Explore microbreweries in central Japan’s snow country
When discussing beer in Japan, large companies like Asahi, Kirin, and Sapporo may come to mind. However, Japan also has a burgeoning and successful craft beer industry, focused on sourcing local ingredients and limited production. Craft beer is relatively new to Japan, in large part because a Beer Tax Law restricted brewing licenses to high-volume barrel outputs.
As Japan’s economy recovered in the 1950s and flourished throughout the post-war period, the demand for beer grew as well, further strengthening the position of the major brewing firms. It was not until the 1990s that microbreweries entered the market and Niigata played an integral role in the industry’s early years.
Heading to Japan soon or planning a dream vacation to Japan in the future? Don’t forget to book your expert-led and informative tours. Check here to see our full lineup of experiences! For visitors from abroad, you will likely begin your adventure in Tokyo. Niigata is easily accessible, being only a little more than 90 minutes from Tokyo via the Jōetsu Shinkansen.
Niigata, the birthplace of Japanese craft beer
The prefecture of Niigata in the Chubu region is renowned for its high-quality agricultural products, including rice and sake. Thus, it should not come as a surprise that craft beer–another similar export and alcoholic beverage–has grown in popularity.
We can trace back the origins of Japan’s craft beer industry to Niigata prefecture, where Echigo Beer Company became the country’s first microbrewery in 1995. The firm benefited from a reformed liquor tax law, becoming and remaining an industry leader in the Niigata craft beer scene to the present day.
Echicho Koshihikari beer – Photo Credit AllAbout-Japan.com
Another brewery, Niigata Beer Company, was the first producer to incorporate secondary fermentation inside the can as part of the brewing process. Brewery owner USAMI Ken simply stated, “I just wanted to drink good beer,” when he began his company in 1997.
The reformed laws and deregulation of the Japanese beer industry resulted in an influx of supply, however, leading to the microbrewery industry crashing soon after. Echigo Beer Company and Niigata Beer Company are among the survivors and both have thrived as Japanese tastes have become more receptive to craft beer.
Memorable and innovative styles
Diversity of styles and uniqueness are hallmarks of the Niigata craft beer portfolio, as is incorporating ingredients rarely found elsewhere in the country.
Niigata Beer Company’s lineup of beers includes its flagship Belgian pale ale, a golden kӧlsh, a red ale, Ediburgh–an English brown ale, a white truffle blonde ale, a schwarzbier, a wasabi and fruit ale, a German-style weizen, a spiced herb beer, and an espresso-infused imperial stout. The pale ale ranks as the preferred Niigata Beer company style on BeerAdvocate, whereas the schwarzbier rates the highest on Untappd.
Niigata Beer Company’s flagship pale ale – Photo Credit ShinGroupCorp.com
Echigo’s listing features a premium red ale, a popular but hard-to-find American IPA, an Irish dry stout, a German-style pilsner, a pale ale brewed with chamomile and elderflower, a white ale with lemon and ginger, a black tea IPA, and an apple and herb ale. The stout is a favorite, ranking as the top-rated Echigo beer on both BeerAdvocate and Untappd.
Echigo is notable for its Japanese rice lager, brewed with Niigata’s famous koshihikari grain. This style is Echigo’s flagship product, and it pairs well with most traditional Japanese cuisine, including sushi. The rice lager style has become a staple of Japanese craft beer offerings and it is popular with drinkers who prefer lighter options.
Newer breweries making their mark
The craft beer industry in Niigata is not exclusive to breweries with decades of history—there are also newcomers to the scene.
Hakkaisan began as a sake brewery over 100 years ago and recently expanded to craft beer as the Rydeen brand. Images of monkeys feature prominently on most of Hakkaisan’s beers to recognize the animals which frequent the area around their brewery in Minami-uonuma. Rydeen’s most popular styles are a fruity weizen, an altbier with dark roasted malt, an American IPA, a golden pilsner, a refreshing porter, and a Belgian white brewed with koji. On BeerAdvocate, the top-rated Ryden beer is the American IPA while the porter ranks first on Untappd.
Rydeen’s popular lineup of beers – Photo Credit Matt Klampert, Yukiguni.com
Located in southern Niigata’s Tokamachi City, Tsumari Brewing opened in 2017 and began beer production the following year. Founder TAKAGI Chiho began the business to respond to interest in local beer. Its styles tend to be lighter and not overly hoppy, pairing well with prefectural cuisine.
Tsumari has a signature soba ale, sourced from Tokamachi, as well as an ume plum beer, a wheat beer made with chokecherry, a golden ale, and a pale ale. Among major beer websites, Tsumari Brewing appears on Untappd, where its top-ranked style is the chokecherry wheat, brewed with ingredients from nearby Kashiwazaki.
Tsumari beer in a commemorative box – Photo Credit Matt Klampert, Yukiguni.com
When to drink beer in Niigata
When to enjoy Niigata’s beers? Any time of the year!
Enjoy the majestic views of central Japan’s coast along with a crisp and fruity Echigo Flying IPA. Niigata is popular for skiing in the winter and nothing quite complements a day on the slopes in Niigata like a balanced Tsumari Genbu Porter. One of Japan’s most spectacular events is the annual Nagaoka Fireworks Festival, where attendees can cool down on the hot summer night with a delightful Niigata Beer Company pale ale. A common pastime throughout Niigata is hot spring bathing and the perfect ending is a roasted Hakkasian altbier.
Journey to Niigata Prefecture to experience these delicious craft beers for yourself!
Echigo Beer Company
Address: 2 Matsuyama, Nishikan-ku, Niigata City, Niigata 953-0016 Learn more at www.echigobeer.com (website is only in Japanese)
Niigata Beer Company
Address: 2 Matsuyama, Nishikan-ku, Niigata City, Niigata 953-0016 Learn more at www.shingroupcorp.com/producers/niigata-beer
Tsumari Brewing
Address: 474-1 Jiduka Nobori, Taihei, Tokamachi City, Niigata 942-1527 Learn more at www.craftbeerhunt.net/brewery/tsumari-brewing (website is only in Japanese)
Uonuma no Sato (Hakkaisan Brewery)
Address: 1051 Nagamori, Minami-uonuma City, Niigata 949-7112 Learn more at www.rydeenbeer.jp and www.hakkaisan.com/our-products/beer
Come to Niigata
In closing, Niigata Prefecture offers something for almost any type of traveler, including the craft beer aficionado. The industry began in Niigata and its strength today is in both its legacy brewers and its upcoming companies. Unique styles and local ingredients, including the prized koshihikari rice, are common throughout Niigata’s many craft beer options.
Feature Photo: Echigo Beer on Instagram
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