Craft beer subscription service Otomoni opened orders for a new Tsundere-themed Hazy IPA on November 15, 2022. The beer has a sweetness level that changes on its temperature and was brewed as part of the 15th installment of the JAPANESE BEER ODYSSEY, which aims to share aspects of both traditional and modern Japanese culture through craft beer.

For better or worse, Japan’s otaku culture is now a major part of the country’s appeal to people around the world.

Japan’s video game and anime market is now legendary around the globe, and millions flock to the country each year to become more immersed in its popular culture. Just look at the annual Comiket event–over 700,000 visitors attend each year!

To celebrate the upcoming Comiket, a new beer has been brewed that pays homage to modern otaku culture. The Tsundere Hazy IPA is perfect for otaku who love a little challenge when it comes to their love life.

Brewed with NOMCRAFT Brewing in Wakayama Prefecture, the Tsundere Hazy IPA features two distinct flavors, each coming out more strongly depending on the beer’s temperature. 

When poured, the beer has a very tropical aroma, and when ice-cold, it’s more refreshing and less sweet. 

As the temperature of the beer rises, the smell becomes more fruity and strong, with the smell of hibiscus certain to make your mouth water. Whether you like bitter or sweet, this may be the perfect beer for you. 

Would you try this tsundere-themed beer? 

Aki Rosenthal, a popular member of the Hololive VTuber collective, has teamed up with Hansharo Beer in Izu to create a tasty new brew. Called ‘Good Job Again Today,’ this is the perfect beverage to enjoy after a long day. Sales will begin on August 25, 2022.

The beer is fermented with champagne yeast and colored by malt to resemble rosé wine. Aki Rosenthal, a well-known beer lover herself, was involved in the creation of the beer, and the talent hopes that it will make workers’ lives a little easier and more enjoyable. Even those who don’t typically like beer might like this slightly fruity taste, so be sure to give it a try if you can!

Aki Rosenthal

A girl who traveled from a different universe. She has hyper curiosity and manages to reach out to all sorts of things. Her trademark pigtails float due to some sort of supernatural power.

Character Design: Azumiu Akitake @akitake_a
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFTLzh12_nrtzqBPsTCqenA
Twitter: https://twitter.com/akirosenthal

Sankt Gallen Taproom, a bar directly owned by the original Sankt Gallen microbrewery, has begun selling special menu items to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Honatsugi MYLORD until March 31, 2022. Since ancient times, black cats have been a symbol of prosperous business, and fittingly, the new menu features a black cat motif. 

The 40th-anniversary beer, Congratulations Nya~ England IPA, is a New England IPA-style beer, a style that originated in the New England region of the eastern United States. The orange-yellow liquid was inspired by the eyes of a black cat glowing in the dark. The adorable cat ear burger buns are baked at the city’s Good Aging Store. The black color is made by adding unsweetened black cocoa to the flour.

Fujisan Product, a company that specializes in making Mount Fuji-themed food and beverages, has released a gorgeous blue beer in partnership with distributor Millex Japan and Far Yeast Brewing, an award-winning craft brewery. The refreshing product is being sold mainly through department stores. 

After plenty of trial and error, the drink now resembles a snow-capped mountain when poured into the appropriate glass. The blue color comes from Spirulina and blueberry, and the beer contains natural water from Mount Fuji.

UNITED ARROWS has released its first craft beer in collaboration with Be Easy Brewing, located in Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture. The brew is available at the UNITED ARROWS BOTTLE SHOP, which sells select alcoholic beverages from both Japan and abroad. ‘Apple Pie Ala Mode’ went on sale starting January 2 at the UA BAR on the first floor of the UNITED ARROWS Harajuku flagship store, H BEAUTY AND YOUTH, and the California General Store. 

Be Easy Brewing offers a selection of unique and constantly changing beers using ingredients found in Aomori like apples, strawberries and Tsugaru rice. From IPAs to wheat ales, the company is always experimenting with different styles. This strange collaboration was born after UNITED ARROWS expressed a fascination with the high quality and incredible taste of Be Easy Brewing’s beers.

‘Apple Pie Ala Mode’ is a Berliner Weisse with a slightly sour taste combining apple juice, cinnamon, and vanilla. 

The Ginza Lion Building, built in 1934, has been officially recognized as a registered Tangible Cultural Property.

On April 8, 1934, a beer hall was opened on the first floor of the building. The interiors were lavish and incredible for the time, and were admired by citizenry and architects alike. During the war, many beer halls were destroyed by air raids or torn down for evacuation, but this location in Ginza survived and was seized in September 1945. It was then made into a beer hall exclusively for the Occupation Forces. In 1952, the site was made available to the public again.

Lion Beer Hall 7-chome / Present Day

Lion Beer Hall 7-chome / Original Construction Completed

Lion Beer Hall 7-chome / Present Day

Lion Beer Hall 7-chome / Original Construction Completed

Large Glass Mosaic Mural at the Bar

Lion Beer Hall 7-chome / Store Interior

Lighting with Grape Motif

Lighting with Beer Foam Motif

The red brick walls of the restaurant are meant to resemble the Earth bearing a rich harvest

A pillar made to look like barley

The banquet hall on the 6th floor of the building, Ginza Classic Hall, was once used as a conference room and is currently used as a party venue. The interior hasn’t changed much since its establishment, and guests enjoy the historical setting as they knock back a few brews. Ginza Lion Beer Hall celebrated its 87th anniversary on April 8, 2021.

The interior concept of the hall is ‘fertility and harvest,’ and the Lion was built with the intention of being the ‘best building in the world, and a representative beer hall in Japan that will last for generations to come.’

Craft sake brewery haccoba is teaming up with the experimental social advocacy group HERALBONY to release an artful new brew! The All-Yeast IPA -Yay!Yay! Hazy!!- will go on sale September 26, 2021, in limited quantities. A portion of all sales of the product will go to the artist who designed the bottle. Before launch, a special discussion panel was held at the HERALBONY GALLERY, located in Iwate Prefecture. 

This release marks the first collaboration between Iwate-based HERALBONY, a company aiming to make strides in the social welfare sphere, and haccoba, a unique craft sake brewer from Fukushima. 

HERALBONY GALLERY

Art Hand Towel

Scratch Works Yay!Yay! Fukushima. – Yukihito Okabe

HERALBONY continues to make a positive impact in the community, with many sympathizing with their vision and approach to making social change. Artist Yukihito Okabe’s original work Scratch Works Yay! Yay! Fukushima was made for this collaboration and was inspired by the sight, feeling, and taste of the materials that go into sake production. The way each vivid color overlaps with another to create new colors is similar to the process of fermentation, in which each microorganism weaves together with another to create something new. By combining art and alcohol, more people might be inspired to stop and ponder the issues currently facing the world. 

The All Yeast IPA -Yay! Yay! Hazy!!- is an India Pale Ale that brings a powerful hops flavor. It was inspired by the idea of blending the hoppiness of an IPA with the charm of sake, and the beverage was brewed with a unique blend of rice malt and steamed rice, leading to more sweetness, acidity, and umami. Beer lovers, don’t miss this!

Far Yeast Brewing Co., Ltd., a craft beer maker that shares original Japanese beer with the world  beer, will be opening their first directly managed overseas store in Taiwan. The Far Yeast Taiwan Craftbeer Gasteopub will be celebrating its grand opening in Taipei City, Taiwan on October 16 2021. 

The Far Yeast Taiwan Craftbeer Gastropub is the fourth directly managed store following the Tokyo-Gotanda, Shizuoka-Atami, and Fukuoka branches, as well as the first overseas location.

The Far Yeast Taiwan Craftbeer Gastropub” will have 15 taps, offering not only the core brands Kawa KAGUA and Far Yeast, but also their special Japanese craft beer that can’t be found anywhere else in Taiwan. You can enjoy the beer alongside a selection of modern Japanese-themed meals.

Far Yeast Lychee Haze 

To commemorate the opening, the company has brewed the Fruited Hazy IPA ‘Far Yeast Lychee Haze’ in collaboration with Taiwanese brewery UGLY HALF BEER, using Taiwanese lychee to flavor. The drink will be pre-released in Japan, available from  September 30 with preorders opening from 13:00 on September 21.

The combination of Nelson Sauvin hops with a grape-like aroma and the tropical scent of the citrus and coconut Sabro hops compliment the gentle and sweet flavor of lychee, enticing all craft beer enthusiasts to Taipei.

Far Yeast Taiwan Craftbeer Gastropub is expected to have an international customer base, as the gastropub is located in Taipei’s East District, an area with a high population of foreign nationals and business people. Now that overseas travel has become much harder, the new branch will allow customers to enjoy the varied tastes of Japanese craft beer and the richness of Japanese food.

Hokkaido-based luxury resort Hoshino Resorts Tomamu is set to sell a limited-time selection of original craft beers this summer from July 1 to August 31.

Tomamu Pilsner

Tomamu Amber Ale

Tomamu Black Ale

The Japanese word for corn is toumorokoshi, but in Hokkaido it’s called toukibi. This collection of corn beers is made with natural water drawn from Hokkaido along with other tasty ingredients. These beers are each made in collaboration with North Island Beer, The Heavy Snow Beer, and Onuma Beer, and come in response to the decrease in occasions to be able to enjoy chilled glass of beer as a result of COVID-19.

The beers have sweet notes of corn and are each made in the style of the three respective beermakers who each have their own malt, hops, and flavours they pick.

Sankt Gallen Brewery has announced the release of a new drinking set which includes its chocolate-flavoured beer “Imperial Chocolate Stout” and a special glass for drinking it out of. The brewery, which is located in Atsugi, Kanagawa, will launch it as a limited-edition release on February 1, 2021 with just 800 sets available.

Imperial Chocolate Stout ¥600 | Le Lectier Chocolate Stout 2021 Edition Flavour ¥500 | Orange Chocolate Stout ¥500 | Sweet Vanilla Stout Valentine Label ¥460 (All Prices Pre-Tax)

Chocolate Glass

Chocolate Glass Set

The Imperial Chocolate Stout isn’t made with cacao or the chocolate used in sweets. It’s in fact made with “chocolate malt,” a raw beer ingredient roasted at a high temperature which draws out its chocolaty flavour. Although the beer uses almost 30% more of this raw ingredient than regular beer, only about half the amount is brewed from a single distilling compared to regular beer, which gives the beverage a distinct jet black colouring. The bubbles on top make it almost like a chocolate shake.

Other drinks in this series include the Le Lectier Chocolate Stout which arrives this year in a limited-edition 2021 flavour. It’s made with the Le Lectier, a rare type of pear that is difficult to grow. The Orange Chocolate Stout is made with thinly sliced bitter orange peel, the kind that’s used in marmalade, of which half is boiled to intensify its citrusy notes. It’s inspired by the classic French confection that coats orange peel in chocolate. Finally, the Sweet Vanilla Stout comes in a Valentine’s Day label for 2021. This beer, which is richly black like an espresso, is laced with vanilla, bringing with it a sweet fragrance and vanilla chocolate aftertaste.

These chocolate beers themselves go perfectly with some actual chocolate, and so Sankt Gallen Brewery teamed up with the Japanese patissier Tadashi Yanagi to create a glass made of chocolate to drink the beer from.

Which of these beverages has your mouth watering the most?

A to Z cafe is a cafe in Minami-Aoyama hidden nearby Omotesando Station. Right now until October 31, the cafe is holding a limited-time “Roof Top Beer Terrace” plan where customers can sit atop the roof as they wine and dine.

At the back of the cafe is a staircase that leads up to the spacious roof terrace which offers a panoramic view of the city. There, customers can enjoy a special meal conceived by Cha-cha Ryu-rey in the same building.

As a preventive measure against the spread of COVID-19, the roof terrace meal plan is limited to 6 groups of up to 6 people per day, who can enjoy a traditional Kyoto banzai meal, fried food, and more all with a free glass of sparkling wine, beer, Japanese sake, and so on.

Customers can sit comfortably on the roof with the summer breeze in the air as they tuck into their meal, their view the gorgeous evening sights of nighttime Tokyo.

A small look at the course

Cha-cha’s Sono Toki no Oishii Tokoro (Includes 3 Hours Free Drinks) | ¥4,500 (Before Tax) | Serving: 16:00-22:00

This assortment is one of several and include a range of charcoal-fried foods, canapé, bagna càuda, and Cha-cha’s special obanzai box.

The 3 hours of free drinks includes the following options: beer, sparkling wine, sangria, red and white wine, nihonshu, umeshu, whisky, 14 different cocktails, 5 soft drinks including orange juice, grapefruit juice, ginger ale, and teas.

The warm spring season is almost over, and summer is coming soon. BBQ parties and beer gardens are the two most exciting events of the hot summer season. In this article, I will introduce to you some recommended BBQ parties and beer gardens.

Top Picks for BBQs & Beer Gardens in the Kansai Region for 2018

Saitama Prefecture – Light & Music Beer Garden
The theme of the event is a “Japanese summer festival” (Natsumatsuri) and it will take place in a traditional Japanese-style beer garden. As you come through the bamboo lantern-lit entrance, you will be engulfed by soft lights in a wide, open green space.

Ordering the special offer Roast Beef Sushi (1 person 3 pieces) gives you the chance to see the expert chef put on a fiery flambe show. There’s also a buffet with a mix of around 20 Japanese and Western foods such as skewered and grilled food, savory egg custard, sushi wrapped in fried tofu, juicy sausages and much more as well as a line-up of close to 15 drinks served free flow style including beer and Japanese cocktails.

Detailed information：https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/102961

Tokyo- ARK HILLS SOUTH TOWER ROOFTOP LOUNGE ～ROPPONGI BBQ BEAR GARDEN～
A beer garden serving authentic BBQ cuisine was opened on top of Ark Hills South Tower where a luxurious rooftop garden sits. Despite being in the middle of the big city, the garden has a freeing, spacious feeling with plenty of greenery and even sofa seats. Food includes filling T-bone steak that uses carefully selected Iwanaka roasted pork shoulder, as well as a selection of seafood and vegetables. In addition, downstairs in the same building, you can buy meat to take to the BBQ too. Choose your favorite ingredients and enjoy cooking it on the barbeque yourself.

Detailed information：https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/103521

Tokyo – LUGAR HA AMOR
LUGAR HA AMOR is a beer garden where you can enjoy an extraordinary space, foods, videos and music on the rooftop of MACHIDA MODI. The word LUGAR HA AMOR means “a place filled with love” in Portuguese. The space created under the key word of “luxury beer resort” has three kinds of comfortable sofas that are couple sofa, bed sofa and low table sofa. You can also enjoy the video show projected on the wall of the building and project a message to your precious person.

TOKYO – Hono no Bulgogi Densetsu β
The rooftop beer garden, Hono no Bulgogi Densetsu β was opened on the 16th floor of Tobu Hyakkaten Ikebukuro Honten. The theme of 2018’s bear garden is “wellness.” Healthy spinach and pea sprouts are added to the Bulgogi pot as well as vegetables. The spiciness of the bulgogi pot including eight kinds of vegetables, meat, bean starch vermicelli, kimchi, toppogi can be adjusted at your own will. They also offer beer/sour/whisky servers and a gin server!

Kanagawa Prefecture – Umi no Mieru Beer Garden Hama Beer!
Yokohama Grand Intercontinental Hotel opened their popular beer garden, Umi no Mieru Beer Garden Hama Beer! The terrace is very close to the ocean, so you can enjoy eating and drinking in the beer garden while feeling the breeze from the ocean.

The theme of the dishes this year is “American-style BBQ.” Gorgeous meat dishes and American-style dishes using special spices and sauces which go well with beer, are offered. As a main dish, you can enjoy a big steak (100g.). Let’s enjoy full-fledged hotel dishes at this beer garden♡

Kanagawa Prefecture – BAYSIDE BEER GARDEN 2018
Three kinds of BBQ beer gardens are offered at tables cook & LIVING HOUSE in Yokohama. The first BBQ is NEW YORK BBQ where you can enjoy juicy and thick smoked pork with a special BBQ sauce. You can also make your own customized burger at your own will! They are also offering many countries’ BBQs including seafood BBQ and grilled steak! Fruits cocktails and plum wines are also available!

Top Picks for BBQs & Beer Gardens in the Kansai Region for 2018