Japanese beer ビール
Beer is one of Japan's most popular drinks. Big brewers make crisp lagers, and a large craft scene has grown up alongside them.
About Japanese beer
- History: Beer took off in the second half of the 1800s. William Copeland founded a brewery in Yokohama's foreign settlement in 1870, later linked to Kirin, and a brewery opened in Sapporo in 1876.
- Big brands: Asahi, Kirin, Sapporo and Suntory dominate, mainly with pale lagers of around 5%. Orion is Okinawa's own brewer. Happoshu and other low-malt, beer-like drinks are taxed differently and sell widely.
- Craft beer: Licence rules were loosened in 1994, which led to many small regional breweries, known as ji-bīru (local beer). Craft beer is now sold in bars, taprooms and even convenience stores.
- Where to try it: Craft beer bars and brewpubs in the big cities, brewery tours with tastings at the large plants, and beer festivals in Yokohama, Tokyo, Osaka and other cities.
- Season: Brewers change can designs with the seasons, such as cherry blossom in spring, and some autumn and winter beers are stronger.
SeasonAll year
Known for it
Checked against: Japanese Beer Guide | Travel Japan (JNTO) · Beer in Japan | Wikipedia.
Japanese beer on Shibuya246
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