If Ise is a spiritual capital of the Shinto religion, then Isekadoya must be one for beer lovers. Although the city draws north of 5 million visitors every year, Ise is very much a quiet provincial town with the brewery located in a sleepy neighborhood. It strikes some as remarkable that this brewery off the beaten track can produce some world-renowned beer. But consider their long history of producing other excellent spirits, their attention to the brewing process, their care with regard to sanitation, and their stated commitment to producing only the highest quality beer, and it doesn’t seem so unusual. Good discipline often makes good beer.

Nakanishi Masakazu knows this well. Having been brewing at Ise Kadoya for over a decade, he has overseen the brewing since its early days. Along the way he has earned the respect of top-class brewers both in Japan and overseas. His joining Ise Kadoya so early in the game, however, did involve a lucky window of opportunity.

“I joined in 1997 after working a 3-year contract in the city office. At Ise high school, I had studied fermentation processes (a not-so-uncommon subject in agricultural schools) but when I graduated, there was no place to brew. The opening came just as my contract ended and I slipped in.” Indeed, at the time of his graduation Japanese laws had not changed to permit microbrewing for only 60 kiloliters of beer per year, and the explosion of microbreweries in Japan was still a few years away. Nakanishi became the head brewer in 1999 when the position became vacant but laments, “There was still no place to go and study. Besides what I learned from my time as an assistant brewer, I had to read books and other literature.” But past excellence often provides a good cornerstone for continued excellence, and 21st generation owner of the brewery Suzuki Narihiro provided general direction in terms of quality control. If pride in one’s family having brewed great sake for centuries cannot provide enough resolve to commit to high standards, what will? Suzuki still recalls those moments when the weight of heritage and his professional responsibilities hung heavy on his shoulders. “I decided to pour out 1,000 liters of beer once because we hadn’t let it mature long enough.” Suzuki stresses that the cost to reputation would have been exponentially higher.

This philosophy has reflected in other decisions at the brewery. Nakanishi relates, “We were making a Weizen but it just wasn’t stable so we stopped. We also began sourcing our malt from other producers over pesticide concerns with our original one. We now use a lot of malt from Great Western, like our caramel and chocolate malt, as well as smoked malt from Weyermann’s. Our water is sourced in Ise, from the Miyagawa River; we wash it through charcoal microfilters so that is it super clean and great for beer.” The brewers also pay particular attention to sanitation in the brewery, as is evident on any tour of the small facilities.

Ambition and the desire for recognition also seem to play a part in their approach. Ise Kadoya has been receiving awards since 2000, all of them from domestic competitions until 2003, when they began winning at the Australian International Beer Awards. Larger recognition came in 2006, when they won two bronzes at the World Beer Cup in San Diego, for their Shinto Beer (old ale category) and Stout (Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout. Note: there was no gold or silver awarded in this category in 2006). “The WBC is very specific in its categorization, so we decided to forego our sweet stout and make a dry stout.” But for the most part, Ise Kadoya’s decisions on what beers to make are guided by other principles.

Near Ise is the oyster-rich area of Uramura, and Ise Kadoya’s quaint brewery pub, Biyagura, features a menu with these, and other, local products. Nakanishi notes, “We are always thinking about beer that goes well with food, especially oysters.” Ise Kadoya runs a second restaurant on the bustling approach to Ise Shrine called Isekadoya Naikumaeten, but either one will provide a scrumptious selection of oysters and pub-style foods to pair with fresh beer.

In the opinion of many, Ise Kadoya’s best beer is their oyster stout. They begin brewing it in the late fall and start serving toward the end of the year. This time, the name is being changed to Uramura Kaki Stout, to reflect its origins. Otherwise, Ise Kadoya’s flagship beers are the pale ale, brown ale and stout. Their Shinto beer, readily available in Ise, is a unique American-style pale ale that uses a secret combination of local black-rice and bitter hops (such as Cascade) to give it citrus notes. Their Kumano Kodo beer is a milder brown ale available only in Mie and Wakayama prefectures.

Over the years, Nakanishi and his team have produced other great seasonals, including the Imperial Ale. Last year, president Suzuki wanted to make something extreme so they imitated Dogfish Head Brewery (Delaware, US) and dropped in handfuls of 10 different hops at 120 intervals (of one minute) during the boil. The beer was, needless to say, as divine as the shrine nearby, but made in a very limited batch of only 610 bottles. They will be available again this year!

We can expect more stunning seasonals from Ise Kadoya in the months ahead. Together with his new assistants Deguchi and Sakakibara, Nakanishi feels he has a strong team for continued success. He was almost giddy with excitement when talking about their new arrival. But they also need a strong team of drinkers. They shouldn’t be hard to find.

Visiting Ise? Definitely walk through the historic district of Kawasaki with its beautifully preserved houses. They continue to function as small select shops and museums, and there are even guest rooms for overnight stays. Continue along the Seta river just a short walk to the brewery!

“Eyes on the Ground” from Dan Traylor:

You can enjoy the 1st hour of Biyagura’s all-you-can-drink events (1500 yen) without feeling rushed because the second hour is only 900 yen.There’s a mix of Ise Kadoya’s beers, three or four Japanese guest beers, plus some Big Five options for anyone afraid of good beer. A scan of the mostly Japanese crowd reveals that most are not afraid of craft. Although the restaurant isn’t set up for socializing, occasional lines at the bar allow time to chat, compare notes or make new friends. These events usually run on the 2nd and 3rd Wednesdays of each month. Confirm at Biyagura’s website: www.isekadoya.com

Check out Dan’s blog at: japanbrew.blogspot.com

by Ry Beville

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.