Finally, it’s the season to enjoy drinking beer out in the open air!

Fresh air makes beer tastier. There were many winter days this year, but perhaps having a cold day is not too bad because we don’t have to care too much about keeping beers cool if we leave the cooling bag at home. I like the feeling of cold air touching my cheeks when I’m tipsy. Of course, I need sunshine after working indoors for a long time. Big beer parties with friends, like hanami, are great and I like it when my breath is full of Cascade hop aroma the next morning. Opening a small can of beer when you manage to find a bit of time on a very busy day is also a small moment of luxury. Bottled beer sounds good too! Kegs too! But I’m always sad when I realize that there are no bottle-openers after I’ve bought some beer and walked all the way to a park. Nothing could let me down more.

Another pleasure of open-air drinking is the scenery. I think the period between the beginning of spring and now is the best time to see the subtle transition of colours in nature. In my favourite English garden, for example, the ground may still be a cold winter colour. Snowdrops (white), daffodils and buttercups (light yellow), crocus (pale blue, violet) begin appearing here and there on the grounds. It’s then that I drink a pint of English bitter whose mild taste matches those light colours of the flowers.

Fortunately, since I was a small child, I’ve had many opportunities to enjoy each season with seasonal food, but I didn’t notice until recently that this can include beer as well. Beer had initially seemed to me to be undesirably bitter, something fizzy yellow… for a hot summer day only. I’m really glad I didn’t go on believing this until my 80s! I feel like giving thanks to so many things: to having been born in a country with four beautiful seasons, to being able to appreciate them now, to beer, my health, my friends… despite being hounded by work and so many other things every day. Delicious beer and the relaxing atmosphere of spring always let me slow down and feel happier!

by Murakami Rei

This article was published in Japan Beer Times # () and is among the limited content available online. Order your copy through our online shop or download the digital version from the iTunes store to access the full contents of this issue.