Japan Craft Breweries

[Steve Lacey]

Darren, Chris has probably got his head stuck in a mash tun, so I'll answer. Yes, you can easily get there by train. Either Shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo (or Shinagawa or Yokohama) to Mishima then switch to a local Tokaido line for a couple of stops to Numazu (1 hr/~$50), or Tokaido line all the way (same route, but stops at more stations, 2.5 hrs/$30). Then from the station (see the Baird web site) you have a choice of shank's pony (20 min), bus (once or twice an hour) or taxi (maybe $10).

A very important resource for travel planning by train in Japan is this one: http://www.hyperdia.com/cgi-english/hyperWeb.cgi ... just type in Shinagawa and Numazu as an example to see how it works.

Do you plan on being on JR train passes? That would certainly make it easier.

 

[Swinging Beef]

Darren, Chris has probably got his head stuck in a mash tun, so I'll answer. Yes, you can easily get there by train. Either Shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo (or Shinagawa or Yokohama) to Mishima then switch to a local Tokaido line for a couple of stops to Numazu (1 hr/~$50), or Tokaido line all the way (same route, but stops at more stations, 2.5 hrs/$30). Then from the station (see the Baird web site) you have a choice of shank's pony (20 min), bus (once or twice an hour) or taxi (maybe $10).

A very important resource for travel planning by train in Japan is this one: http://www.hyperdia.com/cgi-english/hyperWeb.cgi ... just type in Shinagawa and Numazu as an example to see how it works.

Do you plan on being on JR train passes? That would certainly make it easier.

Mate, this is our first trip to Japan, so any local advice on getting around would be awesome.
\Sounds very do-able.

 

[HarryB]

Hey! Great to know an AHBer is at Bairds. I've called in there a couple of times in my travels to Japan - great spot on the water and I've always enjoyed their brews.

I'm going over again in a couple of weeks - not sure if I'll be able to make it to Numazu this time but if I do I'll be sure to call in and say g'day.

 

[Steve Lacey]

Mate, this is our first trip to Japan, so any local advice on getting around would be awesome.
\Sounds very do-able.

OK, well, it depends what you are actually planning to do or have already arranged regarding places to go and how to go there. If you want to shoot me a PM about what you have already got planned and things that are still open or you have questions about, I'll do my best to give you some advice. The first of which would be that if you are just planning to see as much as you can in 6 days, then you really have to get a rail pass (and you have to get it before you leave Australia, ask your travel agent), but if you are just planning to stay put in Tokyo for a week, then there may be better strategies.

 

[cj in j]

Darren, Chris has probably got his head stuck in a mash tun,

I only wish I had gotten my head stuck in a mash tun -- that might have actually been fun. Instead I was the lone brewer working today -- packaged our yearly wheat wine. 35 kegs (all filled one-by-one-by-hand) and 650+ bottles (633 ml) on our two-head filler, which is only one step up from a homebrew counter-pressure filler. We also krausened the wheat wine, which means I had to take some fermenting beer from yesterday's brew and inject it inline while the wheat wine was being transferred to the packaging tank. Sigh -- these 11-hour days are going to kill me!

But, when people come and visit and we drink some beers together, it makes it all worth while. :beerbang:

 

[jonno79]

You might want to check out this page by my good friend Homebrew Japan in addition to steve's recommendations

http://beerinjapan.com/bij/

It's still in it's infancy, but he and Chuwy are doing good things to promote Ji Biiru. Tell 'em I sent ya :beerbang:

 

[Swinging Beef]

Got back in one sweaty, tired but happy piece.
Thanks heaps and heaps and heaps and heaps and heaps and heaps and heaps and heaps and heaps and heaps and heaps and heaps and HEAPS to Chris and Steve for all their help and care.

Bairds makes some wild arsed hoppy beers for sure, and once I catch my breath, I will post a full review.

 

[Kieren]

Got back in one sweaty, tired but happy piece.
Thanks heaps and heaps and heaps and heaps and heaps and heaps and heaps and heaps and heaps and heaps and heaps and heaps and HEAPS to Chris and Steve for all their help and care.

Bairds makes some wild arsed hoppy beers for sure, and once I catch my breath, I will post a full review.

Resurrecting old thread here.

So I take it the trip down to Numazu was worth it? How were the beers Swinging Beef?

I will be in Japan in May this year and was looking for a couple micros/brew pubs to check out.

Cheers

Kieren

 

[Curry]

Managed to finally get down to Popeye in Tokyo and I can definately recommend it. The beers were great and staff were very helpful not to mention the other punters were great as well.

I took the beer menu of the day to give you indication of what is available on tap.

Front Page

Back Page

 

[Bribie G]

Man, gotta get a skinfull of that HitachinoNEST NIPPONIA :drinks:

Interesting to see that they appear to have real ales on the handpump
Hey is that a new emoticon above? Can't remember seeing it before, but I've only been on here for a couple of years so early days yet.

 

[Quintrex]

I've just returned from a work visit to Japan and managed to sneak in a couple of beer related trips in. Visited Hitachino Nest brewery, really nice people there. Managed to score a tour of the brewery and some samples from the conditioning tanks, the fresh White beer was really good. Popeye's is amazing but quite pricey, still very much worth the trip though. 70 beers on tap now + 3 casks.

I also found a little craft beer bar near where I was staying in Shinjuku, Bamboo. Awesome little basement bar which lives up to the line down the bottom of the billboard 'no charge, more hops'. And the owner is a Homebrewer as well
Visited 2 amazing bottle shops too, Tanakaya and Osakaya. Tanakaya has a phenomenal selection of american beer stored in the fridge, while Osakaya has a fantastic selection of belgian beers.

Awesome trip, would have liked to have continued the beer exploration .

If you get the chance check out Ozeno Yukidoke's offerings. Awesome IPA and barley wine (called Heavy Heavy)

Q