Fun story about how I stumbled across Mugishutei Beer Inn: Years ago, I signed up to become a Rouge Citizen. Rogue Ales sent me a legit membership card with my picture on the front and a list of businesses on the back that you could get discounts from. There was one listing under Japan. Beer Inn. I was intrigued and kept it on my list of places to visit (I love lists). [cont]
Several months before my trip to Japan in October 2018, I reached out to my former professor that frequents Japan for Sapporo recommendations. Knowing that I am a huge fan of craft beer, he told me of an acquaintance from years ago that runs a craft beer bar in Sapporo. Mugishutei Beer Inn.
Phred Kaufman opened Mugishutei Beer Inn in 1980. I did correspond with Phred briefly through email but didn’t get the chance to meet. I’ll be back!
First beer of the night was Omatase IPA by Hop Kotan Brewing. They are a brewery based in Kami-Furano, Hokkaido.
The bottles are to be consumed at the bar. Great selection.
One of Phred’s first accounts, when he opened Beer Inn, was Rouge Ales. Rouge has also been brewing Phred’s recipes and shipping them to him! I was able to try a couple of these beers.
It was so fun looking through the beers that lined the walls. Very fun bonus that the tiny TV in the corner was played music videos from the early 2000s.
Tono Brewing in Tono, Iwate, Japan is the closest brewery to my grandpa’s village. It’s about a 20-minute drive away from Yanagawa, Esashi. Thanks to social media tags, I discovered Tono Brewing through Instagram a little bit before my trip in October 2018. Tono Brewing had been open for only 5 months on my first visit! On this initial visit, I met Daisuke Hakamada, who runs management and sales for Tono Brewing. He let me take a peek in the back.
Most recent visit in April 2019.
I met Kirin Brewing researcher, Atsushi Murakami. He is recognized as one of the world’s top experts on hops. Tono is near the city of Oshu, which now encompasses many smaller villages and towns. One of them is Esashi, which is a region known for their hops. My dad used to pick hops in Esashi for work as a high school agricultural student in the 70s. Murakami saved Esashi hops from being discarded and cultivated them for use in the early 2000s.
Mutsumi Ohta, their brewery manager, was working this visit and we chatted about American breweries and legal alcohol limits when driving. In Japan, the limit is .03 grams of alcohol in the blood and in the US, it is .08 grams.
I brought Tono Brewing some beers from Fremont Brewing, Fort George Brewing, and Bale Breaker.
YOHO Brewing started in 1996. They are one of the most prominent Japanese craft beers in Japan and represented in the US. Their Yona Yona Ale, Suiyoubi no Neko, Aooni, Tokyo Black, and Sorry Umami IPA are canned and distributed at a Japanese grocery store by my house in Seattle.
First visit in April 2019. My new friend, Shunsuke, introduced me to Watering Hole after hearing I love craft beer. This is now my favorite place in Tokyo.
Shunsuke Asaka, chef from Fatz’s the San Franciscan and Yuya Hayashi, the manger for Watering Hole. Yuya had recently returned from a trip to Seattle and let Shunsuke wear his hat from Cloudburst.
Yuya shared some beers with us. Damn Famous Tour is a Pale Ale made by Taihu Brewing out of Taiwan. This was my first craft beer from Taiwan! I was also tasked to bring some Taihu beers from Japan to The Masonry in Seattle.
Most recent visit in November 2019.
A lot of Tokyo establishments are eliminating smoking inside. I am speculating that this is for the Tokyo Summer Olympics. On the other side of that cream-colored curtain is the smoking “room”.
I brought them a couple cans of this deGarde + Monkish collab and a couple cans from Matchless Brewing.
I met Cazz on my first visit to Watering Hole in April 2019. He is originally from Morioka, Iwate. This was one of his last weeks working at Watering Hole and has since moved back to Morioka. Looking forward to visiting Cazz up there!
Morioka is the capital of Iwate Prefecture and is about a 15-minute bullet train ride from the closest city to my grandpa’s house. I go to Morioka often and am excited about their growing coffee and craft beer scene.
Yuya wearing a hat from The Masonry, a Seattle establishment.
While I didn’t get to visit their taproom, I was able to drink Tilquin in Brussels and Amsterdam. They are definitely in my top 3 breweries. Tilquin is the only lambic blendery in Wallonia, which is a southern region of Belgium.
They were the first brewery outside of Flanders to join HORAL, which is a council for lambic beers. HORAL was able to designate uses for lambic and gueuze beers under the EU. Only beers originating in the specific region of Pajottenland and Zenne Valley in Belgium are allowed to be identified as lambic and gueuze.
Shelton Brothers is a beer importer specializing in beers brewed in small batches using traditional methods. They carry some of my favorite beers. As of 2019, they have hosted 8 festivals and I was lucky enough to attend the 7th year when it was in Denver in 2018.
I grew up in Vail, Colorado. One of my oldest friends lives in Denver and thankfully, he loves beer too. I love drinking good beer with my friends!
Hiking Eagles Nest, White River National Forest. We sat down for a beer and then reported a fire that we spotted in the distance.
Brought Cloudburst to Colorado with me.
All-time favorite brewery. I try to visit at least once a year.
I love pFriem Pilsner. They started canning and their pilsner cans have their cute bear logo on them!
Folksbier opened in 2014.
September 2018. Going to the restroom next door in the abandoned office building was always kindaaaa spooky. They used to be in Long Island City but in May 2019, moved to the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
April 2019. This was the last month Transmitter was in their LIC space.
This is my favorite place in Astoria. They have two locations. One on Broadway and one on Ditmars. Every once in a while, I’ll get a sandwich to eat there and one to go before I catch my flight back to Seattle.
The hype is real. Other Half makes delicious beers.
The Masonry has 2 locations and the does wood-fired pizzas + offers an amazing beer list.
Pike Brewing opened in 1989. Despite being one of the oldest breweries in Seattle, I didn’t visit until 2018 when I attended a Women in Beer event. This place is gigantic!!
Beach beer
Picnic beer
Please send all Heater Allen beers my way. Thank you.