Hop
- Hokkaido Nama-shibori (happoshu)
- Suntory
- Suntory Malt's
- Suntory - The Premium Malts
- Super Magnum Dry (happoshu)
- Orion
- Orion Draft Beer
- Orion Special
- Orion Original
- Orion Southern Star
- Orion Cider
- Orion Dry
- Orion Premium
- Otaru
[edit] Microbreweries
In 1994, Japan's strict tax laws were relaxed allowing smaller breweries producing 60,000 litres (15,850 gal) per year. Before this change, breweries could not get a license without producing at least 2 million litres (528,000 gal) per year. As a result, a number of smaller breweries have been established throughout Japan. Because it is illegal to produce beverages containing more than 1% alcohol, homebrewing is uncommon.[citation needed] The Japanese word for microbrew is Ji Bīru(地ビール), or "local beer." There are currently about 100 microbreweries in Japan making Ji Bīru of various styles including ale, stout, pilsener, weizen, Kölsch, and others. After the relaxation of the Liquor Tax Law there was a boom in microbrewing, but it has gradually leveled off. One problem was the rising popularity of low cost happoshu (low malt beer), compared to the high cost microbrews, which forced some early microbreweries out of business. In Japan, the dominance of the majors and the relative high cost and low volume involved in producing micros led to their only being known to a small number of beer enthusiasts. The higher price of microbrews, the shorter shelf-life, and lower production volume, compared to the national major brewers, have all combined to make things very difficult for many small breweries. However, thanks to factors such as special licensed production for some bar and restaurant chains and cooperation between micro breweries, the industry has managed to maintain itself. Every year the Japan Craft Beer Association holds the Japan Beer Cup. There is also the Great Japan Beer Festival held every year in Tokyo, Osaka and Yokohama.[2]
[edit] Some of Japan's Microbreweries
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- Taisetsu Ji Bīru 大雪地ビール(Asahikawa, Hokkaido) Winner of many awards including the Japan Beer Grand Prix
- Furano Ji Bakushu 富良野地麦酒(Furano, Hokkaido)
- Okhotsk Bīru オホーツクビール(Kitami, Hokkaido)
- Tokachi Bīru 十勝ビール(Obihiro, Hokkaido)
- Otaru Bīru 小樽ビール(Otaru, Hokkaido)
- Kamui Bīru カムイビール(Iwamizawa, Hokkaido)
- Onuma Bīru 大沼ビール(Nanae, Hokkaido)
- Hakodate Bīru はこだてビール(Hakodate, Hokkaido)
- Tazawako Bīru 田沢湖ビール(Senboku, Akita) The first microbrew in Akita Prefecture
- Ginga Kogen Bīru 銀河高原ビール(Nishiwaga, Iwate)
- Miyamori Bīru みやもりビール(Miyamori village, Iwate)
- Echigo Bīru エチゴビール(Niigata-city, Niigata)
- Nasu Kogen Bīru 那須高原ビール(Nasu, Tochigi)
- Hitachino Nest Bīru 常陸野ネストビール(Naka, Ibaraki)
- Baird Brewing (Numazu, Shizuoka) Owned and operated by American Bryan Baird
- Yo-ho Brewing ヤッホー・ブルーイング(Karuizawa, Nagano) Makers of award winning Yona Yona Ale
- Nagahama Roman Bīru 長浜浪漫ビール(Nagahama, Shiga)
- Minoh Brewery 箕面ブリュワリー(Minoh, Osaka)
- Sankt Gallen Brewing サンクトガーレン有限会社(Atsugi, Kanagawa)
- Daisen G Bīru 大山Gビール(Hōki, Tottori)
- Hideji Bīru ひでじビール(Nobeoka, Miyazaki)[3]
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b William Campbell, What the Japanese are drinking, The Japan Times, April 13, 2007.
- ^ Translated from Japanese Wikipedia article
- ^ Translated from Japanese Wikipedia article
[edit] External links
- Brewers Association of Japan (English)
- Directory of Japanese Brewers (RateBeer.com)
- Comprehensive series of articles on beer in Japan
[edit] Japanese breweries
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