Mie Craft Beer Circumstances
Japan's craft beer increased nationwide since small-scale brewing became possible along with deregulation by the revision of the liquor tax law in 1994. Since then, it has repeated a couple of booms and selections, and truly competent brewery has been boosting the industry.
Speaking of Mie Prefecture, there may not be much image of craft beer, but do you know that there are seven unique brewery in the prefecture, such as "Ise Kadoya Beer" boasting world famousness and appreciation, "Hinotani Beer Factory" operated by Hinotani Hot Spring Misugi Resort where the number of inbound visitors is No. 1 in Mie Prefecture, Toukai region's first brewery "Mokumoku Beer Studio" etc. (October 2018)
In 2018, "Mie prefecture craft beer society" was established by the call of Ise Kadoya Beer representative - Mr. Narihiro Suzuki. Seven companies' brewing staff gathered, actively exchanging opinions with the aim of improving quality and expanding consumption.
What kind of beer do people want to drink around the world?
I visited three breweries to know the background.
———From Ise to the world "Ise Kadoya Beer Pale Ale"
It is 5 minutes walking from the JR Ise-shi station towards Geku on the Geku Kaidou.
I visited Ise Kadoya Beer Gekumae branch.
The roots of Ise Kadoya beer is a long-established rice cakes store “Kadoya” that served worship-visitors of Ise jingu for more than 440 years. Since its founding in 1575, Kinako Mochi with Koshian, which has been made continuously, has become known as " Nikenchaya Mochi" and is still sold as a special product of Ise.
The president Mr. Narihiro Suzuki who was born as the 21st generation of "Kadoya", started the craft beer business in 1997.
Why long-established rice cakes store started beer business? I asked, "Because I wanted to play with yeast" President Suzuki answered with the eyes shining brilliantly.
After absorbing his research into microorganisms at the agricultural department of Tohoku University, the heat did not cool even after succeeding family business after graduation. In deregulation in 1994, he thought "When I do craft beer business, culture and research of yeast cells through brewing I can work not only in Ise, but also globally!" President Suzuki's microbial fever seems like a bit of a frenzy, but this will later lead to the world's most craft beer and will promote Ise to the world.
Also, succeeded in developing original beer by yeast collected by the president himself in the Ise area.
Ise Kadoya Beer Pale Ale
This attraction product of Ise Kadoya beer which is first made in 1997 was this "Pale ale".
Since its release, it won numerous awards in contests around the world, and in 2017 received the gold medal of the highest award in the International Small Pack Ale category of "International Brewing Awards" called beer world Oscar, so to speak, the world best beer.
The right is a collaboration product with Beams, milk stout "THE SHINJUKU".
———To the new factory
To the beer manufacturing site that made Ise's name known to the world.
It is a new factory that began operation in the summer of 2018 to meet the ever-increasing needs.
Current brewing professional staff is seven including part time. Manufacture 650 kl per year.
Among them, "Pale ale" is the most popular item which makes up 200 kl.
“When I started the craft beer business, at a fairly early stage, we got reported as "Ise’s local brew was born" in the newspaper .... It is not Suzuki or Kadoya, It’s Ise's local brew.”
President Suzuki says he decided to make the world's best beer ... that is not ashamed of anyone at that time. To do so, thinking that he must know the world's craft beer, he first need to become a contest judge and taste all sorts of craft beer. He tasted over 10,000 stocks, now he is also a judge of the international convention.
It is not a general lager (bottom fermentation) in Japan, it is Ale that easy to put out individuality (top fermentation), material uses carefully selected high quality wheat, hops from all over the world. Ise Kadoya Beer Pale Ale brewed in the company-cultured yeast and born after trial and error.
A citrus scent is wrapped, the balance of sweetness and bitterness is good, the flavor swells in the mouth, it realizes the taste which does not get tired of drinking.
By exhibiting it to the contest, it made quality improvement and information exchanges by reviewing the results of the review and criticism and got results in an objective manner and achieved the world's best.
President Suzuki tell us, "In order to make unique craft beer, we do as much as possible to automate parts such as temperature control and bottling, Concentrate manpower on parts that can only be made by humans, such as making recipes, collecting yeasts, researching and analyzing.”
“Ise which have sea, mountain, and remains rich nature in Ise Jingu area, is the treasury of yeast. From now on I would like to make beer with diversity which can be chosen according to mood and scene by using local yeast.” His passion does not run out.
———From the world to Hinotani "Iga Ninja Beer"
The second brewery is Hinotani Hot Spring Misugi Resort in Misugi, Tsu City, Mie Prefecture.
As many as 10,000 foreign tourists visit this natural scenery.
In addition to the hot springs, the original landscape of Japan, forests, it says that craft beer made here is one of the aims.
It was in 1997 that started brewing at the fire valley beer factory on site.
Mr. Yuki Nakagawa, brewery director (Misugi resort representative director) tell us, “There is no residence above Hinotani, there is a clean spring water, it was suitable for the water to make beer. If we make beer using raw materials such as natural water of Hinotani, wheat and barley grown in Misugi, the area will be activated and become an industry.” From about three years ago they have challenged organic cultivation of wheat and hops.
Iga Ninja Beer
The Iga Ninja Beer that boasts the most popular item among its items.
As a tourism for inbound in 2013, it was born at the time of making an accommodation plan "hot spring · ninja experience pack" in cooperation with Iga Ueno tourist association, Iga railway, Mie prefecture.
A lager that aims for easy-to-taste and easy flavor matching with dishes (bottom fermentation). In order to bring out unusual identity, in addition to wheat, it is characterized by using sake rice "Ukon Nishiki" which used for Iga sake, and "Iga black rice (ancient rice)". In the ninja experience pack, you can also eat “Ninja Beer Nabe” made with this beer.
"It is a black beer that imaged a ninja, but because it is black by black rice, it is a dark lager that has little bitterness and is easy to drin." Mr. Nakagawa said. There are "beer" which is the key that familiar to foreigners among keywords that feel Japan, such as "hot spring", "country", "ninja".
Various experiences are possible at 'rural tourism' which is held throughout the year. (application required)
Bottled beer can be purchased as drive in as Mie souvenir, but drink while watching Misugi's nature is the best of bliss! Especially if it goes after hot springs! Indeed, that’s why people, not only foreigners, want to stay at here.
———"Seven Hop Lager" made by agricultural professional group
The third shop is the Tokai region's first brewery, "Mokumoku beer studio".
It is a local brewery located in "Iga no sato Mokumoku handmade farm" familiar at mini swine show.
The company founded in 1988 as "Ham Studio Mokumoku", in the proposal of the staff who had been going to ham training in Germany, they thought that they wanted to manufacture beers that fit the ham and winner by themselves, but at the time there was a legal barrier and they could not start.
"Since beer is also agricultural product using wheat or hops, it was perfect for the concept of Mokumoku and I applied for it immediately after small-scale brewing became possible." Said Yoshiharu Hattori chief director.
Iga, also known as the place of production of Iga rice, is blessed with good quality water and suitable for the cultivation of agricultural crops. The company's craft beer also uses natural water pumped up from a well located in the premises, and the raw wheat is also used as much as possible, cultivated in its own farm.
It is also characterized by having a malt studio and also produce malt by themself. Hops suitable for cultivation in cold climates, seven carefully selected seeds are purchased from overseas.
Seven Hop Lager
"Seven Hop Lager" boasts popularity as a standard item among many items.
It is developed in 2016 with a characteristic beer that can be done because of small scale brewing, and the rich fragrance that used seven kinds of hops luxuriously is impressive. Bottling while the self-cultured yeast alive, to ensure leaving the depth and richness, complex taste, made lager beer with good refreshing feeling.
"Because it has a refreshing scent of citrus fruits, I think it will go well with salads with raw ham or sour dressing." Yoshiharu Hattori chief director said.
In the restaurant inside the park, you can enjoy beer from local brewery and ham and wiener from mokumoku.
Agricultural park "Mokumoku handmade farm" (free open area available) that can experience the food that the land of Iga and the food that can feel the producer through five senses.
Many people are visiting here from domestic and overseas today.
In the background of craft beer, there are areas and people.
The reason why it’s attracting people is because there is a particular attention and unique to small-scale brewing.
Craft beer of Mie wanted to drink from all over the world.
Why don’t you drink on site?
（Coverage Date : October 9th, 15th 2018）
Planning and Editing：Living and Traveling in Mie WEB Magazine OTONAMIE
Coverage：Chiharu Kanzaki（free-lance writer）
Photography：Yoshitugu Imura
Cooperation
Limited company Nikenchaya mochi Kadoya main store
6-8-25 Jinkyu, Ise City, Mie Prefecture（Main store）
Tel 0596-63-6515
HP https://www.biyagura.jp/ec/
Hinotani hot spring Misugi resort
5990 Yachi, Misugi Cho, Tsu City, Mie Prefecture
Tel 059-272-1101
HP http://www.misugi.com/
Iga no sato Mokumoku handmade farm
3609 Nishiubune, Iga City, Mie Prefecture
Tel 0595-43-0909
HP http://www.moku-moku.com/
Mie Selection
HP http://www.pref.mie.lg.jp/CHISANM/HP/mieselection/index.htm