by Ry Beville Not all plans require the best team to execute them. Not all projects require the largest budgets. Cutting corners, making substitutes, working on the fly—these are all a part of the art of compromise. But how much future quality is one compromising when it’s an investment of the size of a large…

What is the appeal of Portland as a craft beer destination? Of course, there’s the fact that there are over 50 craft breweries here. Portland has more breweries than any other city in the world. Within a small area there are craft beers to meet everyone’s tastes: award-winning IPAs, stouts, pale ales, Belgians, German-style, even…

by Ry Beville Hakone Beer is one of the lesser-known pleasures of Japan’s craft beer scene. The beer is not widely available outside the restaurants connected with its small brewery near the famous mountain hot springs resort area. Really the only other opportunity to try it is at select beer festivals, and Hakone Beer’s participation…

Picture climbing from some hot springs while the steam is still rising from your skin, then kicking back and relaxing at an adjacent brewery restaurant. The ocean spreads out before your eyes as you rehydrate with some craft beer. This luxurious vision is a reality at Nagisa Beer in Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture. Shirahama is mentioned…

by Ry Beville In early December of 2012, a group of brewers from several countries in Europe came to Japan to participate in Hop Revolution, a craft beer party and seminar series hosted in Shibuya by Whisk-e Limited. Before the festivities I sat down with six of the participants for a roundtable discussion. Despite differing…