2024
Reviews of some places I've visited throughout the year.
Yokohama beer crawl
Yokohama Bay Brewing Co. (Kannai)
I need to explain a bit...friends from Canada insisted I take them on a beer crawl. Although I haven't explored the Yokohama area, that's where they were staying so that is where I went. Here's a brief update to the day. Last stop for the day was at Yokohama Bay Brewing; the Kannai location. Very pubby look and feel. Somewhat rustic and a very jeans-and-sweater sort of feel to it...
YBB has four locations in the area, one of which is the brewery proper, one a new taproom with counter seating, and two pub-style, sit down establishments. Be sure to check their website to make sure which location to go to.
My memory is a bit of a blur, to be honest...this was the last stop for my group, our fifth of the day! I can tell you that it had great food as well as excellent beers, and our server was terrific. Almost none of my gang have any Japanese skills, but we had no trouble with the menu or ordering, etc. Definitely a place a beer drinker would come to over and over again.
I should mention the quality of this brewery: YBB was a winner of this year's Japan Brewer's Cup, getting a gold medal in the Fruit Wheat category for their Yuzu Weiss beer. I honestly don't remember if it was on the menu while I was there, so I feel bad not updating my Untappd list...as with many outings, drinking craft is about socializing with new friends as much as enjoying the beer!
You can bet the next time I'm in Yokohama I'll be back--Kampai!
Featured Article - April 21, 2024
A craft beer crawl through Tokyo’s top bars, brewpubs and dives
Japan Times contributor Russell Thomas has done a piece on some places around the city; click on the link to see his recent take on the craft beer scene.
2024
Reviews of some places I've visited throughout the year.
Craft Beer Market, Otemachi
My history with Craft Beer Market has always been a late-night affair. I used to do an outsource job once a week in Toranomon and that put me in walking distance to their Toranomon location, one of their first pubs. But the Shimbashi area is full of after-work drinkers and by 9:30 p.m., when I would rock up, the place was pretty full and I almost never got a table or counter seat and had to settle for a by-the-wall counter spot.
Things haven't changed much...I made my way after work to the Otemachi location for the first time, and didn't want to sit outside even with the gas heaters. Coming so late there were quite a lot of patrons so sitting me down at a table was contingent on other people coming, possibly moving me to the wall-side counter. And...it happened, surprise, surprise! At least at Otemachi there are stools.
But this is par for the course. The place is cool. Good vibes, friendly-enough staff, and a very good beer selection. You'll get a good array of beers not only from Japan and across multiple styles. You'll remember I am a sucker for IPAs and there are usually four or five on tap! Plus, their line-up is printed in English as well as Japanese and they update their website regularly so you'll have no trouble selecting something. This night, I went for a New Zealand-style IPA called Fanfare, produced by Nano Brewery of Kobe. Fruity, light, and pretty gosh darn good. Of course, I HAD to order a potato salad--it's pretty much a go-to when I hit Craft Beer Market and trust me when I say their food is delicious.
All-in-all, CBM is a great place for anyone looking to explore craft beer without any snobby attitudes or intense, intimidating beers. It is a gastro-pub where you can hang with friends and kick back with quality drinks, at quite reasonable prices, and even if you go by yourself you'll enjoy the music and atmosphere...
...just maybe don't get there too late in the evening! ;)
Kampai!
2023
Reviews of some places I've visited throughout the year.
Kagoya -- Beer...and Sake?!
18-12-2023
ShimoTakaido
So, walking to the store in Shimotakaido in need of a few groceries, I happen on a new bar. Actually, as it turns out, the place has been there for over a year, but you know how it is when you don't visit a particular area for awhile! Plus, I don't always take the same route. Lesson learned: it's good to take a little extra time, and take a different path. You sometimes see new things. Such is what happened as I came across Kagoya.
At first glance, it's a little shop that looks to sell liquor, but it isn't Just a liquor store. Kagoya happens to specialize in nihonshu--Japanese sake--as well as shochu. We can get into all the nuances of nihonshu and shochu but suffice to say that what we westerners often call sake is a brewed rice alcohol, whereas shochu is distilled.
I enjoy both, so it's a nice addition to the neighborhood, but not only does Kagoya have a nice selection of these excellent Japanese beverages, they also have coolers at the back providing a selection of craft beers--lucky me! And compared to the other place in the Shimotakaido area, at much more reasonable prices. As I was pressed for time I bought a can for later, but they do indeed have beer on tap; about ten taps, though I noticed a few were sold out. And there are some seats in the back corner so yes, you can park yourself inside for a bit and relax, and they serve food, but this is more of a tasting bar...don't expect to turn it into a real hangout.
Open from 13:00 to 21:00, it is a welcome place to visit for a short bit during your afternoon shopping but definitely not your late-night watering hole. And what a great chance for the nihonshu/shochu lovers out there. I'm not a connoisseur by any stretch but I am always up to try their daily selections--I'm sure you will be, as well. Bottoms up!
The return of Beers for Books!
16-12-2023
ShimoKitazawa
Well, it’s been a few years. We have COVID-19 to thank, so to speak, for disrupting our lives and interfering with our getting out and sharing a beer with each other. It has also interfered with volunteer organizations that rely on people getting together and rallying their collective energies to benefit less well-off members of our communities.
With the ease on social restrictions, such organizations may be able to remedy the ebb in activity over the past few years. A charity group I’ve been sort-of involved in is making a return to the public stage. Beers for Books is a promoter of education, by funding reading materials for underprivileged children in developing countries, in a non-profit program called Room to Read.
Local (i.e. Tokyo) businessman and event organizer Gary Bremmerman has long-hosted the Japan chapter of Beers for Books, and on December 14 held a return event, the first since 2019. It was a very welcome event for yours truly; it was good to see some old faces!
The premise is pretty straightforward: for every drink purchased during the evening, a portion goes towards Room to Read for the express purpose of buying and distributing books to children in over 20 countries. To date, nearly 40 million books have been provided! My own contribution to this cause is very small in comparison, but I’m keen to champion such a positive cause as I firmly believe in education and the empowerment that literacy brings to people.
This latest event was hosted at a well-known Shimo-Kitazawa British pub, Good Heavens! If you are ever in the mood for UK fare I can attest to a healthy serving of fish & chips, and the cheese plate is Very satisfying, I have to say. You can always expect to get your fill of Guinness and Fuller’s Pride there, of course.
Congratulations, Gary, on reviving the event and we supporters of Room to Read--and beer—are looking forward to seeing you at the next one! Kampai!
small world records -- a little out of the way, and very cool!
09-09-2023
Sangenjaya
So you're out for the evening, maybe a late Saturday afternoon stroll in the Sangenjaya area, window-shopping and whatnot, and you head towards ShimoKitazawa. It's a nice day, the weather is good, there are lots of people out and about--it's a perfect day for a walkabout.
And you're about halfway between, make a turn somewhere and wonder which way is which, and you notice through the window of a little store a big screen TV, music in the air, a selection of LPs against the wall, and ... some beer taps behind the counter?! Yes, those are beer taps...next to a coffee maker...?
This eclectic little shop is quite the local gem -- one of those cool little places in Tokyo that make people fall in love with visiting the country. For small world records is exactly all of the above: a record store, selling indie and alternative records that any music lover would love to shop at. But for me, it's the beer, and on this particular evening, the World Cup is on, live from Qatar, and while I'm not big into the sport, I know the beer is going to be good.
The owner has excellent taste in craft beer, and a nice variety. I usually find myself getting a porter or stout, and then a nice sour or IPA. He keeps about 6-8 taps going, and as far as I have seen showcases Japanese breweries. If you're an overseas visitor you'll likely not be familiar with most of them. Trust me when I say you'll be pleased with the product. Now, that said, be aware that this is a small venue of about half a dozen seats, and local customers...if you are up for practicing your Japanese then great. If you are looking for a big night out with a full meal and English-speaking staff to fawn over you...well, there are other places.
Oh, and that night the dog wasn't there...if you go and she gets out from behind the counter, mind your fingers. She is Very cute and looks So pettable, but she isn't the friendliest! That said, I look forward to heading back!
Kampai!
Bar Kise -- a hidden little place on the Keio line.
15-02-2023
ShimoTakaido
びいる黄瀬 -- Biirukise, or Beer Kise (kee-say) -- is a relatively small craft beer place, up the stairs on the 3rd floor of a narrow little building across the street from Seiyu supermarket/department store. You'd not even notice it unless you can read "beer" in Japanese, and the signage isn't really going to catch your eye.
It's a pretty small place with six taps or so, but a stylish industrial atmosphere, and very welcoming to the modern urban beer drinker. It isn't exactly a hipster hangout but they do embrace modern electronic payments. As for the beer...delicious! This was my first experience with Totopia Brewery products, and man do they make excellent beer! I see from Untappd that they're carrying a wider variety of brews since my visit so I'll have to go back sometime.
Price-wise, a little high...expect 1500 yen for a pint, give or take. The quality is good, and it is a very nice hangout space. Definitely worth your time to check it out!
2022
Reviews of some places I've visited throughout the year.
TDM 1874 -- Let's chill in ShimoKita!
24-12-2022
ShimoKitazawa
TDM 1874 was originally located near my workplace by Aoyama 1-chome, and I rarely went after work simply because of the hours. I work late, sigh! And before the COVID stuff came along I transferred to another location and simply didn't get to the area very much...and I couldn't get there in time weeknights anyway.
Surprised when I did try to stop by on a day off and they'd gone--I thought I would have heard from the brew community about it. Well, it turns out they'd moved to Shimo-Kitazawa--a popular hub station on my way home, as it happens!
Shimo-Kitazawa is a bustling shopping and entertainment area in Setagaya ward, supplied by the Odakyu and Keio Inokashira lines. Plenty of shops, cafes, bars, and more in the area where you can spend hours wandering the little streets exploring and hanging out. In recent years the city has been upgrading the station and immediate building infrastructure with a modern shopping plaza, and it is in here that TDM 1874 can be found.
The place usually features 6 or so craft beers made by the founder and local beer celebrity, George Juniper. Along the walls are coolers jam-packed with bottles and cans of beer, and cider as well. There is just so much selection, you might just want to have a seat and spend time gazing at all the choices before deciding! Still, you have just a few quality choices on tap, so you might as well focus there and consider everything else for some take-home refreshment.
As a place to hang out and chill in the afternoon or evening, this is a great place to spend either alone surfing the net, or with a couple of friends or the family. This is not a party place, or at least that's not the vibe I expect anyone to get. You'll enjoy the food menu, as well: curry, burgers, seafood, sausage dishes...a good variety and at reasonable prices.
If you are looking for a fairly laid-back, nicely-priced place to stop and enjoy a meal with quality beer, this is a great place to be. Hope to see you there!
Pizzakaya -- one of the best pizzerias in Tokyo.
15-07-2022
Roppongi
Visiting Japan, you're probably more interested in tasting the great variety of local cuisine. After awhile, and certainly if you're an expat looking for a familiar, comforting staple like pizza, you'll eventually spend time at one of the many pizzerias in the city. Napoli-style, Chicago-style, etc. abound--but here I'll highlight one of my favorite hangouts: Pizzakaya, located near Roppongi station, a couple of minutes' walk past Roppongi Hills.
The draw is of course the California-style pizza, and there are several selections for meat-lovers and for the non-meat eaters, in medium and large sizes. Me, I love pepperoni and can't pass up the opportunity to fill up on their pepperoni pizza or the Big Russell, a meat-loaded choice. And, half-and-half orders are possible, all clearly listed on their menu. If in a group, there are plenty of appetizers including salads, and if you're not too worried about filling up on carbs too much, I recommend the babaganouche (delicous!) Also, if you and your party aren't into spice you might want to avoid the Hell Sausage Meatballs...but if you're a chili-head like me you'll love them!
Ten or fifteen years ago there was but one craft beer always available at Pizzakaya, the importing of US craft being pretty new. I remember fondly getting my weekly fix of Rogue Dead Guy Ale. Since then, taps have been added to and you can find 10 beers on tap. Selections often include Revision, Stone, and other west coast products, plus others. For a meal and a couple of pints you can expect to pay 4,000~5,000 yen. The tastes are absolutely worth it!
The Aldgate -- Jack's back!
11-07-2022
Shibuya
Well, folks. Let's start this blog with a great start. Absolutely one of my favorite beers in Japan is in fact an exclusive product, available at one of my absolute favorite British pubs in Tokyo. Jack the Ripper is not an all-year product but when it's here it is my immediate go-to beer. Caramel-colored, rich and hoppy, it is quite a powerful IPA that might be too much for most people as their first pull. Even the bartender who poured mine who had a taste had her eyes open wide, such is the character of this fantastic Baird brew.
That's right--this 6.5% ale is made by none other than Baird Brewing, one of the leaders of the craft beer movement in Japan over a dozen years ago. As a west coast IPA fan, I appreciate the strong, hoppy bitterness with a lesser sweetness profile that Jack brings to the palate. You might start off with a lighter beverage if you're not used to west coast IPAs, and the Aldgate offers over 20 beers on tap to help you suss out whatever suits your taste. That said, don't expect to find new beers on the menu every week--they aim for quality beers that satisfy a broad range of customers and only a few new beers rotate in over the weeks. But once you've found what you like you'll be sure to find it every visit. Of course there's Asahi and Guinness available for the (ahem!) less adventurous, and usually a cider on tap as well.
And don't forget the food menu: general British fare that sticks to your ribs along with smaller plates of nibbles. Me, I come for the beer. Oh, and I shouldn't forget the music. Many a patron enjoy the large record collection played by the proprietors when the online stream of 70s/80s/90s rock isn't playing, and you're free to request an album be played. I'm heading back to the Aldgate soon. And you might want to get there soon too, as who can expect Jack the Ripper to stay in town for very long?
Cheers!