On April 23rd and 24th, Aeon Liquor’s Jiyugaoka branch in Tokyo held their second Craft Beer Expo, where guests paid a mere ¥1000 to sample more than fifty domestic and foreign craft beers. The attendance this year easily exceeded the inaugural event held last August, which drew 600 people. On Saturday, 400 attended, while on Sunday, 450 thirsty guests came.
The lineup featured a wide array of craft beers in terms of style and origin, including more than a few that the average consumer in Japan might not be familiar with. Elysian’s Hawaiian Sunburn, a pineapple-habanero sour beer, was easily the most unusual selection, drawing many people who were curious about the mix of flavors, none of which take a back seat. The arrival of spring seemed to encourage other brewers to break out their fruit beers as well. Fruitful Life Citrus IPA, from Baird Brewing, delivered a tangy mixture of three different types of Japanese orange blended nicely with a hoppy bitterness that doesn’t overwhelm. For Ballast Point, all four selections were their core beers infused with fruit of some sort. The brews available contained watermelon, pineapple, mango, and grapefruit. The Mango Even Keel Session IPA seemed popular with the crowd and we see this being a big hit this summer. For those looking for the hoppier stuff, the 70-IBU, hop-forward Anti-hero IPA from Revolution Brewing delivered. Not to be outdone, Rogue’s 7 Hop IPA would appear to be the choice for the superstitious, as lucky 7s abound: 7.77 ABV and IBU in the 70s.
As ¥1,000 allowed you to taste any of the fifty beers offered, AleSmith’s artisanal ales, usually on the high end of the pricing spectrum and only available in 750ml bottles, drew quite a large crowd. Other companies serving great brews included Yona Yona, Far Yeast and BrewDog, which rolled out a keg for participants to happily pour their own Punk IPA.
K&K, makers of canned specialty foods, supplied some excellent pairing items to go along with beer. Corned beef habanero onion dip and squid in Galician sauce were two of the suggested beer companions. Speaking of food with your beer, the remodeled ground floor of the store now has an Italian restaurant, La Drogheria, where you can drink any beers you purchase on premises for an additional ¥100. è buono!
Even though the event is over, Aeon’s flagship craft beer shop in Jiyugaoka has significantly expanded its selection of craft beer in the last year, including selections in both bottles and cans. Part of the purpose of the event was to attract attention to its impressive stock. Tasting events, not only for beer, but for other alcoholic beverages as well, also play a role in setting this shop apart from others. Definitely pay a visit if you are in the area!
