My Beer is Turning Japanese ... I Really Think So.

Back in early January, my father in law brought me back a section of the paper he'd removed from the Los Angeles Times while he was in L.A. on vacation over the Holidays. The section he brought me was 'Food' and the front displayed an article entitled "Just in: Japan Crafts." The article written by Charles Perry, an L.A. Times staff writer, was an interesting look at the emerging craft beer industry in Japan. Citing Japan's traditional emphasis on high craftsmanship, Mr. Perry contrasted the mass-produced Japanese beers like Kirin, Sapporo and Asahi with the aspiring Japanese craft brewers like Hitachino Nest and Echigo.

Never heard of them? Neither have a lot of Americans.

Ji-biru ("local beer"), as it's called in Japan, is named as such in order to disaasociate it from the bigger national brands. Fortunately, beers like Hitachino Nest Weizen (pictured above) are brewed by companies that also own successful sake breweries and employ the same meticulous attention to detail - and the same established distribution channels - they use for their fine sake. Japanese craft beers are making inroads into American markets slowly but surely. They're also cranking out some beers that push the envelop of creativity just like their American counterparts - how about a tomato beer from Echigo?

Okay, I didn't say they were pushing it in the right direction every time ...

Japanese craft brewers are, however, producing wheat beers and stouts of impressive quality and nuance, many of which are nearly impossible to obtain in the States. Yet. The skills to make fine beers have appeared to have translated well from the craftsmanship of sake brewing to brewing with malted cereal grains, hops, water and yeast. Not so big a stretch if you think about it.

Keep an eye out for these Japanese crafts if you see 'em at your favorite retailer and give'em a try if you get a chance. You might just be impressed. Great craft beer is great craft beer regardless of where it's made. Taking into consideration the long-time fascination with everything American that a better part of Japanese pop culture seems to have, it's only fitting that we're seeing the great love for better beer we have here in America emerging in Japan as well - it sure beats karaoke.