Home delivery services for beer had been gaining traction in Japan for a couple of years at least. Then the pandemic began and demand for such services surged all the more. Our guess is that even after we return to relative normal, the demand will remain steady. People have now become accustomed to the convenience of having fresh beer delivered with little hassle.
Among the many service, one that caught our eye was the Home Tap service offered by Kirin, which tagged it a “new beer experience.” For most, it will be. It’s a mini draft system suitable for the limited space of Japanese homes. It takes its inspiration from Kirin’s Tap Marché, a small serving system which Kirin launched several years ago to allow bars and restaurants with limited space to serve draft beer, including craft beer.
The Home Tap looks little different from a simple, elegant hot water dispenser for tea. It weighs less than 5kg and plugs in like any common appliance. It’s engineered to keep beer cold and serve it cold. Customers slide in the miniature ‘kegs’ that are delivered, then pour away. The kegs are actually small, squat PET bottles measuring one liter in volume.
What pleased us was that one of the selections offered is Brooklyn Brewery’s Brooklyn Lager, one of the world’s best examples of that style of beer. We reached out and learned that Brooklyn Lager will be available again in 2021.
The Home Tap works as a subscription service. The server system is a free rental (assuming a minimum contract period of a year), while the beer comes in two sets. In one, you get two one-liter PET bottles twice a month starting at ÂĄ8250 (depending on variety). The other plans offers four bottles twice a month from ÂĄ12,430. Other details of the plan are available on the website.
If that’s still a little too much draft Brooklyn Lager for you each month (how could it be?!), there is also the option of ordering their beer in bottles or cans through the Brooklyn DRINX Fan Club. This is a monthly service that costs ¥4980 and includes a monthly shipment of a case of select Brooklyn Brewery beer, unique schwag (like stickers and coasters with original Brooklyn Brewery art), and limited edition beers. Membership also unlocks special offers and in-person tasting opportunities at B, Brooklyn Brewery’s taproom in Tokyo.
Lastly, while it’s called Home Tap, who’s to say you have to have it at home? We can easily envision one at the office… or a gallery… or a recording studio…
