Bottoms up!
     
  The way of enjoying trips varies for each tourist, not to mention the cultural experiences in the country visited. It is one of the pleasures of a big trip to taste local food and drinks, such as wines and beer that you can taste only in that place. 
  There is such a recommended microbrew here in Kanagawa.

   

 

   Yokohama Brewery                 

 The fragrance of fermented beer tickled my nose when I opened the restaurant's door. Behind the glasses at the pub counter were the brewing, fermentation and storage tanks filling up a room. A young brewer was working in the room when I arrived.

     Yokohama Beer started in 1995. The company inherits the passion of the pioneers who began brewing beer in Yokohama and aims to create a unique beer native to Yokohama. It is the only craft-beer maker in Yokohama.On the first floor of the building is the brewery and the Czech-style pub Pivovar. Here you can try some basic and special brews while watching the brewer at work. On the second floor, you canenjoy Japanese-style Italian food at the beer restaurant Umaya.   

   As Yokohama is known as “the birthplace of beer brewing in Japan," the company started with the idea of whether it could restore the original taste by using a brewing method from that time, the 1870s. With the help of old documents, the staff studied about 1870s brewing methods and beer brewing machines and ingredients. However, the reconstruction of the 1870s taste was very difficult. As a result of much trial and error, the company arrived at the current taste. "The current taste of beer has changed from that time, but the spirit and passion for making beer was still the same as that of the predecessors,” said Mr. Imai, in charge of sales promotion for Yokohama Brewery.

                                                                                                       

The birthplace of beer

    Let's introduce the history of the origin of beer in Yokohama. Rosenfelt opened  Yokohama's first brewery at 46, Yamate, of the foreign 
residential area, in August 1869.For the foreigners of the foreign residential area, Rosenfelt started the Japanese brewery Japan Yokohama Brewery, but he discontinued business in 1874. 
     Meanwhile, American William Copeland discovered the clear spring water that gushed out from the hillside (the current Chiyozaki-cho and 
Suwa-cho, Naka-ku neighborhood) of Yamate-amanuma, in 1870, and then he thought of beer brewing and established Spring Valley Brewery at 
123, Yamate, of the foreign residential area. Copeland’s beer, Amanuma Beer-sake, was familiar to everyone.

The monument of Japan's first brewery

  However, Copeland's brewery soon fell into a slump in business and he had to relinquish it in 1884. A new brewery called Japan Brewery was built on the same site in 1885 by Talbot. Meidi-Ya stores became the sole agent and sold the beer all over Japan under the brand Kirin Beer in 1888. Then the Kirin Brewery Company, which succeeded the business of the Japan Brewery, was founded in 1907 and continues up to the present day. Until the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, beer brewing was carried out at this place. The name of Copeland remains strongly in the memory of people as the person who was responsible for the origin of Kirin Brewery.

 

                                                                          Japan Brewery of about 1885

  

Beer well        
                                       Monument of the beer well. This well was used for beer production from 1895 to 1901.

                                                                       Kirin Brewery of about 1907
 

         

Kirin Brewery Monument                   
This monument was erected in 1937 to commemorate this site's history as the birthplace of Kirin Beer.

 I took a look around Yokohama Brewery. The brewing, fermentation and storage tanks make up 16 tanks. The quantity that can be shipped at one time is approximately 1,000 liters. As for the maturation period, it depends on the brand of beer, and ranges from about one week to one month.  

      
  Yokohama Beer is made by this process: The malts are milled; warm water is added to the crushed malts and mash is made; hops are added to the wort, then filtered and boiled; yeast is added and ferments the mixture;  the mixture is matured. Temperature control is very important when adding warm water to crushed malts and making mash, since sugar extracted from malts changes by temperature. Also, after the wort and hops are separated, the brewer has to pay scrupulous attention when he adds yeast, the young brewer at the store explained to me. Through temperature control and the amount of hops, the degree of fermentation, color, bitterness and alcohol levels change  to create various beers.

      

                                                                                     
  I tried a recommended beer made through such a process. I had a limited-brew Yokohama Lager. Mmm … delicious! The beer features a mild, rich body and a deep fragrance, rich bitterness to balance  the exquisiteness. The long-term maturated beer  uses the hop "motueka" from New Zealand and the traditional decoction manufacturing method.
 The staff studied about the beer styles of the Czech Republic, Germany, the U.K., Belgium and the U.S. The characteristic of Yokohama Beer comes from the water and hops, and the particular malt. The first sensation when tasting the beer is one of a deep afterglow, seeming to want you to taste a sense full of fragrances after having the beer.

  The regular beer brewed, Bohemian Pilsner, is characterized by refined bitterness with a nice smell of the wheat created by the three-decoction manufacturing method and “saaz” hops from the Czech Republic. English IPA, featured very strong bitterness, and used malt and hops from the U.K. Hefe Weizen is a white beer with the aroma of bananas and clove, characterized by a strong cloudiness and full body. Dusseldorf Althas has a fragrance similar to that of cookies hot from the oven, with a mild bitterness. Yokohama White, based on white ale from Belgium features the fragrance of orange and spices. Furthermore, there are a few beers of limited or seasonal availability, such as Pixie, which uses an orange from California, and Peach Ale, which uses a peach from Tsunashima, Yokohama.

       

            
 

Beer Pub Pivovar Yokohama

 On the first floor of the brewery building is the Czech-style pub Pivovar. More than just regular beer is available; you can also enjoy treasured beer. In addition, you can enjoy the pub as a coffee shop with homemade cakes made by a dedicated patissier.

               Access: 6-min. walk from Sakuragi-cho Sta. or Kannai Sta. on the JR lines.
               Address: 1F, Yokohama Kannai Jisho Building,6-68-1 Sumiyoshi-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama
               Tel: +81-45-640-0271
               Hours: Mondays～Fridays; 5:00 p.m.～11:00 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays; 1:00 p.m.～11:00 p.m.

 

 Beer restaurant Umaya-no-Syokutaku 

   A Japanese-style Italian beer restaurant, featuring home cooking using rich foods  local to Kanagawa.The beer served is brewed on the first floor.

                                  

      

Access: 6-min. walk from Sakuragi-cho Sta. or Kannai Sta. on the JR lines.
Address: 2F, Yokohama Kannai Jisho Building, 6-68-1, Sumiyoshi-cho,
Naka-ku, Yokohama
Tel: +81-45-641-9901
Hours: Mondays～Fridays; Lunch: 11:30 a.m.～3:00 p.m.Dinner: 6:00 p.m.～11:00 p.m.
             Saturdays; 11:30 a.m.～11:00 p.m.
             Sundays & holidays; 11:30 a.m.～9:00 p.m.
      www.umaya.com/
      www.yokohamabeer.com

                         

 

Kumazawa Brewing Company

  The Kumazawa Brewing Company was founded in 1872. It is the only Japanese sake brewery in Shonan, with a history of more than 140 years. The brewery continues to make high-quality sake in small quantities through traditional brewing methods,taking into account and making use of the Shonan climate. The company sought out what brewers in Shonan required from the local area  and began production of Shonan Beer in 1996 under the theme of "manufacturing" that is community-based in the local area.
   The company is unusually located in a quiet residential area, in a site that is full of greenery. On the premises, other than the sake and beer brewery, are a trattoria, a Japanese restaurant, a bakery, a gallery, and a garden store.

 

 

 

 

                               Jyakan (left)                                                                      
Map in the site(right)

   First of all, let's introduce recommended sake from Kumazawa. Representative brands are Tensei, Shokou, and Kumazawa. Above all, Tensei, meaning “the heavenly blue after the rain” in historical Chinese, features a full taste with a refined fragrance and sophistication, and is the first recommendation.

 

      
 

  As for sake brewing, the process is complicated, requiring the raw materials rice, malted rice and water, and the traditional technique of the chief brewer. High-quality water is always needed in large quantities. It may be said that water is life for sake brewing, among other things. Here, subsoil water from Mount Tanzawa is used. Fermentation of the sake is carried out from October to March.  Only new rice harvested in the autumn is used to create approximately 50,000 bottles of sake (1.8- liter bottles).

    

  

  

Japanese restaurant 「Tensei」

 In keeping with the sense and feel of the sake brewery restored to the style of the Taisho Era, this restaurant is particular about the rice, water, fish,
and vegetables provided to the chef to create dishes with the skill of a craftsman using new ideas. You can enjoy fresh sake from the adjacent sake
brewery with seasonal cuisine.

                                 

      
      
      

    

  Recommended is the special, limited item only available here:  a "junmaishu" (pure sake that is made without added alcohol or sugar) matured in a sherry barrel for eight years to create a sparkling sake with  7-8 percent alcohol.

               

Japanese restaurant 「Tensei」
Tel: +81-467-52-6115
Hours: Weekdays; 11:30 a.m.～3:00 p.m., 5:30 p.m.～10：00 p.m.
Closed on the third Wednesday of each month except in July, August and December,
when the restaurant is open every day.(Inquire about hours for the year-end and New Year holidays.)

 

  The characteristic of the Shonan beer masters' technique comes from a German beer craftsman, providing the original beer taste that has been   
inherited from Europe by using brewery equipment made in Germany. The style of Shonan Beer adds British and Irish beer to the base of German beer.

                                                                                         

 

  The water used for the making of the beer uses deep subsoil water from the Sagami River from the mineral-rich Mount Tanzawa. The water comes from a deep well of rainwater that fell in the Tanzawa Mountains and sprang out through the underground gravel layer after 70 to 80 years. In addition, live yeast is directly serviced through the pipe from the factory without undergoing heat-treatment and filtration. Mr. Mokichi Kumazawa, the sixth^-generation president, said, “I hope you will choose a beer depending on the season and the food.”
 Twelve  tanks are used for brewing beer. They produce 2,000 liters after one brewing, prepared around 100 times a year. There are 10 kinds of beer in total, with 7 to 8 kinds always available.

        

  Let's introduce some typical things. Shonan Bitter is a  Pilsner-type beer characterized by a balanced taste with the bitterness of refreshing hops and long-term aging. The dark Shonan Liebe has a fragrant bittersweetness from the roast malt and harmony of the malt's original sweetness. Shonan Ruby has a crimson color with a fruity taste that is very delicate. These are regular products. In addition, there are a few beers that are limited or seasonal.

 

Mokichi Trattoria

 This restaurant is redecorated in the style of a storehouse from the Taisho Era. You can enjoy a full range of Italian cuisine, including Naples-style
pizza baked in a stone oven, handmade pasta, and ham and sausage made from local Okamoto pork. In addition, the beer comes fresh via the direct connection  from the adjacent factory.

                                                                                  

                             

          

        
      The ideas of Mr. Kumazawa are made use of in the restaurant’s interior and  furnishings.In addition, a kids' room is provided.

                            

                              Kid's room

 

           

       Mokichi Trattoria
       Tel: +81-467-52-6111
          Hours: Weekdays; 11:30 a.m.～3:00 p.m., 5:30 p.m.～10:00 p.m.
          Closed on the third Tuesday each month except in July, August, and December,
          when the restaurant is open every day. (Inquire about hours for the year-end and New Year holidays.)

  

 

Furthermore, on the premises there is the Mokichi Baker & Sweets bread studio and Okeba gallery and shop.   
 

                                                                       Pain a La Biere, Bread Studio

Mokichi Baker ＆ Sweets

 Approximately 40 kinds of baked goods are prepared, including  Pain a la Biere, made with Shonan Beer. In addition, besides chiffon cakes, cheesecakes and Shonan Beer cakes, the shop offers unique brewery products.

  

          

 

     Mokichi　Baker & Sweets
Tel: +81-467-52-6144
Hours: Weekdays; 11:00 a.m.～10:00 p.m.
Closed on the third Tuesday each month except in July, August, and December,when the shop is open every day. (Inquire about hours for the year-end and New Year holidays.)

Most of the bread has been sold today.

Gallery & Shop Okeba

  At the time of the brewery's establishment in 1872, this wooden warehouse, called an “okeba,” was where craftsmen made sake barrels for holding liquor and repaired them. It was used afterward as a malting room, analysis room and the lodgings of the chief brewer and other brewers.

          

First floor

 Today, the first floor area sells works on display by artists from the Shonan area. The items also include furniture, housing parts, wood  and secondhand articles that the owner collected from the storehouse.Private exhibitions and artists' workshops are on the second floor.

    
                 Second floor

  Gallery & Shop Okeba
Tel: 090-2249-6112
Hours: Weekdays; 11:00 a.m.～5:00 p.m.Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays; 11:00 a.m.～6:00p.m.
Closed on Wednesdays and the third Tuesday each month, except in July, August, and December, when it is open every day. (Inquire about hours for the year-end and New Year holidays.)

 

 There seems to be a plan to establish a sausage-making studio, a shop selling items such as soy sauce or vinegar, and a place for barbecues. Mr. Kumazawa also said that, in the future, he wants many people from foreign countries to enjoy his brewery.

 

 

   Kumazawa Brewing Company
7-10-7, Kagawa, Chigasaki, Kanagawa 253-0082
Access: 5-min. walk from Kagawa Sta. on the JR Sagami Line.
Tel: +81-467-52-6118
Hours: 9:00 a.m.～5:00 p.m.
Closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. (Inquire about hours for the year-end and New Year holidays.)
 http://www.kumazawa.jp/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Editor’s Note

  The Oktoberfest  is an event that beer lovers look forward to every year and events in connection with the German original were held this year in various parts of Japan. The world's largest beer festival, Oktoberfest is held every year in Munich, Germany. A version of it was held in the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse for more than two weeks in October 2011. Yokohama is known for holding the first outdoor Oktoberfest in Japan and the largest in the country.
 Now I'm wondering why even when the event is held in May or June, it is still called Oktoberfest. I thought it is supposed to be “October festival.” A German friend told me that it's understood as the name of a German festival, regardless of the time. I need to study more!