Japanese Craft Brewery - Echigo Red Ale

I recently went to a Japanese Micro-Brewery beer tasting in New York City where there were 14 breweries. I was fortunate enough to take home a bottle of Echigo Red Ale (http://www.echigo-beer.jp/) from the event. I taste it in this video, and talk a little bit about 地ビール (local beer) and 職人ビール (craftsman beer).

The craft brewery movement is currently trying to remake itself as a group of highly skilled artisans creating quality beer of the highest quality. In the past, craft breweries were know as "local beer" tied to certain areas with the main focus on attracting tourists to a specific region. This hurt their broader appeal and they were not able to gain significant traction in the market.

I hope Japan's "new" micro-breweries can carry on and gain traction both abroad and in the domestic market.

Please leave thoughts or other beer recommendations in the comments.

Cheers!

Drink responsibly and only if you are of legal age.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• beer
• craft
• craft beer
• brewery
• breweries
• micro
• home brewer
• alcohol
• echigo
• amber ale
• ale
• niigata
• japan
• 地ビール
• 職人ビール
• ビール
• えちご
• エチゴ
• エチゴビール
• 新潟
• tasting
• taste
• drinking
• japanese
• sake
• NYC
• New York
• red
• red ale
• New York City
• tokyo
• Drink
• Bottle
• Vlog

[31runescapepie]

i thought you lived in Japan

[GaijinGuide]

@31runescapepie I do. I was visiting the US

[halloweenfanatic1031]

There are actually 5 main beer producers in Japan; the 4th one you were probably trying to think of was Suntory, plus there is Orion in Okinawa.

[Orenoryori]

Fourth beer company is Orion, but it is really only found in Okinawa and specialty shops like Kaldi Coffee Farm.

[MicknFumi]

Yep I'd say 3...my faves Kirin Lager (bottled), served chilled in a traditional clay mug : )

[31runescapepie]

@31runescapepie ohh

[SomehowCreative]

I love kirin <3

But i only can get in when i visit Düsseldorf which is about 300km away :(