The primary focus of this blog has been and will continue to be Japanese beverages; however, starting from this month we will occasionally upload an entry on a foreign beverage that is available in Japan. In many cases this will be a means of introducing a subsequent entry that will be Japan-specific. Such is the … Continue reading Pinotage, Arguably South Africa’s Greatest Creation
At the Hop in Kichijoji: Kissyou 2020 (吉祥2020)
Way back in the dinosaur days of rock ’n’ roll (i.e., 1957), Danny & the Juniors released “At the Hop,” which zoomed—that’s with a lower-case “z,” of course—to the top of the charts and stayed there for a little while. The song describes the goings-on at an American hop—dance—of the era. Well, you can rock … Continue reading At the Hop in Kichijoji: Kissyou 2020 (吉祥2020)
Baird Brewing’s Suruga Bay Imperial IPA
There are a number of foreigner-owned or -operated breweries in Japan. Baird is one that has been around for a while and well worth a mention here. First, there is this wonderfully rich Suruga Bay Imperial IPA. This might even be called a “traditional method” brew, because like those high-rollers in Champagne, the people at … Continue reading Baird Brewing’s Suruga Bay Imperial IPA
The Seesaw in the Sake: Keigetsu CEL 24 Junmai Daiginjo 50 (桂月 CEL24 純米大吟醸 50)
A number of years ago the humble seesaw found itself under attack in the United States. This simple device that has provided so much enjoyment for millions of children was, along with other equipment like monkey bars, being yanked from playgrounds. The war on play apparently had less to do with the nanny state than … Continue reading The Seesaw in the Sake: Keigetsu CEL 24 Junmai Daiginjo 50 (桂月 CEL24 純米大吟醸 50)
Mountain River Brewery Urban Farming Ale (Blueberry Ale) & Nightfall
A perennial topic of discussion among people with too much time on their hands is whether midnight is 12 a.m. or 12 p.m. We at drinkingjapan.org do not want to see our readers sucked into this vortex from which they will never return to our blog, so we will banish any consideration of this by … Continue reading Mountain River Brewery Urban Farming Ale (Blueberry Ale) & Nightfall
Oldest Winery in Tokyo: Tokyo Winery
Back before the coronavirus became a thing, I had stumbled upon Fukagawa Winery (深川ワイナリー） after having dinner with coworkers at Uosan Sakaba (魚三酒場) near Monzen-nakacho Station. Not to digress, but Uosan Sakaba is a legendary seafood izakaya (居酒屋）serving large-portions of fresh fish at rock-bottom prices. The waitresses are sometimes a little rude and the facilities … Continue reading Oldest Winery in Tokyo: Tokyo Winery
Daiginjo Shizukusake Juhachidai ihei(大吟醸雫酒十八代伊兵衛) from Okunomatsu Sake Brewery (奥の松酒造)
Expressing the Ineffable Some might think that the staff here at drinkingjapan.org have an easy job. They believe that we just kick off our shoes, open a bottle of something, and the words flow like beer at a frat party. True, the bottle-opening and tasting, even the shoe-kicking, are lots of fun, but conveying our … Continue reading Daiginjo Shizukusake Juhachidai ihei(大吟醸雫酒十八代伊兵衛) from Okunomatsu Sake Brewery (奥の松酒造)
Drinking Japan 