by Kido Hirotaka Japan is an island country where, because of its geography, most regions can harvest food fresh from the ocean. Perhaps the phrase “raw food culture” derives from other countries that don’t quite grasp that. And your average Japanese probably associates “raw” with “fresh.” What is raw is fresh, and that means delicious.…

Summer 2011 “Beer isn’t made by the brewer; it’s made by the yeast!!” I heard this from a brewer just the other day. Beer needs much more than a person to be made, of course, and the key ingredient is yeast. Yeast creates alcohol and carbonation, as well as fruity qualities through esters. Since yeast…

by Kido Hirotaka A large amount of water is generally necessary for brewing beer. Regions famous for breweries have long been situated near lakes or flowing rivers, in addition to their proximity to areas where hops and barley are grown. You want to be where the good water is! Since most of beer is made…

Ah, Valentine’s Day, a day for lovers… In Japan, it’s customary for women to give chocolate to men, but overseas it’s a little different, of course; couples give gifts to each other or to close friends, and the gifts to express one’s love include flowers, sweets and an array of other items. Japanese brewers seem…

Beer that uses herbs or spices does not exist in Japan. In Japan, a beer that uses herbs or spices can’t label itself as beer, even if it uses 100% malt. It has to be called happôshu (“low-malt beer” or “sparkling liquor”). So according to Japanese law, the bulk of “Belgian beer culture” is “Belgian…