What Makes a Japanese (or any country's) Brewer?, Discussion on my friend's blog Options

[just-cj]

Good morning (at least for me),

A friend of mine has a blog about beer in Japan, and he recently asked the question, "What makes a "Japanese Beer" or a "Japanese Brewer"?" As an American who's brewing beer for another American in a brewery that's physically located in Japan with ingredients from around the world (including fruits, vegetables and spices from Japan), I have to admit that it's something that I've never really thought much about, and certainly haven't read about on any homebrew forum. Some interesting comments from some interesting people so far, but I'm just wondering what do you think? What makes a "Japanese Beer" or a "Japanese Brewer"?

[Joab]

There are regional differences when it comes to beer. Belgian styles are unique, lager originated (I think) in Germany and whether it's accurate or not I've always associated dark ales with England. Even styles have regional names: Scotch ale, Irish red. So off the top of my head I would think of a "Japanese beer" as likely to use Japanese ingredients, or which mirrors Japanese culture. I'd expound on that further but I'm not all that familiar with Japanese culture, apart from the strange things you find at sites like Fark (vending machines selling girls panties, etc.) and those zany game shows of theirs.

Edit: And I would consider anyone who exclusively or almost exclusively brews what are considered uniquely Japanese beers a "Japanese brewer".

This post has been edited by Joab: Nov 12 2009, 05:07 PM

[chuck_d]

I haven't read your link yet CJ, but one thing that immediately came to mind is dealing with the weird laws of the country in which you brew. A German brewer must deal with the Reinheitsgebot which obviously impacts the process of producing beer and which ingredients can be used. Out there in Japan I'm sure you know all about the "third beer", which is again just getting around weird laws. In the United States, American brewers must deal with weird laws as well, the most obvious is distribution and sale, but beer production is regulated here like both food and alcohol production with layers upon layers of laws from the Federal level down to extremely local.

[just-cj]

I'd expound on that further but I'm not all that familiar with Japanese culture, apart from the strange things you find at sites like Fark (vending machines selling girls panties, etc.) and those zany game shows of theirs.

Damn, you discovered our secret ingredient -- girls' panties!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/cabbagepatch.gif)

[linuxelf]

I'd have to go with ingredients as well, especially the water. The mineral content of the water is what lead to Pilseners being popular in Germany, and Stouts in Ireland. Grain and hops can be easily imported, but I don't know of any brewery that's importing the water.

[Joab]

Damn, you discovered our secret ingredient -- girls' panties!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/cabbagepatch.gif)

There is also this, which is also strange. You wouldn't brew with it but eventually it will become related to the beer consumption process.

[TheProfessor]

And I would consider anyone who exclusively or almost exclusively brews what are considered uniquely Japanese beers a "Japanese brewer".

All well and good, but from what I understand, Japanese beer comes largely from German lager tradition and method.

In the USA, there are British, German, Belgian, Scottish, Irish...and many other so called "styles" being brewed. But they are still American beers owing to where they are made.
So, as far as I'm concerned, the answer is pretty simple: a beer brewed in Japan is Japanese beer, regardless of the so called "style".

[Thorhale]

All well and good, but from what I understand, Japanese beer comes largely from German lager tradition and method.

there is also a traditional porter brewery... don't let Japaneses "BMC" fool you.

If you ask me, I would say that any beer brewed in the country with the intent of marketing to it's people is an authentic beer of that place.

[Monster Mash]

That's really a tough question. Kirin is known as a Japanese beer but over here it is brewed by Budweiser, Fosters is known as an Austrailian beer but it is brewed in Canada. If you were to brew a West Coast IPA in Japan would that make it an American IPA?

I think that if you brew a beer to a style it doesn't matter where it is brewed, it is still that style. Since Japan is known only for German style lagers it's tough to say they are truely Japanese beers and the same goes for Mexican and American Lagers. They are just German lagers with thier own regional flavor...

This post has been edited by Monster Mash: Nov 17 2009, 05:36 PM

[urzasbrewtech]

Perhaps it is just a bad assumption on my part here (or at least too many brews) but I always looked at it from the point of view of process. One could argue that Belgian beers are exclusive amongst themselves because of yeast strain or spontaneous ferments.....and almost any beer is defined by the yeast used.....but does that mean a belgain beer made with fleischmans bread yeast something less than a belgain beer?

Now I work for a Japaneese company and can honestly say that process is of extreme importance to the culture. If anyone would care to see a practical example of what I mean, please watch a sushi chef scrutinize that peice of shashimi before he finally decides how to cut it! Or, ask a group of Japanese design engineers if a frogs ass is watertight...couldn't help it....Gung-Ho took on a whole new meaning of funny after starting work for my company.

So I think that if a German, Japanese, English brewer pays respects to the German, Japanese, English brewing styles then he is a brewer, just the same as if he prefered to brew American IPA's. I feel that the traditional German, Japanse, English Brewers would snub this individual for not making the prefered styles for that country and I feel the same would apply to any of the beer producing countries of the world.

[TheProfessor]

...Fosters is known as an Austrailian beer but it is brewed in Canada...

Actually, for the last couple years, it has been brewed in the USA (by Miller, I think)!!

"FOSTER's--Australian for marketing, mate"
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